Story Writing: Verb Tenses

In this article, we explore verb tenses in fiction writing.

A verb is what somebody or something does. The tense of a verb tells us when the action is taken. The person of a verb lets us know who is taking the action.

Which verb tense is right for your story? Read on to find out.

Verb tense (when the action happens).

You’ll have to choose between past tense and present tense. Both come with their advantages. Additionally, certain genres will have preferences toward one or the other. Of course, that doesn’t mean you have to follow those preferences, but you may wish to if you are a fan of the genre in which you’re writing.

Present tense.

Let’s start with present tense, because it is currently (as of this writing) trending in the crime genre, especially in murder mysteries featuring a detective or detective inspector protagonist.

Authors who prefer present tense often say that it creates high immediacy. Present tense makes it feel like the story is happening “right now.” The effect is magnified when you combine present tense with first person narration, which also heightens immediacy.

I take a shortcut down a dark alley, feel a gun against my spine. A voice says, “Give me your wallet.”

This can be ideal for any type of fiction, but it especially explains the appeal of this tense with today’s genre writers, who write novels that prioritize the external narrative and effects like suspense. For an excellent novel in first person present tense, read the classic legal thriller Presumed Innocent, by Scott Turow.

A personal note to snobs.

I have heard some authors (those who would debate the terms artist and storyteller) suggest that present tense is popular with commercial fiction writers today because it is simple. It keeps the timeline of events in a story streamlined and easy to manage. The implication is that commercial writers can’t handle more complicated narratives, so they deliberately “limit” themselves.

As a commercial author, I’m tempted to respond to that opinion using language favored by my criminal characters and their lowlife vocabularies.

But I won’t. I’ll just say that the assertion that present tense is for “simple” fiction and “simple” writers is ironic. Despite the current trends, in my market research I have discovered that a large number of crime readers find present tense inherently pretentious.

To be honest, I’ve always felt that way, myself. When I read present tense, it sounds too “writerly,” which reminds me that I’m reading and breaks my immersion.

Other commercial readers love present tense, however, and it falls to every writer to determine which tense is better for their project. Many acclaimed genre authors, such as Michael Connelly, have been known to use both of these verb tenses in the same novel. Perhaps the protagonist’s passages are in first person present tense, but the antagonist’s are in third person past. His novel The Poet makes use of that combination very well.

It’s your choice.

Don’t let snobs affect your decision.

Past tense.

While it’s true that present tense is enjoying a spike in appeal among today’s authors, past tense remains the more popular of the two.

Stories have traditionally been written in the past tense, going all the way back to the classics. As a result, it is the more natural tense for storytelling with the written word. For many readers, our mental ears have a kind of trained familiarity with past tense narration.

He took a shortcut down a dark alley, felt a gun against his spine. A voice said, “Give me your wallet.”

As a result, it actually has much the same immediacy as present tense. Despite the verb tense telling us that the events are past, we still feel them in the narrative present. This is especially true when you combine past tense with limited third person narration, which closes the distance to the characters and delivers even more immediacy.

Past tense also allows flexibility for the author to seamlessly play with the timeline. It’s easier to include flashback sections in a past tense narrative. In fact, for a novel that utilizes present tense in the main narrative, it is often optimal to switch to past for any sections that jump around in time.

My opinion, for what it’s worth.

Combine the natural, familiar feel of past tense with its ability to reach the same levels of immediacy as present tense and the additional flexibility it gives your narrative timeline.

That’s why I prefer past tense, not only as a writer, but as a reader too.

However, that’s only my opinion. Once again, choose the tense that will create the effect you desire.

Verb person.

For an extensive look into the options available for verb person, read my article, “Point of View in Stories”.

Summary.

To review:

Choose between present and past tense.
Present tense is trending right now, due to its immediacy and its focused approach to the narrative timeline.
Past tense remains the more popular of the two, because of its familiar quality, a similar (if not the same) level of immediacy when combined with the most popular verb person (limited third), and the flexibility it lends to your story’s timeline.

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