Specifically science fiction... I have a bad habit of switching tenses as I write, and I'm having a hard time deciding which tense sounds best (I usually lean toward past tense, but I can't always make it flow properly). Suggestions?
2007-01-29 03:15:36 · 7 answers · asked by mogwai_b4_midnite 4 in Arts & Humanities ➔ Books & Authors
When I write short stories, I often write in first person, but novels are a problem doing them first person.
I agree that third person works best for longer pieces and that is what I use. There are many variation on POV (point of view, not tenses)
I write from the perspective of several characters, including the antagonist. STILL in third person, but with that one characters POV... EVERY time you change to a different person's perspective, you MUST put a white space (break) in to show this, or begin a new chapter, establishing the POV person as soon as possible.
I hope this helps some. POV is one of the hardest parts of writing to get past, tenses (time period) is another, plotting (timing) yet another, and showing (not telling) is a biggie... then you have all the little stuff...
Good luck and if you still need more help check out the Writer Digest Book Club (you can also get good books thru Amazon) on all the elements of writing anything.
2007-01-29 05:26:19 · answer #1 · answered by Wanda K 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Past Tense
2007-01-29 03:26:34 · answer #2 · answered by SAM B 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Past, though present is becoming more popular as first person narration becomes more popular. For science fiction I'd recommend sticking to past tense. You're going to have to handle a lot of expository passages and the easiest way to do that is with a third person omniscient narrator. That kind of narrator is almost always written in the past tense.
2007-01-29 05:25:14 · answer #3 · answered by lcraesharbor 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Past tense is the most common, and I think it works best in all forms of fiction. Present tense reads rather stilted, I believe.
2007-01-29 03:26:10 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
third person - "he" "she" "they"
and past or present tense, just use the same one throughout.
"they were going . . . but then he went . . . so they were . . ."
those are in agreement; use the tense that suits your story!
sci-fi is almost never in first person, or future tense, although a futuristic story can be in past or present tense!
"it was the year 2939 and everyone was getting ready for . . ."
hope that helps!
2007-01-29 03:23:44 · answer #5 · answered by cyanideprincess0008 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
What ever fits the book they are writting.
2007-01-29 04:02:24 · answer #6 · answered by producer_vortex 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
i read al gores book and idont really know
2007-01-29 03:51:57 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