Two perspectives

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bananamelissa

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As a small update, I ended up doing both in first person. I ended up finding a thread on Goodreads which broke down novels that succesfully used different perspectives, and most of them had something like one first person, along with multiple third person. What really sealed it for me was someone said they enjoyed a novel that went first/third. BUT the reason it worked is because the third person was the villain, and it gave them a feeling of distance from that POV. I hadn't considered the different between intimate/distant, so that decided it for me. Both stories will be in first person.
 

Roxxsmom

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I haven't run across many books that alternate between first and third person, but that doesn't mean there aren't a number out there or that it can't work if done well.

I've read quite a few multiple first-person pov novels that worked, in my opinion. The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver on the more literary end of things, and Havemercy by Jones and Bennet on the more genre fiction end (it's a fantasy novel). I don't read much genre romance these days, and the ones I remember were all third person omni or limited third, with more time spent with the female protagonist, but those were a long time ago.
 

bananamelissa

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I've got the Poinsonwood Bible. It's been sitting in my closet for years. I'll get into it tonight Roxxs, I was actually thinking today I need a new book to dive into.

I did attempt a few chapters alternating 1st and 3rd and it felt so wooden and stiff. No flow. I think part of my hesitation to do both 1st (full disclosure here) is one of the characters is male and I'm afraid to write a man in a totally wacked out way. But I have some guy friends who will read it and help me, so I should take the plunge. It's the only way to grow as a writer...
 

dontpanic

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I have a bit of a thing for doubling perspectives, so I'm glad to hear you're considering it! I think they can be very effective depending on why you as the author want to write it that way. I had storylines in different times that eventually overlapped and dedicated alternating chapters to the two main protagonists. I used third person rather than first person perspective, but I've definitely read books that use first person and it wasn't intrusive. I think you need to decide third or first but stick to that for both characters, otherwise that could get awkward for the reader.

Hope that helps!
 
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