Why So Tense About Tension?

What tense should you write it? How do you know it's the right one? Let's explore tension before we all make ourselves crazy!

First, you should choose the tense that best matches the experience you want the reader to have. The right tense isn’t about rules---it’s about effect. Each tense creates a different kind of intimacy, pacing, and emotional texture.

🎯 Takeaway

Write in the tense that matches the distance and urgency you want your story to feel.   Present tense feels immediate. Past tense feels natural and flexible.

📚 The Two Main Choices (and what they feel like)

1. Past tense — the classic, most common choice

She opened the door and stepped into the dark hallway.

Why writers choose it:

• Feels natural to readers (most novels use it)

• Lets you move through time easily (flashbacks, summaries, time jumps)

• Gives a storyteller vibe—someone recounting events that already happened

• Flexible for complex plots

Best for:

• Epic fantasy

• Mystery

• Historical fiction

• Any story with lots of worldbuilding or time shifts

Why you might avoid it:   If you want the reader to feel like events are happening right now, past tense can feel slightly removed.

2. Present tense — immediate, cinematic, emotional

She opens the door and steps into the dark hallway.

Why writers choose it:

• Creates urgency and immersion

• Feels like the reader is inside the character’s body

• Great for emotional intensity or unreliable narrators

Best for:

• YA fiction

• Romance

• Thrillers

• Character-driven stories with strong interiority

Why you might avoid it:

• Harder to manage time jumps

• Can feel breathless or repetitive if not handled well

• Some readers dislike it (though many love it)

🧠 How to Know Which One You Should Pick

Ask yourself these three questions:

1. What emotional distance do you want?

• If you want closeness and immediacy → choose present tense

• If you want a storyteller’s distance → choose past tense

2. How complex is your plot?

• Lots of flashbacks, time jumps, or summaries → past tense handles these smoothly

• Linear, moment-to-moment storytelling → present tense shines

3. What genre are you writing?

Genres have conventions, and conventions shape reader expectations.

📚 Past Tense vs Present Tense

Past Tense

• Common in: fantasy, mystery, literary fiction, historical fiction

• Why those genres use it: it’s flexible, traditional, and works well for stories with big scope or lots of time movement

Present Tense

• Common in: YA, romance, thrillers, dystopian

• Why those genres use it: it feels immediate, emotional, and fast-paced

💡 A Non‑Obvious Insight

Your POV and your tense should work together.

• First-person + present = inside the character’s skin

• Third-person + past = classic novel feel

• First-person + past = memoir-like, reflective

• Third-person + present = stylish, modern, slightly surreal

If your story feels “off,” it’s often because POV and tense are fighting each other.

🧪 Try This Quick Test

Write one paragraph of your opening scene in:

• past tense

• present tense

Then ask:

• Which one feels more natural?

• Which one matches the story’s energy?

• Which one makes you want to keep writing?

Your gut will usually tell you.

THIS WEEKS CHALLENGE!

Test out both types of tense on a story about a dragon with acid flames that he sprayed all over a large city. See what makes it sound calm and what makes things sound urgent. Play with the tension, even mix tension to see the effect. Read it out loud to find where it sounds exciting and where it needs to change tense.