Use the Present Tense to Make Your Stories More Engaging
Everyone wants to be a great conversationalist , be it networking or just chatting with friends. Share your stories in the present to make them (and yourself!) More fun and interesting.
After you’ve prepared the scene, tell your story in present tense to grab the attention of others and give them a better idea of what happened. You may also find that the present tense makes you more informative. Kat Bugard of The Muse gives an example:
Which of these options sounds more convincing: “Several years ago I was walking around my college campus …” or “I am now in my sophomore year of college and I’m walking from my afternoon class back to my dorm room…?”
Sure, you don’t want to communicate so many small details that you will take too long to cover them, but adding details from the present tense will bring your story to life. Getting in the habit of switching the default times when you start telling a story can take a while to form a habit, but it will make your stories more interesting and engaging over time.
5 Tips for Telling Stories Your Listeners Will Not Be Tempted To Pull Their Phone Out | Muse