I vs. Her
Kendal: I just finished my first ever 1st pov story! I loved writing it. I got to have deep pov and really get into Melody’s head. I found it easier to write sarcasm and humor (or at least what I hope is perceived as humor!). I felt that during the emotional conflicting moments I was able to really dive into her hurt and pain. Once I got into the story, it really poured out. The negative, or hurtle if you will, that I found I needed to get over was not being able to get into the hero’s head. There were a few key scenes where I would have loved to have his insight.
Looking back now that I am done, the final product turned into a self-discovery journey for Melody. Since I was knee deep into her head, I was able to show her growing as a person and learning life lessons without having it come off as preachy. But without being in Drew’s pov, I felt distant from him from the get go. I liked the guy, but he was a bit harder for me to get a handle on then her. I guess you could say he feels like a secondary character instead of a lead. Maybe that is how all 1st pov stories are though. I’m thinking back to the first books I ever read in 1st pov. Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum’s series. I hardly got to know or care about her on/again off/again boyfriend, Joe (that could also be because she was lusting after Ranger for the past 10 books). Still using Ms. Evanovich’s books as an example, they are the first time I really had a good belly laugh at a character and enjoyed humor in a novel. Maybe I’m not reading enough, but I associate snarky with 1st pov because that’s been my experience. Overall though, I much prefer to read in 3rd, and I think this is because I am a true daydreamer and I want to fall in love with the hero. For me to do that, I want to feel his struggles and experience his growth and love for the heroine, and I enjoy that most in his pov. April, do you write in 1st pov or 3rd? Which do you prefer to read?
April: I usually don’t like to read first POV; however, I’m a huge fan of Twilight so I can see where it would be incredibly useful. For me the decision on whether something should be first or third really is a personal choice and dependent on what you want to do with your story. For instance, I’m attempting a first person novella right now. I chose first person because there actually is very little that happens externally in the book. It’s more about her working through her own emotional issues and making decisions and going after something she wants. The action really happens in the last quarter of the book. I did have to add a epilogue in third person which I”m not sure will fly since the rest of the book is first but there’s no other good way to do it.
Honestly, first person really restricts your ability to tell the story because you’re stuck there in that one head.
Yet, Harry Potter could have (with the exception of the first chapter of a few of the books) been written in first POV… and JK managed to do a heck of a lot with building suspense and so forth without showing you anything else other than Harry’s viewpoint. Of course, she also had magic on her side and a huge cast of characters to relay information that Harry wouldn’t have directly seen which helps tremendously.
As a writer though… first POV is HARD. OMG. is it hard. I keep double and triple checking my stuff to see if it makes sense. It just feels weird to write. When the writing is flowing, it’s fun… but then when you start analyzing it, you have to wonder if it’s just complete junk (maybe that’s just me).
I think the problem is that first POV removes the distance from the writing that as a writer I prefer to have. Reviewing a story that looks and reads more as an expose of myself is harder to critique and find fault with. I get all caught up in … well… me!
First POV is perfect for some genre’s like young adult but writing a love scene in the first person is weird. It’s really a tough choice. This is an interesting topic… what brought it up?
Kendal: I am starting my 2nd full length YA novel. I really wrestled with 1st or 3rd and have finally decided to go with 3rd. Not because the market can handle either way, or because I just wrote a 1st, but because the first character to ‘come to me’ to speak to me and whisper in my ear, was Karson. I just don’t want to not give the reader the chance to see things from his perspective. My challenge this book will be to infuse humor, wit and sarcasm into the pages without having it seem like I’m telling instead of showing. Wish me luck!
So what do you write/read in? Share your thoughts on this subject.
I have not yet used 1st POV but when I write 3rd I often feel there is a definite distance I am putting between the reader and the characters. Like they are standing outside the scene totally and can never get inside it.
Can one have alternating 1st POV’s? Isn’t that what Diedre Knight did with her last novel?
I know this answer puts me in the minority, but I MUCH prefer well-written 1st POV to 3rd.
