To be or was. . . in what tense to write
Forged Series: Was Shattered always in past tense?
To learn more about the FORGED series, visit the Table of Contents.
In What Tense to Write
When Tessa first presented herself to me, I had no idea that she would have so much to say. In the opening chapter, we meet Tessa as she awakes on a train, confused by the conversation between two adults. Her story revealed itself to me in a way that felt like I was living it with her, as it happened to her.
If you read the first draft (well, the first several drafts), the manuscript for Shattered was in the present tense. Common in YA fiction, the present tense gives the reader a sense of immediacy that draws them along as the story unfolds on the page. Some of the biggest YA hits use the first-person present tense: The Hunger Games, Divergent, The Hate U Give, Matched, to name a few.
But wait, Shattered isn’t in the first-person present tense. You are correct, partially. The beta reading feedback for the first book came back with nearly all the readers reporting that the present tense was jarring or otherwise distracting from the story. I wasn’t entirely in agreement, but what did I know? I’d never published a book before.
In fact, my gut told me the present tense was correct. Then I started second-guessing myself. Maybe it was a sign of a new, inexperienced author to write in the present tense. After some contemplation, I decided to go with their feedback, at least for the majority of the storyline.
The main story thread, Tessa’s daily life in the Urban Center, was painstakingly switched from present to past tense somewhere around version 11 or 12. (I ended up with 25 versions of book one’s manuscript!) It was a brutal process that I don’t recommend others attempt. Pick a tense and stick with it!
Strategic Decision
What I like most about the present tense is that the protagonist's emotions are conveyed to the reader in real time, almost as if the reader is experiencing them with the character. Because of this, I made the strategic decision. While I honored the feedback and advice to use the past tense for the main story, I wanted the breakthrough memories to feel immediate and visceral. Thus, the confusing memories were better served by using the present tense.
Not daring to speak, I squeezed my eyes shut again and ducked my head. I just wanted to go back to sleep, but the painful memories refused to be pushed away. I groaned.
Mamá and Papá lie on the ground, lifeless. I cradle my little sister’s limp body against me as I rock on my knees, clinging to her, smelling the lavendar in her hair. Hot tears stream down my cheeks. A horrific wailing rips from my throat.
My shoulders shook with sobs as I relived those moments that changed my life forever. I huddled on the seat, holding my knees tightly to my chest.
Excerpt from Chapter 1 of Shattered, Book One of the Forged Series.
The resulting mix of past and present tenses amps up the intensity in a way that was missing when a single tense was used throughout. I also chose to differentiate the main storyline from the breakthrough memories with a font change. These two decisions help the reader (even subconsciously) know that the breakthrough memories are unexpected and baffling to Tessa.
This post is public, so feel free to share it. (Someone in your community might be interested too!)
If I were starting today
If I could go back and give my earlier self advice on the use of tense, I’d likely tell myself that, though the combination of both in one manuscript is unconventional, the resulting story will be stronger by the exposed subtle shifts.
Not everyone will agree with this assessment, and that’s okay. But you know the one thing I haven’t heard from a reader since the beta-reader stage? Not a single mention of what tense the story is written in.
So, though I was hesitant to agree with the beta readers and felt that YA fiction needed to be in the present tense, finding a solution that felt authentic to the story was important.
An important lesson was learned by this process: listen to your beta readers, but make your own decision and stand by it.
Upcoming Events & Happenings
Friday, June 12, 2026, Bold Coffee & Books, Portland, Oregon - Join me and fellow Oregon author, Erin Hall, as we talk about all things Forged series. Adult beverages available for sale. More details to follow.
Bonus Materials! Download your copies of the free novellas HERE before they are gone! The last and final of the three companion novellas is coming next week! (Cue the applause track.) Get ready to download and read Shattered: The Rise of Julia to find out how the world and the United Pacific Territories came to be.
ARC available on NetGalley - In the hopes of getting a few more reviews of Shattered (and potential reviewers for Merged), I’ve listed Shattered on NetGalley for one month. If you are a NetGalley user, please consider requesting a copy HERE and leaving a review (in all the places).
Before you go
Did you enjoy this post? Click subscribe so you don’t miss future posts. Tap the heart to let me know. Restack your favorite quote. Share with your community. Recommend me to your followers. Leave a comment.
First person present tense is common in my original genre, personal narrative and nature writing. The sensory immediacy is important. And obviously some great fiction is in present tense, although I wasn’t aware of the YA ones you mentioned. (I saw some of the movies, and movies always seem to be in the present tense!)
I remember mystery novelist Lawrence J. Block warning fiction writers to stay away from present tense. I think his main criticism was that it’s hard to keep forward momentum if everything is always “now.” I didn’t quite buy it. I think you ended up with a good blend of the two modes.
If I ever get around to publishing Ship of Fools in print, I’m thinking of changing the prologue and epilogue to present tense (or maybe just the epilogue).