Using Verb Tenses In A Story

Hey fellow writers!

📚 Welcome back to our Wednesday Writing Tip!

This week, we’re tackling one of the most common sources of confusion for writers—verb tenses in storytelling. If you’ve ever caught yourself switching between past and present mid-story, or felt unsure about how to handle flashbacks or future events, you're not alone.

Let’s break it down in a simple, writer-friendly way.

🔹 Step 1: Choose Your Story’s “Now” – Past or Present?

Every story takes place in a “now”—the main timeline of the events. Before you begin writing, decide whether you’ll use:

• Present tense, which brings immediacy and a sense of real-time action.

Example:

Cindy approaches the closet and reaches for the knob. She screams as the knob turns on its own.

• Past tense, which is more traditional and often feels more natural.

Example:

Cindy approached the closet and reached for the knob. She screamed as the knob turned on its own.

Either choice is fine—it’s about what fits the tone and pace of your story. Just make sure to stick with the one you choose.

🔹 Step 2: How to Handle Flashbacks and Backstory

Once you’ve chosen your main tense, you’ll need to know how to shift into the past or future without confusing your reader.

• In a present-tense story, flashbacks and background info are usually in simple past:

Cindy approaches the closet. She bought the house six months ago, though her sister warned her not to.

• In a past-tense story, you’ll take it one step further into the past perfect:

Cindy approached the closet. She had bought the house six months ago, though her sister had warned her not to.

When the flashback ends, return to your main timeline (either present or past) and continue from there.

🔹 Step 3: What If You Want to Jump Ahead?

Foreshadowing or hinting at future events? Match your future tense to your story's “now”:

• In present tense, use simple future:

She will soon regret it.

• In past tense, use future-in-the-past:

She would soon regret it.

These subtle shifts help show timing without pulling readers out of the story.

🔹 Pro Tips for Smooth Transitions

✔ Long flashbacks? Start with a few past perfect verbs (e.g., had gone, had seen), then ease into simple past for smoother flow.

✔ Emotional flashbacks? In some cases, you can keep them in the main tense to show vivid memory—just make sure it’s clear to the reader.

Example:

John lies on the grass... Suddenly, he’s six years old again, hiking with his dad. The crunch of footsteps brings him back to the present.

The goal with verb tenses isn’t to show off your grammar skills—it’s to keep your readers grounded in the story. Choose your tense, use it consistently, and only shift when it enhances the narrative. You can always clean up tense issues during your revision.

Happy Writing!

From IABX

***Source: creative-writing-now.com