Excellent question. When I get the right viewpoint for my fiction or for memoir, it's like finding one's seat on a horse. It feels as if you and the horse are moving as one. I've found the same goes for writing, not just riding:) For example, in my historical novel, Counting on Grace, I tried everything else first and finally landed on first person, present tense because I'd forced myself to write a diary for my main character. That brought her close to me and in the end, to the reader.
How smart to write a diary for your character. Brilliant! What better way to get to know a character than to be right there as she writes in her diary!
As you were writing in first person present did you ever catch yourself reverting to third person? Did it seem natural to you throughout, or did you have to concentrate in order to keep it in one tense?
Did it feel more authentic to you, and would you do it again?
I don't mean to put you on the spot, but I think this subject is fascinating and you're the first person to talk about writing in first person!
I didn't revert to third person, but I did occasionally go back to past tense as I'd always before written my novels in third person/past tense. When I turned in my novel, ISLAND JUSTICE, all in present tense, my editor at the time bought the book but gently broke it to me that she thought the novel should be told in the past tense. That necessitated a total re-write but she was correct. I had used present tense because it was "in vogue" at the time. It wasn't the right way to tell that story. I hadn't "found my seat" to continue the riding/writing metaphor.
Ouch! A lot of writers would have abandoned the entire project, or might have insisted on keeping it their way, but you're a pro. You could see past your own ego or need and recognize the truth in what your editor said.
It must have been painful, but I'll bet there were times you were energized, too, as you saw the story becoming so much better.
That might be an extreme example of 'rewriting', but sometimes rewriting comes with its own rewards. In fact, most times it does.
Oh my goodness, Ramona. Thank you for the question! In truth, because I am such a newbie, I don’t know if I have even considered what tense I may be writing in… L O L. In these few months since I started a blog and am now exploring Substack, my practice has been simply to sit and let what I call a “download “ occur. Then from there I go back and edit, edit, edit.
I worked with a lawyer in the corporate world for a number of years and he was what I considered a master wordsmith. He taught me much and I felt I had acquired a certain skill set. But, now, you have prompted me to stop and take a closer look. So thank you so much!
Hi Marilyn, thanks so much for the shoutout on your brand new Substack blog. I've subscribed and can't wait to follow along.
This fuss about tenses shouldn't be intimidating. Do what feels most comfortable for you, and if you feel like experimenting don't listen to that critic on your shoulder whispering in your ear, telling you to stay in line.
Just do it! If you don't like it, you can always toss it or drop it into your ''Might be something someday' bin.
Everything you write is golden, even the stuff that doesn't work. It tells you not to bother with that again!
Congratulations on 'edit, edit, edit'. It's like discovering the Holy Grail.
Ramona, thank you so very much. Truly, your words of encouragement bring this “wannabe” to tears. Having made this connection with you simply feels like another one of those serendipitous, and “perfectly on time” moments.
You're so welcome, Marilyn. We've all felt like newbies before, and most of us remember how wrenching the process can be. Most writers I know are happy to pay it forward, helping other writers by letting them know we're here when we're needed.
That's the whole mission of Writer Everlasting, so if you feel like family here, well, mission accomplished!
I often prefer first person present tense when writing my memoir-style pieces. I like that it brings the reader into my inner life and thoughts as they unfold in real-time. But, this also depends on the topic I’m writing about!
I don't make the choice consciously, I just start writing. In my post today I went with second person present. It felt natural because it was like I was telling myself a story I wouldn't otherwise be able to believe. It's fun: https://open.substack.com/pub/agowani/p/how-to-survive-the-us-healthcare
Coming from more of a fiction perspective but I think it has applied to the times that I've written memoir/CNF as well...
In my early drafts I tend to be drawn to first person, present tense, because it's easiest for me to get to know my characters that way and their storylines (A to B to C, etc.). Sometimes the story will stay that way, but other times over several drafts I'll end up switching to, say, third person, past tense -- in that way, it's almost like I have to spend enough time with the person/story to know how to open the world up?
Because to me third person, past tense, is the trickiest of them all to nail down... the scope of it can be enormous. You can jump that thing all over time and space.
