First Person vs. Third Person

[meg_evonne]

Which do you prefer?  A story told in first person or third person?  Does it depend on the author?

Just curious, because another group I'm in seems to thumb their noses at First Person storytelling

Yes, this is common situation--even with some agents, but most who represent YA or UF seem fine with it.

Honestly, you settle into what is comfortable for you and your own style--and it will change for different works and over time.

What is your natural style? If you accidentally switch POV, that can be your inner muse telling you to switch. We all write to our laziness while in draft mode. Therefore if you natuarally slip into 1st, stick there. If you naturally slip into 3rd, stick there. IF you naturally do 1st, but you want the 'easy' plot out of 3rd--you might be getting lazy.

Make your natural tendency work first by putting elbow grease and butt in chair time. After that is supremely comfortable, shift to the other. That shift might take several years.

As to 2nd? Short story maybe, but it only works for me when I want the character or the story to be insanely irritating.

[LDWriter2]

My understanding is that third person omniscient is a narrator that literally knows everything about the novel's world (past, present, and future), plot(s), as well as each character's inner thoughts and motivations.  Every single thing.  As opposed to third person limited, where the narrator of a novel has some sort of limit to their knowledge put in place by the author.  A third person limited narrator might not know, or have access to, anymore details than the main character.

edited: to change "may" to "might."  Why?  _*sigh*  Because my inner editor keeps bugging me ...

That is my understanding too. I like it that way reading and writing. Many of the SF Masters wrote that way-which might be why it's my default style-- but now supposedly readings do not like it. So it's usually Third Person limited or First. There is such a thing as Second Person but that is hard to do and some readers don't like it either. If done right I like it.

[LDWriter2]

Yes, this is common situation--even with some agents, but most who represent YA or UF seem fine with it.

Honestly, you settle into what is comfortable for you and your own style--and it will change for different works and over time.

What is your natural style? If you accidentally switch POV, that can be your inner muse telling you to switch. We all write to our laziness while in draft mode. Therefore if you natuarally slip into 1st, stick there. If you naturally slip into 3rd, stick there. IF you naturally do 1st, but you want the 'easy' plot out of 3rd--you might be getting lazy.

Make your natural tendency work first by putting elbow grease and butt in chair time. After that is supremely comfortable, shift to the other. That shift might take several years.

As to 2nd? Short story maybe, but it only works for me when I want the character or the story to be insanely irritating.

Some people think First is too easy but I don't think so...with everything it has it's strengths and weaknesses. And at times it can be easy to slip into the other by accident especially if you take time off from working on a story-novel. I have dome that recently. If it was at the beginning, like my only 3D person limited UF, it could be a good idea to go on with it but if you do it in the middle you really need to make up your mind. I changed my change back to First.

[Naomi]

Some people think First is too easy but I don't think so...with everything it has it's strengths and weaknesses.

I used to think first person is easy, until I began writing fiction in the first person.  It can be difficult for me, as the author, to know everything about every character, and situation, yet limit my writing to only what the POV character knows and experiences.  Yet, still keep the story interesting, and dynamic.

There is value to, and difficulty involved with, every narrative perspective.

[Zuriel]

I like both, fwiw but I tend to read 1st POV faster than 3rd.  The reason is simple, with 1st POV there is always only a single story line being developed, so its easier to get fully absorbed into the story.  In 3rd POV there are usually shifts in the story that jump from following one character to another.  Those jumps are an opportunity to put the book down, and so its less likely I will feel that compulsion to turn just one more page, and keep going through the night.  But 1st POV carries its own restrictions along the same lines;  it becomes hard to present any information to the reader without letting the narrating character know.  So 1st POV is ore immersive, but more restricted; 3rd POV gives you a broader, but slightly more distanced perspective.
0.02
Sometimes it indicates that you are following a specific character or group of characters.  CA is Limited 3rd POV as far as I can tell.  It is written in the 3rd POV voice, but is told from a short list of character perspectives, so that the reader only knows what those characters do, rather than the more universal perspective of Omniscient

That's a good point...reading faster in first person POV.  That's what happened when I started reading DF.  Couldn't put the darn books down - and I don't think that's ever happened to me before!  Now I understand why - and it makes a lot of sense.  But my longest story, to-date, over 160,000 words and counting, needed to be third person as I wanted to see the POV from several of the characters, and first person would have been too limiting, though I have sprinkled in some first person POV elements, not even realizing that's what I did.  I guess I just write the way I want to and the heck with form.  LOL 

My understanding is that third person omniscient is a narrator that literally knows everything about the novel's world (past, present, and future), plot(s), as well as each character's inner thoughts and motivations.  Every single thing.  As opposed to third person limited, where the narrator of a novel has some sort of limit to their knowledge put in place by the author.  A third person limited narrator might not know, or have access to, anymore details than the main character.

edited: to change "may" to "might."  Why?  _*sigh*  Because my inner editor keeps bugging me ...

