Importance of Narration Style

[AnonUnlimited]

So, as I’ve been experimenting with different types of narration, I’ve been coming across different opinions.

Some people think first person narration is good because you can get into a characters head, but I’ve found that third person can do it too simply by using italics or some other way to reveal a characters thoughts.

Also, first person narration is determined a lot by the character themselves. The pacing of a story is determined by the character and their personality.

Third person however, I’ve noticed that some authors like to narrate as if they’re telling a story and the narrator themselves are a distinct personality, while other times the narrator tries to be neutral objective.

I’ve found it’s more entertaining when the narrator has a personality in 3rd person perspective.

Just wondering if anyone else considers their own narration styles when writing.

 

[RepresentingWrath]

Yes.

 

[Enkiari]

Yes.

 

[Nexus_English]

Yes

 

[Deleted member 84247]

Yes, I switch the narration style depending on what I want with the story. However, I prefer a close narrator with a personality in the third person.

 

[LilRora]

Narration style is actually one of the main things I consider when starting a story. I've personally tried 1st person with and without insight into the character's thoughts, 3rd person with omniscient narrator, with limited narrator, with and without insight into the character's thoughts, with personality and neutral. And probably something more I haven't thought about; there a lot of distinctions we can make.

The ones I liked the most are 1st person without insight into character thoughts (I'm pretty sure it's called behavioral storytelling), 3rd person limited with character thoughts in italics, and 3rd person limited with distinct personality. All three are completely different, but I wouldn't say any of them is really better. The first is great for psychological stories, the second, with italics, is a bit of an all-rounder that can be used anywhere, though I found it works best in fantasy, action, adventure, those kinds of stories, and finally the third one, with personality, is perfect for comedies.

 

[Glitched]

Yes. I would prefer a close third person but my readers want 1st so I cater to them. I still swap Povs though to mix it up.

 

[Pixytokisaki14]

So, as I’ve been experimenting with different types of narration, I’ve been coming across different opinions.

Some people think first person narration is good because you can get into a characters head, but I’ve found that third person can do it too simply by using italics or some other way to reveal a characters thoughts.

Also, first person narration is determined a lot by the character themselves. The pacing of a story is determined by the character and their personality.

Third person however, I’ve noticed that some authors like to narrate as if they’re telling a story and the narrator themselves are a distinct personality, while other times the narrator tries to be neutral objective.

I’ve found it’s more entertaining when the narrator has a personality in 3rd person perspective.

Just wondering if anyone else considers their own narration styles when writing.

I'd say third person is a lot more versatile because you can integrate perspective changes easily, and without any hiccups that may confuse the reader. While first person is good with inner monologues to see what the character was thinking in the moment of the event. Personally 3rd person is the way to go for my stories.

 

[2wordsperminute]

I... didn't really think much about POV when I started out. I kinda just did first person because that's what the last novel/web novel I read had used (So I'm a Spider so What). Sometimes I think of something cool that wouldn't work because of first person, but mostly I think it happens to just work (I'll sometimes swap to another character's POV for a chapter or that one time at the end of chapter 1, though).

 

[Representing_Tromba]

I switch depending on which character I'm writing about.

 

[J_Chemist]

 

[melchi]

Yes

 

[TsumiHokiro]

Yes, I switch depending on which kind of feeling I want to give.