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Is there a general rule for past vs. present tense for a character's internal thoughts? Direct thoughts in present, while indirect thoughts in past? I'm thinking specifically of 1st person here. ...
#3: Attribution notice added
by
System
·
2019-12-08T09:41:27Z (over 4 years ago)
Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/q/38508 License name: CC BY-SA 3.0 License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/
#2: Initial revision
by
Pasqueflower
·
2019-12-08T09:41:27Z (over 4 years ago)
Is there a general rule for past vs. present tense for a character's internal thoughts? Direct thoughts in present, while indirect thoughts in past? I'm thinking specifically of 1st person here. > I heard a loud screech from beyond the gates, then silence. What was going on? vs. > I heard a loud screech from beyond the gates, then silence. What is going on? Does this change in 3rd person? Does one tense imply they're the narrator's thoughts more than the character's, for example? Or is that distinction solely made by context and tone?
#1: Imported from external source
by
System
·
2018-08-25T20:01:58Z (over 5 years ago)
Original score: 3