First-personed-out

MartinC · 03-26-2011, 08:25 AM

Everything I read at the moment seems to be written in the first person. I'm sure it wasn't always like that.

Not true, of course - there has always been first person fiction and there are plenty of books being written now which are not. But you know what I mean - first time writers particularly seem to gravitate to it. I know I did (inspired by Dick Francis) and found it much more difficult that I expected. Not an experiment I will try again in a hurry. Is it me? Maybe I'm just getting old.

DixieGal · 03-26-2011, 08:51 AM

I duuno, maybe it is personal preference. I prefer first person, especially in audiobooks. I don't have patience for narration, and particularly descriptive narrative. I always start skimming paragraphs when the description of the setting and characters comes along.

Having said that, I recently read (skimmed) the most boring first person book that I ever bought. "Spiral Jetta" is a very spoiled art student who takes a drive through the land art out West. Apparently the homecoming queen has never set foot outside the cul-de-sac until going for the drive in her Jetta. I wanted to shake her and tell her to shut up. But it is nominally a travel book, and I got some ideas of stops to make for our upcoming trip out West.

HarryT · 03-26-2011, 02:27 PM

Novels written in the first person are a pet hate of mine. For some unearthly reason, Patricia Cornwell switched from third person to first person mid-way through her "Kay Scarpetta" series of crime novels. I had to stop reading at that point - I just couldn't read the later novels because of the first person narration.

As a matter of interest, the only book I've ever encountered which is at least partially written in the second person is Homer's Odyssey

.

Pablo · 03-26-2011, 03:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

As a matter of interest, the only book I've ever encountered which is at least partially written in the second person is Homer's Odyssey

.

All "Choose Your Own Adventure" children books are written in the second person.

From Wikipedia

Quote:

Choose Your Own Adventure is a series of children's gamebooks where each story is written from a second-person point of view, with the reader assuming the role of the protagonist and making choices that determine the main character's actions in response to the plot and its outcome. Choose Your Own Adventure was one of the most popular children's series during the 1980s and 1990s, selling over 250 million copies between 1979 and 1998.

randyflycaster · 03-26-2011, 04:07 PM

From a writer's perspective, it's easier to write in the first person, as you don't have to worry about point-of-view techniques.

From a reader's perspective I'd rather read a first-person story, than a third-person one, where the writer violates POV rules, espcially when there is so much narrator "talking".

Randy

mr ploppy · 03-26-2011, 04:34 PM

I can't say that it bothers me much either way. I've read good and bad of both types. First person is harder to write well, but it can be fun sometimes. Especially with oddball characters with a skewed worldview (like my glue sniffer). What doesn't work so well is when they mix 1st and 3rd within the same book, or have multiple characters all using 1st and having more or less the same internal voice. But even that can work well sometimes, it's just harder to pull off.

James_Wilde · 03-26-2011, 05:28 PM

I must admit I prefer third person to any other, but one thing that really gets me going is present tense instead of past. It's okay for a short passage, maybe as much as a chapter, but the whole book? Yuck! Bought a book which sounded interesting, and discovered to my horror when it came that it was written in the present tense. I've made it to chapter two, but I doubt I'll get any further.

Piper_ · 03-26-2011, 06:28 PM

The only modern author I can think of who does first-person I've liked is Bernard Cornwell.

It's one of the big reasons I couldn't get though the ever-popular Outlander.

I look at the first page, and if it's first person, I skip it. I might be persuaded, but only if trusted reviews say it's a piece I can't possibly miss.

Anke Wehner · 03-27-2011, 04:38 AM

I generally prefer third person, but first person can work, too, if the voice is distinctive and to my liking.

Present tense tends to make my toenails curl, but it can work for flash fiction or short stories. I think present tense works better in first person than third.

Second person, the few times I've come across it, makes me angry, particularly when the narrative is trying to dictate what a certain event makes me think or feel.

dwig · 03-27-2011, 09:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

Novels written in the first person are a pet hate of mine. ...

I have to agree, though with a distinct emphasis on "novel".

On the other hand (I'm left handed so I do use my "other" hand a lot), I do enjoy short stories, and occasionally novella length work, written in the 1st person. For me, it can be effective when the piece is short and its structure is simple. Long, complex novel length works seem to become excessively difficult when in the 1st person.

altworld · 03-28-2011, 04:12 PM

All my work so far has been in third person, the first full length novel The Tether I wrote is in third person.

