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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It seems that when writing in the past tense, there are times when you’ll use the present tense. When it comes to an enduring fact, wouldn’t you use the present tense? For instance, “The Statue of Liberty is in New York.” This sounds more natural than using “was.” How about an enduring fact about a character? “I’m a good listener.” Can you use the present tense or must you use the past tense? “I was a good listener.”
If the rest of your novel is in past tense, then these kind of phrases would still be in past tense, unless they are being said aloud in dialogue or are being thought by a character (usually shown with italics).
When I’m writing in past tense is the following sentence consistent?
“He hadn’t heard from Reshod since yesterday morning.”
The word “yesterday” is bothersome since it seems to assume a present tense.
Thank you for your response.
Yes, that sentence is correct, even with the word “yesterday.”
Hi, English is not my first language so I am quite confused. I can’t explain my question better, but is this sentence okay “May God bestow me His mercy for whatever sinister words my mind was about to declare”?
I feel like my grammar is somehow incorrect but I can’t point it out exactly. Thanks if you’ll answer. ((:
Yes, it is correctly in past tense.
How do you recommend formatting character thoughts? I’ve seen it done in different ways.
She has beautiful eyes. (in italics)
I thought, she has beautiful eyes. (no italics)
Is it okay to use both of these formats in a novel or must one remain consistent?
If you’re directly writing a character’s thoughts, I recommend using italics, since it clearly shows that the sentence is in the character’s head. But you could also do it without italics as long as you make sure it’s clear it’s a thought (like by including an “I thought” tag). Consistency is the most important thing.
Of course, too much direct thoughts or italics can become jarring to the reader. If you are writing in that character’s point of view, you can instead just tell the reader what the character is thinking, without formatting it as a direct thought.
Some examples:
Direct thought:
She glared at me. She has beautiful eyes, I thought, distracted momentarily from the argument.
POV Indirect thought:
She glared at me, and I/he was momentarily distracted from the argument by her beautiful eyes.
Or
She glared at me, and for a moment all I/he could think of was how beautiful her eyes were.
In my opinion, most thoughts should actually be written in this indirect thought format, which is much less distracting to the reader than the tense change that comes with direct thoughts.
Thanks, very helpful.
I’m writing a novel in First Person, past tense. However, the narrator/protagonist has experiences where he gets lost in fantasy and I’ve written those sections (they’re only a few) in the present tense to increase the immediacy. Do I risk confusing/jarring the reader by doing that? I don’t want to italicize those sections because that would detract from the effect I’m looking for.
Without some way to delineate those sections, it’s going to definitely confuse your readers. This sort of thing is usually done with italics, but if you don’t want to use those, you could use a different font, or put the sections in their own chapter (with a subtitle that helps the reader recognize that the chapter is different).
Thanks. I’ll rewrite them in the past tense.
Hi Catia.
Hopefully you get this as I’ve read through some other comments and you give good advice.
My query is this: I am currently working on my second novel. I fell into the switching tense trap during my first and begrudged going through it to change it so it read in the past tense although I’m happy with it now. I have continued writing my second novel in the past tense and I am comfortable with it. However, in the prologue I describe an event that is happening and feel it would lend itself more to the present tense for suspense if nothing else. Is this ok to do but continue to write the rest of the novel in the past tense? I’m seeing that you shouldn’t swap between the two but also read there is a term called breaking the forth wall but I’m not sure what that exactly refers to. I’d appreciate any help you could offer me. Thanks.
Simon,
You can definitely use present tense in the prologue and past tense in the rest of the book.
“Breaking the fourth wall” refers to when a character in the book acknowledges that they are a fictional character or when a character talks to the audience (the reader) directly.
Thanks!
Thank you. I appreciate that. I have been back and forth with the prologue to see how it reads and I think I’ll go with the present as it reads so much better.
So, I’m writing about a place (in the past tense). And I don’t know if I should use ”stood” or ”stand”. Because the buildings always have been and will be there, writing ”stood” feels wrong.
I just wanna ask that how to begin the novel like a person is narrating a story which is in past to another person in the book in present. I mean like there is a constant switch between past and the present so am just confuse with beginning as how I start and what all things I need to remember while switching between past and present when I need to? Can you like help with it and give me some tips regarding that too?
You could start in present tense, with the person in the present who is narrating the story. Maybe write the situation leading up to the person telling the story. Then when the story telling actually begins, start a new chapter and write in past tense. Separating the present tense and past tense narratives with chapter breaks will help you and readers keep track of what is going on.
I’m confused about what I should do if I’m writing in past tense in my novel but want to use this sentence in the narration: “I don’t think any of us knew what we were waiting for.” I just don’t know how I could change that to past tense. Is it okay to use “don’t” in this situation?
