Quote:
Originally Posted by HarryT
I've nothing whatsoever against novels written in the first person. Some of my very favourite books (eg Dickens' "David Copperfield") are written in the first person.
What I dislike is the use of the present tense. It's just (to my mind) the wrong tense to write novels in. I know the arguments in favour of it - that it keeps the story moving along faster, and makes the reader identify more with the protagonist of the story - but the simple fact is that I don't like it. It always has the feel of "childishness" about it to me, rather than serious writing. I can't really explain why.
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I have to agree. As soon as I see present tense, I contemplate giving up on the book. It's akin to historians talking about past events in the present tense, which drives me to distraction. So much so that I can't concentrate on what they are saying, focusing instead on their irritating use of the present.