u/aledundarte

I'm fairly new around here, but I'm sensing something strange. I have been reading a lot of first chapters and trying to give feedback, and these present-tense examples keep appearing. Half of the first chapters I have read are in present tense, and I find it extremely weird. I don't recall a single fantasy novel I have read in present tense. I'm not a voracious reader, but I have read my fair share.

Why do you think there is this tendency lurking around here? I would guess that we, as potential new authors, try to mimic things we have read; however, there isn't much present tense in the mainstream.

Do they think it's easier?

Do they fool themselves thinking it conveys a faster pace or more urgency?

I'm curious to read your thoughts on this

The discussion is around chapter titles and the difference between author perspective and reader perspective.

I have noticed that as a writer (a yet rather begginer one) I tend to invest quite some time in comming up with an interesting title for a given chapter.

However as a reader I usually dont give much credit or attention to chapter titles.

As a writer I usually start with a more generic descriptive title mainly focused on the main event of the chapter. After finishing the chapter I usually change it for something a bit more clever, trying to play with the theme of the chapter and some specific element on it.

What's your take on this.

Ive been thinking about transitions between the scenes I actually want to write.

Sometimes skipping ahead is easy: nothing important happens in between, so you just cut to the next scene.

But other times, the transition feels necessary. Maybe characters need time together before a later interaction feels earned. Maybe you need to establish a new place, relationship, routine, or piece of information. Maybe something has to gradually change rather than happen between scenes.

And when your reach that scene and you have to write it you feel that it drags, it even drags your own writing pace.

Do you just push through?