mammamaia

third person, past tense is easiest... try that first... if you can't handle that well, you probably won't be able to manage any others with enough skill and a well-recommended writing course would be a good next step...

some might think first person, present tense is easier, but it's not a marketable style... and, in truth, to do it well requires a master's touch...

hugs, maia

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lisajane

And if writing third person, past tense doesn't suit your story?

My novel is almost all first person, present tense. It would not work written another way. And yes, I've tried.

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mammamaia

if i'm reading your posts right, it sounds like you've trapped yourself in a catch 22 situation:

you can't write first/present well, but you have to write your novel that way, but it's hard to sell a whole novel done like that, but you don't know what pov you can write best, but....

see what i mean?... sorry, but i'm fresh out of answers... maybe others here have some...

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lisajane

Um, no, I don't 'have' to write my novel that way, I can write it another way and make it sound like shit if you'd prefer.

And you don't know what pov I can write best because...?

I don't actually need ideas, Maia. But you seem to think I do.

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'Beauty stands and waits with gravity to start her death-defying leap. And he, a little charleychaplin man, who may or may not catch her fair eternal form spreadeagled in the empty air of existence.' - Laurence Felinghetti, 'The Acrobat'

mammamaia

hey, don't go making this a battle, ok?... i was only going by what you wrote and even added qualifiers [if/sounds like] in case i wasn't getting what you meant to say...

i was polite and courteous, tried my best to be helpful... is that a problem for you?

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