Ok, I get it.  Thanks.  Not sure I'd ever have reason to use third person omniscient, but you never know.  And my inner editor is a real stinker.  She never seems to give up and is constantly trying to get me to change things.  I have to slap her hand sometimes and tell her to go away.   

[cenwolfgirl]

i have dicided i hate writing in third person
just thought i would say that

[Zuriel]

Yay CWG!  You've figured out what works best for you. 

I think I'll still go with both, depending on the story.  But I won't get any of my stories finished if I'm spending my time here and re-reading DF.  I want more days, more hours in the week - and no disruptions!  LOL  In another universe, that might happen... 

[cenwolfgirl]

lol yes i have figered out that i hate with a pation writing in third person so shall stop
interuptions RL is good at that
i am also wvery good at getting destracted witch is shown by the fact i have yet to write anything in nearly three days
stupid life getting in the way

[Zuriel]

RL is such a nuisance, isn't it?  I've always said my perfect day would be just me, coffee in my new Dresden mug, writing, and the rest of the world on pause.  A dream never to see the light of day, but it's a nice thought.

[cenwolfgirl]

that would be a brilent day i agree though i would swap the coffee for hot chocolate my self
and would go ridding in the afternoon but that is just me
with my dog in my room to keep me getting destracted by snacks 
(i have a border collie she is rely good at this)

[Zuriel]

Hot chocolate is yummy good, too.  And snacks.  Gosh, I forgot about snacks!

Having an animal around is always a comfort, but sometimes my one cat, Muffy (I have two), insists on sleeping on my lap while I'm hunched over the computer keyboard, therefore I have to stretch over her to type.  Argh.  It gets uncomfortable.  But I don't have the heart to make her move.  (Pets do rule the household!) 

[cenwolfgirl]

well lucky my collie is too big to get on my desk and do that
she often lies on the floor at my feet and shears my snacks
and if i am needing some insperation taking a brake from the lap top and walking her normaly dose the trick 

[LDWriter2]

Yay CWG!  You've figured out what works best for you. 

I think I'll still go with both, depending on the story.  But I won't get any of my stories finished if I'm spending my time here and re-reading DF.  I want more days, more hours in the week - and no disruptions!  LOL  In another universe, that might happen...

Too many books not enough sunlight.

[LDWriter2]

Hot chocolate is yummy good, too.  And snacks.  Gosh, I forgot about snacks!

Having an animal around is always a comfort, but sometimes my one cat, Muffy (I have two), insists on sleeping on my lap while I'm hunched over the computer keyboard, therefore I have to stretch over her to type.  Argh.  It gets uncomfortable.  But I don't have the heart to make her move.  (Pets do rule the household!) 

My wife has that problem with our cat, even though she sells crafts online not writing...actually it's worst. Our cat doesn't sleep, she wants to be petted so my wife has to type one handed.

Well, hopefully-prayerfully that will happen again. Our cat made a jail break on the way to the vet. With a cry of "You'll never take my alive copper" She clawed her way out of a transport box and escaped into the bushes.

What is Dresden's phone number?

[Zuriel]

My wife has that problem with our cat, even though she sells crafts online not writing...actually it's worst. Our cat doesn't sleep, she wants to be petted so my wife has to type one handed.

Well, hopefully-prayerfully that will happen again. Our cat made a jail break on the way to the vet. With a cry of "You'll never take my alive copper" She clawed her way out of a transport box and escaped into the bushes.

What is Dresden's phone number?

Oh, goodness...your cat escaped?  Awww.  I hope he/she comes back!  Sometimes they just want to get a taste of freedom and then decide it's a bit scary in the big outdoors.  I've had that happen a few times.  I'll cross my fingers and pray that your cat returns.