1st POV and Worldbuilding

I don't think that's necessarily true. I've found that, in close 3rd, I can write in much of the same way as in 1st.

However, I will caution you that a large cast, multiple POV book might be a hard sale for middle grade. Your audience will probably respond better to 1st person POV. If I were you, I'd probably stick with 1st person POV and focus on finding ways to highlight the world building a little more.

Just my 2 cents. Hope that helps!

Middle graders tend to follow just one character, even in 3rd. You can write closely in 3rd but I wouldn't change the character just to promote the setting. Try it in 3rd then maybe post both chapters (one in first and the other in 3rd) and see which others think works better - or even better see which you like better. Characters should be more important than settings even in a Fantasy novel. I will always read an interesting character will a recycled setting, but not the other way around, I've seen many say they feel the same. So just something to be aware of.

All the best with your WIP.

Two things:

1. There's character voice and narrative voice. In 1st, they're effectively one and the same. But it sounds like your real problem here is that you haven't yet developed narrative voice. It can be tough to do if you've mostly worked in 1st. Maybe try some exercises--I'm writing this with one hand so am unable to link you any right this moment--focused particularly on exposition and summary narrative. Try to teach yourself to get comfortable describing things in your writing voice, not just filtering it through you character(s).

Which brings me to...

2. What I find happens a lot when I'm reading/critting 1st person stuff is that the worldbuilding and other summary material gets really filtered, because you're somewhat stuck with what she can see/hear/feel. So make sure you're moving beyond just sensory description. Just because you're in 1st doesn't mean the POV character can't explain something in a bit more depth. Watch out for the "I ______..." constructions that plague a lot of 1st-person writing; those aren't going to get you very far. Instead, find a way to let your character's voice carry the exposition wherever it needs to go.

So basically, it's good to develop the skill to convey voice in third. But you should also be able to work around this problem in first using much the same skill.

Emissarius said:

Exactly, and I also feel that when it comes to introducing prominent characters (the mentor, the villain, or the rival...etc.), these characters won't be portrayed neutrally. Instead they'll appear in whatever way the narrator sees them.

This, IMO, is what happens with most of the Rick Riordan books (as well as the RR Presents ones): the MC overshadows all the other characters, and while he/she does end up being quite memorable, the rest of the cast (with the possible exception of the MC's close friends) don't really cement their places in my memory.

I admit this last point is what's really driving me to switch to 3rd POV, I'm worried some of the important characters won't get to shine in 1st POV. It's not that I plan on having chapters or scenes in those characters' POVs, but I still feel a close 3rd would do them more justice than a 1st POV, if only because they'll be introduced somewhat 'neutrally.'

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It seems to me that a neutral presentation would make a character less memorable, not more.

If your narrator has an emotional reaction to the other characters, that could really make these other characters pop.

MythMonger said:

It seems to me that a neutral presentation would make a character less memorable, not more.

If your narrator has an emotional reaction to the other characters, that could really make these other characters pop.

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+1

I mean, 1st is inherently centered around that MC. That's is power. So you choose to use it in order to take advantage of that.

But you can use that MC to find a way to describe things. If a villain has any kind of relationship to the MC (and if not, why are they the villain?) then use that to describe him/her. Let your narrator narrate, whether it's 1st or 3rd.

Try free-writing and just describing some setting. Or a villain's entry.

Even if you start in third, it's actually not that hard to change something to first (or vice-versa), especially in a small excerpt.

When you have 50 posts, try posting in SYW. In the mean-time, crit others.

Emissarius said:

If my work has lots of characters, would it be safer to use third-person? It's not that there will be chapters told from those characters' POV (the whole story will be from the MC's whether I choose 1st or 3rd), but I've noticed that most first-person MG fantasis tend to have fewer main characters, and the MC is usually on an adventure/ quest with two or three other characters, and while they do meet lots of characters on their journey, none of those end up being main characters. Should the sheer number of characters in my story be the reason to switch to third-person, even if none of them will get scenes/ chapters told from their POVs?

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I don't think so... Perhaps you could try writing both in 3rd and in 1st person and see which feels more comfortable, more natural to you? Because that's what matters - if you do something just because others say so, and not out of your own conviction, it won't be much fun. Try both POVs and see how it goes.

I have a huge cast of characters, but my novel is written in 1st person and from the POV of one (main) character. I started writing it in 3rd person, and it was all wrong. I realized that halfway into the novel, rewrote it in 1st person, and never looked back.

Good luck!