The novel I am writing now is in first person and admittedly I am struggling with it a little bit, but that's more of a voice issue. The interesting thing about first person novels is you can leave acres of plot development out, as it only happens if the narrator sees it. Its a very different change of style

Arigato,
Nick Davis

Iain Rowan · 03-28-2011, 04:41 PM

One of the things I like most in a novel as a reader is voice, and it's one of the things I enjoy most about writing (when it works...). That tends to mean that first person is where I start when I'm thinking about novels.

Interesting enough, most of my short stories are in 3rd person. Not sure why that is.

Hello everyone, by the way. Just joined the forum.

G J Lau · 03-28-2011, 04:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by randyflycaster

From a writer's perspective, it's easier to write in the first person, as you don't have to worry about point-of-view techniques.

From a reader's perspective I'd rather read a first-person story, than a third-person one, where the writer violates POV rules, espcially when there is so much narrator "talking".

Randy

Worked for me. I think the thriller/mystery genre is filled with superb first person writers, many of whom I read growing up, beginning with Sherlock Holmes. Maybe that influenced my decision to write in first person. Certainly it felt easier and more natural. That said, I plan to write in another voice just to see if I can do it.

ASparrow · 03-30-2011, 01:59 PM

Personally, I like first person, present tense, both as a reader and a writer. Three of my books are third person, past and one is first person, present (Lethe).

Not wanting to read it is understandable. It's sort of like a person not wanting to eat broccoli. I'm amused sometimes though by attempts to rationalize that first person technique is somehow inherently bad (as if broccoli were evil). True, there are some applications that are more appropriate than others but it can be an effective tool for creating a certain look and feel to a piece of writing.

I will probably write another one someday, despite the presence of so many non-broccoli eaters.

mentored1 · 04-06-2011, 12:31 PM

Interesting points all around, folks. I don't know if there's any one style that I prefer over any other. However, I definitely have all 3rd person at the top of my favorites.

I think there's a little disconnect with 1st/2nd person, because it tries to pull you in and put you in the shoes of the character; what if I can't relate to the character? What if I don't want to think and do the things being narrated? *shrug*

I'm trying to come up with some books written in 1st/2nd person that I'd consider "great" and I can't do it. Either the genre is too difficult to write or readers just can't get attached to the perspective.

Most (pretty much all) of my work is in 3rd person. I made a few attempts, via short stories, to engage in 1st person... won't be trying that again anytime soon!

03-26-2011, 08:25 AM	#1
MartinC Hanger on Posts: 148 Karma: 1355233 Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Dorset, UK Device: Kindle 3, Galaxy S, Sony PRS-505, Sony tablet	First-personed-out Everything I read at the moment seems to be written in the first person. I'm sure it wasn't always like that. Not true, of course - there has always been first person fiction and there are plenty of books being written now which are not. But you know what I mean - first time writers particularly seem to gravitate to it. I know I did (inspired by Dick Francis) and found it much more difficult that I expected. Not an experiment I will try again in a hurry. Is it me? Maybe I'm just getting old.

03-26-2011, 04:07 PM	#5
randyflycaster Zealot Posts: 113 Karma: 1000858 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: New York City Device: Sony 350	From a writer's perspective, it's easier to write in the first person, as you don't have to worry about point-of-view techniques. From a reader's perspective I'd rather read a first-person story, than a third-person one, where the writer violates POV rules, espcially when there is so much narrator "talking". Randy Last edited by randyflycaster; 03-26-2011 at 04:10 PM.

03-26-2011, 08:51 AM	#2
DixieGal Hi There! Posts: 7,473 Karma: 2930523 Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Ft Lauderdale Device: iPad	I duuno, maybe it is personal preference. I prefer first person, especially in audiobooks. I don't have patience for narration, and particularly descriptive narrative. I always start skimming paragraphs when the description of the setting and characters comes along. Having said that, I recently read (skimmed) the most boring first person book that I ever bought. "Spiral Jetta" is a very spoiled art student who takes a drive through the land art out West. Apparently the homecoming queen has never set foot outside the cul-de-sac until going for the drive in her Jetta. I wanted to shake her and tell her to shut up. But it is nominally a travel book, and I got some ideas of stops to make for our upcoming trip out West.

