First-Person, Second-Person, Third-Person

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Re: First-Person, Second-Person, Third-Person

Post by tstaf4d »

I actually thoroughly enjoy second POV, if it is done well. That's the trick. In second person there still has to be the feeling of having a choice in action as the reader. First and third POV are easy to accomplish.
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Post by Aithne »

CassieXO wrote:Well when I write horror, I generally write third.
Romance, first.
and Fiction, third.

I know, darastic differences in genres, I'm still experimenting with writing!
I wouldn't worry about differences in genre. Don't limit yourself or make yourself settle on just one - you can write in as many genres as you feel comfortable in.
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Post by Amagine »

I've written in 1st and 3rd person before. I want to try my hand at 2nd. It would probably be the most challenging one of all writing in the form of "you." It would also probably be fun.
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Post by Rebeccaej »

I instinctively go for 1st, because I like playing with unreliable narrators and setting characters' assumptions against each other.

Sometimes I'll fight it and go for 3rd, because, otherwise, none of my narrators would have names or genders, because I write too deeply in their head
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Post by lucyislucidity »

I usually write in first-person but kind of have a problem with the whole "I" sentence structuring. Like for example, if I'm about to let events happen, "I"s are usually there, and I feel that I've been heavily abusing the word. :(
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Post by katiestardis »

I really enjoy writing in the first-person. Originally, I tried writing in third-person, but it didn't work for me. Obviously, there are pros and cons to each, but even though you miss some perspective from other characters, I like how you can use that as an advantage in first-person. You can have your character confused or guessing what is happening in their heads. I think it creates more intrigue. Just my personal opinion.
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Post by Randomgold »

Third person all the way for me. I have written some first, but those are mostly short stream of consciousness type stories. For me, third person just feels more comfortable. I've never tried second person, but that might be an interesting challenge to try some time.
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Post by Vivian Paschal »

I use first person most times because it makes it flow and is much easier to relate to, even for the writer. But then, sometimes, when I have a number of interesting characters and will like to explore their thoughts and internal battles, I opt for the third person. I'm thinking of combining both first person and third person one of these days. About second person, I've tried it once. It's a bit difficult. I think it's really nice in thrillers though.
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Post by Sushan Ekanayake »

I prefer to write in third person because writing in first person view has to be much involved with personal thoughts

Anyway, can you actually write a fiction totally in second person view ? :eusa-think:
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Post by Monet_va »

I prefer to write in the third person. I find it easier to keep secrets from the reader that way and to choose what I want to communicate.
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Post by Inkroverts »

I like to write in third-person, because my story usually is about a group of people solving mysteries. It can be a bit limiting if I just write in one character's perspective. And it can be confusing to keep switching perspective from one character to another.
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Post by LyorBoone »

I’ve written in all of the above. 1st person strikes me as the best for focusing on a single character. 3rd works really well with multiple characters, especially the mysterious character in the background. 2nd person is unique, but I feel you need a story that justifies its use. I think it works best for a foreign world, like a sci-fi, where you want the person to feel totally experiencing it.
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Post by slj3988 »

I mostly write story in 3rd person. I do songs in 1st. It can be hard to write in 1st when you have to think about the confines of perspective. How the character views the world vs what aspects of the story you want told. If they aren't present, you can't tell it without flipping back and forth. I don't think I've ever written in 2nd person.
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Post by sevencrows »

I like to write as third person, because I like to be able to control the narrative distance from the protagonist, and it's fun to give the narrator a voice as well, although I can appreciate first person for its directness (and it's opportunities for subversion and the unreliable narrator). I've never tried second person, but I've read it in more contemporary books and short fiction, and I'd love to be able to pull that off.
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Post by Amanda Majors »

I tend to flip-flop between first person and third person when writing fiction, not knowing if I want the story to feel more personal or distant. Sometimes I use second person when writing non-fiction, as I am typically talking to an audience.
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