Questions and Answers

Dogen · Joined: 10 Jul 2006 Posts: 11110 Location: PDX

Yeah, I was pleased with the price, and the people I talked to were nice. I just find the whole industry backwards, from a customer service perspective.
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Samsally · Joined: 10 Jul 2006 Posts: 6781

Why is it so hard to decide on a tense to use when writing? I just float between past and present tense CONSTANTLY and then I'm like "Oh I think I used past tense the most" but when I go back to fix the present tense stuff I basically rewrite the whole damned thing and aaaagh.

I am a terrible writer.
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Darqcyde · Posted: Sat Sep 28, 2013 5:17 pm Post subject:

We talk inconsistently, and generally we write how we talk. Also, it all depends on what you're writing for ad who your audience is. Unless it's some literary types, most people hardly notice tense. I can easily describe something currently happening with past tense verbs:

He ran around the outer edge of the clearing, then leapt into the center.

After thinking about this more, and having some more coffee, it's not really about tense, it's about point of view. If you're writing in third person, it's pretty much all going to sound like this. If you do shift perspectives, just leave a blank line in order to show the shift. IN general, unless you're writing papers the require APA or MLA, use the Chicago Style: https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/717/01/

http://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/home.html
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sporko · Joined: 09 Jul 2006 Posts: 2894

i have decided to quit the medical field and become a professional cosplayer.

...who do i talk to in order to make the big money in this? i'm thinking that december is a good time to have a solid career in line with this.

yes?

i know, i'm being pretty realistic about my life right now.
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DeD CHiKn · Posted: Wed Oct 02, 2013 11:36 am Post subject:

Step one: have disposable money, trust funds usually work.
Step two: be attractive.

Yinello · Joined: 10 May 2012 Posts: 2979 Location: Behind you

sporko · Joined: 09 Jul 2006 Posts: 2894

Felgraf · Joined: 10 Jul 2012 Posts: 734

Yinello · Joined: 10 May 2012 Posts: 2979 Location: Behind you

I suppose that makes sense.
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Darqcyde · Posted: Wed Oct 02, 2013 8:09 pm Post subject:

The most important thing: be consistent.

BTW, writing in first person is arguably more difficult than writing in third person.

Here is an example of first person, past tense: http://xroads.virginia.edu/~hyper/POE/cask.html
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Samsally · Joined: 10 Jul 2006 Posts: 6781

Aaah, hmm. I'm not sure what you call what I prefer? I know it's past tense (I've decided on it, pretty arbitrarily, but there is no going back now).

It's definitely not first person, but I'm fuzzy about the difference between third person and second person. It's like third person, but with special insight into the thought process of one of the characters.

I mean okay saying it like that makes it sound way fancier than it is, when really I just want an excuse to write stupid shit like this:

Jinx · Posted: Thu Oct 03, 2013 4:10 pm Post subject:

Second-person is rarely used in fiction. Most of the sentence would begin with, "You . . . "

That's definitely third-person, and likely third person, limited POV. We know what Laura is thinking and feeling, though based on your explanation, we probably don't know anyone else's.

Third Person voices
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Darqcyde · Posted: Thu Oct 03, 2013 7:03 pm Post subject:

The added challenge in third person objective is that you don't know people's names until someone else uses them:

The man in the long trench coat waled up to the security officer.
"Morning, Jim," said the security guard.
"Morning, Steve," said Jim.

From your description I have to agree with Jinx and say it sounds like third person subjective (aka limited) is probably what you're going for.

BTW, for reference, this post is second person since I'm addressing you, Samsally, directly.
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Feiticeira · Joined: 09 Jul 2006 Posts: 1791

I found a mouse on the floor in my kitchen. It's alive, but isn't moving at all. One of its front feet (?) may be broken. I may have stepped on it, I'm not sure Sad

I picked it up and placed it in a small plastic tub. It's still breathing and hasn't made any attempt to move since I picked it up. I prodded it (as gently as possible) while it was on the floor and it tried to move briefly, but couldn't do much more than drag itself on one side before giving up. Urgh!

mouse · Joined: 10 Jul 2006 Posts: 17864 Location: under the bed

it's pretty hard to step on a healthy mouse. those legs may be short, but they are fast. so i suspect the mouse was in pretty bad shape to begin with.

which i'm afraid means there's not much you can do to help it. you could try giving it a little water.
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