So if you have complete freedom with the camera (and not in the POV of an individual), where do you point it, and why? And who is the narrator, then? How is it that the fit into the story? Or, will readers be willing to accept that they aren't in the story and are instead godlike & omniscient?
I have three novels in varying stages and all of them are written in third person past tense. I’m more comfortable being the omniscient storyteller in fiction for some reason. I like the idea of getting into everyone’s head, letting the reader know things the others might not.
The hard part is keeping them all from sounding alike.
But first person essays are the dessert. They require the most polishing and every word has to matter. My thoughts, anyway.
I think mixing tenses is fine when you can make it obvious. A journal or a flashback can work really well. I don't particularly writing in the first person simply because it is like a journal. I have a detective series I've been working on that's third person mainly because everyone seems to write detectives in the first person and it just gets tiresome for me. I guess like anything else, it takes practice to make the words work. Sooner or later, we can probably make any tense/perspective sound good :)
There are so many choices when we start writing a story or an essay, and most of us choose whatever we're most comfortable doing. It's fun to get out of that comfort zone and try something different--and sometimes it even works! Always an adventure!
I almost always write my books in present tense and my essays in past tense. My memoir is told from my POV from about age 4 on, so the urgency lent by using first person, present tense felt necessary.
My novels - third person present makes it easier to go back to past and (very rarely) past participle for flashbacks without having to go from past to past participle, which can get cumbersome. But truthfully that’s not why I *started* writing in present. It just felt natural to me for the story, having the reader read it as if the action was happening right there in front of them. I think my brain overindexes on present tense. When I reflect back on a book I really enjoyed, I pretty much always assume it was written in present tense. Usually I’m wrong. 😂
"It just felt natural for the story." That's it, isn't it? When we've done this long enough, and when we've experimented and read what others have done, our horizons widen. Then the fun begins! But it still boils down to what feels natural for the story.
Excellent question. When I get the right viewpoint for my fiction or for memoir, it's like finding one's seat on a horse. It feels as if you and the horse are moving as one. I've found the same goes for writing, not just riding:) For example, in my historical novel, Counting on Grace, I tried everything else first and finally landed on first person, present tense because I'd forced myself to write a diary for my main character. That brought her close to me and in the end, to the reader.
How smart to write a diary for your character. Brilliant! What better way to get to know a character than to be right there as she writes in her diary!
As you were writing in first person present did you ever catch yourself reverting to third person? Did it seem natural to you throughout, or did you have to concentrate in order to keep it in one tense?
Did it feel more authentic to you, and would you do it again?
I don't mean to put you on the spot, but I think this subject is fascinating and you're the first person to talk about writing in first person!
I didn't revert to third person, but I did occasionally go back to past tense as I'd always before written my novels in third person/past tense. When I turned in my novel, ISLAND JUSTICE, all in present tense, my editor at the time bought the book but gently broke it to me that she thought the novel should be told in the past tense. That necessitated a total re-write but she was correct. I had used present tense because it was "in vogue" at the time. It wasn't the right way to tell that story. I hadn't "found my seat" to continue the riding/writing metaphor.
Ouch! A lot of writers would have abandoned the entire project, or might have insisted on keeping it their way, but you're a pro. You could see past your own ego or need and recognize the truth in what your editor said.
It must have been painful, but I'll bet there were times you were energized, too, as you saw the story becoming so much better.
That might be an extreme example of 'rewriting', but sometimes rewriting comes with its own rewards. In fact, most times it does.
Oh my goodness, Ramona. Thank you for the question! In truth, because I am such a newbie, I don’t know if I have even considered what tense I may be writing in… L O L. In these few months since I started a blog and am now exploring Substack, my practice has been simply to sit and let what I call a “download “ occur. Then from there I go back and edit, edit, edit.
I worked with a lawyer in the corporate world for a number of years and he was what I considered a master wordsmith. He taught me much and I felt I had acquired a certain skill set. But, now, you have prompted me to stop and take a closer look. So thank you so much!
Hi Marilyn, thanks so much for the shoutout on your brand new Substack blog. I've subscribed and can't wait to follow along.
