Thread: Third Person vs. First Person?

Hi! I have a question regarding first person versus third person for my specific novel idea. I've read a lot of articles debating the pros and cons of writing in first person and third person, but it hasn't really helped me resolve this particular case. Also, I know a lot of people say that publishers are less likely to look at something that's written in first person, but I'm not looking to get published or anything -- I'm pretty much just writing for the sake of writing.

Anyway! Basically, the plot is centered around five main characters, all of whom have been friends for a very long time, and their relationships with each other and other people, basically. I considered writing it in third person (since I've heard third person is easier and I've never really written in first person before), but I feel like third person might not give the introspection that I'm looking for. Another problem with third person is that I'm not entirely sure how to introduce their back-stories with third person narration; I feel like it's a little smoother and easier to do with first person. Unfortunately, this is partially because I don't have a whole lot of experience with that; in general, when I've written in third person in the past, I haven't really had to worry about incorporating back-story.

However, when I think about writing it in first person, I run into the problem of choosing a narrator -- like I said, I have five primary characters. I know some books are written with multiple first-person narrators, but I just don't think I'll be able to pull that off well (even though I know my characters well and they all have different voices, I just think it takes a lot of skill and expertise to do something like that well and ... I don't have that), and I know that multiple first-person narrators not pulled off well will just be tacky and disastrous. Some have told me that I should choose the "true protagonist" to be my narrator, but I'm afraid I don't exactly have one. There are three that I would say are more important than the other two, but they're all important, and unfortunately, the other two are more likely to make better narrators (the 'central three' characters, I think, would be sort of grating just because that's the kind of personalities they have) ... but then they're not quite involved as much in the story, I guess?

So... yeah, any advice would be great! Sorry for the really long post of my internal debate.

Third. Don't get all wrapped around the axle agonizing over it, just do it. Working in back story in third person will be easier for you than trying to tell five stories from one viewpoint.

Haha, okay. Thanks!

Use 3rd person, for you go with 1st then you will be forced to have only one point of view which seriously limits interaction.

You could do it in first-, but it's hard enough to write a good first-person novel with one narrator, never mind five. Personally, I'd choose third-.

I'd expiriment with both. Since you are just writing for yourself you can expiriment. You'll learn more about the limitations and advantages of both forms by doing ten minutes of writing then by hours of reading articles. Especially true now that you have spent the hours on articles.

Personally I would write a short first person piece for each character, maybe some significant event from their history. Then write the actual story in third person.

I'm unsure if this is the same as what BoredMormon just said, but why not have alternate chapters in first and third? Plenty of authors do it.

I read "Coalescent" by Stephen Baxter, and in that one book, he jumped all over the place with the narration. He had 3 different interwoven stories that took place in different time periods and one of those three was written in the first-person while the other two were written in third, with respect to their individual protagonists. It was a slightly different approach, but I thought he pulled it off pretty well.

Choose the one that you feel most comfortable with. I've seen stories written in both first and third person with multiple narrators. You just have to pick up some sort of pattern. For example, switch characters every other chapter or something. It will work if you make it clear in the opening of each "switched" chapter that it's a new character narrating and not the one from the previous chapter...if that makes any sense. Also, since you said you're not looking to get published, you really don't have to follow any sort of rule of writing. Do it the way you think it works best and edit along the way to make it fit. =)

I had a thought. Why not write first person, switching from the perspective of each of them? It'd be more personalized than third, but more broad of a view than strictly one person first.

I am reading a book by author Joseph Boyden called: Three Day Road. The story is set in 1919 centering around two aboriginal cousins who set out onto the battle field as snipers. It is an excellent story that is told from the first person perspective, but even better it is told from the point of view of the surviving sniper Xavier Bird and his Aunt Niska. Each recalls their past as they paddle against the current into the Canadian wilderness. Many people might not be able to pull this off without it sounding forced, but Boyden is masterful with his words and believable in both the male and female voice. This can be attributed to being surrounded by women as he grew up. In other words Boyden writes what he knows and that is what sounds most natural.

Write in the voice you are most comfortable, first or third.