1st POV vs 3rd POV

3rd all the way, for me.

It really depends on the subject matter and nature of the story. If I'm looking for intimacy --particularly when the subject isn't necessarily right in the head, but has a reason-- then I go for first person. But that doesn't leave too much room for detail, because detail can easily get overwrought in first person narratives. Third person is good for getting into someone's head who isn't necessarily aware of their own thought processes or emotions, and also for showing action.

There are so many different things that go into chosing one over the other, and sometimes, when I'm done w/ a story, I realize it was done in the wrong one -- so I rewrite it in the other

POV

BlueTexas said:

I'm just curious about preferences here. I know third person is favored for novels and longer fiction, but what are your preference for short fiction, as a writer and as a reader?

For me, it depends on the subject matter. What about y'all?

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I favor first person for all fiction, including novels. I'd say somewhere around 75% of all novels I read are first person, and I write about the same amount.

Either way. It depends on your story, the voice, etc. 1st person is more intimate and internal. 3rd person creates a little distance between your readers and the characters...

It really depends on what you are writing. If the story is about a plot with no character development or character feelings, go with third person. But if the story is about someone's inner thoughts or the character has feelings and emotions go with first person. Also, if there is only one main character then first person works well but if you get inside the minds of 2 or 3 people in the story, then first person could be confusing to the readers.

I don't write anything for publishing (I'd like to graduate collage first.) but I do write and post stuff at a few sites. Stuff like fan fictions (yes, I'm pathetic but I'm enjoying it) and from my own expeciance, some of my first person stuff gets more possitive feedback then the thrid person stuff. It's also easier for me to write in first person. You really have to see what you are more conforable with.

Hope that helped.

However the story formulates in my mind. Most of the times it's first person, sometimes third. I prefer first person, though, when I'm writing short fiction. I find that I become that person and I have to tell it from that POV.

Angel-Lija said:

It really depends on what you are writing. If the story is about a plot with no character development or character feelings, go with third person. But if the story is about someone's inner thoughts or the character has feelings and emotions go with first person.

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I don't agree w/ this at all. You can have whirlpools of character development in third person, and it's invaluable in expressing the feelings of a character who doesn't necessarily understand what it is they're feeling. I'd argue that, often times, third-person narratives are more genuine than your average first-person narrative with their characters' emotions and thoughts.

Take Their Eyes Were Watching God, for example. The first 2/3rds of the novel is in third person, and if you wanted to argue that Janie is a flat character, I'd love to take you up on it. When it gradually switches to first person, the reader does develop more of an intimacy with Janie -- but I think Hurston only used first-person to mark the development of Janie's voice throughout the novel. As in, when she gained efficacy as a woman, she also gained a voice.

trumancoyote said:

I don't agree w/ this at all. You can have whirlpools of character development in third person, and it's invaluable in expressing the feelings of a character who doesn't necessarily understand what it is they're feeling. I'd argue that often times, third-person narratives are more genuine than your average first-person narrative with their characters' emotions and thoughts.

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Totally agree

First person was for a time my favorite POV for writing short stories until . . . I finally learned to control third person. I mean really control it! I broke third person into three categories.

1. Third Person Omniscient--which combines the objective perspective of third with the subjective perspective of first person.

2. Third Person Distant/Objective--Observes the story action with the fiexed focus of a play, or anyonymity of a camera

3 Third Person Limited/Subjective--Achieves a sense of immediacy and strong reader identification by combining the depth of a first person narrative with the width of an omniscient narrative.

Now that I have learned to control all three of those aspects of using a third person narrative, I feel I am able to control reader confusion when I transition back and forth from an outside portrayal of the story action and/or a distant omniscient or authorial perspective to an intimate perspective of a character's thoughts.

First person

trumancoyote said:

I'd argue that, often times, third-person narratives are more genuine than your average first-person narrative with their characters' emotions and thoughts.

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For me, at least, this isn't even remotely true. In fact, the main reason I favor first person over third is precisely because I find first person narrative far, far more genuine than third person.

