1. Jade

    Jade Active Member

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    First or Third person perspective?

    Discussion in 'Word Mechanics' started by Jade, Aug 28, 2008.

    Which do you find comes easiest to you when writing? And also, why do you think that is?

    For me, I find first person is much easier. With third, I repeat the characters name way to much, and I find it hard to include the characters thoughts.
     
  2. Ungood

    Ungood New Member

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    I used to only write in third, because first used to intimidate me, but I have gotten more involved with first recently thanks to the RPG section and I am enjoying it.
     
  3. Marcelo

    Marcelo Member

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    I find it easier to write third person, but maybe that's because I've read more novels in that third person. I would like to write first person too, but I just suck. :p
    I'm trying to learn though, some genres and stories may be better, feel more complete in a certain point of view...
     
  4. mammamaia

    mammamaia nit-picker-in-chief Contributor

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    and you don't think you repeat your name [i/me] way too much?!?
     
  5. Jade

    Jade Active Member

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    True :p. But luckily, when I look for it, it's easier to avoid.

    Edit: And yes, I had to rewrite that sentence to take out some of the . Haha.
     
  6. jman1217

    jman1217 New Member

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    I write almost all of my stories in first person. It's just easier for me to write that way.
     
  7. Kylie

    Kylie New Member

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    For me, first person is much easier. But I always try to write 3rd person because I'm usually more comfortable reading 3rd person (and I figure that's what most people are like.) And yes, thoughts are a lot harder to include when I write 3rd person (but I try to do it anyway!) :)
     
  8. ciavyn

    ciavyn New Member

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    I like both, but I think a good writer - Lord knows, not me - can probably make the same statement in both PoV.

    I tend to lean towards 1st person, too. I read somewhere though that when you work through the first person, you have to have a character that is almost clairvoyant, in some ways, and definitely sharper than the average bear.
     
  9. Palimpsest

    Palimpsest New Member

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    Third-person omniscient (but occasionally get close-focus) all the way, because I write to play God. :D Also I love love love plotting, so usually not one of my characters will know everything that I think is needed to be known.
     
  10. TwinPanther13

    TwinPanther13 New Member

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    I started off telling stories to my friends in class when we got bored so first person is easier for me.

    Al my stories back then would have me being the voice of some person and telling what i did so i believe it is just natural for me to like it.

    I also like first peron cause when I tell stories live i can leave people guessing about what is real and what is made up

    Evil laugh hehehehe
     
  11. fossil

    fossil New Member

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    I was led to believe it's better to write in 3rd. Writing in 1st means any action not involving you directly has to be told in a roundabout way; if you know what I mean.
     
  12. Nilfiry

    Nilfiry Senior Member

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    I'm stuck on Third Person Limited. Using "I" alot is just the same as using other characters' name alot, and I feel weird when I use First.
     
  13. Scattercat

    Scattercat Active Member

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    That's very odd. To me, first person is almost unbearably hard to do. I run out of things to say!

    I very much prefer third person limited. That way, if I need more viewpoints, I can go get another character to write from, but I'm not stuck with this sort of conversation that goes on and on and on.

    I wonder if it has anything to do with how bad I am at journaling? I've tried on several occasions, but it's all I can do to even keep a Livejournal updated every few months. It just feels weird to me to have a running commentary on what I'm doing, and so I have a hard time writing a character who does the same.
     
  14. Kratos

    Kratos New Member

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    I prefer 3rd person mainly so that I can have other POVs. But I normally stick to 3rd-person limited, where I can see into the mind of one character at a time, and only see what they see, but still say their name instead of "I" or "me".

    Also I've read more 3rd person than 1st person, although two of my favorite books are in 1st person, (The Name of the Wind and Assassin's Apprentice).
     
  15. TwinPanther13

    TwinPanther13 New Member

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    I believe it leads itself to more imagery. I have a shot story I wrote in 1st person maybe I should post it

    I also thinks it gets the person more involved and it makes it easier for me to write a story in present tense
     
  16. Cogito

    Cogito Former Mod, Retired Supporter Contributor

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    As a generalization, ot's a good one.

    First person takes a lot more skill to pull off successfully, and it isn't appropriate for every kind of story, You can always use third person, though. And a third person perspectiev is familiar. It is how stories are traditionally told, so as listeners or readers we are least distracted by third person delivery,

    Language favors third person, again because it is the most heavily used voice. Language develops around need, and because third person is the dominant voice, more language has grown around it.

    First person is occasionally viable. I did choose it for a short story I recently posted in te Review Room, and I think it worked out fairly well/

    What never works, in my opinion, is trying to tell a story in second person. I have seen people attempt it, but I have yet to see it work well.
     
  17. Scattercat

    Scattercat Active Member

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    Hey, don't knock my Choose Your Own Adventure books!
     
  18. TwinPanther13

    TwinPanther13 New Member

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    ok what is a story in second person cause I have always wondered about that?
     
  19. TwinPanther13

    TwinPanther13 New Member

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    never mind I got it. that would be a hard way to write a story. sounds like I might have to try it out
     
  20. Cogito

    Cogito Former Mod, Retired Supporter Contributor

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    Don't say I didn't warn you!

    To me second person soujnds like the writer is the ventriloquist operating the reader. And no one gets to shove their hand up there to the elbow! :eek:
     
  21. mistressoftheflies

    mistressoftheflies New Member

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    Most often, I write in third person; it's so much easier for me to do.
    I tried writing in first a couple of times, but I nearly went batty. :p
    I have two stories that I'm slowly planning, and I'm hoping to do at least one in first person.

    We'll see! -crosses fingers-
     
  22. Tinja

    Tinja New Member

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    First person. Of course. Comes more naturally. Only when writing/thinking historical novels I use Third person wiev.
     
  23. Charisma

    Charisma Transposon Contributor

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    I don't know, very honestly. I don't know which one I write better. But IMO, each kind of story needs a special kind of narration.

    My first novel was first-person with shifting perspectives, and I believe I could've never brought the same effect with third-person limited or omniscient, maybe first-person with one narrator could've substituted. But the beauty it had with the style I picked it, I cannot mend it with any other style.

    My other novel uses third-person omniscience with the flashbacks in first-person, and I think that if I shifted the perspective to first-person, the sarcasm I've used would be lost, and the story would be nothing but crabbiness since my main character is a sourpuss all the time.

    Therefore, I play with both perspectives as needed. I don't know which I write better, only those who have RPed with me or read my writings can judge.
     
  24. tehuti88

    tehuti88 New Member

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    I find third person easiest, mainly because I write from many characters' POVs, thus first person would be inconvenient for me. I have no trouble whatsoever indicating a character's thoughts in third person; in fact I find it easier that way, because in first person, the character is the narrator and they may be unreliable. I. e., they might say they think something or feel a certain way when really they don't, and without the impartial third-person narrator to tell the truth, there's no way to be sure. The main character in my current WIP, for example, tends to get crushes easily, but she of course denies them, even to herself. In first person it might not be obvious that she's being untruthful because even she doesn't think she is. Sure, I can show her unreliability through her actions, but that only goes so far.

    I can do first person with ease when I want. I just find it too limiting most of the time. So I guess it's more a matter of convenience, what works best for telling the story, than of ease/difficulty for me.
     

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