This choice: The Importance of Tense in Storytelling • Go Back...Chapter #5The Importance of Tense in Storytelling by: Lok   Professor Hilton took a step away from the board as the class scribbled in their notebooks. Laura wrote idly, but was less concerned with the accuracy of her notes as her eyes continued to drift towards her phone.
"Whether you're writing fiction, non-fiction, journalism, even scientific papers, tense is king of every sentence. Now, I know this is probably some pretty rudimentary stuff for most of you guys, but it's always a smart idea to review and refresh." Professor Hilton turned back to the board, writing again. "Now the past tense is what most of your stories will be written in. It's our general way of describing what already happened, so for example: 'You students walked to class this morning." Laura nodded, feeling like this could impact how she wrote her commands inside the app. If something was written in past tense, she assumed the subject would not notice the impact of the change?
Typing in her phone quickly, she wrote: Professor Hilton wore a pair of stiletto high heels today. With a vibration, Laura watched Professor Hilton quickly shoot up as the heels on her feet elongated sharply. Now standing at a height of approximately 5'8", she clicked over to the next section of the board to keep writing. Laura noted how long her legs looked now with her heels on.
"Now the present tense describes whats happening in the moment, so to speak. It's a way of having a character describe what is happening to them currently or to describe what another character is doing at the moment. You'll usually find it as a form of speech as it comes across as jarring when used as action." Laura nodded again. She could clearly see that the past would alter the past, but would the present tense alter everyone's memories as well?
Turning, she looked at the room. Seeing the boys in the back, she surreptitiously typed: This class is composed of all women. Her phone vibrated and with a pop she saw the boys in the back disappear and instantly be replaced by a row of slacker looking girls. Laura nodded slightly and slowly, so the present would also just change reality. She could remember there never being and men in the class from the start, even though she knew for a fact they were there moments ago.
Professor Hilton clicked to the end of the board, writing again. "Lastly for today, the future tense is a much more commanding form of writing. It's again usually found in speech, but sometimes in writings on what could be coming in the future...hence the name. It's also called the simple future tense as it almost always is accompanied by 'will' or 'shall', sort of simplifying the forms considerably. We'll be going into the nature of the future tense next week as it's definitely got a more complicated way of expressing itself through language."
Wondering what would happen with this new tense, Laura typed: Professor Hilton's hair will grow two inches longer. With a small vibration, Laura felt her phone confirm the change, and soon, in front of her eyes, Professor Hilton's bun started gaining volume. The Professor herself seemed to freeze, reaching a hand up slowly to her expanding hairdo. Laura's eyes widened as she realized the potential danger of the future tense. This is a tense that will adjust what is about to happen. Everyone will notice and react to these changes. Looking around, she saw the other students in the class staring at their Professor's shifting hair as well, their mouths dropped wide open.
Thinking quickly, Laura looked picked up her phone and deleted the last entry. With another vibration, Professor Hilton resumed writing more examples of the future tense on the board and the students resumed writing in their notebooks.
Laura traced her finger along the side of her phone. This had all given her some ideas...   indicates the next chapter needs to be written. |
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