Wednesday, November 02, 2005

the present

(re: The Time Traveler's Wife)
This novel is written in the present tense. It is really well done because I didn't actually notice the fact until last night! Writing in the present tense is a little more challenging. I remember trying to write a short story in junior high using present tense and it turned out sounding like I was trying too hard to be edgy or something. Anyway, it sucked. It was too obvious.

3 comments:

aisy said...

very interesting. i've never really sat back and thought about the tense something is written in, but i see how a present focus would be much more challenging as a writer. does the author ever switch tenses, like flashbacks etc?

elisabeth said...

only when she talks about something that happened in the past, relative to the present time they are in. did that make sense?

aisy said...

hmmm, sort of. i think i'm just going to have to read this book. you've intrigued me.