Comments on: WIP: A New Beginning http://worderella.com/2008/05/a-new-beginning/ Quirky Victorian romances set in England and the United States (1837 - 1901). Wed, 11 Jan 2012 13:16:16 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Belinda http://worderella.com/2008/05/a-new-beginning/comment-page-1/#comment-987 Belinda Thu, 22 May 2008 19:28:37 +0000 http://blog.worderella.com/?p=299#comment-987 Hmm... good point. I like present tense because it cleans up the prose so much. One of my major pet peeves in writing is the "had-had" syndrome, as I like to call it. Example: "She thought she had had time to think it through, but of course, she had not." It's clunky. Whereas with present tense, you get: "She thought she had time to think it through, but of course, she did not." It's more elegant. And to be honest, I don't want to immediacy to break. The issues that my character has to deal with on a fundamental level are issues that everyone of us will have to deal with, without escape. I want that point to be subtly clear even on the level of prose construction. Hmm… good point. I like present tense because it cleans up the prose so much. One of my major pet peeves in writing is the “had-had” syndrome, as I like to call it. Example: “She thought she had had time to think it through, but of course, she had not.” It’s clunky. Whereas with present tense, you get: “She thought she had time to think it through, but of course, she did not.” It’s more elegant.

And to be honest, I don’t want to immediacy to break. The issues that my character has to deal with on a fundamental level are issues that everyone of us will have to deal with, without escape. I want that point to be subtly clear even on the level of prose construction.

]]> By: Belinda http://worderella.com/2008/05/a-new-beginning/comment-page-1/#comment-1926 Belinda Thu, 22 May 2008 19:28:00 +0000 http://blog.worderella.com/?p=299#comment-1926 Hmm... good point. I like present tense because it cleans up the prose so much. One of my major pet peeves in writing is the "had-had" syndrome, as I like to call it. Example: "She thought she had had time to think it through, but of course, she had not." It's clunky. Whereas with present tense, you get: "She thought she had time to think it through, but of course, she did not." It's more elegant. And to be honest, I don't want to immediacy to break. The issues that my character has to deal with on a fundamental level are issues that everyone of us will have to deal with, without escape. I want that point to be subtly clear even on the level of prose construction. Hmm… good point. I like present tense because it cleans up the prose so much. One of my major pet peeves in writing is the "had-had" syndrome, as I like to call it. Example: "She thought she had had time to think it through, but of course, she had not." It's clunky. Whereas with present tense, you get: "She thought she had time to think it through, but of course, she did not." It's more elegant.

And to be honest, I don't want to immediacy to break. The issues that my character has to deal with on a fundamental level are issues that everyone of us will have to deal with, without escape. I want that point to be subtly clear even on the level of prose construction.

]]> By: Eliza http://worderella.com/2008/05/a-new-beginning/comment-page-1/#comment-986 Eliza Thu, 22 May 2008 16:01:00 +0000 http://blog.worderella.com/?p=299#comment-986 I think my problem with the present tense is that one, I'm not used to reading it, so it automatically moves out of my comfort zone, and two, it makes the prose... loud? It is more immediate, yes, but it never stops being immediate. It doesn't break or slow down, or change volume. I think my problem with the present tense is that one, I'm not used to reading it, so it automatically moves out of my comfort zone, and two, it makes the prose… loud? It is more immediate, yes, but it never stops being immediate. It doesn't break or slow down, or change volume.

]]> By: Eliza http://worderella.com/2008/05/a-new-beginning/comment-page-1/#comment-1925 Eliza Thu, 22 May 2008 16:01:00 +0000 http://blog.worderella.com/?p=299#comment-1925 I think my problem with the present tense is that one, I'm not used to reading it, so it automatically moves out of my comfort zone, and two, it makes the prose... loud? It is more immediate, yes, but it never stops being immediate. It doesn't break or slow down, or change volume. I think my problem with the present tense is that one, I’m not used to reading it, so it automatically moves out of my comfort zone, and two, it makes the prose… loud? It is more immediate, yes, but it never stops being immediate. It doesn’t break or slow down, or change volume.

]]> By: Belinda http://worderella.com/2008/05/a-new-beginning/comment-page-1/#comment-1924 Belinda Wed, 21 May 2008 03:31:00 +0000 http://blog.worderella.com/?p=299#comment-1924 I agree with the empty drama... I like the visuals of the original scene, but without the reason behind it the whole thing felt melodramatic for no reason. I've often wondered why readers have a problem with present tense. Is it too "in your face"? I've had one reader say they didn't like the present tense, and another say it made the story more personable/immediate. And still another reader who made no remarks on it, so I have to assume they were neutral/apathetic about the issue. I agree with the empty drama… I like the visuals of the original scene, but without the reason behind it the whole thing felt melodramatic for no reason.

I’ve often wondered why readers have a problem with present tense. Is it too “in your face”? I’ve had one reader say they didn’t like the present tense, and another say it made the story more personable/immediate. And still another reader who made no remarks on it, so I have to assume they were neutral/apathetic about the issue.

]]> By: Belinda http://worderella.com/2008/05/a-new-beginning/comment-page-1/#comment-985 Belinda Tue, 20 May 2008 23:31:05 +0000 http://blog.worderella.com/?p=299#comment-985 I agree with the empty drama... I like the visuals of the original scene, but without the reason behind it the whole thing felt melodramatic for no reason. I've often wondered why readers have a problem with present tense. Is it too "in your face"? I've had one reader say they didn't like the present tense, and another say it made the story more personable/immediate. And still another reader who made no remarks on it, so I have to assume they were neutral/apathetic about the issue. I agree with the empty drama… I like the visuals of the original scene, but without the reason behind it the whole thing felt melodramatic for no reason.

I've often wondered why readers have a problem with present tense. Is it too "in your face"? I've had one reader say they didn't like the present tense, and another say it made the story more personable/immediate. And still another reader who made no remarks on it, so I have to assume they were neutral/apathetic about the issue.

]]> By: Eliza http://worderella.com/2008/05/a-new-beginning/comment-page-1/#comment-979 Eliza Tue, 20 May 2008 17:17:33 +0000 http://blog.worderella.com/?p=299#comment-979 I have trouble reading present tense in general. Regardless, I like the update better. The first one seemed to have too much empty drama. The second gave a good, firm reason for there to be a problem. I have trouble reading present tense in general. Regardless, I like the update better. The first one seemed to have too much empty drama. The second gave a good, firm reason for there to be a problem.

]]> By: Eliza http://worderella.com/2008/05/a-new-beginning/comment-page-1/#comment-1923 Eliza Tue, 20 May 2008 17:17:00 +0000 http://blog.worderella.com/?p=299#comment-1923 I have trouble reading present tense in general. Regardless, I like the update better. The first one seemed to have too much empty drama. The second gave a good, firm reason for there to be a problem. I have trouble reading present tense in general. Regardless, I like the update better. The first one seemed to have too much empty drama. The second gave a good, firm reason for there to be a problem.

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