What are the pros and cons of using present tense and first person perspective in a novel?
I’ll tackle this one at a time. 1st person: PRO: You can really slip inside a person’s head with this, but you often will TELL and not SHOW (yeah, yeah, I sound like a teacher, haha) CON: it can get slightly tedious…you also cannot show what others are thinking, unless your character is really observent, or you make it extremely obvious (or you’re a damn good writer). PRO: This is often good if you don’t want to spend a long time describing things, or you want to really write about the thoughts of the character, CON: It’s a lot harder to build tension or suspense, or mystery, with 1st person. Present Tense: PRO: draws reader into the story. When someone writes, [‘Whatever,’ I say, as I look around the room, desperately searching for an escape to this awkward situation] I feel like I’m there with them, this is unfolding for me just as it is to your character. CON: Some find it awkward to read, and isn’t the ‘norm’ so people might object. PRO: It’s good for creating excitement, for sho
