Using present tense to tell stories

It's not at all unusual if you are telling a story vividly, to recreate being in the moment. Written, it would be a little odd, but texting language tends to imitate spoken conversation, so it could be possible in the right content.

I have used this scene as an example of a story told with a mix of past and present tense. He’s clearly telling a story that happened in the past but mixes tenses. Perfectly understandable. https://youtu.be/cmlCAhrAWYw?si=huoFa73YIiC_iK-t

I think it is fine.

I do it all the time: So I'm talking to my cousin, and he tells me he's thinking of getting hair plugs. He says his hairline's receding and he wants to get a head of it. I tell him, "Do you have any idea how expensive that is?" And he says he does, but I don't believe him. You know what's cheap? Shaving your head. Or maybe just start wearing more hats.

This is off topic, but it reminds me of a very funny section in the satirical novel The Restaurant at the End of the Universe, where because people have discovered time travel, a whole new set of verb tenses needs to be invented to talk about things that you already experienced but will happen in the future, and so on. It’s linguistically quite humorous. Even if you aren’t interested in the whole Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy series (satirical/absurdist science fiction), I recommend this reading this section (search for “Dr. Dan Streetmentioner’s Time Traveler’s Handbook of 1001 Tense Formations.”)

Stories told in a book or newspaper are written in the past tense. Synopses of movie and book plots are usually written in the present tense. When speaking aloud in an informal context, stories are often told on a mix of present and past tense. In a formal context, spoken stories are usually told in the past tense. No idea why.

We do it all the time, especially when recounting interactions and events.

telling a story in the present tense can help the person you're talking to feel as if they experienced it too

So, I'm going to the store. And there he is, my neighbor, wearing a clown suit in the produce section! I ask him what the heck is going on, and he tells me that he's buying a bunch of apples so he can juggle them in the park. Apparently there's some sort of festival at the park today. I guess I'm going to the park now! <short, pointless story told entirely in the present tense>

It kinda depends on what you're doing. If you're just telling someone about something that happened, I would use past tense. If I was writing a history book, I would also use past tense. If I was writing a novel or short story, that's where I would think about what tense I want to use. They are stylistically different, and one my be more fitting than the other. The thing to remember is that you have to be consistent. You shouldn't be switching back and forth. This is a trap many people fall into, for example, "She goes to the store and bought a loaf of bread," is incorrect, because the tenses don't match. Beyond that, tenses shouldn't really be changing within a scene. I personally tend to write in past tense. I just like it better. It feels more natural and more flexible. Present tense can be tricky to use effectively. If I was going to write with mixed tenses, I would probably write in mostly past tense, but have dialogue heavy scenes be in first person. I don't think I'd want to write an entire work in first person. Informally, people often use present tense when telling a personal anecdote, for example, "So I say to the guy, "You're a real piece of work, you know that?"" I associate this way of speaking with people from Boston and New York City.

As long as you stick to one or the other consistently, yes either is fine.

This just goes to show how flexible the human mind is when it comes to language. Grammar is only one level of language. Context can be more important than the literal grammar being used. You’re hearing present tense, but you know the events already took place. You can tell the same narrative using past or present tense, and while it will convey the same information, they each “feel” different, for lack of a better word.

It depends. I write true crime documentaries and we right in the present of investigation — even if that investigation was decades ago. Thus you can say “Detectives find resume and learn that the victims was a circus clown many years prior to his death. While working there he was arrested for smuggling rare animals. They follow up on that lead.”

It’s become more popular to write stories in first present. It’s easy to do but hard to do well. Especially if you want to do a lot of character development for other characters rather than the MCs.

When you tell a story in present tense, it becomes more vivid and immersive because you are inviting the listener to imagine it as if it were happening right now, almost as if you are observing the events unfold in real time. It is often slightly less formal, because past tense is a more literal way of conveying facts, while present tense can create a more imaginative feel to the narrative. But both are valid ways to tell a story.

Oh yeah, totally! Using present tense for stories is a thing it’s called the "historical present" or "narrative present." It makes the story feel more immediate, like it’s happening right now. 😊 I used to think past tense was the only way too, but then I noticed it in books and even some YouTube storytellers! For example: * Past tense: *"I walked into the room and saw a cat."* * Present tense: *"I walk into the room and see a cat."* Both work, but present tense can feel more dramatic or engaging. Just pick one and stick with it though mixing them randomly gets confusing.

There's no rule against narrating in the present tense. It's fine. I teach my students to avoid narrating in present tense because it reduces the author's ability to manipulate time. If everything is happening at the same time that the narrator describes it, the narrator has a harder time slowing time or speeding it up, experiencing/describing flashbacks, etc.

A whole chapter near the end of Tigana by Guy Gavriel Kay is in first person. It's immediately noticeable but it works.

Historical present.

Present tense is very common when telling stories. It's less common in published fiction, especially longform fiction, and many people associate it with fiction for teens and children. (And those people have some extremely strong opinions!) The important thing is that within each story you know what you're doing, and you don't just swap tenses randomly for no reason.

Some books are written in present tense. It gives a different mood. Compare: I walked into the bar and saw the two of them sitting there. I was angry. I'm walking into a bar. The two of them are sitting there. I am angry.