Everything that's been said here is true. Each serves their purpose.

First is great for bringing the reader in and having them get close to your story via a viewpoint character.

But sometimes an author wants the reader to have a broader experience beyond just the perspective of one character.

Or sometimes setting and its description play a more prominent role. Or there is information that the author feels the reader must have in order to enhance their enjoyment of the story.

Or they might want to enhance the theme or some other aspect of the story.

But it all really depends on the story and the author's style. Do as you see fit and let the reader decide.

I naturally tend to write things in first person. My novel is in third but is still similar to first person ("she thinks that this is ridiculous and it reminds her of the time...")

As for what I like to read, it's hard to say, my three favorite books run the gamut. Sorrows of Young Werther is in first, Romance of the Book and the Sword is third, and Lost Horizon has a first person frame story but is third person (in that it is someone telling someone else's story) for the bulk.

So I don't suppose I have a real preference in reading.

But yeah, whatever works.

It depends on the story topic when I'm writing a piece. If I want to get up close and personal with the reader, I'll write in first person. Third if I want to stand back and watch with them.

I've read stories/novels written in first and third person. It depends on the writer's voice and style whether I like either. Some written in first or third person were excellent, others, I wished I hadn't bothered reading.

Great topic BlueTexas.

As far as reading goes, I'd say that would be personal preference.

First person, for me, is harder to read, in as such as it is harder for me to "get into" the setting and story, and "get involved"--I tend to feel that I'm on the outside looking in unless the author is extremely talented. With first person, you're generally limited to one POV and I like to know about what and how other characters think and feel (3rd person omniscient). But again, that's personal preference.

As for writing--deciding which to use would factor a lot on the genre and the house/destination you're targeting and whether it is Fiction or Non-Fiction. And, “who” you are talking to.

Maybe consider if the “author” is telling the story or if the “character” is telling the story. For instance, authors Roberts and Grisham tell the story, but with Grafton, “Kinsey Millhone” tells the story. Grafton’s first books (IMHO) weren’t as well written as are her later books. Here, I can see where experience has, over the years, made her a better writer. –Sometimes you see just the opposite—where a writer starts out good, but tends to lose something along the way and aren’t quite as good in their later work.

Although sometimes writing in first person then converting to third can be beneficial to the piece, I would definitely check any submission guidelines before I invested a lot of time into anything.

First person seems to do well with PI Mysteries. The Romance genre leans more toward third. Science Fiction mostly toward third.

As with any piece, know the market—research where you think you might want to submit, pick several and write toward that goal. You hear a lot about 'write what you know,' but I think 'write what you love to read' should be included in the planning as well.

There ya have my .02 cents worth. <G> -Jo

I've read first and third POV. Most of my first POV is by Ann Rinaldi. She writes YA American history novels. They take the form of diary entries when she writes in first. I for the most part don't like the diary entries because I keep forgetting to check the dates but she is a good writer so yeah it's my fault.

I write in third person. It's just easier for me. If I feel one of my stories needs to be written in first or even second POV then I will attempt it.

For both writing and reading, it totally depends.

For example, John Updike's "A&P" wouldn't work in anything but 1st person, and Flannery O'Connor's "A Good Man Is Hard to Find" has to be in 3rd person.

Frank Soos, my writing teacher in grad school, often had us rewrite short stories (published and our own) in different POVs. It's the greatest exercise in the world for understanding why a certain POV is necessary and for discovering more about the story.

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As for me, I go either or; Depending on the genre of story - the last short fiction I wrote was a story on 'old sayings' my dad used...before that, it was third person all the way.

Now! what about second person? "You are alone,yoiur house isten miles out of town on a very lonely road it is a dark and stormy night, (couldn't resist it), the doorbell rings. ..."

Frank Soos, my writing teacher in grad school, often had us rewrite short stories

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So did my Lit Prof at Uni (College) ours was a chapter from Mr. Dickens' A Christmas Carol. It works and one have have a lot of fun.