1st or 3rd person for writing.

hey everyone, im currently working on my first book. (idek if its gonna work out but...) before i start writing it what person should i use 1st or 3rd. and a question to avid readers: what would u rather read? what gets u captivated. would really apreciate if i got some replys! give me some advice asw! thanks!

Reply 1

MindMax2000

Universities Forum Helper

22

Original post by tryingtopasexams

hey everyone, im currently working on my first book. (idek if its gonna work out but...) before i start writing it what person should i use 1st or 3rd. and a question to avid readers: what would u rather read? what gets u captivated. would really apreciate if i got some replys! give me some advice asw! thanks!

I personally prefer my fiction to be in 1st person. To me, 3rd seems a bit too formal and it doesn't seem as personal or you don't get as "involved" with the character (for a lack of a better phrase).

Reply 2

tryingtopasexams

OP

4

Original post by MindMax2000

I personally prefer my fiction to be in 1st person. To me, 3rd seems a bit too formal and it doesn't seem as personal or you don't get as "involved" with the character (for a lack of a better phrase).

thanks!! do u reckon i could switch between them. for example, my first chapter would be a sort of flash back so i was thinking 3rd person but then when i want to do the main characters pov i would write her name in the beginning of the chapter and another characters name in another chapter when i want to do their pov. idk if u get what im saying but yeah!

Reply 3

MysteryyyGirl86

17

Original post by tryingtopasexams

hey everyone, im currently working on my first book. (idek if its gonna work out but...) before i start writing it what person should i use 1st or 3rd. and a question to avid readers: what would u rather read? what gets u captivated. would really apreciate if i got some replys! give me some advice asw! thanks!

i would say first person and maybe switch between characters so there's different perspectives. good luck! :smile:

Reply 4

MindMax2000

Universities Forum Helper

22

Original post by tryingtopasexams

thanks!! do u reckon i could switch between them. for example, my first chapter would be a sort of flash back so i was thinking 3rd person but then when i want to do the main characters pov i would write her name in the beginning of the chapter and another characters name in another chapter when i want to do their pov. idk if u get what im saying but yeah!

The issues that I have with switching between narrative styles is that it can be confusing throughout the book.

Should you do so, you would need to be very clear. For example, I have seen authors using ***** as a divider between narratives and chapters. It's usually a signal for some sort of change.

I can also see how using 3rd person can work in a flashback. You would probably need to narrate it like a memory though, as if you're telling people about the memory socially.

Switching between characters for their narrative is also confusing. You would need to make it very clear if you do this, as above. I have seen this done OK in a book titled Stone Cold. See: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stone_Cold_(Swindells_novel). It wasn't done particularly well, but it was clear enough to indicate who was narrating. This was done in first person only though.

Reply 5

Kallisto

Entertainment Forum Helper

22

Original post by tryingtopasexams

hey everyone, im currently working on my first book. (idek if its gonna work out but...) before i start writing it what person should i use 1st or 3rd. and a question to avid readers: what would u rather read? what gets u captivated. would really apreciate if i got some replys! give me some advice asw! thanks!

1st person is the perspective I preferred. 3rd person means to design a character in detail in an ego perspective, that means in turn that you need to sketch a person with charisma by his own words. That is not as easy as it may sound like.

1st or 3rd person for writing.

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