What tense makes you feel the most comfortable, and did you choose it before deciding to write?
I use an omniscient narrator. Before I started to write I never considered what tense to use. It may seem strange, but I was oblivious to the tense I was using, until someone mentioned it. Even then I did not think much about it. I was simply inspired to write. I believe that a natural style is the most comfortable way to write.
Presently, tense is worrying me. I received feedback that the tense kept alternating in my novella, something I hadn't realised as I hadn't proofed it enough. Lesson learned: Proof, proof and proof.
In my novel, (and novella) I use present tense, and first voice to give a sense of immediacy. But I use past tense for flashbacks and am now wondering whether to change that to present.
I made a conscious decision to use present tense. And yes, I removed all future tense, I sometimes predicted what was coming next and got pushback on that.
Does that make sense or does it make you tense? ; )
Actually, Jonathan, I think you give the perfect example of why a limited perspective works so well. What is the point of having an overall picture of your 'battlefield' if it doesn't add to your hero's story? What it gives the reader is advance knowledge which means they may well piece together the end before they actually get there. If you really want the reader to travel with your hero, you should only show the reader what they see. Unless you have the juxtaposition of two heroes in opposing camps. But even then, there would be little need to show any overriding view.
Tense-wise I use past. It suits my genre (HF) and it's easy to write.
Present tense is something of an oddity in novel-writing, IMO. So here's something to ponder - if you're telling a story, won't it always be in the past, by its very nature? Don't ask me: I don't do philosophical argument.
But with POV I like single person because the reader (and writer) sees situations, and events unfolding, through the limited perspective of one individual (Victoria's 'third-limited'). I think that's more like real life.
Some argue you need an 'overall' view, and I suppose that would be useful for me, writing military fiction - I could see right across a whole battlefield. But none of my characters could, and I'm trying to put my readers inside them, so what would be the point? Of course switching between characters then needs more work so the reader knows which they're inhabiting, but that's not over-difficult. And some (the head-hoppers) don't even bother, immediately alienating any reader without a grasshopper brain. I think you can get away with deliberate head-hopping when the occasion demands, but not all the time, please.
Sorry - veering off the subject somewhat.