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First person vs. Third person



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Wed Feb 07, 2018 5:09 pm
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TheBlueCat says...



Hey everyone! :D Simply looking for some thoughts on using first person vs. third person.

Generally: Looking for your thoughts on first person vs. third person in writing.

Specifically: I'm writing a hardcore fantasy novel, what would you say would be better to write it in? I started it in third, but I almost feel like first would be better? What do you guys think? Either way it would only be focusing on one character throughout the story.
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Wed Feb 07, 2018 8:46 pm
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Mea says...



My two primary considerations when I chose between first vs. third is who the main character is, and their voice. Does my main character have a unique, engaging, or distinctive voice? Would they be the type of person who tells their story themselves?

I also consider the genre and the plot. If the plot is primarily centered on their relationships with other people and their emotional state, rather than external, bombastic events, than that's another good sign for me that I should go with first person. In general, for realistic fiction I'm more likely to go with first person, and sci-fi/fantasy I usually do third so that the reader can get more of a feel for the scope of the world.

(And if I'm going to have multiple main characters and switch POVs between them, I just go with third person because differentiating between two first person narrators is hard and I'm not good enough to do it.:P)
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Wed Feb 07, 2018 9:45 pm
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TheBlueCat says...



Hm, that's really something to think about, @Mea! My MC is going to encounter a variety of both external and internal battles. I think it's primarily focused on her fighting and finding a sacred item to take home, so probably third person. I really am having a hard time though. I feel like it would be equally fine to use either pov.
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Wed Feb 07, 2018 9:53 pm
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Mea says...



That's quite possibly true! I'd recommend maybe thinking about it a little more and wait for some other people to answer as well, but when you do pick one stick to it for an entire draft. Once you finish the first draft, you'll have a much better idea of what kind of story you're trying to tell and it'll be easier to decide which POV fits. :D
We're all stories in the end.

I think of you as a fairy with a green dress and a flower crown and stuff.
-EternalRain

I think you, @Deanie and I are like the Three Book Nerd Musketeers of YWS.
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Thu Feb 08, 2018 7:43 am
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Lightsong says...



Since you specifically say the story would focus on only one character throughout, I think both perspectives are equally effective. What differs is how do you want to approach the novel.

For me, I think 1st PoV is restrictive when I want to write in a wider scope. I don't want to be confined with just a scene - I want to expand what's happening in the world I've made. So 3rd PoV is efficient if you want to focus on another scene that is unrelated to the character of the first scene. It also allows you to give more description of the world, since it doesn't limited to your character's senses. Usually epic fantasy (which I assume is the same as your hardcore fantasy?) employs 3rd PoV because of these reasons.

However, if your novel is epic fantasy and also character-driven, then 1st PoV is preferred. It's less clinical when the MC is not referred as a third person, allowing readers to really get into the MC's mind. Since you have set it so that the scenes revolve entirely around the MC, I think 1st PoV is better in making the narrative more loaded. You can also exploit other stylistic devices like unreliably narrator, which 1st PoV can deliver more smoothly. You need a strong voice to make 1st PoV works and attracts readers' emotions, either way.

At the end, whatever PoV you choose, it's going to be the PoV of the first draft. There's always a 2nd or 3rd draft that allows you to change PoVs - perhaps even a blend of 1st and 3rd PoV, and who knows, maybe 2nd PoV - so there's no need to think this is your final decision. Try whatever you think is better now, and if you think it doesn't work as you expect it to be, you can change it in the future drafts. c:
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Thu Feb 08, 2018 2:29 pm
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TheBlueCat says...



Thanks @Lightsong! It's definitely something to think about. This was really helpful! :D
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Evander says...



I agree with a lot of what was said above, but I'd like to thrown in my two cents.

There are two (or four, depending on who you ask) types of third person perspectives. Limited, omniscient, multiple, and objective.

Third person limited is through the POV character's perspective. Everything is filtered through the knowledge of the main character. If the dragon has a secret fire breath weapon, then the reader won't know about it until POV character knows about it. Third person limited is often described as the more intimate version of third person because of the lack of foresight and external input.

However, this lack of foresight and external input doesn't work for some stories. This is where the second type comes in.

Third person omniscient is when the story is told by an omniscient (all knowing) narrator. It allows the reader to see from multiple perspectives without being restricted by one particular person's biases. (However, the narrator does have the ability to be biased and that can result in great fun.) It also allows for dramatic irony, with the narrator being able to foreshadow events for the reader that the characters would be completely oblivious too. I've read that third person omniscient is falling out of style, given the fact that publishing houses want their readers to feel personally connected to a point of view character. To a certain extent, an omniscient point of view can become distant and disconnected.

In my honest opinion, third person multiple is just third person limited but through the perspectives of multiple POV characters. I don't really see the need to categorize it differently.

Third person objective is the story told through objective facts without thoughts or feelings. It mostly relies on actions and dialogue. This can often be difficult to pull off because of the disconnectedness.

The Harry Potter series is mostly third person limited, with only a few scenes moving from Harry's perspective. (And even though Harry Potter is told through a third person perspective, Harry is still regarded as an unreliable narrator.)
The Series of Unfortunate Events is third person omniscient, told through the perspective of Lemony Snicket.
The Heroes of Olympus series is third person multiple. Every chapter or so switches to a different main character's perspective.
I haven't read a third person objective story, but I'll definitely update this if I find one.

Moving onto first person. Sometimes, first person can be just as limited as, well, third person limited.

I've read some great fantasy stories that employ first person (Poison Study comes to find), so it isn't entirely unheard of.

If you feel like first person is the best choice for your novel, then go for it! You can always rewrite and revamp!
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