Tenses

[Jada59]

Mixing up my tenses has always been a problem for me. Often, I intend to be writing in past tense because I am writing about something that happened in the past. But I get so swept up with the story that it begins to feel like I am reliving it and then I begin writing in the present tense. The last story of mine that was published, had to be re-read about 20 times. It was *that* bad and I still wasn't catching the mistakes as I read it because I *was* so swept up with the story.

I am currently writing a story and I did the same thing.

Does anyone else have this problem? If so, how do you nip it in the bud?

 

[CuteSlaveLisa]

Mixing up my tenses has always been a problem for me. Often, I intend to be writing in past tense because I am writing about something that happened in the past. But I get so swept up with the story that it begins to feel like I am reliving it and then I begin writing in the present tense. The last story of mine that was published, had to be re-read about 20 times. It was *that* bad and I still wasn't catching the mistakes as I read it because I *was* so swept up with the story.

I am currently writing a story and I did the same thing.

Does anyone else have this problem? If so, how do you nip it in the bud?

I wish I had a solution, I just go back through a story several times, each time looking for a specific element, coherence, spelling, correct word (one was just published that I used discrete instead of discreet in multiple times, missed it), tense is a big one. Sometimes I read nothing but the verbs. (A bizarre corollary of marketing classes where they taught you can sell anything the same basic way soap, cars, vacations. Uh, BTDT-IRL, no you can't.)

I prefer to write in the first person from a specific characters point of view. I just think it's more intimate as if that person is telling a freind a story. Of course it happened in the past... However my source material if it was personal often is initially written as present tense because I am reliving it... Unless... It's a projection, plan, or thought about the future, It which case it ought to be future tense...

I just think of Douglas Adam's passage in Hitchiker's Guide where he explains that time travel destroyed the English language by creating umpteen new tenses. For instance writing about something that happened right now because in the future you travel back in time and do something in the past causing that change. But it hasn't happened yet, or has it.

Love and Kisses

Lisa Ann

 

[SimonDoom]

Unconscious tense-shifting has always been a nails-on-chalkboard thing for me as a reader, and as a writer I think I avoid it just by writing all my stories in the past tense.

Where authors often go wrong is shifting to present tense to describe something or someone. For instance:

My wife Rhonda walked to the pool in the little black bikini I bought her.

"Looking good, babe," I said.

Rhonda is a stunner. She's five foot five with a great figure she keeps in shape through exercise.


It's better to write the last sentence in the past tense. Stick with past tense relentlessly and it becomes second nature. Some people like to write in the present tense, which is perfectly acceptable, but if this is a problem you're probably more likely to exacerbate it if you are accustomed to using both tenses in stories.

 

[ElectricBlue]

Does anyone else have this problem? If so, how do you nip it in the bud?

I used to do it, and like you, slipped into present tense when writing intimate, in the moment scenes. It was an unconscious thing, until Simon Doom (rightly) pinged me on it, and I realised what I was doing. Now I catch myself as I'm doing it and fix it straightaway - being aware is the best fix. You stop doing it, after a while.

The solution , therefore, is to get Simon to read one of your stories, shake his head and sigh .

Edit: lol, see what I mean about Simon .

 

[TarnishedPenny]

I go for endless rereading. I find putting it into a different font (I write in Word) to find 'miscues'.

An editor or at least a beta reader is useful. Things which makes sense to you, things your mind glosses over, can jump out for another.

Then of course there's the Nuclear option. Just publish the thing; the first time you read it, you'll see all kinds of errors and things you need to change.

 

[MelissaBaby]

Unconscious tense-shifting has always been a nails-on-chalkboard thing for me as a reader, and as a writer I think I avoid it just by writing all my stories in the past tense.

I'm with you. I've toyed with present tense, but always rejected it. I just don't care for it, as a reader or a writer. I wish I had some cool tip to offer, but I just avoid the whole problem.

 

[Zeb_Carter]

Yep, it's a problem that plagues me too. Sometimes I struggle to stay in the past, but creep into the present often.

I really only find myself slipping into present tense in first person POV. With third person POV it's not so easy to slip.

 

[SimonDoom]

The solution , therefore, is to get Simon to read one of your stories, shake his head and sigh .

).

EB's right. Give it to me and I'll clean the tense-shifting right up. And add moms and penguins.

 

[CuteSlaveLisa]

...Then of course there's the Nuclear option. Just publish the thing; the first time you read it, you'll see all kinds of errors and things you need to change.

Works for Microsoft... ;-)

Love and Kisses

Lisa Ann

 

[LexxRuthless]

Works for Microsoft... ;-)

Love and Kisses

Lisa Ann

...and that's why we hate Microsoft.

One thing that helps me catch a lot of my errors is re-reading from the beginning each time I sit down to continue my story. I write everything in Word, then copy & paste the story text into the field once I have decided on a title and description. This give me the chance to look it over the way it will look on Lit, and I often catch more mistakes at that time--particularly with my HTML tags for italics and bold.

