09-04-2023, 06:13 PM | #16 |
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I feel the same way whenever I read a book written in the present tense.
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09-07-2023, 10:10 PM | #17 | |
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09-08-2023, 06:09 AM | #18 |
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Yes, but what is right? Everyone seems to have their own ideas. I prefer past tense YMMV. Just keep on reading….
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09-08-2023, 06:38 AM | #19 |
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From the snippets given, I'm unclear on what leads the OP to believe the action is taking place in the present tense in the first place. Every edit just seems like a conversion of a past tense narrative to a present tense one. Are there any non-dialogue examples from the book that would show the present tense narration you believe the action is taking place in?
Last edited by DiapDealer; 09-08-2023 at 03:22 PM. |
09-08-2023, 09:37 AM | #20 |
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As I see it, the story has already happened and is being told in full from beginning to end by the narrator or author. Any direct quotations are quoting what was said at the time it happened. So I have no problem with the dialogue being in the present tense, while the narration is in the past tense.
Edited to add: In fact, I usually dislike present-tense narration, because I keep wondering how the narrator has time to write down what is happening in the middle of a chase scene or love scene or even just normal conversation. Last edited by icallaci; 09-08-2023 at 10:05 AM. |
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09-08-2023, 02:46 PM | #21 | |
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Yeah, I'm with the "rcentros is crazy" crowd. That WAS the consensus, right?
But how about we recommend some present-tense works to help unscramble his brain? rcentros, how do you feel about second-person present-tense narratives? The narration from "The Whistler" old-time radio show comes to mind: Quote:
Last edited by ApK; 09-08-2023 at 02:50 PM. |
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09-08-2023, 04:21 PM | #22 | ||
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Reminds me of the start of "Return to Zork". Earlier Zork 1 inspired by https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colossal_Cave_Adventure It's misnamed Interaction Fiction. It's a text adventure. "you are in a maze of twisty little passages, all alike" As an aside, there is a mobi directive that blocks turning the page, so I used Mobipocket creator to make a text adventure with links and anchors replacing "Pick up stick: go to page 72. Ignore stick: go to page 67". But I decided a game engine I'd written or even a web page with client side image map (to click on objects) and some javascript was far better. Last edited by Quoth; 09-08-2023 at 04:27 PM. |
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09-08-2023, 09:31 PM | #23 |
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I have to agree. Present tense just doesn't work for me either. Then there is the question of character perspective, which can really mess with your mind.
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09-09-2023, 12:14 PM | #24 |
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Present tense is like a Sportscaster calling the play-by-Play of a game IN PROGRESS.
Past tense is a Reporter / witness. One of my peeves with some Gamelit authors is the feeling that the story is driving/steering the characters around the story. |
09-10-2023, 08:43 AM | #25 |
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That IS weird! But I guess it's one of those things that you, for some odd reason, suddelnly start thinking about. And suddenly it's all (well, maybe not all...) you see!
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09-11-2023, 03:02 AM | #26 |
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I think I'll have to hit the reset button on my brain. I'll go back to that book in a day or two to see if I'm over this yet.
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09-11-2023, 07:47 PM | #27 |
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Possibly the reason why past tense works so well, is because down through history, stories have always been told in hindsight, which is probably why it seems more natural. The fact that you are now reading it, means that the events in the book have already happened.
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09-12-2023, 08:43 AM | #28 |
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If rcentros needs a dose of present tense narrative done well, Damon Runyon is a must - funny and clever.
Last edited by fathead; 09-12-2023 at 08:57 AM. Reason: spelling |
09-13-2023, 10:55 PM | #29 | |
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09-14-2023, 06:32 AM | #30 | |
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