Which do you prefer, first-person POV or third-person POV in fictional narratives?

[Eldoria]

Which do you prefer, first-person POV or third-person POV in fictional narratives?

 

[PancakesWitch]

The best books have a combination of both and I dont care what others say.

 

[BearlyAlive]

I like both, but I prefer 3rd person. Way easier to write when you have a shitload of important characters who aren't always flocking together.

 

[Worthy39]

First person is usually hard for me to get into, I don't mind it if it's well written, but too many times it starts to feel like a self insert, or the protagonist just doesn't develop a strong personality and feels more like a window to watch the world than an actual character. Though every now and then I do find a few really good first person stories. So yeah, third person.

 

[Bald-san]

Which do you prefer, first-person POV or third-person POV in fictional narratives?

That depends, one of my close Prof. who's also a webnovelist somewhere in the internet, First person POV is favorable for mystery side as its not omniscient and 3rd person is more for the lore heavy ones. Though of course this is a generalization

The best books have a combination of both and I dont care what others say.

Well, if you're the author of the Epic of Caterpillar, they should care about what you say, not the other way around. That being said, hello, Pancakeswitch-Sensei, I'm a fan, though I can only read your free books in webnovel because I don't have the money to support your contracted works

 

[Edenc2708]

combination all of these three would be great; 1st, 3rd limited, and omniscient

each of them has their own purpose~

 

[CharlesEBrown]

Fifth person.


Really, whichever fits the story best. If you're doing a noir, or "cozy mystery" those often work best in first person. Any can work for horror. For fantasy, you're usually better served by third person, especially if you have a group and not a single protagonist.

 

[Poleg]

The best books have a combination of both and I dont care what others say.

Gives a lot of flexibility.

 

[Corty]

 

[NineHeadHeavenDevouringSerpent]

First person is for idiots, overgrown child imps, dyslexic cyclops that can't see anything other than "I"

I can't express in enough words how much I loathe and hate the first person pov, it's like a disease for me, an ailment that has no cure, a..a.an abomination that has no business in this reality. Begone that which speaks such twisted sorcery, hath no evil yet that takes first person pov.


Silence this foul debate... Vermin of such kind deserve no voice

 

[l8rose]

Both.

I like unreliable first-person PoV stories. Basically, those stories where we are meant to be incredibly limited to only what the MC knows and sees. One of my favorite movies starts out with Denzel Washington saying the line "I wanna tell you about the time I almost died..." and then we jump back to the beginning of how that line makes sense. Along the way, it's clear his character knows jack shit about what is really happening until near the last arc of the movie. Movie is called Fallen for the curious.

Spoiler: For the Unreliable Narrator part of it but really spoilery for the movie

The cop's PoV is the story until he dies near the end. The person we hear speaking in the same voice isn't him. It's Azazel.

That being said, I do dislike first-person stories where it's clear that it's written in a way to make you feel like you are the character. Take Twilight for example. That is written in first-person PoV with the blandest character ever. All so the reader can easily perceive themselves as Bella.

But I prefer third-person PoV for the large part. Especially if there are multiple characters or PoVs. I find it makes it a lot easier to follow different characters and find out more information about the world.

 

[mythosandmagic]

I generally only write in third-person POV.
It's also what I prefer reading.

 

[Puji-Maki]

Third person. It's easy to write.

 

[ArchlordZero]

All my novels are first person, but I'm currently working on my first third person. I have seen the limitations of first person, and now I'm exploring new things.

Anyway, since this question is asked weekly, can I post this same question next Sunday?

 

[Eldoria]

All my novels are first person, but I'm currently working on my first third person. I have seen the limitations of first person, and now I'm exploring new things.

Anyway, since this question is asked weekly, can I post this same question next Sunday?

I didn't realise this question was asked every week. I was just looking for the best narrative pattern to develop my fiction.

 

[OniKaniki]

you can try both version. i generally like third POV, but first POV also fine. i think first POV is harder to get into since we are limited by our own perspective, and it tend to repeative real fast if not done well. First POV would really suitable in horror genre, tho

 

[Hoshino]

Most LNs I have read has first person. But WNs have third person(?) I dont know about that. Third person is more for world building while fisrt person is for more emotions or immersion, I guess? But I like both of them

 

[EchoHellion]

I prefer third person POV.

But my long answer is depending on the genre. Some genres are better in first person like in a mystery novel. Either way, they're both tools to use for your disposal.

 

[BlissyMKW]

I lean more towards third person. That's not to say I won't read first person at all, but I just prefer third. What I don't like, however, is when one book is third person and then the sequel switches to first.

 

[venomoussilence]

I can't with first POV. I don't get into such books.
That's why I read and write only in third person POV