Will the Real Present Tense Present...?

An addendum to the second part of the most recent post... with further explanation

Photo by Mike Cox on Unsplash

Last week’s post was about ‘general’ and ‘specific’ time and bringing a “general” story to heel—so to speak—with the word “Today!”

More than one reader pointed out that the first section was helpful, and that the post-script, which took a quick look at the present tense, was confusing. Maybe it was too quick! I’ll not post on two topics together—at least, not when the connection is so loose.

In this follow-up post, let’s take an in-depth look at the bug-bear that is “present tense.” Writers, editors, and readers can have strong feelings about this one, one way or the other!

It’s a form of tense often used for young adult stories, by writers who feel that it creates a sense of the “immediate,” and is more likely to place the reader deeply inside the young mind of the protagonist.

But not all writers using present tense are YA folks.

Some readers love it, and others feel otherwise. Some editors shudder when they pick up yet another present-tense manuscript—