Interesting Perspective

9 January 2010 | Filed Under Age-Old Debates 

One choice every writer must make: should I write this novel from first or third person?

I used to write in first-person. My parents and teachers said I needed to branch out, try different perspectives. I tried third-person and never looked back.

I’m not saying that first-person is an inferior point of view. It has many advantages. The reader is firmly placed inside the main character’s head. It can work very well to mislead the reader, to keep them from solving the mystery of the plot too quickly. But sometimes, it simply can’t do what you need it to.

I’m a fan of third-person omniscient. You can bounce around (sparingly) to other characters, which is particularly useful when the good guys are separated and fulfilling their own crucial missions. You can see what the bad guy is up to without using ridiculously over-used dream sequences.

If you’re just not sure what to go with, try third-person limited. A good example of this is Harry Potter. The reader is privy to his thoughts, and no-one else’s, but we aren’t stuck inside his head either.

I’m not sure why people argue about this. You simply should choose the point of view that works best for the story you’re writing now. However, if you find yourself always sticking with one point of view, like I used to do, try to vary it up. Experiment with other viewpoints. You might find another point of view works better for your story than you had originally thought.

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    Hi, I'm Jenn, new grad student and old YA fantasy writer. I've long dreamed of being a novelist, and I bet you have too. I hope you find my blog helpful, inspiring, and maybe just a little bit fun. (But not too much fun. Writing is serious business, you know.)

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