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First-person writing vs. third-person

WriterJohnB

WriterJohnB

Member
There's a thread going on at http//:www.samsdotpublishing.com about 1st vs 3rd person where writers and editors are giving their opinions. On their message board. You might find it interesting to see what editors think on the subject.

Personally, I prefer to use 3rd for nearly all my work, but there are some stories that are more effective in 1st. But I've noticed that several editors are predisposed against 1st person because so many of the submissions they receive in 1st seem to be from beginning writers, who don't yet know other aspects of the craft. I've seen quite a few editors who come right out in their submission guidelines asking that 1st person ms. not be submitted to them.

Whatcha think?

JohnB
 
Third-Person is my bread and butter, I believe that in order to succesfully craft a first-person perspective you need to be specially varied in how you view things. Third-Person allows me to flesh out my characters without throwing too much of my own self in them (egotism, smart-assery, dislike towards certain things; I choose to make my characters different people, not me over and over), even though I do add in my own character traits once in awhile to form a familiarity with their emotions. From what I have done, there are aspects where I will put in 1st-person scenes, but only as a sort of way to delve deeper into a characters head, but never a main protagonist or another "good," character. Usually in the antagonist or character left up to debate, I will go into small portions of a first-person fragment that has them talking to themself. Other than that, 1st-persons are too rough for me. Two good examples, though, of that writing style are The Beach by Alex Garland (and The Coma), and Bag Of Bones by Stephen King.
 
I don't like first-person because it makes me feel like I should be describing my point-of-view, and I'm constantly editing it to make myself sound better. And I don't like things written in my voice nearly as much as I like things written in the characters' voices.

I certainly don't mind reading first-person as much as I mind writing it. I just don't think that I am personally a reliable narrator. I need a lot clearer of a separation between me and the character for the character to live and breathe on its own.
 
ValkyrieRaven88 said:
I don't like first-person because it makes me feel like I should be describing my point-of-view.
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Distancing yourself from your narrator, whether you're writing in the first or third person, is something that comes with practice - in fact if you are serious about your writing you should try writing first person narrative and stretch your writing muscles so to speak.

Sometimes the narrative needs a first person narrator, I've just finished Anne Tyler's Patchwok Planet where the narrator is a slightly feckless 30 year old man (definitely not her voice there!) - he wouldn't have been nearly so sympathetic if it had been a third person narrative. She writes in the 3rd person too.

For another excellent example of first person writing try Rupert Holmes - Where the Truth Lies, a superb thriller where the narrator is a young woman.
 
The only time that I like first person writing in a novel is when different chapters are from different points of view. For instance, in Blue Girl, if I remember correctly, the three or four main characters each get a few chapters to themselves, in first person. So you still get the full perspective.

I have, however, had it beaten into my head that first person is not permissible in writing. After all, one never writes a research paper with "I", "me", or--heaven forbid--"you" in it.
 
SevenWritez said:
Third-Person is my bread and butter, I believe that in order to succesfully craft a first-person perspective you need to be specially varied in how you view things. Third-Person allows me to flesh out my characters without throwing too much of my own self in them (egotism, smart-assery, dislike towards certain things; I choose to make my characters different people, not me over and over), even though I do add in my own character traits once in awhile to form a familiarity with their emotions. From what I have done, there are aspects where I will put in 1st-person scenes, but only as a sort of way to delve deeper into a characters head, but never a main protagonist or another "good," character. Usually in the antagonist or character left up to debate, I will go into small portions of a first-person fragment that has them talking to themself. Other than that, 1st-persons are too rough for me. Two good examples, though, of that writing style are The Beach by Alex Garland (and The Coma), and Bag Of Bones by Stephen King.
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I do try to expand to first-person narratives in short stories, but I find it too limiting in novels. Besides, I kind of like being able to carry on two storylines at once and jumping back and forth between them when I get bored with one. It keeps me from getting burned out sometimes.
 
Although a lot of my favourite books are written in the first person, I find it incredibly hard to use in my writing.

I wrote the first draft of my third novel in the first person, to see if I could (what was the phrase - stretching my writing muscles) but it didn't really work. I'm now about to start rewriting it in the third person because it will be a much stronger narrative if I can use more than one perspective. I think it's a mistake to think it's easier to write in the first person because in fact its very limiting in terms of what you can divulge to the reader.

Also, when I do it it tends to sound a bit like entries from my diary...
 
It does seem astonishing that certain editors have a 'no-first-person-narratives' rule - if that really is true. I doubt they are very successful editors. No major publishing house could afford to adopt such a draconian, and senselessly draconian, measure.

There's no reason I can see why a first-person narrative should contain any more of the author's personality than a third person one. I have written first-person as a 13-year-old girl, which I am not and have never been, and in any case this girl was 13 in 1926... *because I was pretending*.
 
I believe it's because the editors receive a disproportionately large volume of poorly written 1st person submissions.
 
You should see the first-person narratives on fictionpress.net. It's pretty bad...well, actually, almost all of the work there is pretty bad. If you ever want a laugh, it's a good place to get one. Mary Sues galore.
 
Rien said:
The only time that I like first person writing in a novel is when different chapters are from different points of view.
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That's my opinion as well. I particularly think that first-person was used effectively in The Bartimaeus Trilogy (I would put a URL in here but apparently we newbies are not allowed to), a little-known and underappreciated Young Adult book series, because it switches fluidly and effortlessly between first person for Bartimaeus and third person for other characters, when the viewpoint changes.
 
I hear they're making a movie for Bartimaeus...that should give it more public appeal. I found the first novel around the time of it's release (I guess), and had to shift and twitch while waiting for book two to come out, same for three. Great trilogy. I can't believe I forgot to mention it when I gave my little first-person examples.
 
WriterJohnB said:
...I've noticed that several editors are predisposed against 1st person because so many of the submissions they receive in 1st seem to be from beginning writers, who don't yet know other aspects of the craft. I've seen quite a few editors who come right out in their submission guidelines asking that 1st person ms. not be submitted to them.
Whatcha think?
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Sounds very limiting, but I suppose that Sam's Publishing is geared to beginning writers and it takes practice speak as another in "I" mode.
Many great novels are in first person; I hope that writers don't limit themselves based on the whims of editors.
 
I wrote my first novel Star-Crossed (Alfred A. Knopf; 2006) in first person because of the immediacy it lends. My protagonist is a teenager, and I wanted a more self-absorbed point-of-view. I also liked the challenge of writing in first person because of the limited p.o.v. I'm now writing book II of the Star-Crossed trilogy, still in first person. Book three I might switch to third person, limited, but I'm not sure yet. If you want to check it out, Random House has an excerpt of my novel on their site. Or check out the author's website lindacollison.com
 
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