Vicki

I have started a story that begins in first person, as a memory, then moves to third person. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to do this smoothly without it appearing chopping or unorganized?

Any comments are appreciated

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Vicki

eleutheromaniac

I actually did something similar in my book. I used chapters and parentheses as a means of transition. Though I was going for the choppy unorganised feel, as the title "Augmented Reality" indicates.

If your just switching once, and it's clear that it's a memory, I don't think you'll really have to do anything special to transition between them. I'll have to no more about it, but I don't think you're giving the reader enough credit.

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Augmented Reality

Mentair

^^ what he said
but it would help to know a bit more of what your doing..

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sig comen soon!

sully474

Just make everything clear, and don't jump back and forth unless it is for effect.

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Talia_Brie

Maybe try putting the 1st person stuff in italics, and the 3rd person in normal text. This can be used to highlight internal dialogues, and would also work here. It's a physical distinction between the two voices.

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gabriella

I wouldn't recommend doing that if more than a chapter is of a memory, unless the chapters are scattered. But if they're in consecutive order, and more than a short chapter (8 pages, front and back, to be really generous) than don't bother.

I think a good way to do this is include two parts - one half could be the memory, and the next half would be the present. I've seen some parts that were about 50 pages, so don't worry if the memory isn't half the book.

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You write by sitting down and writing - Bernard Malamud.

HollyG3

But usually I'll do it for my stories. I've done it when thinking about nothing and it's not very helpful, and usually frustrating. But when I sit down to write my stories. I start with the character and just start typing. Usually he or she ends up telling the story. Then I go back and edit.

It's very freeing, not worrying about what you're writing.

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HollyG3

xayaxos

There is a good example of this in Chaos City by Alastair Reynolds where the main story is told in first person point of view but every other chapter is a third-person memory/dream. It's really a very effective way of telling the story without appearing either choppy or unorganised but, at the risk of ruining the story for you (if you actually want to read it just skip the rest ...), the main character isn't aware that his "dreams" in the third person are really memories.

Talia_Brie

I agree.

As you can see I like to have the last word.

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gabriella

Oh, one more thing I forgot to add.... If the memory is only a chapter, then put it as the prologue.

As for the transition part... um, just make sure that we know exactly who the "I" is.

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You write by sitting down and writing - Bernard Malamud.

Talia_Brie

Yeah.

And I'm still last.

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