Writing in third person & names

fantasyfables · Jan 8, 2012

I'm a little confused as to how I'd refer to my main character's father when I'm writing in the third person.

Would it be..

"She walked into the kitchen. Dad was standing at the counter making sandwhiches."

Or..

"She walked into the kitchen. NAME was standing at the counter making sandwhichces."

Would I use her dad's name, since I'm writing in third person, or would I just call him "Dad"?

Also, when writing about other character's parents would it be best to use Mr SURNAME or their first name?

Thank you!

alleycat · Jan 8, 2012

You could use "her dad" or "her father".

Bufty · Jan 8, 2012

Commenting upon out-of-context snippets is always tricky.

Answer - It varies, and is up to you, depending upon context and POV.

As a rough guide call the parent (the character's or anyone else's) whatever your POV character would call them unless you are in more distant narrator mode, in which case use whatever fits.

Experience will tell you which to use, but in the first illustration 'Dad' might be okay, and so would 'her dad' or 'her father'.

Check out a few novels and see how others do it.

bonitakale · Jan 8, 2012

If the point of view is that of the girl, you'd almost have to use words that would mean her father to her. "Her father," or "her dad," is always good, because it's neutral and it might be what she'd describe him as, in an introduction, say. Otherwise"Pop," "Angelo," "Tub-o-Lard," "Daddykins" -- you use what she calls him.

But if she comes into the kitchen, and you say, "James Macintyre was making toast," you're putting us at a great distance from the point of view character.

fantasyfables · Jan 9, 2012

Thanks everyone, you've been a great help.

Writing in third person & names

fantasyfables

alleycat

Still around

Bufty

Where have the last ten years gone?

bonitakale

fantasyfables