Tenses: How Do You Choose?

So, how do you all go about picking a tense to write in? Do you usually just end up writing in the tense you're most comfortable with, or do you actually put some thought into it?

I'm unsure whether to use past or present tense in my WIP: I write in present tense a lot, but what sort of difference does it make to the reader whichever you choose?

Any ideas?

I typically stick to past tense in stories and present tense in poetry. Why? I have no idea. I just thought I's stick my two cents in here haha.

To me there isn't a tense that I prefer over another, but rather the quality of the writing around it.

i use past tense in my story i don't really know why its just the way it comes out never really thought about it

I don't really notice the tenses when I read, I just notice the narritves (first or third person).

I've always been writing in past tense; I'm not sure why. But it is what I'm best at.

Present tense annoys me, to write in. In fact I don't think I will ever write anything in present tense, my plots are never set up that way.

For my current WIP, To Keep No Secrets, Past tense is perfect because its first person and being written after all the events that are happening.

Present tense creates more of an urgency. Past tense is always foreboding (for me, anyhow) since everything has already happened, the outcome is already set in stone.

When reading, I never pick up on the tense unless its weird.

Any one try future tense?

I usually end up writing in past tense. I don’t know why, that just what I’m best at. I once tried present tense, (it was fan fiction, actually) but it turned uhm… Well, lets just say that I became a bit… lost… Especially since I originally wrote it in Polish (I’m rubbish when writing in that language) and then translated it into English.

And no, I have never tried future tence, lol.

-elein

I always write past tense when I'm writing a story, though occasionally I write present tense in poetry. The reason I always write past tense is that I can't stand present! No offense, anyone, but stories in present tense annoy me. I don't know why-- it's just one of those irrational things.

to me, things flow more naturally in the past tense when writing a story. going into present tense confuses me, because i keep reverting back to the more natural past tense. i also prefer to read past tense, because i feel present is very easy to get wrong, and a lot of people can't do it. i've read few things which i've enjoyed in the present tense.

I write in past as default, unless I have a particular reason to write in present.

Haha. I'm really glad I'm not the only one who has no idea why they write in the tense that they write in.

I usually write in the past tense, as its more natural, and more common. But I do try the present tense at times and I like it. I've read some things in the pressent tense too, and if they were done well I didn't notice the tense axcept at the beginning.

I write in past tense. I once wrote in present tense and it was horrible, madeno sense and I gave up after that.

Again - past tense is really what I like to read. I can tolerate the present in short stories (thanks to smaur's excellence).

Eeny Meeny Miny Moe.

Simple.

But yeah... I usually write in past tense because I like traditionally told stories. I will venture out to do present tense if I want to give out a dreamy feeling (look at this story).

Yeah. I like past tense.

Me, I write in both. You have to decide what sounds best. Past is a little easier, but preasnt gives you a first hand experiance.