z

Young Writers Society


3rd person vs 1st person



User avatar
21 Reviews



Gender: Female
Points: 3949
Reviews: 21
Tue Jan 19, 2010 4:06 am
EDay says...



When I write, i usually only write in 3rd person. I was wondering which is better to use? I like how 1st person captures feelings but i like how 3rd person can capture the scene, in which writing subjects would it be more appropriate to use 3rd person or well 1st person? Or is there basicly no prefrence, like the book or narrative could have good results either way?
Thank-you for your time.
liquid sunshine isnt meant to be kept in a jar, but printed onto pages
  





Random avatar


Gender: Female
Points: 300
Reviews: 0
Tue Jan 19, 2010 7:45 am
Rebka says...



I would say write whatever feels the most natural to you. When I'm writing short stories, I actually usually write in 2nd person, but if I'm writing a longer story or a novel, I'll use 1st or 3rd person.
If you write in 1st person, then the story usually becomes about just one character, showing their feelings and thoughts more deeply. But you can also switch the POV, if you like.
If you write in 3rd person, it's easier to show the feelings of more characters, but it can sometimes be harder to go into detail.
So they're both good. Just write whatever you feel like the story needs :)
  





Random avatar


Gender: Female
Points: 12900
Reviews: 110
Tue Jan 19, 2010 12:02 pm
Karsten says...



I'm trying not to give my obligatory rant about how third person can be every bit as deep as first person. :P Pick whichever. The only difference is the pronouns.
  





User avatar
157 Reviews



Gender: Female
Points: 4198
Reviews: 157
Wed Jan 20, 2010 12:05 am
Bickazer says...



Karsten wrote:I'm trying not to give my obligatory rant about how third person can be every bit as deep as first person. :P Pick whichever. The only difference is the pronouns.


That's not true if you choose to use third person omniscient. ~_^

I like 3rd person limited best, but every kind of POV has its merits. Except second person, maybe. Just pick whatever one you feel suits the story best. I know people who've gone back and change the POV of their stories because they felt it wasn't working the way they wanted. Experiment a bit.

Or hell, do the Bartimaeus thing and do them both in the same story. Again, if you feel it works better. It all depends on the story. The plot events don't change if you change the POV.
Ah, it is an empty movement. That is an empty movement. It is.
  





User avatar
12 Reviews



Gender: None specified
Points: 2920
Reviews: 12
Sat Jan 23, 2010 4:18 am
Kibble says...



Either can be good. I've been using almost exclusively first person for a couple of years now. I don't know if I'll ever be able to switch back. However, I read both happily and don't really notice the difference.
"You are altogether a human being, Jane? You are certain of that?"
"I conscientiously believe so, Mr Rochester."
~ Jane Eyre
  





User avatar
39 Reviews



Gender: Female
Points: 6337
Reviews: 39
Sun Jan 24, 2010 10:20 am
sugarxsnow says...



Do what you feel like doing. No one has the right to complain anyway. You're the writer, you call the shots. :D

Hope that helped.
"A fish bit my hand this morning, and everything became trippy. Now with this coke and this cherry, I can beautifully rule the world!"

-Dino, @ Dino and Cake's Adventures in La-La Land (Coming Soon)

PS: "Alice in Wonderland" obsessed? You bet.
  





User avatar
547 Reviews

Supporter


Gender: Female
Points: 49345
Reviews: 547
Sun Jan 24, 2010 8:19 pm
captain.classy says...



First Person
I like first person if you are writing fantasy and action stories. Lets face it, with these stories, the romance is not the main part. By using first person in these genres, you can describe the fights, the adventure, everything from the mind of your character.
I find it easier to explain the setting in my Action/Adventure book in first person. In my story, almost everyone in the world dies. I think the thoughts of my character are important in this story because you can't easily make your character do things so the readers will know they are thinking about thier family, and how they will never see them again. Also, when my character is running away from danger, her friends and what is happening to them is kept a secret because she doesn't know where they are. Mysteries are always nice.

Third Person
I think third person goes best with romantic. I would much rather read about how they characters look at eachother, touch eachother, react to eachother, than how they think about eachother. I think in romance, it is important, also, to get both points of view of your characters, the boy and the girl, so the writer has the ability to let the readers know what both are doing, but is also able to hide what is happening.

These are just my opinions! Hope I helped. PM me if you have any questuons.
  





User avatar
134 Reviews



Gender: Male
Points: 15966
Reviews: 134
Mon Jan 25, 2010 11:43 am
Hippie says...



Third person is more versatile. For example, I wrote the draft for The Wrong Side in 3rd person. Whilst revising I decided I wanted to gloss over a long tedious bit by showing the main character's wife reading a letter he sent her, which would also give me the opportunity to hint that his wife's cheating on him while he's away. If I'd written it in 1st the reader would be as ignorant as the MC, and that twist and the tension arising from it wouldn't be possible, unless I rewrote it all in 3rd. 1st has its uses, but if it's six to one, half dozen the other, go with 3rd.
Q: Where do you go to buy shoes?

A: At the shoez canal, lol.
  





User avatar
17 Reviews



Gender: Female
Points: 1040
Reviews: 17
Tue Feb 08, 2011 2:06 pm
emmaline49 says...



I find it easiest to write in third person, but first can work as well. Just go with it, that's my advice. :)
In the midst of winter/I found there lay within me/an eternal summer
  








Excuse me I have never *lied* about a character I just don't tell the truth
— AceassinOfTheMoon