Tense-past vs. present

[Thomassharkey]

I write in first person, second person and third person past perfect.

I write in third person present tense when I write a screenplay, or a dream sequence or prologue. I also use third person present tense when writing Shakespeare-type plays where the narrator sets the scene by speaking to the audience.

I don't read first person present tense as my lemon-sized brain keeps stopping me and asking me "Is that right, or does he/she mean...?"

In other words, I get confused.

Well, I have been reading since I was five -- OMG, that's 63 bloody years.

That's a lot of books.

Tom.

[Bard Constantine]

...and I'm back! That's right, the same person who posted in favor of past tense. Needless to say, my views have changed since then, my styles becoming more experimental. And so this quarter's entry was told in... present tense. Who'da thunk it? Just goes to show that my excellent peers are correct -although conventions are commonly accepted, whatever serves the story best is ultimately the way to go. Always learning...