描写小说中的情节时应该用英语的什么时态？

请问在描述小说中的情节时应该用什么时态呢？如果自己评述小说中的情节或人物关系又应该用什么时态呢？（上网搜索了一下 各种答复都有，实在不太明白）望指教 感谢
(Source: Zhihu)
(answered by: alexcwlin; edited by: Adam Lam)

Generally most story-telling uses Simple Past Tense.

Using Present Tense is relatively few in number and has been a recent development in literature. Two criticisms against using Simple Present Tense are:

1.        It is more difficult to use Present Tense because at times, you have to use Past Tense for past events and Future Tense for future events. So all those tense-switching could be difficult and confusing.

2.        Believability is an issue because readers know that the events could not be happening at the moment but should be some time in the past.

Proponents of using Present Tense suggest it makes the story lifelike as if it were happening right in front of your very eyes.

As long as you use either one of them consistently, both tenses are acceptable.