In creative writing, tense refers to the relationship between when the story takes place and when it is being told. Tense, along with point of view, is integral to the story because it helps set the mood. There are two major types: Past and present.
In a past tense narrative, the story is told as if it has already happened. Past tense is the most commonly used and is probably the most comfortable for readers to read due to familiarity.
Present tense is the other available option. In this tense, the story is told as though it is happening as it is being read. This tense is not used nearly as often and therefore it may be tricky to remain consistent, and may even irritate some readers. The advantage is that it may make the story more suspenseful or quicker paced.
| Past Tense |
Patrick took the stairs two at a time. He paused at the landing to catch his breath, his pulse racing in this throat. |
Present Tense |
Patrick takes the stairs two at a time. He pauses at the landing to catch his breath, his pulse racing in his throat. |
Like point of view, if you can’t decide which tense to use, try writing a short section of your story in both and use the one that works best.
Note: Unlike point of view, you may not alternate between the different tenses within the same story. The only exception to this rule is the prologue or epilogue, which may be written in a different tense from the rest of the story (usually present, while the story is past). This tactic is usually used to show that the prologue and epilogue are different from the rest of the story. |
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