Could use some writing help

Hey, Penguin!

I apologize for the late response, but I'm so excited to work with you & to help you feel more comfortable with your writing. We're gonna have so much fun! I hate to be cheesy, but what I'm about to say is true; the first step is admitting that you're struggling and having the guts to ask for help. And please know that you're already beautiful — but there's always room for improvement! The confidence will come naturally. ♥

Since you're seeking general tutoring, I'll try & touch on everything while we work together, but let's start with tense. This is something everyone struggles with, no matter how seasoned they are. It's so easy to start in the past and end up in the present before you know what's going on, or vice versa. We'll call this the Arrival Effect. ( Never seen that movie? It's okay, don't sweat it, but Kay's gonna understand. She's nodding right now. It's an inside joke. )

When do you feel this mistake occurs most often?
1) when writing posts?
or
2) when writing biographies?

My approach for this lesson will differ based on where you struggle more, but if you feel it affects you on both fronts, I'll hit you up with advice for each and we'll figure this out. For me, I find that my tense is most easily switched when I'm writing about actions. This happens a lot in the Games. If you begin with past tense, it's not uncommon to realize you're writing in present tense by the time you're describing your attack; this is partly because it's easy to get sucked into the moment and mix the tenses up, but also because it feels like the present to you.

Try and detach your brain from your writing, at least when it comes to tense. Time flows in so many directions, something that no one can change, but you have control of it when you write. Think of posts in past tense as a novel, an autobiography of sorts, something that's already happened that you're telling the audience about. Even if it's something you've just come up with, something that you're rolling the dice for and have no way of knowing the outcome, just pretend. Act like you've seen your character's entire life played out and you're sharing every detail.

When you're writing present tense, be emotional. It's less description, more feeling. Emotions are very present, something raw and in the moment, and I find that they help to center my muse in the now. It's all about reacting, to the world around you and the words that are spoken, realizing what your character wants to say in response right as they do. This is a story in which you're the reader and the writer; you're learning all these secrets right alongside the rest of us.

The girl is dancing, the sky is clear,
and in that moment,
she feels so happy and free.

/VERSUS/

The girl was dancing, the sky was clear,
and she had felt so happy
and free in that moment.

Are you making a memory,
or are you remembering one?
Think of it like that.

And most importantly: read over your posts! That's the easiest way to make sure you tense doesn't become messy, read it aloud and catch all the mistakes and correct them. It takes time, and it sucks having to edit your writing, but it's the most tried and true advice in the book! In your response, please answer my question about where you're struggling, and I have an exercise for you. In two paragraphs for each tense, using a character of your choice, please write out the following prompt:

Your character is sitting in a field, contemplating a fight that just broke out in their household between either their siblings or their parents, and it soon begins to rain. Discuss their emotions and how they're dealing with the drama, and then tell me how they choose to deal with the sudden storm. You have creative control, but remember my advice. For past tense, treat it like a memory, and for present tense, write it like you're making one. Just to be sure, this means I want two paragraphs for this prompt in past tense, and another two paragraphs for this prompt in present tense. These will be two separate posts.

I can't wait to see what you write! After you respond, we'll move on to the next stage.

[ Penguin 🐧 ]