Past or present tense?

[welshman]

What do any of you think of the tense that a story is written in? Is one better than the other- more erotic- or just a personal preference?

 

[Weird Harold]

What do any of you think of the tense that a story is written in? Is one better than the other- more erotic- or just a personal preference?

Past tense is much easier to write and therefore more common. People get used to it and tend to feel more comfortable with it.

Some stories just don't fit well in past tense though, and, when done well, present tense is more immediate and engrossing. If you can make present tense work for you and present tense works for the story, then use it.

The needs of the story should determine which you use. In very rare cases, future tense might be the best choice for a story, but the tense and POV should be chosen to make the most of your plot and characters.

 

[Melissa Randolf]

past or present tense?

I know I like people to pick a tense and stay with it. This seems to be more of a problem in poetry.

 

[karmadog]

tense

Some writers get used to writing in present tense by writing a lot of literary criticism which must always be in present tense. Sometimes when writing fiction, I will put a dream in present tense (to contrast it with reality), but generally, I think past tense is most effective. It gives the impression of reality to your story. It makes a reader feel as if they are being told of something that actually happened. Always a desirable trait.

 

[Whispersecret]

I'm with Melissa. Stories should, in general, be written in one tense. However, karmadog makes a valid point. Sometimes a tense change is valid, as in the case of a dream sequence. Most of the time change of tense within a story usually just marks the author as an unskilled amateur.

In my opinion, present tense is awkward both to read and write. There is something about verb tenses that restrict the leeway you have to construct your sentences. Not being an English major, I can't explain exactly why, nor would I understand why. I just know that's the way it is.

There are a great deal of stories written in second person, present tense, and that just screams to me that this was a cybersession-turned-story. Yuck.

 

[The Sex Master]

What do any of you think of the tense that a story is written in? Is one better than the other- more erotic- or just a personal preference?

First,second,or third.It doesn't matter,but the QUALITY does !

 

[Whispersecret]

Quality is indeed important, but readability matters just as much. In my opinion, second person and/or present tense are limiting and awkward to read.

 

[TheWriter]

I agree that second person is very awkward, and only seems to work in non-erotic, "Choose Your Own Adventure" stories. However, effective present tense can be very engaging, but usually only with first person.

But first person, present tense, is not always appropriate to erotic fiction. It can work, but it should be done properly and thoroughly, such as in a novel or novella.

 

[Uther_Pendragon]

There are a great deal of stories written in second person, present tense, and that just screams to me that this was a cybersession-turned-story. Yuck. [/B]

I'll agree that you should use third-person past tense
UNLESS you have a good reason to use something else.
:
I will admit, though, to writing one story in second
person present tense.
:
OTOH, it was quite short (under 500 words) and a bit of
showing off, anyway. I called it "Life Sentence."