Comments on: Should Your Novel be First Person? http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2010/08/12/should-your-novel-be-first-person/ America's Mad Professor of Fiction Writing Wed, 16 May 2012 17:17:12 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.1.3 By: Bruce H. Johnson http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2010/08/12/should-your-novel-be-first-person/#comment-11529 Bruce H. Johnson Thu, 12 Aug 2010 17:12:58 +0000 http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2010/08/12/should-your-novel-be-first-person/#comment-11529 I've done 4 novels in first person with (way-too) many POVs. Did it diary format, which helped. I had one feedback that said seeing the same scene from different viewpoints was interesting. However, I ended up using a quick summary of the shared scene with the second character's POV, which showed the different interpretation of the second viewpoint without beating it to death. Mainly showed the response to the events which had just happened. I’ve done 4 novels in first person with (way-too) many POVs. Did it diary format, which helped.

I had one feedback that said seeing the same scene from different viewpoints was interesting.

However, I ended up using a quick summary of the shared scene with the second character’s POV, which showed the different interpretation of the second viewpoint without beating it to death. Mainly showed the response to the events which had just happened.

]]> By: Richard Albert http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2010/08/12/should-your-novel-be-first-person/#comment-11530 Richard Albert Thu, 12 Aug 2010 18:10:48 +0000 http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2010/08/12/should-your-novel-be-first-person/#comment-11530 I’m a third person kind of guy. That’s just my thing. I don’t like writing long prose in first person and don’t particularly care to read most first person novel length work. For me, I can only handle being that intimate with a character for a short period of time. Even so, there are some people who pull of that unique voice of the POV character – and do it very well. I personally think that’s the real key to making first person more viable than third. This seems doubly true when you have multiple POV characters all in first person. Either way, pick one and stick with it. If unsure, maybe consider writing one chapter in first person and then writing the same chapter in third. See which one has the right amount of spice to make it work. I’m a third person kind of guy. That’s just my thing. I don’t like writing long prose in first person and don’t particularly care to read most first person novel length work. For me, I can only handle being that intimate with a character for a short period of time.

Even so, there are some people who pull of that unique voice of the POV character – and do it very well. I personally think that’s the real key to making first person more viable than third. This seems doubly true when you have multiple POV characters all in first person.

Either way, pick one and stick with it. If unsure, maybe consider writing one chapter in first person and then writing the same chapter in third. See which one has the right amount of spice to make it work.

]]> By: Glen http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2010/08/12/should-your-novel-be-first-person/#comment-11532 Glen Thu, 12 Aug 2010 18:53:28 +0000 http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2010/08/12/should-your-novel-be-first-person/#comment-11532 Thanks for the feedback, and thanks for answering my question, Randy! I think I’ve settled on third person, but more out of personal preference. Although I think I’ll try writing snippets in first person for several of my characters because it seems like a good exercise to use in getting into the heads of my characters. It is a Young Adult piece, and the trend seems to show more first persons lately in that age group. Right now I should probably just focus in on my writing and think about this more down the road. It’s also good to know that the complexity of the story shouldn’t dictate which perspective to use. I was told by someone that if the story is complex, then it should be written in third person. Maybe this person was trying to make the point that third person would give the writer more tools to use in a complex story world. Thanks for the feedback, and thanks for answering my question, Randy!

I think I’ve settled on third person, but more out of personal preference. Although I think I’ll try writing snippets in first person for several of my characters because it seems like a good exercise to use in getting into the heads of my characters. It is a Young Adult piece, and the trend seems to show more first persons lately in that age group. Right now I should probably just focus in on my writing and think about this more down the road.

It’s also good to know that the complexity of the story shouldn’t dictate which perspective to use. I was told by someone that if the story is complex, then it should be written in third person. Maybe this person was trying to make the point that third person would give the writer more tools to use in a complex story world.

