First person dominance
- Thread starter InsanitySquares
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Strangely, I've read enough deep close third where later on I've forgotten whether it was written in first or third...
In first, I'm way pickier for some reason. In some books it feels like a stranger next to me on the bus who insists on chattering to me even though I'm more in a mood to zone out. It's hard to describe - like present tense, I find it a lot harder to overlook any other elements that disincline me to read further.
Same here! For me, first versus close third person changes the quality of the voice, but I don't believe one gets you any less "in their head" than the other.
This is certainly the way I write, too. I've done both close third and first, and it only affects the voice. In fact, my WIP is in first-person and the narrator is extremely out of touch with her own emotions, so if anything it's less immediate than some of the third I've written.
I like first when a particular narrator is important - whether it is worldbuilding via their voice, or you need an emotional connection stat, or if you want to have an...UNRELIABLE NARRATOR *ominous thunder crash.*
I like third for when you need lots of viewpoints to contrast against.
I like third for when you need lots of viewpoints to contrast against.
I've written well in first, but I don't tend to do it anymore. I go more for close third person PoV than anything these days. I've written some good third person omniscient, too; it's just gotten harder as I've aged and set in my ways.
Do certain genres within YA tend to be more first person vs third person I wonder. Like is contemporary more often first and fantasy more often third? I'd be really interested in seeing if someone out there has compiled the data.
A well-written book is a well-written book. As a reader, I don't tend to mind which POV a book's written in, as long as it's a good book. One thing, though, also as a reader: I tend to mistrust 1st person narrators, whether or not they're supposed to be unreliable on purpose.
As a writer, I find it easier to concoct a whole, well-rounded story in the 3rd person. First person is too limiting that way. On the other hand, it makes it easier to work in all those plot twists, because there's stuff happening 'in the wings' that a 1st person narrator can't possibly know.
On the flipside, voice is way easier [for me] to nail in the 1st person. I find it harder to get it right in the 3rd.
Just my two cents.
As a reader, I don't tend to mind which POV a book's written in, as long as it's a good book. One thing, though, also as a reader: I tend to mistrust 1st person narrators, whether or not they're supposed to be unreliable on purpose. As a writer, I find it easier to concoct a whole, well-rounded story in the 3rd person. First person is too limiting that way. On the other hand, it makes it easier to work in all those plot twists, because there's stuff happening 'in the wings' that a 1st person narrator can't possibly know.
On the flipside, voice is way easier [for me] to nail in the 1st person. I find it harder to get it right in the 3rd.
Just my two cents.
First versus third isn't really a trend issue. They will both always be around. I write in both. I think first person is often desirable for contemporary because it makes it feel immediate. But there are plenty of good YA in third. The MAZE RUNNER was, and DOSB too as someone mentioned, also The DIVINERS by Libba Bray. Just write what works for the story. That's what I've always been advised. I wrote a sci-fi / fantasy in close third, and my new project is contemporary in first. The only thing about third is you need to capture the voice of your MC in the prose, which can be more challenging at first. I've heard most start out writing in first person. But then, I didn't. There's really no rule. But don't worry about the market. Both will sell, if it's a good story.
I agree with this. When I write in first, the character really comes alive and their voice carries me through the book. When I write in third (which isn't often, and I always abandon everything I try in third), I feel very much like a writer concocting a story rather than a writer channeling a character. In third, beautiful, artful prose comes really easy, but it always feels stiff and formal to me. I prefer writing in first.
I have written in both first and third and enjoyed both equally. I wrote what fit the story. But I have found that when I am in first brain, reading (especially beta reading) third can sound wrong to me, and vice-versa. It usually takes me a few chapters to get into the story, and if the writing is questionable I may never become immersed.
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Even though YA seem to be mostly made up of first-person, there are still great third-person stories out there, so I wouldn't worry about that. As long as the story is good, it will get picked up.
For me, I like both third-person and first-person. I have many favorite stories of each POV. However, I tend to pick up first-person stories the fastest. I enjoy hearing a character's voice and reading deep into a person's thoughts. The first-person stories I've read also tend to be straightforward and easier for me to read and digest.
Maybe it's because I enjoyed reading (or listening to) diary entries and letters in games like RPGs and adventure/action-adventure games. Maybe it's because my earlier readings that I enjoyed when I was little were first-person. My first writing attempt in elementary school was first-person.
Also, I tend to prefer to stick to one POV character, and most first-person stories tend to stick with one POV character, while many third-person stories tend to switch between multiple characters.
I don't know why, but I don't like switching between characters that much. I tolerate it in romances and some SFF, but I tend to enjoy to say with one POV character for the most part.
For me, I like both third-person and first-person. I have many favorite stories of each POV. However, I tend to pick up first-person stories the fastest. I enjoy hearing a character's voice and reading deep into a person's thoughts. The first-person stories I've read also tend to be straightforward and easier for me to read and digest.
Maybe it's because I enjoyed reading (or listening to) diary entries and letters in games like RPGs and adventure/action-adventure games. Maybe it's because my earlier readings that I enjoyed when I was little were first-person. My first writing attempt in elementary school was first-person.
Also, I tend to prefer to stick to one POV character, and most first-person stories tend to stick with one POV character, while many third-person stories tend to switch between multiple characters.
I don't know why, but I don't like switching between characters that much. I tolerate it in romances and some SFF, but I tend to enjoy to say with one POV character for the most part.
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I agree. I definitely think voice and a sense of character comes a lot more clearly to me in first. Tho I love the prose of a great third story too. I think interiority comes way easier in first. But extraneous details are easier in third. I get a better sense of world and things outside my characters in third. I haven't really found I prefer one over the other. Just depends on what story I'm working on.
