Using 'now' in past-tense narrative

[TheExperimentalist]

While I am quite grateful to the volunteer editor I work with for having been so supportive along my journey, he and I do still have a bit of an ongoing friendly debate. Namely: Is the word 'now' acceptable to use in narratives presented in past tense?

For example, in a sentence such as:

Though her makeup had previously been immaculate, there was now a streak of mascara below her eye, and her lipstick was smudged.

or:

Now that the issue had been resolved, they were able to proceed with the business at hand.

He contends that it means 'the present moment', which a past-tense narrative certainly is not.

I argue that it has two meanings, the first being 'the present moment', and the second, 'a circumstance different from a prior one'.

Now, I have a friend who has suggested that all writers have a series of literary 'tics', as it were, subconscious patterns they end up overusing, and that 'now' might be one of mine. (I also just realized how this paragraph started, so I think my friend may be right.) Anyway, my friend thinks it might benefit me to treat 'now' as, at the very least, an indication that a sentence could use some closer attention.

The fact remains, though, that I don't see anything inherently wrong with using the 'circumstance' definition, even in past tense, and there are just some sentences where trying to avoid using it entirely leads to some (in my opinion) very awkward presentation. My editor insists on reminding me on every story I send him anyway.

So... who's right?

 

[cw5523729]

Who's right? Beats the fuck out of me.

All I can say is I use "now" even in the past tense, I know it's likely wrong as I'm doing it, and yet I do it anyway since I don't know a better way to avoid it that doesn't sound clunky.

 

[Off_base]

Who's right? Beats the fuck out of me.

All I can say is I use "now" even in the past tense, I know it's likely wrong as I'm doing it, and yet I do it anyway since I don't know a better way to avoid it that doesn't sound clunky.

I'm sorry, are you saying meow?

 

[YmaOHyd]

I use 'now' in past tense when I want to create intensity and immediacy; that means I pretty much use it during sex scenes and nowhere else. But also, now can mean:

• the present (it's warm now)
• the immediate future (Do it now)
• the immediate past (I had a sandwich just now)
• indication of command (now look here)
• indication of transition (now, what we're going to do is)
• in these circumstances (now that it's raining, we need an umbrella)
• at an indicated time (now our hardships began)

 

[SimonDoom]

It's fine to use "now" in past tense writing. It's done all the time in published fiction.

 

[Z_TheWriter]

I'm pretty sure "now" is fine in past tense, I've certainly used it myself.

I would posit that aside from your argument about "now" being a new state of something, there is also a present moment in a story told in past tense. Now as a time indicator is relative, not absolute.

 

[Writer61]

We're gonna need a better editor ... now

 

[AwkwardMD]

The rule would say no, do not use now in past tense. Now means now.

That's a rule. Break the rule when breaking it makes sense.

 

[TheExperimentalist]

We're gonna need a better editor ... now

Hey, can we please refrain from direct attacks, even in jest? Like I said, I have a lot of appreciation for him, this is just one (in my opinion) of those silly little made up rules that we all seem to get in our heads and just can't let go of.

 

[cw5523729]

I'm sorry, are you saying meow?

Do I look like cat to you? What is so damn funny meow?

 

[crookedletter]

Both those example sentences are just fine.

It's nice you have someone who's reading your work and gives you suggestions. But unless they're working for a publication you're trying to get into, that has style guides they're enforcing, then I would hope after giving their suggestions they would yield to your style preferences.

 

[TheLobster]

It's fine. Observe that "now" is introducing a distinct moment in time, different from the others that aren't now. As such, it allows you to order events without resorting to the clunky past perfect tense.

It's really no different an indicator than "next Monday" or "two days later" or "yesterday".

 

[AG31]

While I am quite grateful to the volunteer editor I work with for having been so supportive along my journey, he and I do still have a bit of an ongoing friendly debate. Namely: Is the word 'now' acceptable to use in narratives presented in past tense?

For example, in a sentence such as:

or:


He contends that it means 'the present moment', which a past-tense narrative certainly is not.

I argue that it has two meanings, the first being 'the present moment', and the second, 'a circumstance different from a prior one'.

Now, I have a friend who has suggested that all writers have a series of literary 'tics', as it were, subconscious patterns they end up overusing, and that 'now' might be one of mine. (I also just realized how this paragraph started, so I think my friend may be right.) Anyway, my friend thinks it might benefit me to treat 'now' as, at the very least, an indication that a sentence could use some closer attention.

The fact remains, though, that I don't see anything inherently wrong with using the 'circumstance' definition, even in past tense, and there are just some sentences where trying to avoid using it entirely leads to some (in my opinion) very awkward presentation. My editor insists on reminding me on every story I send him anyway.

So... who's right?

Dunno what's technically right, but following the principle of writing like people actually talk, I think your examples are fine.

 

[TheExperimentalist]

Both those example sentences are just fine.

It's nice you have someone who's reading your work and gives you suggestions. But unless they're working for a publication you're trying to get into, that has style guides they're enforcing, then I would hope after giving their suggestions they would yield to your style preferences.

Oh yeah, for sure. Like I said, just a friendly debate. I often debate other suggestions he makes too, and we have some interesting grammatical or linguistic discussions. I always have final say, and he doesn't seem too bothered if I reject an edit or suggestion.

 

[TheExperimentalist]

It's fine. Observe that "now" is introducing a distinct moment in time, different from the others that aren't now. As such, it allows you to order events without resorting to the clunky past perfect tense.

It's really no different an indicator than "next Monday" or "two days later" or "yesterday".

To be fair, he dislikes 'yesterday' and 'tomorrow' for similar reasons. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

[crookedletter]

To be fair, he dislikes 'yesterday' and 'tomorrow' for similar reasons. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Linear time is an illusion! All is simultaneity!

 

[SimonDoom]

I did a quick search of some well-known novels, and all of them use "now" in this way. E.B. White did it in Charlotte's Web, and he's about as authoritative as it gets.

 

[Five_Inch_Heels]

Is was now at the time back then.

 

[TheExperimentalist]

I've just realized, this question will become even more complex with the time-travel-story draft I'm working on.

 

[Z_TheWriter]

A thought:
"He walked over to look at his computer. An hour ago, he had made a thread in AH..."

Ok now how would we transition back from 'an hour ago' without using the word now or something which has the same relative 'present moment' meaning? I don't think we can really.

 

[AwkwardMD]

This question is a lot like starting sentences with And and But. Technically, no, you shouldn't do that. Starting with And or But makes them dependent clauses, but in fiction it's okay to be artistic.

HOWEVER, if you also write sloppy sentences with run-ons and fragments, people are going to walk away from your work thinking you don't know what you're doing. If you use Now a whole bunch in the past tense AND you have a bunch of tense disagreements and incorrect verb forms, your artistic choice just makes your actual mistakes look much worse.

To paraphrase Roger Ebert, learn how to frame a shot correctly before you start experimenting with Dutch angles.

 

[AwkwardMD]

And, to be clear, one sign that you've mastered the fundamentals is that you don't need a volunteer editor anymore.

 

[Five_Inch_Heels]

And now, but what about another view?

 

[TheExperimentalist]

A thought:
"He walked over to look at his computer. An hour ago, he had made a thread in AH..."

Ok now how would we transition back from 'an hour ago' without using the word now or something which has the same relative 'present moment' meaning? I don't think we can really.

Pretty sure he'd dislike this one too...

 

[MelissaBaby]

Now is now if it's now in the perspective of the POV character.

At least, that's my opinion now.