Points of View · 8:13pm Jan 15th, 2013
Just my thoughts and personal opinion on different points of view and how they can be best utilized in a story.
First Person: First person stories are interesting, as it offers us a narrator and character that we can connect to easier as we see their inner thoughts and behaviour. However I find to often the author makes themselves this character, and while sometimes this works, most of the time the story becomes bland and mary stuish. The character can be like the author, but self-inserts just don't work. Instead the narrator should serve as a foil to other characters. Unreliable narrators can work exceptionally well, like Bromden from One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest and Holden Caulfield from Catcher in the Rye. They give us a view we often know is biased or unlikely, but it leaves us guessing and often tells the story so much better than regular first person.
Second Person: I find this just doesn't work in most stories, as since the reader is a character within the story, you can't describe or give personality to them. If the author tries then you have readers thinking, "I wouldn't do that!" or "I don't think like this!". I just really don't see this as a efficient way of telling a story, unless it's something like those old choose your own adventure stories, as there we're given choices. In those situations I think it's a great way of telling a story.
Third Person: Most stories and books are written this way, so there's a wide range of amazing and absolutely dreadful examples. This is the point of view I use most often, and I think most of the time it can tell a great story. The author isn't restricted to a single characters mind and presence, instead it can show the thoughts and emotions of multiple characters. It's the simplest way to tell a story, but often it's the most effective. However unlike first person, there's no personality to the narration. It can be a bit boring and bland at times.
There are of course other points of view, such as alternating. But I really only felt like touching on the three biggest. I myself prefer third person, but there are some brilliant stories and books that use first person perfectly. I've tried writing a bit of first person, though I don't believe I'm a good enough writer to use it effectively. I suppose really it depends on the story, and just what the author is trying to get across.
I should probably get back to writing the last chapter of Married Life.
YES. YES YOU SHOULD.
That is, assuming have picked a name from suggestions or decided on one yourself Legacy, even though I wanted to give a suggestion; but couldn't think of one, as know jack about what the child will be like, appearance-wise. Or in picking one that sounds pony-like, etc.
And this was good, though I'm not sure why people write 2nd POV stories, I still read them. I think it's to have the reader immerse themselves in the story if they were different, even if usually, they may forget it's supposed to BE them.
I usually write in third person most of the time because it's the one I'm most used to and, as you say, I'm not limited to only one character, and it gives me a lot of freedom. But recently I've started to experiment with the first person, and I like it. Telling the story from the non-omniscient perpespective of only one of the characters is a very interesting experience.
Second person POV is just too cool of a concept to work effectively all the time. My guess is that you'd really have to make the implied person super relatable or your readers must be willing to take on the persona you give them.
It's a really interesting format. I suppose that someone could even just make their story popular by using second person in a clever way.