FA+
Shop
First Person and maybe second and third...
3 years ago
I was asked to do a journal on writing in first person. It's kind of funny that I'd be asked because I rarely use it.
First person is the perspective used in writing and/or storytelling where the story is told directly from a character's point of view. (For those wondering, second person is told from an instructive point of view. Instead of "I did this" it's more of a "you did this.") First person enables the author to put the reader directly in the story, allows the reader to know the thoughts of the character in real time, and makes developing that character easier. One of the most famous first person novels is The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie. It set a high standard for writing from that perspective because of its use in a mystery novel and because it reaffirmed the author's superiority in the genre. I could say more about it, but the rest would be spoilers. I recommend the book for seeing how that perspective can be used effectively.
Like many mechanics used in writing it also has its disadvantages. You're locked into one point of view. While it's possible (by breaking some rules) to show the reader things not seen by the narrator, it's not recommended as it pulls the reader away from the story and puts you, as the author, in a position where you have to work to put her back into the story. The biggest and best example of where this limitation can hurt is in Twighlight. The narrator falls unconscious before the final fight and wakes up after it's over. The writer spends most of the length of her novel building up to that fight and the reader never sees it.
Along the same lines, character development of other characters tends to be overshadowed because the thoughts and actions of the narrator are always at the forefront. There are ways to overcome this, especially through the use of literary foils, but you're at a slight disadvantage when everything everyone else does is going through the thought filter of the narrator.
It's not so much a drawback (although it can be) as it is an observation, but first person also tends to be a little too much when it comes to putting the author in the story. It's easy for it to become so obvious that the reader feels removed from the character rather than inside the character. In the same way, with only one person for the reader to directly relate to, it can have the same effect.
Writing from this point of view requires a higher level of knowledge about the character and forces the author to directly enter the persona. In that way, writing in first person is a lot like acting in a play or movie. It's not enough to know how the character thinks: you have to know about the character's hopes, dreams, aspirations, history, and in many cases, future. True, knowing those things will help your writing for all characters in third person as well, but this point of view requires it to an extreme level. You need to be able to convince the reader that you are that character.
Those who follow me know that I'm against any kind writing drill. They tend to engrain bad habits more than help you polish your work. Here's something you can do on a regular basis that can help without hurting your writing skills: narrate your life. Don't write it down, just narrate it as it happens, a little like those old private eye TV shows used to do. It can make you more self aware in regards to your thoughts and reactions to different events. Classes in acting can also help.
That's about all I have on this topic. Like I mentioned at the start, it's not my favorite PoV, although I do use it at times. Even in third person, you might sometimes find yourself having a character relate a short event. Don't use it though if you can show the actual event. Hopefully you find this helpful. I try to write in an upbeat and fun way that avoids the usual writer angst so prevalent in writing advice. As always, if you have any suggestions for future posts, let me know through DM or through my email at chaaya dot chandra at outlook dot com. In the meantime, may you keep running forward and never look back.
First person is the perspective used in writing and/or storytelling where the story is told directly from a character's point of view. (For those wondering, second person is told from an instructive point of view. Instead of "I did this" it's more of a "you did this.") First person enables the author to put the reader directly in the story, allows the reader to know the thoughts of the character in real time, and makes developing that character easier. One of the most famous first person novels is The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie. It set a high standard for writing from that perspective because of its use in a mystery novel and because it reaffirmed the author's superiority in the genre. I could say more about it, but the rest would be spoilers. I recommend the book for seeing how that perspective can be used effectively.
Like many mechanics used in writing it also has its disadvantages. You're locked into one point of view. While it's possible (by breaking some rules) to show the reader things not seen by the narrator, it's not recommended as it pulls the reader away from the story and puts you, as the author, in a position where you have to work to put her back into the story. The biggest and best example of where this limitation can hurt is in Twighlight. The narrator falls unconscious before the final fight and wakes up after it's over. The writer spends most of the length of her novel building up to that fight and the reader never sees it.
Along the same lines, character development of other characters tends to be overshadowed because the thoughts and actions of the narrator are always at the forefront. There are ways to overcome this, especially through the use of literary foils, but you're at a slight disadvantage when everything everyone else does is going through the thought filter of the narrator.
It's not so much a drawback (although it can be) as it is an observation, but first person also tends to be a little too much when it comes to putting the author in the story. It's easy for it to become so obvious that the reader feels removed from the character rather than inside the character. In the same way, with only one person for the reader to directly relate to, it can have the same effect.
Writing from this point of view requires a higher level of knowledge about the character and forces the author to directly enter the persona. In that way, writing in first person is a lot like acting in a play or movie. It's not enough to know how the character thinks: you have to know about the character's hopes, dreams, aspirations, history, and in many cases, future. True, knowing those things will help your writing for all characters in third person as well, but this point of view requires it to an extreme level. You need to be able to convince the reader that you are that character.
Those who follow me know that I'm against any kind writing drill. They tend to engrain bad habits more than help you polish your work. Here's something you can do on a regular basis that can help without hurting your writing skills: narrate your life. Don't write it down, just narrate it as it happens, a little like those old private eye TV shows used to do. It can make you more self aware in regards to your thoughts and reactions to different events. Classes in acting can also help.
That's about all I have on this topic. Like I mentioned at the start, it's not my favorite PoV, although I do use it at times. Even in third person, you might sometimes find yourself having a character relate a short event. Don't use it though if you can show the actual event. Hopefully you find this helpful. I try to write in an upbeat and fun way that avoids the usual writer angst so prevalent in writing advice. As always, if you have any suggestions for future posts, let me know through DM or through my email at chaaya dot chandra at outlook dot com. In the meantime, may you keep running forward and never look back.