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I really depends for me, too. The book in my sig is third person past. My next one which I'm editing now is first person present. I think my most "natural" writing is in first person past, probably, but sometimes that just doesn't work for the story.
The struggle for me right now is first person past versus present. My last book was 3rd person, and that was definitely the right choice for that book, but my current WiP definitely wants to be in first. I'm looking forward to writing something completely different.
That said, yesterday I word sprinted to get the first chapter of the new YA space opera WiP out of my head and start feeling out the voice. It came out in first person present, which I've never been a huge fan of. I tried switching it to past, but the voice really lost something. I'm worried because Sci-fi has always been a 3rd person dominated genre, but I'm just going to stick with it for now and see how it goes. If there's anywhere you can get away with first person present, it's YA.
That said, yesterday I word sprinted to get the first chapter of the new YA space opera WiP out of my head and start feeling out the voice. It came out in first person present, which I've never been a huge fan of. I tried switching it to past, but the voice really lost something. I'm worried because Sci-fi has always been a 3rd person dominated genre, but I'm just going to stick with it for now and see how it goes. If there's anywhere you can get away with first person present, it's YA.
MK England, you confused me! I saw "my" avatar and was reading your post thinking, "I don't remember posting this!" The funny thing is, my first novel was in 3rd person, but current WIP (actually it's finished) is in 1st, and I struggled between present and past! I seriously could have written this post about a year ago. I went with 1st present. I wrote about 2/3 in 1st past, but found there were several parts that I wrote in 1st present and though I tried to change and "fix" them to match tense, but it just sounded wrong, so I switched the whole thing to present. I am so glad I did. I even started this novel in 3rd and switched to 1st. This book knew it wanted to be 1st present and it just had to fight me to get there. Glad I listened to it!
I went with 1st present. I wrote about 2/3 in 1st past, but found there were several parts that I wrote in 1st present and though I tried to change and "fix" them to match tense, but it just sounded wrong, so I switched the whole thing to present. I am so glad I did. I even started this novel in 3rd and switched to 1st. This book knew it wanted to be 1st present and it just had to fight me to get there. Glad I listened to it! 
1. He walked to the car, as if to celebrate victory. Instead he was ran over by a car.
2. I walk to the car, I have won. Holy crap --
Which would you rather read? I don't mean that divisively, it's just very jarring if your also going to kill off your protagonist. Then again, I'm sure I'd be fine with it if I didn't.
2. I walk to the car, I have won. Holy crap --
Which would you rather read? I don't mean that divisively, it's just very jarring if your also going to kill off your protagonist. Then again, I'm sure I'd be fine with it if I didn't.
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Well... killing off a protagonist in first person would stop the narrative (if they're truly dead and not coming back as a ghost or something). It's not exactly standard first-person fare.
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The way you've written it, I would pick the top sample.
But... it's based on how you wrote those samples, though.
I remember reading some paranormal/supernatural/horror/fantasy stories where the protagonist died and is telling the story as a ghost or spirit, etc. Or switching to another POV character. So, killing off the POV character in a first-person story can be done. It would be tricky, though.
Like anything else, it depends on the writer's skills and if it works for the story, genre, marketing audience, etc.
I don't really like stories where the protagonist(s) die(s) and avoid such stories, so I don't see that kind of scene often.
I still prefer first-person. (Though limited third-person that focuses on just one character comes close.)
Then again, I'm one of those strange people who don't usually like lots of POV characters/shifts in one story, lol.
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MK England, you confused me! I saw "my" avatar and was reading your post thinking, "I don't remember posting this!" The funny thing is, my first novel was in 3rd person, but current WIP (actually it's finished) is in 1st, and I struggled between present and past! I seriously could have written this post about a year ago.
Keeps happening to me too, every time I see one of your posts! I think I have enough posts to change mine now, so I'll have to find something good.
This weekend I'm going to rewrite the first chapter of my new WiP as 3rd person and as 1st person past. I'm one of those people that always had an issue with first-present, but obviously my muse is a jerk.
What genres were your previous 1st and 3rd person works?
But it did happen in a notable YA book that shall go unnamed...
(and worth noting that it really surprised everyone and not always in a good way)
Last time I wrote in third person people had a hard time connecting with my main character. This has gotten a lot better since writing in first (have I also just improved as a writer since 2010? one would hope, but.) I don't want to say third is definitively harder to do well, but for me it might be.
Some of my favorite books are in third, but at the same time, reading subpar third bothers me a lot more. I think it's because when I was reading a lot of people's bad, amateur writing (including my own), back in the day, third person was the norm. I just read a published novel that I thought sounded like a mediocre fanfiction circa 2006*. I'm sure some of those were in first person, too, but first doesn't give me the same feeling! When I think about the published books I think are kinda crappy but still like anyways, they're mostly first.
*as a side note, I just looked up my fanfiction.net profile and OH MY
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If you have multiple narrators, you can do it.
Of course, I'm not a fan of multiple narrators, but I do like multiple POV stories. So that's why I write almost exclusively third person.
It intimidates me because I like to write third person stories more, unless what I'm working on calls for first person, but most of the really popular and successful YA I've read is, in fact, in first person. I suppose it's also easier to let that elusive "voice" channel through someone's writing in first person, too. It makes it easier for the reader to put themselves in the story. I really can't even recall the last third person YA I read in the last year or so
Ha! I tried to change my avie years ago, but failed, and now I'm so used to Wonder Woman I don't know if I'll change it. Maybe I'll find my own WW.
My first MS in 3rd was MG, but it's trunked. My current novel that I started 3rd but switched to 1st is a YA Post-apocalyptic that I'm subbing now.