Hi there, I was wondering if you could help me! Ummmm, in my writing, I notice that I keep writing in present and past tense. I want to keep it in one tense. So, my question is, how do I stick to one tense instead of mixing it up? Looking forward to your answer.
Hi!
Don’t worry, this is a problem that a lot of writers have and keeping to one tense while writing is something that comes with practice and editing. With time and practice, you will learn which tense is more natural to you; for instance, I tend to write in past tense whereas my friend chooses to write in present tense. This varies depending on who you are and is often influenced by what you read, but with time, you’ll learn what works for you.
When you start writing, take note of which tense you want to work in and try and train your mind to see the story that way. For instance, if you’re working in past tense try and remind yourself that your story has happened, the characters walked, said, fought, etc. But if you’re working in present tense, try and remind yourself that it’s happening to them right now, so they walk, say, fight, etc.
When rereading your work and editing it, take note of when you change tense and don’t be afraid to look up references on tense! There are a lot of references out there that can be helpful and if you’re still confused about what tense a word is you can always Google it.
Another thing to keep in mind is that some times tense changes come from your notes or planning; if you plan the story out in present tense but write it in past tense, some of the errors filter through.
There are times when you need to change tense in your work. For instance, when you’re writing in present tense and use past tense to signify a flashback.
Don’t let this get you down! Tense is one of the hardest parts of writing and there are a lot of people out there who have the same problem, including me sometimes. The upside is there’s a lot of resources out there to help you too.
Hopefully this helps and all the best with your writing!
- AJ
