Can anyone recommend a novel written in FPPT? I know there's Cat's Cradle by Margaret Atwood, but anything else? Thanks.
Novels written in first person present tense?
- Thread starter Susan Breen
- Start date
- Status
- Joined
- Jul 3, 2006
- Messages
- 9,709
- Reaction score
- 2,053
- Age
- 46
- Location
- uk
- Website
- www.lukewalkerwriter.com
Nick Hornby's High Fidelity.
I'm waiting for the shrieking hordes to come here with the shouts of 1st person and/or present tense being the wrong way to write.
I'm waiting for the shrieking hordes to come here with the shouts of 1st person and/or present tense being the wrong way to write.
First person present tense?
Okay, I'll start: How many such books (outside of chick lit) have been published by first time authors?
- Joined
- Jul 3, 2006
- Messages
- 9,709
- Reaction score
- 2,053
- Age
- 46
- Location
- uk
- Website
- www.lukewalkerwriter.com
The first example that comes to mind is Paula Danziger. Anything by her is good, and I think she always wrote in first person present tense.
- Joined
- Feb 11, 2005
- Messages
- 43,746
- Reaction score
- 8,652
- Location
- Los Angeles
- Website
- www.amazon.com
- Joined
- Feb 11, 2005
- Messages
- 43,746
- Reaction score
- 8,652
- Location
- Los Angeles
- Website
- www.amazon.com
More than you think. Mine was, and not a chick lit. Patricia Wood's Lottery is, and not a chick lit. Just to name two by AW writers alone.
Next question.
- Joined
- Jul 3, 2006
- Messages
- 9,709
- Reaction score
- 2,053
- Age
- 46
- Location
- uk
- Website
- www.lukewalkerwriter.com
Mine, mine, mine!
But Ray, don't you know it's wrong to write in 1st/Person?
Shame on you.
The first published book I could find for her dates from 1974 (The Cat Ate My Gymsuit). Looking at the excerpt on Amazon, the tense seems to wander during the introductory chapter, but by the time the story starts, it's in past tense.
Last edited:
- Joined
- Feb 11, 2005
- Messages
- 43,746
- Reaction score
- 8,652
- Location
- Los Angeles
- Website
- www.amazon.com
Aside from the Atwood book, I can't think of any immediately. First person, sure, but first person present tense sounds awkward. I walk into a room and I get shot. It really hurts. There's a lot of blood. Ow ow ow ow!!!
I can think of some short stories told in 1stPerson/Present, but that's about it.
I can think of some short stories told in 1stPerson/Present, but that's about it.
- Joined
- Feb 11, 2005
- Messages
- 43,746
- Reaction score
- 8,652
- Location
- Los Angeles
- Website
- www.amazon.com
I don't see how it's different than a 1st or 3rd/past:
I walked into a room and I got shot. It really hurt. There was a lot of blood. Ow ow ow ow!!!!
He walked into a room and he got shot. It really hurt. There was a lot of blood. Ow ow ow ow!!!!
Bad writing is just bad writing -- past or present tense. Good writing transcends all that. Even Stephen King writes present tense.
p.s. I CANNOT believe I got suckered into yet another "1st/present sucks" discussion!
p.s. Seriously, read Patricia's book -- it's a good read. And if you feel a bit kind, read mine, too.
Ciao!
Last edited:
- Joined
- Nov 5, 2006
- Messages
- 2,130
- Reaction score
- 186
- Location
- At the computer
- Website
- www.daverobinsonwrites.com
Well, sure. And like I said, I can think of short stories I've read which had first-person-present working just fine. (And mostly, I don't care. I hate these arguments about methods of writing and whether or not they work. If it's read, it works.)
You're right! I forgot about that one! The sequel, There's A Bat In Bunk Five, is in present, though, and so is This Place Has No Atmosphere, and The Pistaccio Perscription, my favorite.
- Joined
- Mar 2, 2007
- Messages
- 543
- Reaction score
- 102
- Location
- Atlanta
- Website
- weirdquietgirl.wordpress.com
Many recent YA novels are written in 1st / present -- so many that I'm actually kinda surprised when I pluck a contemporary YA title off the "new fiction" shelf at the bookstore and it's not in 1st / present.
Off the top of my head:
Fat Kid Rules The World - K.L. Going
Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist - Rachel Cohn and David Levithan
Looking For Alaska - John Green
I Am The Messenger - Markus Zusak
Off the top of my head:
Fat Kid Rules The World - K.L. Going
Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist - Rachel Cohn and David Levithan
Looking For Alaska - John Green
I Am The Messenger - Markus Zusak
- Joined
- Feb 11, 2005
- Messages
- 43,746
- Reaction score
- 8,652
- Location
- Los Angeles
- Website
- www.amazon.com
A couple of Nick Horby's novels are in first/present (seun already mentioned High Fidelity).
Kazuo Ishiguro's Booker finalist, Never Let Me Go, is also in 1st/present (IIRC).
Kazuo Ishiguro's Booker finalist, Never Let Me Go, is also in 1st/present (IIRC).
Nick Hornby does it - and does it well.
I read BackStabber - first person/present.
He had great opening lines to his chapters too.
"I sing praises to my water pressure."
I read BackStabber - first person/present.
He had great opening lines to his chapters too.
"I sing praises to my water pressure."
Julie Worth said:
Sara Gruen's Riding Lessons. Women's fiction, but not chick lit.
Her current NYT best-seller, Water for Elephants, is also in first-person present tense, and it's mainstream fiction.
Does it shift to past in chapter 2? I only see the first page of that chapter at Amazon.
- Joined
- Feb 20, 2007
- Messages
- 2,918
- Reaction score
- 604
- Status