Over at Sterling Editing we have our usual links of interest to emerging writers. This week I think my favourite is Moonrat’s disquisition on present tense. I don’t know what happened a couple of years ago but these days it seems fashionable for beginners, especially in the YA and literary genres (oh, yes, litfic is a genre), to write their first novel in present tense. They are setting themselves up for a very hard time. Present tense is devilishly difficult. Present tense does not make the text more immediate–just the opposite, in fact. Present tense is the language of dreams and jokes, not realistic fiction. So do yourself a favour, use simple perfect instead.
Yes, I used present tense in one of Slow River‘s narrative strands. I did it to a purpose. (Which I think worked pretty well–hey, I never promised you modesty.) Yes, Hilary Mantel used present tense for Wolf Hall but, again, she used it to a purpose, and she’s, y’know, Hilary Mantel.
If you don’t understand tense, here’s a handy page that will lay it all out for you. Go learn something.
Nicola Griffith 
Hi Nicola,
I fully agree — present tense used for its own sake grates on my nerves. Used for a purpose, I like it just fine.
Just FYI I can't get your 'handy page' link to work, but it could just be my computer.
Jo: I fixed the link.
Nicola — I know what simple perfect is, but I don't understand your comment about it. I suspect that the popularity of present tense in YA writing stems from several successful present tense novels coming out, e.g., The Hunger Games.
The interesting thing is that screenplays are always written in present tense. So if you want to learn to be a screenwriter, you've got to learn to do it well. What I see in a lot of beginning screenwriters is dependence upon the progressive tense which dilutes their writing. (Plus the usual passive voice and weak verbs.) For example, you see a lot of things like —
John is walking across the parking lot…
instead of:
John walks…
or
John strides…
or
John shuffles…
FWIW, I had no problem with your use of present tense in Slow River. It felt very natural. The shift from first to third person was more jarring for me, but I quickly got used to it.
Coincidentally, I just started reading The Time Traveler's Wife — which is written in first person present tense. So far so good…
In Hood, Emma Donoghue uses past tense for the present and present tense for the flashbacks. I thought that was a good use of it and different from what you'd expect.
Elaine, that's what I did with Slow River: present tense for the distant, only half-remembered childhood narrative. Past tense for the narrative present. Present tense is dreamlike, unrealistic, unmoored. Past tense is hard, solid–concrete.