Choosing a point of view

[Kewai]

Hello Everyone,

I am thinking of writing a story but am not of what perspective to write it in. I want to either write it in Third person or First person. This will be my first story and I don't have much experience. What do you recommend using? My story could potentially use either.

Please give your opinion and consider the following

What type do you prefer reading?

What type do you prefer to write in and why?

[beatea]

Well, I would recommend Third Person View. It's much easier to switch Point of View with than with First Person View.

[Maggy]

I always tend to write in third person, but mostly because I change which character's head I'm writing inside.... But I prefer to read in first person. It seems so much more personal and easier to relate to the character when it's narrated first person. Be warned, though: if you write in first person, you need to be very carefull to create a character that your reader will sympathise with. Otherwise the reader gets bored because they can't understand why the narator's thinking the way he does and you wont be able to hold them for very long... but if you do it right, emotional scenes become so much more personal to the reader, because it's easier to imagine just how the main character's feeling.

[Saphir]

Hey Carl! <3

I think both is fine.

(Maybe that's just me, but) a first person narrator makes the story sound more real. It sounds rather like it actually happened. But if you choose the first person perspective you should keep in mind that you only know what you feel, think and intend. You (mainly) have to show other's feelings, thoughts, etc. by describing their reactions/actions.

Writing in the third person perspective makes it, that's my feelig about it, rather fictional, which doesn't mean it's worse of course.
Choosing the third person perspective splits up in various options.

You can be either a limited narrator, or an omniscient one.

Writing omniscient gives you the option to explain and describe the feelings of different persons, judge them, possibly comment them and so on. The reader will rather take what you tell as true and 'believeable' as you are omniscient and 'know everything' about all characters.

Writing as limited narrator means that you write from the viewpoint of one (or two, maybe even three or more, but rather one) person in your story. You only describe what this person feels, sees, etc. and the reader doesn't know more than this person(s). This lets the difference between omniscient and limited third person narrating disappear and makes the limited writing way closer to a story in the first person. It gives your reader the option to judge about your protagonist(s) and makes them having only a limited access to the thoughts and feelings in your story.

However, the third person makes it way easier to use the point of view of more than only one person.

Well, that's just a model. You'll probably find personal parts in every omniscient story and possibly omniscient ones in a personal one. But it gives you an idea in what ways you can write.

If you decide for one perspective/model you should keep it. You can vary of course, but you shouldn't totally mix up the omniscient and limited narrator and it pretty confuse your reader if you mix up third and first person.


I like reading the first person narrator and the limited narrator (Both have awesome examples on here). I think stories like those on here being told by an omniscient narrator lose potential. It makes me know things before I want to know them and makes the story less exiting.

I prefer writing as limited narrator, as I do in my story, because I personally think it's the most interesting way to tell a story. Also I don't really like telling in the first person perspective.


I hope that was not too much to read and helped you a bit, even though I didn't really give any recommendation. :P

Lots of love

[Vinnie]

Depends on the story you wanna write, a sex story with sex scenes it would be better in first person a romantic or more love story type is best in 3rd person, also depends on how good of a writer you are

[CollaredBlondie]

Depends how good you are at writing the opposite sex. If you're pretty good, then third person could be the way to go. If not, then stick to first person and write it from a character's POV that shares your gender. Most guys aren't that great at writing girls realistically. Or, most of the ones I know anyway.

Blondie

[Kewai]

Thank you everyone, you have been allot of help, I really appreciate you guys taking the time to help and respond to my question. I hope to see some progress on my story soon

THANKS!!!
Carl