I edit constantly while I am writing. I also have a few regular followers who are happy to review my stories-in-progress via e-mail. That second, third and fourth set of eyeballs often pick up on things I have missed.

 

[KeithD]

Does anyone else have this problem? If so, how do you nip it in the bud?

Yes, and sometimes my third person changes to first person under the same conditions. I just try catching it in review--or not.

 

[Handley_Page]

. Sometimes I read nothing but the verbs. (A bizarre corollary of marketing classes where they taught you can sell anything the same basic way soap, cars, vacations. Uh, BTDT-IRL, no you can't.)

Love and Kisses
Lisa Ann

Sorry; what's that ?

Unconscious tense-shifting has always been a nails-on-chalkboard thing for me as a reader, and as a writer I think I avoid it just by writing all my stories in the past tense.

Where authors often go wrong is shifting to present tense to describe something or someone. For instance:

My wife Rhonda walked to the pool in the little black bikini I bought her.

"Looking good, babe," I said.

Rhonda is a stunner. She's five foot five with a great figure she keeps in shape through exercise.

It's better to write the last sentence in the past tense. Stick with past tense relentlessly and it becomes second nature. Some people like to write in the present tense, which is perfectly acceptable, but if this is a problem you're probably more likely to exacerbate it if you are accustomed to using both tenses in stories.

I like to read "a narration" (She went, they fucked, etc..).
My understanding of the language does not often extend to parts of speech, tenses and all that (past participle ???). Detailed discussions of the construction are, usually, beyond me.
However,
In the case you illustrate, the two sentences you have are not inconpatible (I think).
The second sentence is "an aside" and perfectly acceptable.

 

[Bramblethorn]

My wife Rhonda walked to the pool in the little black bikini I bought her.

"Looking good, babe," I said.

Rhonda is a stunner. She's five foot five with a great figure she keeps in shape through exercise.

[re. "BTDT-IRL"] Sorry; what's that ?

"Been there, done that, in real life".

In the case you illustrate, the two sentences you have are not inconpatible (I think).
The second sentence is "an aside" and perfectly acceptable.

Agreed. There is a tense shift but as far as this example goes, it's fine. The first two lines are describing events that happened at some point in the past. The third is describing something that happens over a period of time, and when that period of time includes the present, we normally use the present tense.

Compare:

Last year we visited Sacramento, which is the state capital of California.
Last year we visited Sacramento, which was the state capital of California.

The latter implies that it's no longer the state capital. Unless you want to imply that things have changed since then, better to use the present tense to describe ongoing characteristics.

Simon's example would only be an error if the author forgot to switch back to past tense when the story gets back to the poolside action.

 

[Jada59]

I wish I had a solution, I just go back through a story several times, each time looking for a specific element, coherence, spelling, correct word (one was just published that I used discrete instead of discreet in multiple times, missed it), tense is a big one. Sometimes I read nothing but the verbs. (A bizarre corollary of marketing classes where they taught you can sell anything the same basic way soap, cars, vacations. Uh, BTDT-IRL, no you can't.)

I prefer to write in the first person from a specific characters point of view. I just think it's more intimate as if that person is telling a freind a story. Of course it happened in the past... However my source material if it was personal often is initially written as present tense because I am reliving it... Unless... It's a projection, plan, or thought about the future, It which case it ought to be future tense...

I just think of Douglas Adam's passage in Hitchiker's Guide where he explains that time travel destroyed the English language by creating umpteen new tenses. For instance writing about something that happened right now because in the future you travel back in time and do something in the past causing that change. But it hasn't happened yet, or has it.

Love and Kisses

Lisa Ann

Thanks! I once used "plane" instead of "plain" and missed it after reading through it many times. Maybe I should do a read through looking just for tenses.

 

[Jada59]

Unconscious tense-shifting has always been a nails-on-chalkboard thing for me as a reader, and as a writer I think I avoid it just by writing all my stories in the past tense.

Where authors often go wrong is shifting to present tense to describe something or someone. For instance:

My wife Rhonda walked to the pool in the little black bikini I bought her.

"Looking good, babe," I said.

Rhonda is a stunner. She's five foot five with a great figure she keeps in shape through exercise.


It's better to write the last sentence in the past tense. Stick with past tense relentlessly and it becomes second nature. Some people like to write in the present tense, which is perfectly acceptable, but if this is a problem you're probably more likely to exacerbate it if you are accustomed to using both tenses in stories.

Thanks!

 

[Jada59]

I go for endless rereading. I find putting it into a different font (I write in Word) to find 'miscues'.

An editor or at least a beta reader is useful. Things which makes sense to you, things your mind glosses over, can jump out for another.

Then of course there's the Nuclear option. Just publish the thing; the first time you read it, you'll see all kinds of errors and things you need to change.

Oh yeah. I hate it when that happens!

 

[Jada59]

Yes, and sometimes my third person changes to first person under the same conditions. I just try catching it in review--or not.

Thanks!

 

[Jada59]

I've changed them on purpose in my latest story; moved from third to first POV, from past to present tense. To emphasize the main character has become wiser, a different person, in the end of the story. I don't think anyone got that.