Ialways write in 1st. The few attempts I’ve made at 3rd have been, well, boring. It’s too distancing for me. I’m just not good at it, while I am good at 1st.
Which is strange, because from what I hear, most writers find 1st very difficult, but for me, it’s the more natural voice. It’s what I’m comfortable writing and what I prefer to read.
As a reader I love first person–many of my favorite books are 1st person– but I feel that there’s enough of a general prejudice against it that it is actually a disadvantage to work in it. (A shocking aside: an agent once told me she didn’t even read 1st person mansuscripts. ikes!)
My first 4 published novellas are in 3rd, but I’m writing one now that just has to be in the 1st. I started in the 3rd but kept slipping into first person, so I gave up the fight.
You’ve got to do what the Muse wants. And I know she’s right. 1st fits the story best in so many ways. But I do worry that it’s making it less marketable.
Yvette,
After having written in first, third definitely feels more distant. You make a good point.
I have to wonder in adult romance though… sometimes you want that distance. First person makes it almost too personal. If it’s a highly charged emotional roller coaster, that third person allows the reader to remain outside, watching rather than experiencing. In this way, when someone is reading for escape, first person may be uncomfortable.
April
Amanda,
When you can write first person POV well, you should stick with it. For your market and your genre, those work well. Why fix what works so well and is popular in certain genres.
I wish I could get comfortable with it… I know first person present is REALLY uncomfortable for me. Uncomfortable to read and uncomfortable to write (I can’t even think of trying).
YA though is the place for first person… they love that in that market.
April
Evie,
I used to be like that with first person. I wouldn’t even read it. As soon as I saw I, the book was closed.
I think something that is VERY hard to do with first person is to keep it interesting – you’re in the characters head for over 100 pages. There thoughts better now get boring or repetitive.
Unfortunately, you can tell quickly with first pov if the character depth isn’t there. The book lacks any spark.
Mediocre first person just can’t cut it.
Interesting that there are editors that will turn away first person. I think that may be very true.
April
I’ve tried write from both points of view, and oddly enough, the one manuscript that’s languishing at the bottom of my to-do list is a chick-lit novel in 1st person. I just got tired of hearing her go on and on about her life.
When I write in 3rd person, I tend to go into deep third. Not only do I try to incorporate what the characters are thinking and feeling, but I will occasionally have them throw in their own mental one-liners. It provides some of the intimacy of 1st person without restricting me to one character throughout the entire story and lets me add some distance where needed when things are on the verge of getting “uncomfortable”.
As for reading, I’m game for whatever. My main concern is that I want to care about the characters while seeing the story move forward. If an author is going to write in 1st person POV, please make the narrator interesting and not some head case that never seems to get past an issue. If an author picks 3rd person, please give me enough insight into the character(s) that I experience what they experience and come to care about them.
Look forward to reading it.
It’s time to read a great new romantic comedy, entitled Classes Apart.
This is an adult sporting comedy that follows the fortunes of Paul Marriot, the secretary of the Barnstorm Village Sunday soccer team and coach of a school cricket team in Yorkshire, England. The story describes the remarkable camaraderie between the players and supporters of this little club and their desire to achieve success. The team had previously been known more for its antics off the field, rather than their performances on it.
During his time at the club he meets and becomes involved with Emma Potter, who is the sister of James Potter, a major player for their bitter rivals Moortown Inn. Thus, begins an entangled web of romance and conflict. He also begins working at Derry High School, a school with a poor reputation of academic success, where he becomes coach of the school cricket team. Here he develops an amazing relationship with the children and they embark on an epic journey.
http://www.eloquentbooks.com/ClassesApart.html
Crista,
Good points!!! I agree, great writing can come from first or third. You have to feel for the characters and be brought into their world.
I think someone that does a fantastic job of getting it right without pages and pages of angst is Charlaine Harris and her Sookie Stackhouse series. I’m reading the last three books in that series now and it’s a fantastic balance.
April