Also, is it okay to use the word “now” when someone does something during the story (Ex. She wasn’t moving before, but she was moving now)? Thanks!
In a novel written in past tense, this sentence should be, “I didn’t think any of us knew what we were waiting for.”
It’s okay to use the word “now” when you’re writing in past tense. So, “She wasn’t moving before, but she was moving now” is correct.
I’m writing a book into past tense and I’m extremely confused about ‘should’ and ‘ used to’.
I mean if a sentence is like that in present tense-
What should Emily do now? She should have grabbed the key from the man before he locked her inside.
How can I write this in past tense? Please reply me. Can I write should in past tense also like the present tense.
And the next ‘ used to’
If a sentence in present tense-
Emily returns to her house where she used to live with her grandma. Her grandma would play with her in the backyard and her mom would cook food for her. She would spend cheerful days with them.
How can I write this into past tense? I’m very confused about those things.
Technically, “should” is past tense, while “shall” is present tense, but “should” is a modal verb that can show present tense in certain situations. In other words, your first sentence is correctly in past tense: “What should Emily do now? She should have grabbed the key from the man before he locked her inside.”
“Used to” is also already past tense–the meaning of the phrase itself shows past tense (in the past, she lived there, but she doesn’t any more). So the second sentence should be, “Emily returned to her house where she used to live with her grandma. Her grandma would play with her in the backyard and her mom would cook food for her. She would spend cheerful days with them.” (Note that I changed “returns” to “returned.”)
Also, if you were writing your book in present tense, you would still use the words “should” (because it is a modal that can be used that way in present tense) and “used to” (because while the speaker is in the present, she is talking about an event in the past).
For writing in present tense:
What should Emily do now? She should have grabbed the key from the man before he locked her inside. (This is all still in past tense because she is thinking about an event in the past.)
Emily returns to her house where she used to live with her grandma. Her grandma would play with her in the backyard and her mom would cook food for her. She would spend cheerful days with them. (Again, all the verbs except that first verb are still in past tense because she is recalling an event that happened in the past.)
Hope this helps!
Thanks for your reply.
“Exactly 25km from Vinona is/was an urban area called Sunningdale. ”
I’m writing my book in past tense (he was having a hard time figuring out the equation) but i feel like using “is” in that first case sounds better should I describe using past or present tense.
I know it seems strange, but it would still be in past tense:
Exactly 25km from Vinona was an urban area called Sunningdale.
What about reported speech in past tense narration or conditionals? How to signal First Conditional in past tense narration? What about things that should be in Present Perfect? I need to switch to Past Perfect?
It would all be in past tense for regular text (narration). If someone is talking (dialogue), then it would be present tense.
An event that happened in the past:
Narration: She’d said she hated ice cream.
Dialogue: I shrugged. “She said she hates ice cream.”
A general observation (this person has said they hate ice cream multiple times)
Narration: She always said she hated ice cream.
Dialogue: I shrugged. “She says she hates ice cream.”
For conditional:
Narration: If it rained, I would close the window.
Dialogue: “If it rains, I will close the window,” she said.
Perfect tense (should be past perfect in narration):
Narration: I knew we had talked before, but I couldn’t place him.
Dialogue: “I know we have talked before, but I can’t place you,” I told him.
Hi, I’m writing a book in the past tense. However, I feel that my characters’ regular habits and description should be in the present simple.
I’d be grateful for your opinion.
Many thanks
Likely, their habits and description should still be in the past tense. Can you give an example that we can look closer at?
Many thanks for your reply.
Here is an example:
She’s a real live wire, bubbly, a motor mouth. I’m the opposite. I enjoy my own company. I take life as it comes.
Thanks in anticipation
In a novel written in past tense, these should still be written in past tense:
She was a real live wire, bubbly, a motor mouth. I was the opposite. I enjoyed my own company.
I took life as it came.
Hi,
Many thanks for your help
Much appreciated
Great tips. I am currently writing my first fictional novel entirely in past tense and was struggling. Finding this gave me confidence to prevail.
Great! I’m so glad!
I’m writing a novel in past tense, and i wanted to know if this sentence is correct “i rubbed the sleep from my eyes while looking at my alarm clock”
Yes, this is correct!
Is it oky to write “had been”?
Example: He had been cutting limbs from fallen trees when a branch swung back and knocked the chainsaw from his hand.
Yep, “had” is the past tense conjugation of “has,” so your sentence is correct for past tense.
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 ^^,
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.”
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
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.
that is nice, if you don’t mind can i send my book for editing?
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
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!
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
Ahmm
Making that leaping not sleeping.