How annoying is first-person present tense?

[jaykaythree]

First person present is highly useful for me, as all my stories culminate in a "Where are they now?" wrap-up. Additionally, that voice can help to provide context for where a story may stand. But as to my main narrative voice, I'm all about first person past (so far).

 

[NoTalentHack]

I use first person past, mostly, but I’ll do present if it seems right for the story. It’s great in horror, if used correctly; in past, the assumption is that the narrator survived the ordeal, but in present, you get a little bonus tension with only the additional work that comes from keeping your tenses straight.

 

[Bamagan]

I generally don't like to read such stories. They tend to feel too constricted to me, or like I'm spending too much time in someone else's internal monologue. And for some reason I react more negatively when the narrator does something stupid in first person than when a third person narrator simply describes them doing something stupid. Kind of like being a passenger in a fender bender versus someone watching it from the sidewalk, if that makes any sense. The extra 'intimacy' to their thought processes makes me feel like I should have a hand on the wheel if I'm there anyway, and the lack is irrationally vexing.

 

[KachinaDoll]

Perhaps I'm unusual but I don't think I've ever come across a first person present story. Perhaps I'll seek one out. I do however flatly refuse to read a story written in the second person. It feels like I'm being ordered about.

 

[NoTalentHack]

Perhaps I'm unusual but I don't think I've ever come across a first person present story. Perhaps I'll seek one out. I do however flatly refuse to read a story written in the second person. It feels like I'm being ordered about.

Oh my god, yes. Second person drives me up a wall. It's okay in audio stories, but in text? Ugh.

 

[Cacatua_Galerita]

My first story was first person present, mostly because I didn't know what I was doing and read an old forum post suggesting it was the most intimate (and therefore 'best' for erotica). My last story was third person, because the plot was far more complex.

As a random thought... How would you write first person for a character that has no inner monologue? Apparently, a significant percentage of people have no ‘inner speech.’

Is anyone out there like this? What do you think of first person stories when the MC is always talking to themselves? Can you relate? Is that why some people dislike FPP?

 

[TheseLegs]

As most things, it's a matter of preference, and you can't please all the people all the time. First person seems to be the preferred perspective here, but not my preference (though I have used it). I understand why, as mentioned above, it's more personal and easier to convey feelings.

Present tense needs a really good reason to be used, IMO, but it can create urgency and suspense if done well. Just gotta be really careful about consistency, and have a good reason, or it's mostly just distracting.

I am trying a choose-your-own-adventure story and that's about the only time I'd even consider using the second-person. Maybe that's why it's not going well.

 

[ElectricBlue]

Writing in present tense puts me off, personally. My stories are all first person past tense, relating something that had already happened,

I could almost see it working but you’d maybe need to switch tenses and perspectives all the time, with third person past setting things up, and then first person present to get their POV and thoughts as things are happening. But it would almost feel like a gimmick just so show you could.

That's the worst possible thing you could do, I reckon.

You do see it quite a bit here, but that's because it's mostly bad writing, the author not being in control. Most tense shifts are accidental, shifting into present tense In the heat of the sex, then falling back into past tense for the story.

I did it myself in many of my early apprenticeship stories without registering I was doing it. I'm in debt to @SimonDoom for pointing it out in Rope and Veil (but I'm not too going back with an edit, because that's one of my formative stories, and it is what it is, I can't change it).

The problem with present tense, especially first present tense, is that it's relentless, it doesn't give you a chance as reader (or writer) to slow down. It's "in your face" all the time. And the problem with that, from a story-telling point of view, is that crossing the road has the same intensity as the best ever sex with the hot girl, and that's not how it is.

Crossing the road should be better .

 

[MrPixel]

I personally don't understand what the angst is about in first-person present. I mostly write that way in portraying the MC's (MMC's) life through his eyes as it is happening. Yeah, there are flashbacks or recollections, but that, too, is relative to what he is experiencing at the moment.

I've also made the transition to third-person present in another series, which IMO seems to work well. The distanced narration seems to work OK in setting scenes.

I've only had one complaint in three years; it was one of my earliest works where I couldn't keep tense straight. That one was a learning experience.

 

[Voboy]

But since then I’ve also started picking up on some of the sometimes strong dislike people have for this approach.

There's a reason for that.

I see comments to the effect that readers flat out won’t start a story written in that tense/perspective, or that it’s annoying. I don’t want to be annoying.

How much does it bother you as a reader,

Extremely.

and do you purposefully avoid this tense?

Yes. Religiously.

 

[SimonDoom]

Anything CAN work. The fact that some people tell you they don't like it doesn't tell you anything useful. Opinions vary; you won't please everybody regardless of what you do.

The author HeyAll has largely switched from past tense to present tense in his stories. His stories tend to be very successful. So it can be done.

The main issue is that present-tense stories tend to be more rife with mistakes. If you are vigilant you can avoid them.

I personally prefer to read and write in past tense, but if the tense is handled well I tend not to notice much once I'm about 500 words into the story.

 

[theWollstonecraftWoman]

Anything CAN work. The fact that some people tell you they don't like it doesn't tell you anything useful. Opinions vary; you won't please everybody regardless of what you do.

