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Hi AC/FICTALKers. If you see this (11/12/2024) please see new post in General Discussions about Open Doors OTW Organization for Transformative Works) offering to help preserve the AC archive and let me know your thoughts:

https://absolutechaos.net/fictalk/index.php/topic,3415.msg125627.html#new

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Author Topic: First Person vs. Third Person  (Read 14227 times)

Sakabelle

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Re: First Person vs. Third Person
« Reply #30 on: November 11, 2010, 10:43:19 PM »

Aw thanks you guys for all the love on Running Up That Hill!

I personally find first person to be a lot easier now, and that's because I tend to write stories that are very character based. I try to think about the charcter's thoughts a lot and how they would feel in a certain situation. I used to write mostly in third person, but I decided I wanted to try in first person and now I can't get enough of it and I like it much better. Though I do like switching, I don't know if I'd be able to write an entire story (that wasn't a one shot) in one character's POV. It can be difficult to keep things in the POV of one person, because they have to be in all the scenes and basically the reader lives the story through their eyes.

I think that Mare does a really good job of that with What Lurks Around The Corner. The reader experiences everything and learns about things at the same time as Nick does. It makes everything seem that much more real and exciting.
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RokofAges75

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Re: First Person vs. Third Person
« Reply #31 on: November 11, 2010, 10:43:53 PM »

That's because I suck lol.  I usually read between lapses at work, and then don't have time to review, so I make a mental note to review when I get back to my apartment...bu t that never happens...

LOL well, I appreciate the review you just left! :)  Glad to know you've been enjoying the story.  Thanks for reading!
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RokofAges75

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Re: First Person vs. Third Person
« Reply #32 on: November 11, 2010, 10:47:08 PM »

Aw thanks you guys for all the love on Running Up That Hill!

I personally find first person to be a lot easier now, and that's because I tend to write stories that are very character based. I try to think about the charcter's thoughts a lot and how they would feel in a certain situation. I used to write mostly in third person, but I decided I wanted to try in first person and now I can't get enough of it and I like it much better. Though I do like switching, I don't know if I'd be able to write an entire story (that wasn't a one shot) in one character's POV. It can be difficult to keep things in the POV of one person, because they have to be in all the scenes and basically the reader lives the story through their eyes.

I think that Mare does a really good job of that with What Lurks Around The Corner. The reader experiences everything and learns about things at the same time as Nick does. It makes everything seem that much more real and exciting.

I think you're right, that writing in first person does help you get a better feel for the character, and you're great at it!  So is Mare, definitely.  She does such an awesome job with young Nick especially; he is so endearing in her stories.
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~Julie

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RokofAges75

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Re: First Person vs. Third Person
« Reply #33 on: November 11, 2010, 10:52:07 PM »

I also make sure that the story really does revolve around that person and that he or she can stand on their own before I commit to writing it in first person, because nothing sucks more than starting a story in first person only to realize that the character really isn't all that interesting. *coughlikeforexampleBellainTwilightcough* lol

LOL I just have to point out, not only is Bella ridiculous as a narrator because her first person voice is so NOT the voice of a teenage girl, the way a teenage girl would tell a story, but Stephenie Meyer also made the mistake of not being able to tell the whole story in Bella's POV.  The last book randomly switches to Jacob's for a section in the middle, during which Bella has her half-vampire baby, basically dies, and is transformed into a vampire.  And then it switches back to Bella's.  It's so random, cause the rest of the series is all in Bella's.  It's obvious that she got to that whole pregnancy part and thought, "Hm, how can I write this gory birth scene from Bella's POV if Bella is unconscious for it?"  So she decided, "Oh, I'll just write it from Jacob's POV and pretend I planned it that way all along!  Yay Team Jacob!"  FAIL.
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Rose

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Re: First Person vs. Third Person
« Reply #34 on: November 11, 2010, 11:12:37 PM »

LOL I just have to point out, not only is Bella ridiculous as a narrator because her first person voice is so NOT the voice of a teenage girl, the way a teenage girl would tell a story, but Stephenie Meyer also made the mistake of not being able to tell the whole story in Bella's POV.  The last book randomly switches to Jacob's for a section in the middle, during which Bella has her half-vampire baby, basically dies, and is transformed into a vampire.  And then it switches back to Bella's.  It's so random, cause the rest of the series is all in Bella's.  It's obvious that she got to that whole pregnancy part and thought, "Hm, how can I write this gory birth scene from Bella's POV if Bella is unconscious for it?"  So she decided, "Oh, I'll just write it from Jacob's POV and pretend I planned it that way all along!  Yay Team Jacob!"  FAIL.

LMFAO that's so true! See that's an epic example of making sure your story can survive being told from only one POV if you choose to go that way! Otherwise you write yourself into a corner you can't get out of, and if you randomly switch, it's incredibly obvious.

