Decide what tense you'll be writing in for the entire novel, so you don't keep switching between present tense and past tense.
(1) Present Tense
Present tense is exactly what it sounds like: In present time.
-Example
Wrong: He walked away from me and I grew more and more angry.
Right: He walks away from me and I grow more and more angry.
The first example is written in past tense, meaning your narrator is writing the story after the fact. Present tense is when your narrator is experiencing the story as it goes. It's a bit confusing at first.
(2) Past Tense
Past tense is after the fact.
-Example
Wrong: I smile at him and nod.
Right: I smiled at him and nodded
(3) Do not switch between the two!
Unless it is grammatically necessary (I.e. you're writing in present tense and recalling something from the past), DO NOT SWITCH.
-Example
Wrong: "You're wrong!" I scream angrily as I walked away from him. He chases after me and called my name.
Right (past): "You're wrong!" I screamed angrily as I walked away from him. He chased after me and called my name.
Right (present): "You're wrong!" I scream angrily as I walk away from him. He chases me and calls my name.
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THIS IS NOT MEANT TO OFFEND ANYONE OR SINGLE AN AUTHOR OUT. THIS BOOK IS MEANT TO BE HELPFUL AND I AM REALLY SORRY IF YOU ARE OFFENDED BY IT. I AM NOT AN ENGLISH TEACHER, I JUST HAVE HAD REALLY GOOD ONES IN THE PAST WHO HAVE TAUGHT ME THESE THINGS. IF YOU SEE ANYTHING WRONG, PLEASE POINT IT OUT AND I WILL DO SOME RESEARCH ON IT/CORRECT IT IF NEED BE.
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How to Improve Your Writing
Non-FictionSome things that will be in this book: Grammar, dialogue, character, plot and how to avoid being too cliché advice. This is a book to help improve your writing. Some mistakes can turn readers away from reading your book, which means that your book...
