POVs?

[RustedFishbones]

Personally, I prefer (and write in) third person close, so the 'camera' hangs over the PoV character's shoulder. This lets me show the world from each PoV character's perspective, emotionally as well as physically. For me, it's the right blend to use with past perfect tense.

Depends what you wanna do. First person is going to be just from that characters perspective. It'll include their bias and see things from their own view. I think it's a great tool if you wanna make a story from someone's distorted point of view (I think the unreliable narrator trope is fun). You get really intimate with the narrator and their head.

3rd person if you want to have a more encompassing perspective and not stuck to just one person.

3rd person limited, it's third person, but it's just one character you follow. It's similar to first person but I think provides a bit more flexibility in seeing the world of the story without the completely filtered lens of the 1st person pov.

I think first person is too much of a noob trap, coupled with present tense. That said, I did both for a long time on most of my older fics but I shifted away to doing limited third person and I think this and reading a whole lot more starting with all of Frank Herbert's Dune books and currently The Iliad helped to improve my writing overall.

I tried fixing it, prologue + first 3 chapters are all now third person :).
I think it looks good and reads well now and it isnt constantly on my mind anymore. Thanks!

 

[RustedFishbones]

Personally, I prefer (and write in) third person close, so the 'camera' hangs over the PoV character's shoulder. This lets me show the world from each PoV character's perspective, emotionally as well as physically. For me, it's the right blend to use with past perfect tense.

I do have a question though, in third person(generally) is there a reliable way in which it wouldnt look off to like…. Show “inner thoughts”?

 

[KUWABARA]

I do have a question though, in third person(generally) is there a reliable way in which it wouldnt look off to like…. Show “inner thoughts”?

I think what you're asking for is third person omniscient, but you don't have to focus on their thoughts if you don't want to.

 

[Anonjohn20]

Is it better to do third person or first person? I had someeeee confusion when writing my current story and I kinda started with first person for the first 3 chapters and kinda uhhhh.... switched to 3rd person after......

Was I wrong to do that? Or is it fine? I'm not really sure but at least I'm having fun writing :)

Is there a way to "seamlessly" transition into 3rd person? or is using first person as a "hook" fine and I should just keep it. OR, would it be cool if I like uhhhhh do first person AND 3rd person at times, depending on how the story goes?

First-person is more popular among new authors because they want readers to "put themselves into MC's shoes," so to speak. Third-person is more popular among casual readers because the second a first-person MC behaves differently than they would in a certain situation, those readers start screeching like a banshee; many of them are incapable of putting themselves in the shoes of others. Both POVs can be done well.

 

[RustedFishbones]

I think what you're asking for is third person omniscient, but you don't have to focus on their thoughts if you don't want to.

Would using that be "better" or "flow" better than just third person without thoughts?

 

[melchi]

I'm going to be the oddball and say first person is better than 3rd person present tense :P

 

[Yuin]

When I first started writing, I used first person and man, I started to yap and went off trail because using I Me and My just connect my consciousness into the story. Writing in third person helps you to view your story like a reader, you know like as an observer. But it’s kinda awkward if the story is only focusing on one MC thru out. Sometimes I would make mistakes and write smth that a bit illogical like MC’s emotional detachment to his situation so I guess if you want to establish emotional connection then you can write in first person and immerse the readers. Many experienced writers view this as an amateur move but choose a style that best fit your plot!

 

[CharlesEBrown]

As an aside, people keep claiming only new writers use first person. I was writing (nothing worth publishing but stuff that got decent grades) for about five years before I even attempted first person, and then did it as a challenge.
But then, I do tend to go about things in a backwards manner.

 

[KUWABARA]

Would using that be "better" or "flow" better than just third person without thoughts?

Hard to say, it would feel a little detached if there weren't at least a few inner thoughts. I think reading more (like traditional published stuff, old or new) would help find and strengthen your own writing voice.

 

[Senx1l]

Is it better to do third person or first person? I had someeeee confusion when writing my current story and I kinda started with first person for the first 3 chapters and kinda uhhhh.... switched to 3rd person after......

Was I wrong to do that? Or is it fine? I'm not really sure but at least I'm having fun writing :)

Is there a way to "seamlessly" transition into 3rd person? or is using first person as a "hook" fine and I should just keep it. OR, would it be cool if I like uhhhhh do first person AND 3rd person at times, depending on how the story goes?

For me first person is easier to flesh out my characters, better get across their actions, and explain their emotions. I also don’t know how to write in third person omniscience. So… that could be another reason why I heavily rely on first person. It’s just more comfortable to me and better helps the flow of where I’m going with my story.

Although I did do one chapter using third person omniscience, it was due to the help of AI. I will say it was one of my better chapters but it was a tad choppy so I genuinely don’t know.

I’m saying this all to just simply get across that doing what works for you is what’s best. Sometimes stepping out of your comfort zone to better yourself will help, but also playing it safe will work as well. ;)

 

[Clo]

As an aside, people keep claiming only new writers use first person. I was writing (nothing worth publishing but stuff that got decent grades) for about five years before I even attempted first person, and then did it as a challenge.
But then, I do tend to go about things in a backwards manner.

Try writing in second person as a challenge someday. I did that last semester at Uni for my final portfolio piece.

As a D&D GM, it actually came quite naturally to me.

 

[CharlesEBrown]

Try writing in second person as a challenge someday. I did that last semester at Uni for my final portfolio piece.

As a D&D GM, it actually came quite naturally to me.

I've been doing it in boxed text since 1984... just not for a full document.
If I ever did, it would probably be a short story like two of my favorite Ramsey Campbell stories (one where "you" are coming back from a visit to The Count and wonder why your wife has poison in the windows, vitriol by her bed and why that cross she's holding burns you... and the other where "you" are a scientist who was going to share the secret of immorality with your wife, before you found she was cheating on you...)