What tense to use for events that are still happening?
The question is similar to this but the answers does not answer me. In my general fiction novel, which is told in first person singular past tense, I encounter moments where I am confused whether to use present tense as the events are still happening as the story is being told.
For an example:
Matt and Richard arrived just a few minutes later. Matt was the software architect and Richard the Creative Director who headed our team.
In this paragraph, Matt is still the software architect and Richard is still the Director as the story is being told. I am getting confused about usage of 'was', I tried to use ',' for Matt.
Using 'is' is disturbing the flow of tenses in the paragraph.
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1 answer
Still happening... in the past
Past tense indicates something that was present, in the past. This also implies that it is not happening any longer, or that the situation has changed, or that we simply don't know what the present status is
John Doe was on the bus. John was a keen photographer.
This sentence indicates that at that time John was simultaneously "on the bus" and "a photographer".
John Doe was on the bus. John had been a keen photographer.
This sentence indicates that at that time John was "on the bus". However he was no longer a photographer, and he was probably doing something else.
What about the present tense?
There are indeed some instances in which you may wish to use a present tense, for instance when switching to a flashback, but you may need to clarify the transition by adding some time reference element, or a transition particle:
John Does was on the bus. That day is January 1st 1900. John is a keen photographer.
or
John Doe was on the bus. Thinking of it, it seems to me to relive the moment. The bus is halting at the intersection and the parade is about to pass. John is a keen photographer.
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