Being a writer, part 9: Tense and point of view

We're almost ready to start writing but we need to decide on two things.

The first is what tense to write in. To me, this is simple: past tense. Stories have happened. However, the present tense does lend immediacy to the text and some writers, like Hilary Mantel, do write in the present tense. I find it annoying, though, rather like it's an illiterate ramble of some bloke down the pub.

Having disposed of the first point, the second is not so simple. Who is telling the story? Whose mind(s) are we in? If there is only one viewpoint character we have the choice between 'I' (first person) and 'He/She' (third person). I find that first person often doesn't ring true because it gives the impression the writer (rather than the reader, which is what we aim for) really was there and knows everything happened, when mostly we know this cannot true. There are exceptions, like Clive Cussler - I can well believe him. The first person can get very close to the character, but a reader can only see what the character sees. Third person has the advantage here because we can have more than one viewpoint character (hero/villain, hero/sidekick, lover/lover etc) and see more facets of a story and know what more than one person is thinking. But be careful - many viewpoints get confusing unless you have the skill of someone like the late James Herbert. And neither should you want to write from an omniscient (God-like) viewpoint where we know what everyone is thinking - that is not realistic, either, and leads to a dull 'telling' narrative.

Next time is writng time...

Jack Orchison
April 5, 2014