03-26-2011, 02:27 PM	#3
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383099 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	Novels written in the first person are a pet hate of mine. For some unearthly reason, Patricia Cornwell switched from third person to first person mid-way through her "Kay Scarpetta" series of crime novels. I had to stop reading at that point - I just couldn't read the later novels because of the first person narration. As a matter of interest, the only book I've ever encountered which is at least partially written in the second person is Homer's Odyssey .

03-26-2011, 04:34 PM	#6
mr ploppy Feral Underclass Posts: 3,622 Karma: 26821535 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Yorkshire, tha noz Device: 2nd hand paperback	I can't say that it bothers me much either way. I've read good and bad of both types. First person is harder to write well, but it can be fun sometimes. Especially with oddball characters with a skewed worldview (like my glue sniffer). What doesn't work so well is when they mix 1st and 3rd within the same book, or have multiple characters all using 1st and having more or less the same internal voice. But even that can work well sometimes, it's just harder to pull off.

03-26-2011, 05:28 PM	#7
James_Wilde Guru Posts: 802 Karma: 4727110 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Sweden Device: Iriver Story	I must admit I prefer third person to any other, but one thing that really gets me going is present tense instead of past. It's okay for a short passage, maybe as much as a chapter, but the whole book? Yuck! Bought a book which sounded interesting, and discovered to my horror when it came that it was written in the present tense. I've made it to chapter two, but I doubt I'll get any further.

03-26-2011, 06:28 PM	#8
Piper_ ~~~~~ Posts: 761 Karma: 1278391 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: USA Device: Kindle 3, Sony 350	The only modern author I can think of who does first-person I've liked is Bernard Cornwell. It's one of the big reasons I couldn't get though the ever-popular Outlander. I look at the first page, and if it's first person, I skip it. I might be persuaded, but only if trusted reviews say it's a piece I can't possibly miss.

03-27-2011, 04:38 AM	#9
Anke Wehner Addict Posts: 249 Karma: 177956 Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Germany Device: PRS-650	I generally prefer third person, but first person can work, too, if the voice is distinctive and to my liking. Present tense tends to make my toenails curl, but it can work for flash fiction or short stories. I think present tense works better in first person than third. Second person, the few times I've come across it, makes me angry, particularly when the narrative is trying to dictate what a certain event makes me think or feel.

03-28-2011, 04:12 PM	#11
altworld Evangelist Posts: 495 Karma: 746472 Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Deep in Maryland Device: Android G1	All my work so far has been in third person, the first full length novel The Tether I wrote is in third person. The novel I am writing now is in first person and admittedly I am struggling with it a little bit, but that's more of a voice issue. The interesting thing about first person novels is you can leave acres of plot development out, as it only happens if the narrator sees it. Its a very different change of style Arigato, Nick Davis

03-28-2011, 04:41 PM	#12
Iain Rowan Junior Member Posts: 8 Karma: 10 Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: UK Device: Kindle	One of the things I like most in a novel as a reader is voice, and it's one of the things I enjoy most about writing (when it works...). That tends to mean that first person is where I start when I'm thinking about novels. Interesting enough, most of my short stories are in 3rd person. Not sure why that is. Hello everyone, by the way. Just joined the forum.

03-30-2011, 01:59 PM	#14
ASparrow Addict Posts: 355 Karma: 600000 Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Boston Device: Palm TX	Personally, I like first person, present tense, both as a reader and a writer. Three of my books are third person, past and one is first person, present (Lethe). Not wanting to read it is understandable. It's sort of like a person not wanting to eat broccoli. I'm amused sometimes though by attempts to rationalize that first person technique is somehow inherently bad (as if broccoli were evil). True, there are some applications that are more appropriate than others but it can be an effective tool for creating a certain look and feel to a piece of writing. I will probably write another one someday, despite the presence of so many non-broccoli eaters.

04-06-2011, 12:31 PM	#15
mentored1 Smart Monkey Posts: 39 Karma: 16924 Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Rhode Island Device: Kindle	Interesting points all around, folks. I don't know if there's any one style that I prefer over any other. However, I definitely have all 3rd person at the top of my favorites. I think there's a little disconnect with 1st/2nd person, because it tries to pull you in and put you in the shoes of the character; what if I can't relate to the character? What if I don't want to think and do the things being narrated? shrug I'm trying to come up with some books written in 1st/2nd person that I'd consider "great" and I can't do it. Either the genre is too difficult to write or readers just can't get attached to the perspective. Most (pretty much all) of my work is in 3rd person. I made a few attempts, via short stories, to engage in 1st person... won't be trying that again anytime soon!

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