Past Tense and Verbs and the Action in the Novel

[WriterJohn]

Past Tense and Verbs and the Action in the Novel question?

If you have desided to write your novel - science fiction, fantasy etc in the omnipresent is that past tense and when using verbs of action are there any non-uses of ing for the omnipresent. My understanding is that omnipresent is a past tense usage.

TIA
WriterJohn

 

[Culhwch]

Well, really it could be either past, present or even future tense. I can't see how perspective could dictate the tense you used. I assume you mean omniscience rather than omnipresence (that is, the state of knowing everything as opposed to the state of being everywhere at any or every time). But yes, the tense choice is entirely up to you. The most common is past tense, though you do see the odd spot of present.

I'm not sure I understand the second part of your question, though...

 

[JDawg2.0]

Tense is a wonderful thing. Be careful with it, because if you're good enough, it can be a useful tool on its own.

If you have desided to write your novel - science fiction, fantasy etc in the omnipresent is that past tense and when using verbs of action are there any non-uses of ing for the omnipresent. My understanding is that omnipresent is a past tense usage.

Um...omniscience, as Culhwch already said, is a perspective, rather than a tense.

As far as your other question goes, I'm not sure what you are asking. Are you asking if you should avoid "-ing" when writing in the past-tense?

 

[scalem X]

Yeah, am I the only one who sort of finds it to sound weird having your character reflecting upon the past in past fashion:

Last night had been great. They had stayed up all night, playing this stupid game. But in the end Simon had won. ...

compare with the more logical sounding variation (technically wrong?):

Last night had been great. They stayed up all night, playing this stupid game. But in the end Simon won. ...

 

[WriterJohn]

I did mean Omniscient - thanks for correcting it Culhwch.

I came across this article about pov here's the link
What is Point of View (POV)? by Vicki Hinze

here is an extrct on

Omniscient is "godlike." Where story events are not filtered through the perspective or the eyes of any character. (Though the writer may at times dip into the POV of any character.) Often this POV is seen in literary novels, and sometimes in commercial fiction. Typically, the writer will use an "inverted pyramid" structure, starting out with an overview and then narrowing the scope to a protagonist or antagonist.Omniscient is "godlike." Where story events are not filtered through the perspective or the eyes of any character. (Though the writer may at times dip into the POV of any character.) Often this POV is seen in literary novels, and sometimes in commercial fiction. Typically, the writer will use an "inverted pyramid" structure, starting out with an overview and then narrowing the scope to a protagonist or antagonist.

I guess the question I am asking about tense is if using the Omniscient pov can it be in the past OR present OR future tense OR is it only one of them.

On using ing ending verbs can they be used in the past OR present OR future tense OR is it only one of them. I think ing can be used in all three tenses - is there any exceptions to the rule?

 

[Culhwch]

I guess the question I am asking about tense is if using the Omniscient pov can it be in the past OR present OR future tense OR is it only one of them.

On using ing ending verbs can they be used in the past OR present OR future tense OR is it only one of them. I think ing can be used in all three tenses - is there any exceptions to the rule?

Well, as pointed out above, perspective has no bearing on tense. They are seperate entities. So you can write from an omniiscient point of view in any of past, present or future tense - although past is generally the most popular.

Your second question - I'm thinking it'd come down to context. I can't imagine there would be any hard and fast rule about such. A simple example:

'This is beyond me,' he said, grinning. [past]

'This is beyond me,' he says, grinning. [present]

'This is beyond me,' he will say, grinning. [future]

Actually, I'm not sure future is all that feasible for a piece of any decent length. I certainly can't recall any examples I've seen.

 

[chrispenycate]

Putting an "ing on the end of a verb often removes it from verbship; into adjectivehood (he was having a screaming fit) or nounity (I sat tight and waited for the screaming abou my invented vocabulary to stop) When it remains a verb, the "ing" form tends to indicate continuousness rather than period ; (I was screaming as I fell), rather than a momentary action ("expletive deleted" I screamed) Certainly there is no absolute time or tense limitation (it had been screaming for eons when the universe was created, and will still be screaming when the stars grow cold)

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

When it starts functioning as a noun, however, it is a gerund -- at least that's what I remember being told in my school days back in the early Permian era.

The use of too many verbs ending in "ing" on the same page is generally frowned upon. Since it's often linked to that most passive of verbs "to be," it can get you into trouble that way, too.

 

[Culhwch]

Yeah, that's what I'd a said, had I me more education... I never did get my head around all those words for words.

 

[WriterJohn]

Thanks chrispenycate, Culhwch and Teresa