POVs?

[RustedFishbones]

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?

 

[MasterY001]

I'm going to echo something someone else on the forum said. For the record, I'm paraphrasing:

"First person is often used as a crutch for people who don't know how to use third person limited. It doesn't add any immersion, only confusion due to the constant use of 'I,' 'me,' and 'my.'"

As for my opinion, I prefer third person omiscient since it removes all the limits of perspective. The fact is perspective is just a style choice which has no real effect on a story. But the most important thing is to have fun.

(PS drop a link to your story for me, will ya?)

 

[RustedFishbones]

I'm going to echo something someone else on the forum said. For the record, I'm paraphrasing:

"First person is often used as a crutch for people who don't know how to use third person limited. It doesn't add any immersion, only confusion due to the constant use of 'I,' 'me,' and 'my.'"

As for my opinion, I prefer third person omiscient since it removes all the limits of perspective. The fact is perspective is just a style choice which has no real effect on a story. But the most important thing is to have fun.

(PS drop a link to your story for me, will ya?)

Yes, please help TOT

Astreya

Yes, please help TOT

Astreya

Just kinda lacking confidence in POV things rn :/
(also action, I'm not too sure if I'm doing fine...)

 

[PancakesWitch]

you can ask any AI Chat to fix the first three chapters easily, just tell them to make it so its in third person instead of first person, Grok from Twitter is easy to access and free, there's also Window's Copilot, just make sure to also add to not "rewrite it" and to "keep the original author's voice" so they dont make any drastic changes, works every time I write something in first person and then I regret it

 

[Zagaroth]

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.

 

[CharlesEBrown]

Which is better? Depends on the story you want to tell, and how large a cast you have. Some styles of story are traditionally first person (like noirs), while others, like standard high fantasy (with adventuring parties, like Lord of the Rings) are traditionally third person.
The larger the cast, the harder it is to keep first person straight. And some stories actually work well shifting between the perspectives (if you can find a copy, check out Peter David's Howling Mad - it has chapters where one of the two MCs take over the narration - including one of the shortest chapters I've ever seen: "It seemed like the polite thing to do." - and third person ones that show the story unfolding, and a few chapters where the unnamed reporter who is sporadically interviewing the two MCs does almost second person narration).

 

[Deleted member 166465]

Well, some first person POV are necesary, for example if you are writing a story like a diary. I usually prefer third person from one character POV or multiple characters, although changing POV from one to another can be tricky. Anyway, right now I am writing an apocaliptic horror and is done as a diary so is a first person. (none of the works I am currently publishing, I only publish when the hard draft is completed and just need cleaning).
The good thing about first person is that you can describe the emotions from a more deep perspective, break the fourth wall by asking the reader questions like: "do you remember when you were a kid and ----------------- for the first time?" So I disagree that first person does nothing for inmersion. You can actually force the inmersion with first person POV.
Another positive of first person is that you can play the fool, specially if you are writing a "dairy", since the character can "forget" names, location, direction, miss remember something, or you can justify any plot hole with "I still dont know how..."
There is a lot of tricks you can use when you write in first person that can not be used when writing on third person, becouse on third person the writer take into an all present all knowing god like persona. Any plot hole or what not is a mistake from the author. In a first person POV you can blame it on the character "I just forgot, didnt realize, wasnt paying atention etc).
Both styles have their pros and cons, of course third person allows for a more fantastic like enviroment with more in dept description and longer story. You can take two pages to write a fantastic sub story about a pebble that was in the road, how it got there, how many carts passed over it, it has nothing to do with the main story but "the god writer" felt like talking about it on first person that is a No NO.

 

[LeilaniOtter]

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?

I love narrations best, but you can really do your story any way you want to. To seamlessly switch from first person to third, obviously you want to end the first person segment on some kind of "ending" of your action. Consider something like this:

With luck, I could catch the next train to Emeryville and be waiting for him when he arrived.
** (paragraph break or chapter break)
The train was late, as it turned out, and the detective found himself at odds with a harried cab driver as they sped away to the airport instead.

Notice how there's a resolution or an "ending" to the action? Now you can work your magic in third person and when you come to another ending, you can go back to first. I'd limit it to a chapter at a time, that's all. Probably best not to do it too often, because it will get confusing. *^^*

 

[Jerynboe]

In my experience, changing PoV from first to third works best if you’re also changing the viewpoint character. So for example, in my current story I have the MC’s viewpoint chapters in first person, but when I change perspective to other characters I also change to third person limited.

I feel like just spontaneously shifting from one to another without it coinciding with some other in-story kind of change would feel jarring or confusing. At minimum it seems sloppy. Hell, I imagine that for those weirdos who refuse to read anything in third person (that apparently exist) it might even feel like a bait and switch.

