Why do folks dislike present-tense writing?

[surenlicious]

I didn't know either, until I had a few people get a little snappy about it (just that it was present tense, they simply wouldn't give my novel a go haha) and I just couldn't figure out why it was disliked. If the story is good, you won't hear me complaining about it.

[SignedA]

For my part, I do not hate the present. The thing is, besides not having English as my mother tongue, I can't write in the present tense when it comes to telling a story, even in my own language.

[ratscout]

That's a really good question. I consider the use of tenses to be just another tool in a writer's toolbox, but I think the reason a lot of people aren't fond of it is because a lot of books for kiddos/young adults utilize it and it feels a little bit unprofessional sometimes--especially if the main character is a self-insert type. Personally, the reason why I don't often utilize present-tense is because I find it to be a very limiting tense that is also sort of hard to write in. The reason I say its limiting is because present tense often utilizes the first person in which you only get one person's point of view. Something about present-tense often feels a little bit blunt sometimes, too. Like, I'm not getting the beautiful sort of language that I enjoy from past-tense.

[mcarrowolga]

I use present tense for writing dreams and flashbacks. It's pretty common in my native language but it does irk some English speakers from time to time. I have no idea why.

[rljon]

I write screenplays first and foremost and they always must be written present tense(action & description writing at least) Same reason it would be ideal for a comic, it's a visual story happening in real-time to the viewer/reader engaging in it.