This fuss about tenses shouldn't be intimidating. Do what feels most comfortable for you, and if you feel like experimenting don't listen to that critic on your shoulder whispering in your ear, telling you to stay in line.
Just do it! If you don't like it, you can always toss it or drop it into your ''Might be something someday' bin.
Everything you write is golden, even the stuff that doesn't work. It tells you not to bother with that again!
Congratulations on 'edit, edit, edit'. It's like discovering the Holy Grail.
Ramona, thank you so very much. Truly, your words of encouragement bring this “wannabe” to tears. Having made this connection with you simply feels like another one of those serendipitous, and “perfectly on time” moments.
You're so welcome, Marilyn. We've all felt like newbies before, and most of us remember how wrenching the process can be. Most writers I know are happy to pay it forward, helping other writers by letting them know we're here when we're needed.
That's the whole mission of Writer Everlasting, so if you feel like family here, well, mission accomplished!
I often prefer first person present tense when writing my memoir-style pieces. I like that it brings the reader into my inner life and thoughts as they unfold in real-time. But, this also depends on the topic I’m writing about!
Yes, memoir cries for first person, doesn't it. How about tenses? Should memoir ever be written in present tense? Does it work?
I don't make the choice consciously, I just start writing. In my post today I went with second person present. It felt natural because it was like I was telling myself a story I wouldn't otherwise be able to believe. It's fun: https://open.substack.com/pub/agowani/p/how-to-survive-the-us-healthcare
Perfect, Amran! Second person present was absolutely the way to go. Thanks for letting us see how it can be used to great advantage.
I left a comment over there. Glad you could have fun after all of that! You ARE tough!
Thanks, Ramona!
Coming from more of a fiction perspective but I think it has applied to the times that I've written memoir/CNF as well...
In my early drafts I tend to be drawn to first person, present tense, because it's easiest for me to get to know my characters that way and their storylines (A to B to C, etc.). Sometimes the story will stay that way, but other times over several drafts I'll end up switching to, say, third person, past tense -- in that way, it's almost like I have to spend enough time with the person/story to know how to open the world up?
Because to me third person, past tense, is the trickiest of them all to nail down... the scope of it can be enormous. You can jump that thing all over time and space.
So if you have complete freedom with the camera (and not in the POV of an individual), where do you point it, and why? And who is the narrator, then? How is it that the fit into the story? Or, will readers be willing to accept that they aren't in the story and are instead godlike & omniscient?
I have three novels in varying stages and all of them are written in third person past tense. I’m more comfortable being the omniscient storyteller in fiction for some reason. I like the idea of getting into everyone’s head, letting the reader know things the others might not.
The hard part is keeping them all from sounding alike.
But first person essays are the dessert. They require the most polishing and every word has to matter. My thoughts, anyway.
I think mixing tenses is fine when you can make it obvious. A journal or a flashback can work really well. I don't particularly writing in the first person simply because it is like a journal. I have a detective series I've been working on that's third person mainly because everyone seems to write detectives in the first person and it just gets tiresome for me. I guess like anything else, it takes practice to make the words work. Sooner or later, we can probably make any tense/perspective sound good :)
There are so many choices when we start writing a story or an essay, and most of us choose whatever we're most comfortable doing. It's fun to get out of that comfort zone and try something different--and sometimes it even works! Always an adventure!
I almost always write my books in present tense and my essays in past tense. My memoir is told from my POV from about age 4 on, so the urgency lent by using first person, present tense felt necessary.
My novels - third person present makes it easier to go back to past and (very rarely) past participle for flashbacks without having to go from past to past participle, which can get cumbersome. But truthfully that’s not why I *started* writing in present. It just felt natural to me for the story, having the reader read it as if the action was happening right there in front of them. I think my brain overindexes on present tense. When I reflect back on a book I really enjoyed, I pretty much always assume it was written in present tense. Usually I’m wrong. 😂
"It just felt natural for the story." That's it, isn't it? When we've done this long enough, and when we've experimented and read what others have done, our horizons widen. Then the fun begins! But it still boils down to what feels natural for the story.
Thanks as always, Nicci.