I've been writing a long time, but I've never written anything seriously. That being a story with an actual plot with actual conflicts. Now I've finally figured out a story that I can actually see becoming a well-written book and I'm super excited to write it. I didn't realize the technicalities involved like what POV, or what tense I'm using. I'd never thought about it before, I'd just write, it wasn't like people were going to see it. Now I'm just a bit lost, is there a big difference between first person and third person limited? Does what tense you use have an effect on your readers? Is there anything else I should know about before I start writing? Or am I just overcomplicating things and these are decisions I can make or change later on? Any and all help is appreciated.
You're over complicating. Everyone favours one style so just write the way you normally write, and stick to it throughout the story. Goods luck
Welcome to the forum. There is almost nothing you can do in 1st person that you can't also do in 3rd limited. As for tense, it's a matter of personal preference, both for writer and reader. In other words, write in whatever you feel most comfortable. Best of luck.
The main difference between 1st and 3rd person limited is pronoun usage (I vs. He, for example). For POV and tense, most of the time readers will have their own individual preferences but there's no overall dos or don'ts. Personally I don't read books written in 1st person and/or present tense, but there are plenty of readers who do.
I wouldn't think too much about this. Although its important to get your angle right, start putting your words on the page and see how the story unfolds. For all the planning and plotting I do, I find that things take a different turn when I start writing. Which helps to free you from some of the anxiety of which POV, or what tense. And remember, the first draft is your own. It doesn't have to read perfectly. See what you finish up with, then shape it afterwards.
Just out of interest, but why won't you read in present tense/1st person? Just like @Lyon06 I'm still deciding what tense I will use. I've been thinking of using a narrator because that's what I personally like, but not entirely sure.
The only thing I can really articulate is that first person puts me in the shoes of the MC, whereas I prefer to be an outside observer to any and all action. "I walked down the path to my mother's house." No I didn't! Why are you saying all these things I know I didn't do? As for why I dislike present tense, I really don't know why except to say I've given it a try several times and it's always makes for an awkward read. Close third is what I exclusively write and read.
Thanks for all the responses! I do have a tendency to overcomplicate things, and the classes I took in school further impounded the idea that writers always choose POV, tenses, and literary devices for a reason. I feel way more confident now, thanks!
Don't keep yourself from starting to write your story now, but learn to write as you write, by reading fiction, of course, but also by consulting resources on writing and applying what you learn to your draft.