]]> By: Tim http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2010/08/12/should-your-novel-be-first-person/#comment-11535 Tim Thu, 12 Aug 2010 21:04:09 +0000 http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2010/08/12/should-your-novel-be-first-person/#comment-11535 Glen, I would suggest the person who told you that if the story is complex is should be written in third person is their personal view. I don't know who this person is, but if they are telling other people something should be a certain way in writing they may not be the person you want to be listening to. As Randy has said so many times the only rule in writing is their are no rules. Just because a story is complex, doesn't mean it has to be told in third person. One of my favorite authors is D.J. MacHale author of Pendragon and Morpheus Road. Morpheus Road is written in first person, while Pendragon is written in a combination of first and third. It is very unique way D.J. MacHale did that. It was a very complicated story and had two many point of view characters that using them both in first person wouldn't have made sense for the story. You will have to read them to find out why. I mostly write in third person, though I do have a project I am going to be writing in first person because to me first person better fits the story. Other projects I am writing in third person because I have so much going on in the story it is better to do that. I think you need to ask yourself as a writer what point of view you like and which point of view is the best way to tell your story because it is your story so you get to tell how you want to tell it no matter ho complex it is and what anyone else might say or believe. Tim Glen, I would suggest the person who told you that if the story is complex is should be written in third person is their personal view. I don’t know who this person is, but if they are telling other people something should be a certain way in writing they may not be the person you want to be listening to. As Randy has said so many times the only rule in writing is their are no rules. Just because a story is complex, doesn’t mean it has to be told in third person.

One of my favorite authors is D.J. MacHale author of Pendragon and Morpheus Road. Morpheus Road is written in first person, while Pendragon is written in a combination of first and third. It is very unique way D.J. MacHale did that. It was a very complicated story and had two many point of view characters that using them both in first person wouldn’t have made sense for the story. You will have to read them to find out why.

I mostly write in third person, though I do have a project I am going to be writing in first person because to me first person better fits the story. Other projects I am writing in third person because I have so much going on in the story it is better to do that. I think you need to ask yourself as a writer what point of view you like and which point of view is the best way to tell your story because it is your story so you get to tell how you want to tell it no matter ho complex it is and what anyone else might say or believe.

Tim

]]> By: Barbara http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2010/08/12/should-your-novel-be-first-person/#comment-11550 Barbara Fri, 13 Aug 2010 15:12:08 +0000 http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2010/08/12/should-your-novel-be-first-person/#comment-11550 My current WIP, a UF novel, has three POV characters. One is told in first person -- the female protagonist. The two other POVs, the male protagonist and the villain are both told in third person. As I've read other published authors who've used this technique, I thought I'd try it. So far, it's working. My current WIP, a UF novel, has three POV characters. One is told in first person — the female protagonist. The two other POVs, the male protagonist and the villain are both told in third person. As I’ve read other published authors who’ve used this technique, I thought I’d try it. So far, it’s working.

]]> By: Ann http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2010/08/12/should-your-novel-be-first-person/#comment-11605 Ann Sun, 15 Aug 2010 15:55:01 +0000 http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2010/08/12/should-your-novel-be-first-person/#comment-11605 Unfortunately, I feel that I'm stuck with writing my SF novel in first person because the main character has dual personalities. I think it would be confusing to read in third person, whereas in first, it's more consistent and clear. It's not my choice of POV, but... working alright so far. Unfortunately, I feel that I’m stuck with writing my SF novel in first person because the main character has dual personalities. I think it would be confusing to read in third person, whereas in first, it’s more consistent and clear. It’s not my choice of POV, but… working alright so far.

]]> By: POV: First Person: « The Stories from a Crazyman http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2010/08/12/should-your-novel-be-first-person/#comment-11692 POV: First Person: « The Stories from a Crazyman Thu, 19 Aug 2010 17:49:30 +0000 http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2010/08/12/should-your-novel-be-first-person/#comment-11692 [...] { August 19, 2010 @ 1:49 PM } · { Writing } A few weeks ago, on Randy Ingermance’s blog Writing Advance Fiction when someone wrote and asked him about if your novel should be written in first person or not. You can read what Randy had to say Here. [...] […] { August 19, 2010 @ 1:49 PM } · { Writing } A few weeks ago, on Randy Ingermance’s blog Writing Advance Fiction when someone wrote and asked him about if your novel should be written in first person or not. You can read what Randy had to say Here. […]

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