Join me as I delve into the range of narrative perspectives available to you when writing your stories.
Together, we’ll unravel the intimacy of first person, tackle the seldom-used yet powerful second person, and journey into the adaptable realm of third person, examining both its limited and omniscient versions.
We’ll also discuss how different genres may gravitate towards certain viewpoints and the creative possibilities that arise from mixing perspectives.
There’s a wealth of opportunity in each viewpoint, and no single one-size-fits-all approach. Let’s experiment and find the best narrative voice for our stories together.
Hello, Jane Cleland here.
What are my point of view options? First person, second person, and third person—and third person has limited and omniscient. Some people add an objective point of view as well.
Now, how do you decide which to use and when? Well, first person is the most intimate. It allows the reader to really see what the narrator is seeing—and nothing else. It works well for traditional mysteries, called fair play mysteries, where you want the reader to know what the sleuth knows at the time the sleuth knows it. But you don’t want them to have a wider lens view of the situation.
Second person is not done often. It’s jarring; it almost feels accusatory—you. But of course, it is done sometimes, and it can be quite effective.
Third person is by far the most common. Limited stays with someone and gets into their head. Omniscient is this wider lens view.
So how do I decide? If I want that intimacy, I might go with first person. If I want something jarring—and a good example of that is Jay McInerney’s Bright Lights, Big City—for example: “You are not the kind of guy who would be at a place like this at this time of the morning.” So it’s whoa! It’s a different point of view but impactful.
Now, third person: if you want to be able to share their inner reflections, that’s limited. Omniscient is especially effective for perhaps sci-fi or fantasy where there’s a complex world, and you need to take that wider lens view and bring people into the world little by little by little.
Can you combine them? Yes. Maybe one person’s chapters are in first person and the next chapter is in third person. Romance is generally limited and would be two points of view—the two love interests—but then maybe there’s a Greek chorus, a third one as well. You could even have that one be in first person. Infinite combinations! There’s no one way to do it. You need to experiment and see what works for your story.
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Thank you so much!
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