How she ever got that book series published is BEYOND me lol. Good ideas, horrible writing.

I'd like to say Mare, Julie and Steph (Saka) do incredible jobs at writing first person, so if you ever want examples of how to go about it, read their stuff. Like seriously, they really do show what first person can do for a story if written correctly.

Random: I really need to try and catch up on Running Up That Hill
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mare

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Re: First Person vs. Third Person
« Reply #35 on: November 13, 2010, 07:06:29 AM »

Thanks guys! I really love writing in first person, I think I stink at third. lol

And Julie, I'd have to say that maybe if Twilight was written in either Edward's POV or third person, I might have enjoyed it a lot more. One of the main reasons I hated that book so much is because of her choosing to showcase Bella to me all it really show cased was her lack of being able to develop a character with any kind if substance! Ugh! Hate it!!! lol
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Sevily

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Re: First Person vs. Third Person
« Reply #36 on: November 13, 2010, 09:39:16 AM »

Thanks guys! I really love writing in first person, I think I stink at third. lol

And Julie, I'd have to say that maybe if Twilight was written in either Edward's POV or third person, I might have enjoyed it a lot more. One of the main reasons I hated that book so much is because of her choosing to showcase Bella to me all it really show cased was her lack of being able to develop a character with any kind if substance! Ugh! Hate it!!! lol

I thought at one point she had written the first book from Edward's POV.  I remember half a manuscript got leaked and she ended up posting it on her website because my friend freaked out about it.

I just finished reading the books because I wanted to see what the fuss was all about.  And there was no fuss.  But Mare, I agree, Edward's POV throughout the entire thing would've been much more substantial.
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Carter-Orange

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Re: First Person vs. Third Person
« Reply #37 on: November 13, 2010, 10:50:48 AM »

I have to agree that I think Stephenie Meyer should've written in Edward's POV or third person.  Although I do love those books, I thought the Jacob section in Breaking Dawn was odd considering the rest were from Bella's POV.  I hope she carries on with Midnight Sun because I was enjoying it so much more than Twilight!

I also agree that Mare, Julie and Steph write first person very well :)
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luna610

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Re: First Person vs. Third Person
« Reply #38 on: November 13, 2010, 11:11:15 PM »

Sevily: Love the new update! You know I've read and reviewed...jus t responding to your response. lol. You did a great job. I know you were worried about the unconscious thing but it worked out great. And you'll be able to tell us Nick's side in his story!
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RokofAges75

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Re: First Person vs. Third Person
« Reply #39 on: November 14, 2010, 10:31:18 AM »

I just realized, I am way less wordy when I write in first person than in third.  My chapters in Curtain Call seem so short compared to the chapters for my other stories.  I'm not even sticking to one scene per chapter or anything because most of the scenes are only a couple of pages long.  I just realized, I think it's because the writing style is different - there's less description, and it's more straightforwar d and right to the point than in my other stories.  It makes it shorter.  Just an observation!
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mare

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Re: First Person vs. Third Person
« Reply #40 on: November 14, 2010, 11:08:02 AM »

^ that is a very true observation in general. I noticed that overall with stories that are in first person as opposed to third. Because you knock out all the unnecessary description it almost helps people from being overly wordy.
« Last Edit: November 14, 2010, 11:24:36 AM by mare »
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RokofAges75

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Re: First Person vs. Third Person
« Reply #41 on: November 14, 2010, 11:22:37 AM »

Another flaw of the Twilight series LOL.  That doesn't stop Bella from being overly descriptive and wordy.
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~Julie

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mare

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Re: First Person vs. Third Person
« Reply #42 on: November 14, 2010, 11:24:07 AM »

Yeah, that Stephanie Myers is incredibly talented lol
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julilly

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Re: First Person vs. Third Person
« Reply #43 on: November 14, 2010, 11:38:45 AM »

I just realized, I am way less wordy when I write in first person than in third.  My chapters in Curtain Call seem so short compared to the chapters for my other stories.  I'm not even sticking to one scene per chapter or anything because most of the scenes are only a couple of pages long.  I just realized, I think it's because the writing style is different - there's less description, and it's more straightforwar d and right to the point than in my other stories.  It makes it shorter.  Just an observation!

I find I'm the opposite. I can ramble on and on when it's a person describing in their own words but I'm much more economical in my words in third.
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Sakabelle

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Re: First Person vs. Third Person
« Reply #44 on: November 14, 2010, 11:42:04 AM »

^I'm the same way. The third person I am very short and to the point, but in first person I just get so into the character that I just go on and on. I find this happens especially when I write Nick's POV because I write him as very random so he goes off on tangents a lot.
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~Saka ♥

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- Rainbow Rowell
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