Interesting! Thanks!

 

[Jada59]

"Been there, done that, in real life".



Agreed. There is a tense shift but as far as this example goes, it's fine. The first two lines are describing events that happened at some point in the past. The third is describing something that happens over a period of time, and when that period of time includes the present, we normally use the present tense.

Compare:

Last year we visited Sacramento, which is the state capital of California.
Last year we visited Sacramento, which was the state capital of California.

The latter implies that it's no longer the state capital. Unless you want to imply that things have changed since then, better to use the present tense to describe ongoing characteristics.

Simon's example would only be an error if the author forgot to switch back to past tense when the story gets back to the poolside action.

I think so too!

 

[Hypoxia]

I go for endless rereading.

Right on! My proofreading improved between serious eye surgeries when I had to peer closely at enlarged fonts. Caught many flubs that way. Now I see better (but still badly) so beware.

Compare:

Last year we visited Sacramento, which is the state capital of California.
Last year we visited Sacramento, which was the state capital of California.

We visited California's capitol Sacramento last year before it submerged.

Now Sacratomato can be both the capitol and gone, like Schroedinger's Cat.
_____

ObTopic: I don't write present-tense narratives. Speech may be in present or future tense, but a tale is told after it occurs. I see most present-tense POVs as pretentious unless they portend impending doom. So I'm not caught there.

 

[yukonnights]

Thanks! I once used "plane" instead of "plain" and missed it after reading through it many times. Maybe I should do a read through looking just for tenses.

I think 'plane' and 'plain' would come under the term "homophones", instead of different tenses. Generally, your grammar check will be the tool to find these. As it runs through the text, it should highlight and tell you something like; "this may not be grammatically correct." These are tricky and hard to find for me on the umpteenth proofread. 'New' and 'knew' is another example, one among many of the little buggers

 

[Hypoxia]

I think 'plane' and 'plain' would come under the term "homophones"...

And playin'. That's with plane and plain uttered as two-syllable drawls. "Whah, thay-at's just play-an NUTZ!" Homophones trick me more than do tenses. So do slips, like forgetting who does or says what, to whom, and where. An embarrassing result is someone fucking themself. Oops.

 

[SimonDoom]

"Been there, done that, in real life".



Agreed. There is a tense shift but as far as this example goes, it's fine. The first two lines are describing events that happened at some point in the past. The third is describing something that happens over a period of time, and when that period of time includes the present, we normally use the present tense.

Compare:

Last year we visited Sacramento, which is the state capital of California.
Last year we visited Sacramento, which was the state capital of California.

The latter implies that it's no longer the state capital. Unless you want to imply that things have changed since then, better to use the present tense to describe ongoing characteristics.

Simon's example would only be an error if the author forgot to switch back to past tense when the story gets back to the poolside action.

I think you are incorrect, to a degree. In most published fiction, the conventional way to do it in your example would be to use past tense throughout. It would not imply that sacramento no longer was the capital. Nonfiction might be different depending upon what type it is. But check out examples of fictional narrative. I think I'm right.

 

[oggbashan]

I've changed them on purpose in my latest story; moved from third to first POV, from past to present tense. To emphasize the main character has become wiser, a different person, in the end of the story. I don't think anyone got that.

I change from past to present to speed up parts of the story. Sometimes I do it unconsciously but for most occasions it is a deliberate ploy.

 

[SimonDoom]

Context is everything. There's no rule that applies to all situations.

Stories in the first person POV are more likely to combine past and present tense. The narrator might start in the present, and then narrate something that happened in the past. Pat Conroy's Prince of Tides is like that. The opening sentence is in the present tense. Most of the novel is narrated in the past tense.

Many stories on Lit are like that. Some of them are, or purport to be, based on truth. So a story may start something like:

"Let me tell you about my hot wife. She's gorgeous.

Last month we went to a friend's house, and . . ."

That mixes present and past in a perfectly acceptable way, but it's not something you're likely to find in commercial fiction as much.

So I think Bramblethorn is incorrect, to the extent that the example offered is something one finds in a work of fiction, where an event is narrated in the past. In that case you write that Sacramento "was" the capital, not that it "is" the capital, because in the fictional universe there is no present. Everything is in the past, unless at the beginning of the work of fiction you have established that there is a present. Think Star Wars "A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away." There's no present in that universe. That's the way it is in most fiction. There's no need, ever, for present tense. If, in the middle of one of his novels, Dickens described a character traveling to London and out of the blue wrote that London "is" the capital of England, it wouldn't look right.

If it's an essay, or a magazine article, or some other work of nonfiction, that's a different matter. But that's not what we're dealing with here.

These are just guidelines, not hard and fast rules, of course, but I think the best way to lick this problem is to make it simple and stick rigorously to the past tense.

That's my theory of grammar, punctuation, style, diction, spelling, etc. in general. If you are really, really good, and you've mastered the conventions, you may be able to get away with defying them. But if you're like 99% of us, you're more likely to be able to get your story across effectively by more or less sticking to the conventions of writing. It's rare that you really need to defy them to convey your point.