Dude, I rewrote my whole first novel, changing the POV from 3rd to 1st person and from past to present tense. Now I pretty much write in present tense–your take on the immediacy of it is right on target.

Thankfully, I mostly write YA, so present tense is pretty well accepted.

If I get to the flash fiction, I’ll comment again. I’m finishing up a novel for ABNA right now… and it has to come first.

There’s a rule that says you can’t write in present tense? Really? I’ve never heard that. I mean I’ve noticed that present tense is a little tricky and it may not be right for every story, but a “rule” against it? Color me flabbergasted.

Oh wow, I’m the first one. I just put this up over at my Fictionaut page with a link back.

Contemplations on a Romance.

http://www.fictionaut.com/stories/cheryl-anne-gardner/contemplations-on-a-romance

Weirdly enough, I find present tense more author-intrusive than past tense. Keeps the reader at arm’s length. There are always exceptions, of course, and dropping into present tense for certain key scenes can be effective and transparent.

Cheryl – nicely done story, a blend of present and past tense. I got to the end and had this sneaking suspicion he was burying a body – spooky. Working on mine now.
BTW – Was going to comment on Fictionaut but not a member there.
Mike

Awww, man, I’ve been trying to get present tense *out* of my writing. This might set me back…

Hey everyone,
I’m new here, but came across terriblemind.com recently. I wanted to try this out, and I’m also open for constructive criticism. I’m looking forward to reading yours as well.

http://bradyhardin.blogspot.com/2012/01/breath-of-fresh-air.html

Here ya go. Precisely 100 words of immediacy. See if it makes you want to intervene…

Completion

Cheating a tiny bit, since I’ve been tinkering with this story for awhile now–but I have been too timid to jump into this challenge in the past and this time I have no excuse. Even made me set up a blog, like I have been threatening to do!

Invisible
http://thisiswhywecanthave.blogspot.com/2012/01/invisible.html

@Mme G, I enjoyed your (very) short story. It creates a lot of mystery and curiosity.

I experimented with present tense back around Halloween. I’d never tried it before, but I thought it came out well. Since it fits the criteria, have a look-see!

http://suddenlytheyalldied.com/2011/10/24/final-entry/

[...] is for Chuck Wendig’s first person flash fiction challenge, itself a response to io9′s 10 Writing “Rules” We Wish More Science Fiction and [...]

Been meaning to do one of your weekly challenges. So what the hell, here it goes.

I’m Worried

I wrote my whole first novel, Watcher, in first person present ( as well as a few other pieces).

Maybe I should use an excerpt from that. 1000 words, huh? Let me see what I can come up with…

[...] as I found out that flash fiction and their prompts can be fun. So, too have I found a key piece missing in my giant puzzle of [...]

I make no excuse for the contents of this story. I only point out that it is two in the morning in the UK and I’m half asleep.
I hope you like it, critiques and comments are always welcome and much appreciated.

http://rjkeith.wordpress.com/2012/01/28/drama-queen/

[...] going to wait for the next Terrible Minds challenge The Present Tense, mostly because…well, I’m lazy.  And I want to get some reading done before bed.  But [...]

Here’s mine!

http://samanthajmathis.tumblr.com/post/16631086659/motivation

Hello- happy weekend to everyone. I am a new participant – hope this is okay? http://shahwharton.blogspot.com/2012/01/love-in-present-tense-flash-fiction.html
I’ll stop by y’all now.

Ask, and you shall receive.

Dreamer: http://tnewville.blogspot.com

First meeting of the We Love Present Tense Club RIGHT HERE! :–)

My story: http://michelle-ann-king.blogspot.com/2012/01/flash-fiction-challenge-meltdown.html

Well, I stopped by everyones and there have been some good entries.

I write pretty much exclusively in present tense and almost always in the first person (the only decent suggestion I got from a now defunct, drama-afflicted, what was I thinking writing group). I love it. I feel it gives me writing a certain edge and really helps me get into the character’s heads.

I’m totally cheating on the challenge this week posting something that was already written and a piece that is actually the first chapter of a longer piece (first version of a novel that I’ve been posting as a serial on my blog). As a stand alone, probably more of a character sketch than a story as such, but what the hell.
And if you like it, there’s PLENTY more.
Also, I’m looking for constructive (CONSTRUCTIVE, people) criticism, so if that’s your bag, hit me.

http://swsondheimer.wordpress.com/hell-division/chapter-one-jade-farraday/

I have no idea if i did this correctly…

but, here’s my story “Street Spirit (Fade Out)” – yes, Radiohead played the whole time while writing- so if you’re up for a bit of violence and street fighting, well, i hope you enjoy!

http://literarybandit.wordpress.com/2012/01/28/street-spirit-fade-out/

I hated this challenge. I hate using present tense most of the time, and rarely enjoy reading it. I think that might be why I felt I HAD to try it. The link is a little further down in the post: http://edenmabee.wordpress.com/photography-and-inspiration/

The stylistic form of Howard (sort of) meets the world of Wendig and his terribleminds contributors in “A Thief in the Night” a story of BlackBloom. Enjoy everyone.
http://sparky29252.blogspot.com/2012/01/thief-in-night.html

[...] I feel guilty, but then again, I don’t.  After having tried to get my head around writing the photography pages I wanted to make for almost two weeks, I finally had enough pieces together to actually have a go at writing them.  I admit, I’ve only finished two of the pages–Photography and Inspiration and So You Thought Porn Was Bad…– but I have a good start on the next one and all my information gathered for the last one.  I even managed to work in a piece of flash fiction for Chuck Wendig’s The Present Tense challenge. [...]

Pray you accept products of procrastination.

http://innocentsaccidentshints.blogspot.com/2012/01/terrible-minds-challenge-sunday-morning.html

[...] another challenge from Chuck [...]