The author HeyAll has largely switched from past tense to present tense in his stories. His stories tend to be very successful. So it can be done.

The main issue is that present-tense stories tend to be more rife with mistakes. If you are vigilant you can avoid them.

I personally prefer to read and write in past tense, but if the tense is handled well I tend not to notice much once I'm about 500 words into the story.

If I only write in the past, what do I do now? Come on, man!

 

[Bramblethorn]

I'm unfussed about 1st vs. 3rd, past vs. present. 2nd takes a little getting used to but I've read and enjoyed novels written in second-person present.

 

[MillieDynamite]

Second person, no, no, no, you mustn't do it. OH, that's second person.

I'm unfussed about 1st vs. 3rd, past vs. present. 2nd takes a little getting used to but I've read and enjoyed novels written in second-person present.

 

[Djmac1031]

No, sir, you won't. So, pub it, baby.

Just submitted it a few minutes ago.

It'll be interesting to see what kind of reaction it gets, based on comments from this thread, I'm a little terrified

 

[MillieDynamite]

Yeah, I'm happy for you, can't wait to check it out. My new Halloween story, which I hope gets up soonish, isn't Erotic Horror. It's a Transgender Dominatrix entry into Transgender & Crossdressing (which really are two different things). Just a Friendly Trick & Treat is about two people sneaking off at a costume party for her to dom him.

Just submitted it a few minutes ago.

It'll be interesting to see what kind of reaction it gets, based on comments from this thread, I'm a little terrified

An X-Cross, restraints, and a cane, oh, my!

 

[TadOverdon]

I can barely read it.

 

[Britva415]

Present tense is for role-playing.

In a story, the story should have a reason for the present-tense voice. If it doesn't, it's annoying. Even if it does, it might still be annoying.

Nowhere near as annoying as second-person present, past or future, though.

 

[ronde]

Present tense is for role-playing.

In a story, the story should have a reason for the present-tense voice. If it doesn't, it's annoying. Even if it does, it might still be annoying.

Nowhere near as annoying as second-person present, past or future, though.

The problem with "formal" first person present is that the author is telling a story to the reader as the story is happening. That can make for some difficult writing if the entire story isn't about one main character.

I have used first person present in some stories, but only when the main character is speaking directly to the reader as in a character summary from a prior story, i.e. "I don't know if you remember me or not, but I'm Jake Mason and I'm a ..."

First person past just reads like a narrator telling a story.

I second, third, fourth, and infinityith your statement about second person.

 

[geronimo_appleby]

horses for courses, as the saying goes. don't like it? don't read it.

simples.

 

[Lifestyle66]

My wife doesn't like reading my stories, probably because most of them are written in first person (and I'm just a shitty writer.)

I've noticed that when watching movies, she always wants to know what's going on, what people are doing, or going to do. She doesn't like the build-up or anticipation, but always needs to know more than has been told so far.

In first-person writing, you must stick to writing ONLY what the MC knows, feels, and sees at the moment. You can't describe what's around the corner that the MC is going to encounter, until the MC turns the corner and sees it. EDIT: The author can't circumvent that MC's limited knowledge and senses to further explain why the MC's action are right or wrong. Those actions are merely what the MC knows and how they react at the moment. To judgmental types, that's an impossible feeling.

First person requires the reader to be willing to "walk a mile in my shoes".

 

[Kumquatqueen]

I've done a few stories in present tense - there's ones with a narrator with a strong distinctive voice, where it works to draw you into his world, I think. (Turkish Delight, After the Funeral etc).

My most recent story (Image Nine Point Four) was possibly my first one where my draft didn't naturally pick a tense and stick with it. After drafting the whole 15k words, I decided to go with present because I thought it added immediacy and drama to what's basically a courtroom drama.

I'm not sure it works so well for the storytelling at the beginning, but I was up against a time limit so ran with it.

I don't have a problem with present tense per se, just that many breathless stream-of-consciousness unedited stories do tend to use it.

 

[LoneMilf]

I've only written 3 short stories so far, but I didn't even consider anything other than 1st person present tense. First person because I'm telling a story that is basically an extrapolation of my real life situation and present tense because it makes the writing more 'alive'.

All 3 have reached the H mark, so I guess not everyone hates that form

 

[BgDaddy33]

Perhaps I'm unusual but I don't think I've ever come across a first person present story. Perhaps I'll seek one out. I do however flatly refuse to read a story written in the second person. It feels like I'm being ordered about.

Second person is off putting to me. I can sort of see it working if you were engaging in a roleplay scenario.. maybe?

First person - Present though is an immediate click-"back"-and-avoid for me.

Sometimes some writers may miss one or two tense errors in a story and I can usually overlook mistakes like that (it happens *shrugs*) but when it's done on purpose... Nah.

 

[Djmac1031]

Well, my first 1st Person Present Tense story is set to publish Monday.

Reading through the comments on why some readers find it distracting or when it doesn't "work" for them, I'll just say I think in the case of this particular story, it fits.

It's basically a dream, narrated by the dreamer.

It's a short, uncomplicated sex fantasy, so no deep dives into characters or complicated plot details.

We'll see what kind of reception it gets I suppose.

It was a fun experiment, regardless of how that goes.