 

[Deleted member 166465]

I love narrations best, but you can really do your story any way you want to. To seamlessly switch from first person to third, obviously you want to end the first person segment on some kind of "ending" of your action. Consider something like this:

With luck, I could catch the next train to Emeryville and be waiting for him when he arrived.
** (paragraph break or chapter break)
The train was late, as it turned out, and the detective found himself at odds with a harried cab driver as they sped away to the airport instead.

Notice how there's a resolution or an "ending" to the action? Now you can work your magic in third person and when you come to another ending, you can go back to first. I'd limit it to a chapter at a time, that's all. Probably best not to do it too often, because it will get confusing. *^^*

Hummmm. But that is a third person story with a character internal monologue, in this case it can be done becouse the all powerfull narrator knows what the characters are planning and thinking. Is you write a pure first person POV this is imposible.
It all depends how much "Power" you give your voice as narrator.
(This is just an opinion I am not a professional succesufull writer or anything).

In my experience, changing PoV from first to third works best if you’re also changing the viewpoint character. So for example, in my current story I have the MC’s viewpoint chapters in first person, but when I change perspective to other characters I also change to third person limited.

I feel like just spontaneously shifting from one to another without it coinciding with some other in-story kind of change would feel jarring or confusing. At minimum it seems sloppy. Hell, I imagine that for those weirdos who refuse to read anything in third person (that apparently exist) it might even feel like a bait and switch.

Ha Ha ha. Good one. I know what you mean.

 

[LeilaniOtter]

Hummmm. But that is a third person story with a character internal monologue, in this case it can be done becouse the all powerfull narrator knows what the characters are planning and thinking. Is you write a pure first person POV this is imposible.
It all depends how much "Power" you give your voice as narrator.
(This is just an opinion I am not a professional succesufull writer or anything).

Well, as a professional, successful writer, I agree with you. *^^* Obviously, it depends on the story and where the writer wants to go with it. I was just giving an example. And actually, in a first person, it's possible to know what others are thinking - if your character has the ability to read minds, for example. Is it possible for, say, a ninja to be able to know what their opponent is going to do next? Definitely, if the ninja's skills lean that way. So...don't be too certain something is impossible. lol A great writer can make anything possible.

 

[Deleted member 166465]

Well, as a professional, successful writer, I agree with you. *^^* Obviously, it depends on the story and where the writer wants to go with it. I was just giving an example. And actually, in a first person, it's possible to know what others are thinking - if your character has the ability to read minds, for example. Is it possible for, say, a ninja to be able to know what their opponent is going to do next? Definitely, if the ninja's skills lean that way. So...don't be too certain something is impossible. lol A great writer can make anything possible.

Totally true. LOL.

 

[Echimera]

And once more everyone ignores the glory of the second person perspective.

 

[LeilaniOtter]

And once more everyone ignores the glory of the second person perspective.

I've never written in second person in my life.
A challenge I gladly accept now. *^^*
Stay tuned,.

 

[CharlesEBrown]

And once more everyone ignores the glory of the second person perspective.

The most effective use of second person is, IMO, the Choose Your Own Adventure novels, or the old text-based computer adventure games (mostly from InfoCom).
Though some Ramsey Campbell short stories make amazing use of it.

 

[Zagaroth]

Which is better? Depends on the story you want to tell, and how large a cast you have. Some styles of story are traditionally first person (like noirs), while others, like standard high fantasy (with adventuring parties, like Lord of the Rings) are traditionally third person.
The larger the cast, the harder it is to keep first person straight. And some stories actually work well shifting between the perspectives (if you can find a copy, check out Peter David's Howling Mad - it has chapters where one of the two MCs take over the narration - including one of the shortest chapters I've ever seen: "It seemed like the polite thing to do." - and third person ones that show the story unfolding, and a few chapters where the unnamed reporter who is sporadically interviewing the two MCs does almost second person narration).

That reminds me: in Beware of Chicken, the main character. Jin, is done in first person, while anytime that the perspective is anyone else's, it's in 3rd person.

 

[LeilaniOtter]

The most effective use of second person is, IMO, the Choose Your Own Adventure novels, or the old text-based computer adventure games (mostly from InfoCom).
Though some Ramsey Campbell short stories make amazing use of it.

I would love to write a Choose Your Own Adventure.
It...probably wouldn't be kid-friendly...but I would love to write a Choose Your Own Adventure. lol
I do remember reading the books growing up; they were amazing!
I kept getting killed - but they were amazing! *^^*

 

[Deleted member 166465]

And once more everyone ignores the glory of the second person perspective.

Well is really hard to write a story in full second person. It has very hard limits, the only instance I can see is if you are reading a story where the main character is telling a story to others. Start in third or first person. then comes the real main character telling his story with ocasional breaks into the "actual moment" is a messy king of story telling. That is a skill I do not have.

 

[WhaleSprite]

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.

 

[KUWABARA]

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.