Present Tense

I loved writing this.

http://kleamidnightdisease.wordpress.com/2012/01/30/flash-fiction-challenge-the-present-tense/

First time participant. Been lurking for a while. This is a story of the near future and lost love.

http://tarredthumbnail.blogspot.com/2012/01/flash-fiction-fallout.html

[...] Another dubious idea prompted by Terribleminds. [...]

Some hard sci-fi for y’all to enjoy.

http://www.blueinkalchemy.com/2012/01/30/flash-fiction-challenge-the-present-tense/

[...] Fiction: Waiting January 30, 2012Posted by Jim Franklin This weeks Flash Fiction challenge by Chuck Wendig of Terribleminds.com was a bit of a stretcher for me. This weeks challenge was to [...]

This was definately a tricky challenge for me. I’ve never written in the present tense before, so any constructive criticism would be very welcome.

I also wrote something nice, for a change. Hope you enjoy… ‘Waiting’.

http://www.thezombiechimp.com/2012/01/30/flash-fiction-waiting/

Whoops, sorry for the typo.

Here’s a present tense crime flash fiction. I’m looking forward to any critiques.

http://blahstories.tumblr.com/post/16766195231

My present tense story: http://alekhouse.hubpages.com/hub/It-wasnt-A-Dream

My present tense contribution called “Read for Me”

http://wisdomlivesinsilence.wordpress.com/2012/01/31/flash-fiction-challenge-read-for-me/

[...] I took a break from slugging, er slogging away on the current project to scribble a little bit for Chuck Wendig’s latest Flash Fiction Challenge, “The Present Tense“. [...]

Wow, I actually got to comment before the trackback showed up. Go me!

Er, I scribbled a thing for this challenge. It’s called “Pieces”.

http://shainorton.com/2012/01/31/piece/

I gave it a shot. Sleep deprivation makes your head come up with some CREEPY crap.

http://railenthe.livejournal.com/170798.html#cutid1

My story
http://kerry-mutterings.blogspot.com/

[...] Wendig set out another intriguing flash fiction challenge based on an article in io9; 10 Writing “Rules” We Wish More Science Fiction and Fantasy [...]

Finally did this and I’m getting a bit concerned my stories end up being so dark… well, better I put it into stories, I guess, than my daily life!

http://awannabewriters.blogspot.com/2012/02/flash-fiction-true-love.html

[...] using present tense. Originally I thought of a story about time travel. I think it still is. Chuck Wendig’s Flash Fiction Challenge: The Present Tense I’m laying on my deathbed.  Lying?  Laying?  I’m laying on it, and lying.  My daughter [...]

Present tense? I’m not sure if I did this right.
The Baby Boomer
I couldn’t help sneaking in one of my favorite movie jokes.

Erm . . . I didn’t cheat?
Okay, maybe a little. It’s actually more NONfiction, but hey, my original entry was too creepy for me to feel comfortable putting up.
. . . yes, Mr. Chuckity-Chuckity-Wood-Chuck-Chuck, I will put up the creepy fic eventually. “Writers write to be read” and all . . .
HERE! http://writerpie.tumblr.com/post/16898081760/the-mistake-of-trusting-in-you

[...] Greg: Flash Fiction Challenge: The Present Tense [...]

Man this was hard. But I managed to write something I call Out of Air.

http://nmniskanen.wordpress.com/2012/02/01/flash-fiction-out-of-air/

Wow, everybody has posted such good stuff.

I thought I would givie it a try. I titled it Omega.

http://thepumpkinsociety.blogspot.com/2012/02/omega.html

Be gentle, it is only my second time.

All of the entries so far have been awesome. I’ve only read half so far and it’s pretty killer stuff.

Wellp, here’s my semi-humble entry. A tale of shadows in a royal city. Hope you enjoy and feel free to leave any and all feedback.
http://8thage.blogspot.com/2012/02/cloak-and-dagger-in-royal-city.html

I can’t tell you what I went through to post this story here today.

My Brother the Inventor http://wp.me/p1BAlV-25

I may not be able to read everyone’s stories this week, but hopefully next week, normalcy will be restored.

My offering… a little different than my usual. Thanks, Chuck:

http://warnerkirby.blogs.com/clintonaut/2012/02/lightning-strikes-twice.html

My piece, once again just before deadline: http://eileen-alphabet.livejournal.com/18671.html

A little background on of my characters. Warning, contains implied gore.

Here ya go. Have another lump of present tense tension. This time with less angst!

Relativity

“From The Sun”

http://amytupper.net/2012/02/03/from-the-sun/

[...] A flash fiction response to a challenge issued by Chuck Wendig at terribleminds.com. [...]

[...] weeks challenge was 1000 words in present tense. The below is a pretty poor attempt, despite being something like [...]

“Charlotte’s Last Job”, 990 words.
http://kaimicheals.com/wp/?p=26

Comments and criticism welcome. In fact, I beg of thee, comment or criticize.

[...] decided to participate in a flash fiction challenge put forth by Chuck Wendig at his blog terribleminds. The challenge was to write a 1000 word piece of flash fiction in the present tense. Here’s [...]

First-time poster, challenge accepted!

Just A Moment

http://bookvmovie.wordpress.com/2012/02/03/flash-fiction/

First-time poster, challenge accepted! Decided to give this a try.

Just A Moment
http://bookvmovie.wordpress.com/2012/02/03/flash-fiction/

Oops – a little past noon, but this was fun. And challenging, I think is mostly present tense, with a bit of future implied.
http://www.ravensview.ca/ravens/2012/02/present-tense.html

[...] flash fiction challenge from Chuck Wendig at his blog terribleminds: create a compelling tale featuring an unlikable protagonist. This one really got me [...]