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Grammar & Punctuation,Writing for Authors
05/15/2019 11:43 am PDT
Updated 1 year ago

Writing a Novel in Past Tense: Tips for Writing in a Consistent Tense

By Catia Shattuck

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a clock shows writing a novel in past tense

Novels are often written in past tense, but writing in a consistent tense can be tricky. Here are some tips for writing a novel in past tense.

Don't Jump Tenses

If you're writing your novel in past tense, stay in past tense. Changing the tense is not only jarring to the reader, but can make the timeline of the novel confusing.

There are some exceptions: dialogue (which would appear in quotation marks) and inner thoughts (which should appear italicized). The tenses for these can vary, depending on what the characters are talking about, but they're always from the perspective of the speaker or thinker. If it helps, imagine you're the character talking or thinking in that situation to get the correct tense for dialogue or inner thought—the tense should sound natural.

Double-Check around Dialogue and Inner Thoughts

Because dialogue and inner thoughts are often in present tense, it's easy to accidentally slip into present tense directly after writing dialogue or inner thought.

Correct: His hair stuck up straight on his head. "You look ridiculous," I choked out through my laughter.
Incorrect: His hair stuck up straight on his head. "You look ridiculous," I choke out through my laughter.

Watch Out for These Verbs

Some verbs are easy to mix up when writing in past tense.

1. Would Versus Will

"Will" is present tense and should not be used when writing a novel in past tense. "Would" is the correct conjugation, even if the action will be happening in the character's future.

Example: Tomorrow, she would run to the store to pick up ingredients.

2. Had Versus Have

"Have" is present perfect tense, and "had" is past perfect tense. Be sure to use "had," not "have." You use the perfect tense (rather than regular past tense) to show an action that started in the past and continues in the present.

Example: I had just started eating when the door burst open.

3. Lay Versus Lie

These two verbs are tricky beyond deciding which one to use because the past tense of "lie" is actually "lay."

For your reference, the past tense of "lay" is "laid," and the present participle is also "laid." The past tense of "lie" is "lay," and the present participle is "lain."

You can read more about "lay" versus "lie" and how to use and conjugated these verbs in our blog post here.

Do you have questions about writing in a consistent tense? What trips you up when writing a novel in past tense? Let us know in the comments below!

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Catia Shattuck

I am a copyeditor and a typesetter of print books, and have been editing and typesetting (using InDesign) for eleven years.

With my experience and a degree from Brigham Young University in English language and an additional minor in editing, I am a pro at giving editing and design advice, and I enjoy instructing others on how to do the very things I love.


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  1. Meriska Gracia
    Meriska Gracia • 14 days ago

    Hi, greetings... could I ask about the combination use of 'would' and 'have' in book writing... does the 'have' after 'would' should be changed to 'had' too, every time...?
    thank you in advance ^^,

    Reply
    • Catia Shattuck
      Catia Shattuck Meriska Gracia • 12 days ago

      No, when "have" is paired with another verb, like "would" or "should" or "could," the first verb takes the tense and is conjugated, while "have" doesn't change.

      So past tense would be "would have." (But, if there is a second "have," it would be changed to "had." So, "She would have had to buy bread." This is an obviously an awkward construction, though, and "She would have needed to buy bread." would be better.)

      An example of "had" as past perfect tense would be "They had eaten all the ice cream."

      Reply
      • Meriska Gracia
        Meriska Gracia Catia Shattuck • 10 days ago

        Got it! Thank you...
        I have another line to ask if it's not too much trouble... Which one is correct in book writing:
        'he was doing what he does best,' or
        'he was doing what he did best'?

        I'm actually struggling with the 3rd person angle in the whole grammars' rules ... I had read that both the present tense & past tense writing are fine, but I still got mixed up which rules/ angles will correctly applied... Thank you so much for your guidance

        Reply
        • Catia Shattuck
          Catia Shattuck Meriska Gracia • 10 days ago

          If you're writing a novel is past tense, then "he was doing what he did best" is correct. If you're writing a novel in present tense and you are talking about a past event, or if this sentence appears in dialogue (even in a novel written in past tense) and the person is talking about a past event, then "he was doing what he does best" is correct.

          Reply
  2. Nasir Deen
    Nasir Deen • 17 days ago

    that is nice, if you don't mind can i send my book for editing?

    Reply
  3. Harriet Jacks
    Harriet Jacks • 7 months ago

    Hello I am attempting to write a novel and i have done 2 parts to the story the first in the present and the second in the past. The present is about the daughter finding out about her mother's past and the second part about her. mother's life. I just don't know how to entwine the story. Would you do part 1 and part 2 of the book or would you alternate by chapter? Would really appreciate any advice. Many thanks

    Reply
    • Catia Shattuck
      Catia Shattuck Harriet Jacks • 12 days ago

      I usually see these done with alternating chapters (with a heading indicating what year it is). A good example you can check out is The Secret Keeper by Kate Morton. Good luck with your novel!

      Reply
  4. Brian
    Brian • 1 year ago

    I'm writing a novel in past tense. Which is better to remain in proper tense?
    (1) Upon entering the small lounge that served as...
    (2) Upon entering the small lounge serving as...

    I've been going with #1 throughout, but during self-editing to delete unnecessary "thats", I stumble across hundreds of these.

    Reply
  5. Rob McBride
    Rob McBride • 1 year ago

    Thanks for the great info. I really do need to understand tenses better at the mo. Trying to get my first book together. Non-fiction Personal experience book.

    Reply
  6. Garry
    Garry • 1 year ago

    Hi Catia

    I'm trying to write some children's books and keep coming up against a tense issue. 

    The following is an example: 

    "Tilly, please stop jumping on the furniture," shouted Mum over the racket Tilly was making as she jumped from one couch to another.
    "But I have to escape from the pirates", Tilly shouted back and leapt from the couch onto a small rug, "by getting to the island without falling into the sea and being eaten by sharks." 

    Could I replace: 

    Tilly shouted back and lept from the couch onto a small rug, 

    with : 

    Tilly shouted back, leaping from the couch onto a small rug, 

    Or have I mixed up the tenses as 'leaping' is in the current where the story uses the past tense.

    Thanks for any advice

    Garry

    Reply
    • Kirsten
      Kirsten Garry • 1 year ago

      Using 'ing' doesn't change the tense of your writing. A character can be doing something while they talk. Putting a comma after the 'said' 'shouted' etc signifies both things are happening at once. 'ing' suffixes don't change the tense to present tense when used for the second action in a sentence.

      Example: "Daniel! Keep to the plan!" Arthur hollered, defending himself from the raider onslaught.

      I could have put 'as he defended himself from the raider onslaught' but that's slowing down an action scene.
      Your writing and mine are action scenes with differing paces. If you want yours to have a more urgent or intense feeling for the reader the 'leaping' replacement is good. Personally, the replacement flows better for me.

      Using 'ing' isn't a tense mix up.

      Reply
      • Garry
        Garry Kirsten • 1 year ago

        Thanks for clearing that issue, I'm new to writing and this point has been annoying me.

        I too think sleeping is a good replacement.

        Once again thanks for your time.

        Reply
      • Garry
        Garry Kirsten • 1 year ago

        Ahmm

        Making that leaping not sleeping.

        Reply
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