Satirists, Please Help...

[Dr.Gonzo]

I've posted in the novel section about my problem, in Uncle Jim's thread no less, but I'm not getting an answer and I'm waiting to to get started for the night. So, I'm working on a satire about a regular guy, regular problems, but life's standing still for him and he's stuck in a rut, and so far I've been writing it in present tense ... but for some reason I'm starting to think that maybe past tense would be better/easier/more engaging. I'm only 20k into it so far and think that if I'm going to make the change I should do it now to save on leg work in the editing process. Do you think I should? I'm comfortable writing both and writers who inspire me are on either side of the tense line: Hunter S. Thompson and Jeff Lindsay past, Chuck Palahniuk and Bret Easton Ellis present. I know that doesn't have a hell of a lot to do with anything but let me ramble because I'm so confused.

Really, I just want opinions on this. And I turn to you guys, my satire friends, for advice.

Edit: Sorry, this is in first person. I'm that worked up about this that I'm not thinking straight and keep chewing on the corner of my monitor. Tastes like shit.

[mostlylegit]

I had a similar problem with a script for a short film I worked with a friend on. We started by having the main character in first person, with his inner voice providing the moment to moment commentary.

We then swithed it to third person like he was watching the events play back and commenting on them retrospectively. I didn't find it any easier, but I think it did come out more engaging for that scenario.

[Dr.Gonzo]

Thanks. I've decided to change it to past tense. Tp decide this last night I reworked a short I written in present, changing it to past. It flows so much better. I'm not going to rework the novel now; all I've done is marked where the change in tense is and then continued in past tense.

I'm happy now. It's a simple thing but sometimes indecision can be a writer's worst enemy. So I just went with my gut after all that.

[wordwaymike]

Dr. Gonzo,

I must admit, I became tense just from reading of your past, present , and/or first person (narrative) conundrum. As for that whole monitor chewing thing, try an HP. It has a much tastier plastic and resin compound mix than the other name brand monitors that I have gnawed on.

I read in the above comment addition that you posted a little later than the first one that you have decided on a course of action. Be that as it may, you asked, and I thought about it. Therefore, you must suffer through my banal, and totally useless advice. Irregardless of the twin facts of it being totally useless and banal.

This "useless advice factor" as I will call it for lack of more ridiculous "factor" premise springing to mind, takes all of the psychological pressure off of me, as relates to the perils and pitfalls of actually giving anyone advice on some subject that they might possibly act on.

Have you ever considered the potential mind mangling trauma that could result in synaptic overloads within fragile brain skillets such as mine when you, a total stranger, ask someone like me, another total stranger, to choose the next creative direction of your craft?

And this discombobulation of my neuro something or others isn't dependent upon you acting on my worthless, career ending advice. Oh no! Just my ever mounting fear that you might possibly do something so irreparably life altering in a "where did my hopes, dreams, and will to live go? way is enough to flood my mind's eye with "ghost of Christmas past, present, and future" images that can result in actual physical scrotum shrinkage.

Errr... or so I've heard.

But your comment addition relieved me of the bad ju ju like curse of excessive worry about unknown consequences to your life. Worries that would have drowned me in a sea of pathos.

I am free of such worries because YOU stepped up to the plate and made a conscious decision to take your own, quite possibly bad advice.

This leaves me free of feeling tense about discussing tense. (sorry) So I will!

Unless...

Your additional comment, in which you stated that you have decided in which direction your next wrong word craft idea will proceed was just a ploy to get a bunch of strangers to advise you as to your next creative move!

Well, it isn't gonna work!

I'm already in therapy twice a week as it is. I can't afford to show up at my shrink's office with a brand new bunch of phobias, and issues that he's never even heard of before.

Get one of those magic 8 balls. Ask it a question. Turn it over and watch as your answer float up into view.

That's what I do!

wordwaymike

[Dr.Gonzo]

Thanks, wordy.

I've been working on it since and the flow is much more natural. My regards to your head doctor.