Exactly when do you use past tense and present tense in story?

[CeliVega]

Well, I believe most story must happened first before they can be written into a story. So in a sense, every story is an event from the past. But you see that in novels they usually stick to present tense during the storytelling, and then switch to another tense based on the sentences.

I plan to write something akin to an autobiography in the future, how do I know when I should use past tense or present tense in my sentences?

[fredkawig]

That depends upon you, when you are describing yourself or something which is already done and cannot be repeated use the past tense, but If you are currently doing and are about to do those that you are describing write present tense.

[jubvman]

I pretty much only write information articles right now, so I don't have to bother with past/present tense. But as far as I'm aware, use past tense when you're writing about something that happened earlier (they went to the house, they did this..) and present tense when writing about something as it is happening (they are going to the house to do this..)

You can decide what tense your story is in, just try not to change it around mid-story.

[CeliVega]

Exactly which one is correct in the following examples?

"He is looking for the missing guy for ten days now. The guy hold the answer to who the culprit is."

"He was looking for the missing guy for ten days now. The guy held the answer to who the culprit was"

The setting was about a story from ten years ago. In what situation should the first one be used, and in what other situation should the second one be used?

[songsing]

In stories, most of the text is in past tense because it's sort of a recount of what happened by the narrator. The reason you'd see present tense if it was in dialogue, what the characters say, since the story is happening in their present. It's sort of confusing if you haven't grown up with it, but the main rule is to stick with past tense in your actual writing, and use present tense when having your characters speak (unless they're recalling something, etc).

[Litnax]

The past tense is by far the most common tense used in novel writing today. Come to think of it, it is used everywhere: in newspapers, in non-fiction books, in magazines, on the news - you name it. The reason I believe that you should use the past tense is simple: it is what readers expect, and what they therefore feel comfortable with.

The present tense is an acceptable alternative, though it might be harder to write and might cause an unnecessary headache for you.  :nerd:

[Daimashin]

I believe it mostly depends on the story you're writing. Whether it's something that has happened or something that is happening. It all falls on the author writing the story whether they want to tell the story in past tense or present. Of course, most will opt for past tense because it's easier to tell a story.

[Rosyrain]

When you are writing a story, even an autobiography, you would mostly use past tense because you are talking about things that have happened before writing the story.  If you are discussing something that will happen in the future, then it is okay to use present tense.

[Trellum]

Well, it really depends on the person and what said person is trying to achieve.  Some people like to tell their stories in first person using present tense, sometimes they abruptly switch back to past tense in one point or another. It really depends on the kind of story you are writing and what you want to achieve.

I personally find so intriguing the stories that are told in present tense, rather than the past... even more when they start with the main character telling the story in present tense and going from there. It makes me feel like there is so much to that story and can't wait to know more!

[AureliaeLacrimae]

Exactly which one is correct in the following examples?

"He is looking for the missing guy for ten days now. The guy hold the answer to who the culprit is."

"He was looking for the missing guy for ten days now. The guy held the answer to who the culprit was"

The setting was about a story from ten years ago. In what situation should the first one be used, and in what other situation should the second one be used?

I'd actually use Present Perfect Simple tense here:

He's been looking for the missing guy for ten days now (he still is). He's the key to finding out who the culprit is.

Past Perfect fits here as well (if you're narrating in past), though, for simplicity of the thought, past simple is also acceptable.

You can use Present simple tense in narration even if the events had happened in the past. One of the reasons why this is done so is to make the story ''closer'' to the reader - or rather, more immediate. You can imagine the things happening at the very moment you're reading. Of course, sometimes Past tenses fit better, especially if you plan on using conditional sentences. Switching back and forth here isn't really a neat example.

The whole paragraph should be coherent. If you'd begun in Present tense, stick to it. This is called ''historic present'' and is accepted in the literary theory as one of the narrative techniques... so no one can tell you it's wrong.

[NATASHA]

I think that it is the writers choice whether or not they would like to tell the story from years ago or whether they are writing about what they are presently experiencing. I write in the present tense and in some chapters might revert back to the past but always as if I am telling the story now.

[OddVisions]

The tense of the story depends on what tense it is set in; remember not to change it from paragraph to paragraph. Of course, as most writers know, there are minor times when this rule is broken during an action, when a character or some other device will have to be put into a present tense action even though the sentence itself is structured in the past tense and vise versa.