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[RokofAges75]

I will say, looking at the last question again while I'm actually writing, I am much more focused and write faster when I'm writing scenes with a lot of dialogue, versus scenes that are heavy on the description.  I find that if I know exactly what word/phrase/sentence comes next, I will go ahead and type it just so I don't lose it, whereas if nothings pops into my head right away, I will "take a break" to check Twitter, etc., and then get totally distracted.  When I'm writing dialogue, I usually just go with the first thing to pop into my head because I figure that's what will sound the most natural, so it's easy to write a whole conversation at once, whereas when I'm writing description, I overanalyze everything and play around with the wording to get it just right, and so the words usually don't flow out of me as well as with dialogue.  So I guess, even though I like writing description, that is what gives me the most trouble.

[Carter]

Ok, I have a question and my apologies if its been asked already but i didnt go through all 36 pages lol..but do yall find it easier to write in first person or third person?

[Rose]

For me it depends on the story what POV is easier. Like say in Song For The Undead if we'd done 1st Person outside of the journal entries I think it would've been a lot harder. Third person was perfect. And then I get a story like Here We Stand where it's really about how they see things as Kevin comes back to the group and I wanted their personal thoughts and feelings.

I don't think either one is harder for me. I think sometimes I question myself more with first person. But that's because I'm really hard and picky with myself in terms of characterizati on, so I want to be sure each voice is unique and it's believable.

[RokofAges75]

I used to write almost exclusively third person, but I've started writing more in first person and enjoying that too.  I like third person because I can be more descriptive and write "pretty," but I like first person because feels more personal and makes it easier to get inside the characters' heads.  Like Rose said, I think it depends on the story which I prefer.  For simple, character-driven stories that only focus on one or two characters, I'm starting to prefer first person, but for stories with several main characters and a lot going on, I think third person is best.

[Rose]

LOL pretty pretty writing!

See this is how you end up with novels four times the length of Moby Dick.

[RokofAges75]

Yes, yes it is! LOL

[Carter]

I seem to be better at first person myself...i dont exactly know why maybe it seems more personal i guess? In third person I have noticed I have major issues but with Southern Comfort, with what i have written on it anyway, seems easier me to write and it almost flows better.

[RokofAges75]

Have you guys ever written the start of a story in both POVs to see which you liked better?  If so, which did you pick?

[Carter]

Southern Comfort is prime example.  I think I wrote almost six different prologues to it because 1)  I had so many ideas and 2) i wrote one in third person and then one in first person. I chose to write it in first person. I wanted something different for this story cause I love the concept. If I find this story to be easy to write I may just stick with the first person for awhile with all of my other stories I have ideas for.

[mare]

I find writing in first person a lot easier than third. I love living inside the character's heads. I also enjoy the challenge of writing action and coming up with creative ways to figurr out how to include scenes that the main character might not be privy to.

The above actually answers Julie's question as well because I have started plenty stories in first person but had to change to third because of the plot twists etc. Most of my stories are first person or have started that way.

[Rose]

Actually I haven't Julie lol. Normally I know what it needs to be going in. RMTW was gonna be 1st person but I immediately realized as I was working out my "outline" that I'd write myself into a possible corner. My compromise was third person but with "Brian" as the author. Which was a neat thing to try and do.

I haven't really changed my mind when I started a story what POV to use. Sometimes I'll use a prologue in first but then switch to third for the rest of the story until the epilogue. But that's always planned LOL. I love living in the character's head.

[RokofAges75]

I usually don't do that either.  I constantly edit as I go, but I hate rewriting and doing major revisions, so I try to avoid that if I can by planning ahead.  The only time I have written two different versions of a story, one in first person and one in third, was with Unsuspecting Sunday.  I started writing it in third person originally, but it got weird when I started getting to the slash stuff - too many male pronouns, and it just sounded so (for lack of a better word) freaking GAY!  So I rewrote it in first person, and it was much better!  Less confusing about who was doing what to whom, and I could pretend Howie was a chick without getting too weirded out about what he was doing to Nick.  Yay!    I don't know how slash writers write in third person LOL.  I'm thinking slash, for me, will always be done in first.

[FrickingKaos]

I don't have that much experience with first person POV, but I have been making an effort to get better at writing it through one shots, so I can try to write all the boys that way. Finding Carter was my first novel completely in first person from start to finish and I was so afraid it would not turn out well but I think it did.

I guess third person is just easier for me to do, but I am trying to branch out.

[Carter]

I always have to make revisions because i will think of something else while typing. Or i will make notes on paper.

Here leads to another question do you guys plan out chapters with outlines or just go with the flow of things?

[FrickingKaos]

I have never outlined a story before. I don't really do much planning before I set out to write it, I give myself a general idea what I want to accomplish and just wing it because I write completely from my cell phone. It's a bit
harder for me to outline.

I know I keep mentioning Finding Carter but that also was the first story where I actually planned it and did a lot of research for.