Past vs. Present
When it comes to tense in YA literature, do you have a preference between past or present tense?
It seems that there is a greater range of popular books out there that are written in present tense. Recent ones that come to mind include Wake, Fade, The Hunger Games, etc. to name a few.
Now, traditionally I've been more of a reader of books written in past tense. (Heck, there was a time when I wouldn't even be able to read past the first chapter in present tense!) I think the first (most memorable) book/series I read written in present tense was Libba Bray's The Sweet Far Thing.
And now, I'm actually quite comfortable with it. In fact, I'm even considering employing the present tense for my next WIP (yes, The Kevlar Moustache has been, for all intents and purposes at the moment, completed).
Is this an actual trend towards this direction in the YA publishing industry, or just something I hadn't really picked up on before? Because it seems like these books are doing well nowadays.
So, what are your thoughts on this issue, do you have a preference for one over the other? Do you think the market is naturally transitioning in this direction? Are there specific pros and cons between the two?
