1st or 3rd Person (Literature) - Page 2

August 28, 2007, 3:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeremiah

A book with 2nd person 'you'?

I couldn't imagine a story/novel using that entirely throughout a work of literature...

The only books i've read that have been in second person are the choose-your-own-story/adventure books where you are the main character and you choose what happens next in the story.

I've got to say that I've been liking 1st person more and more lately since it gives a very personal view to the story through one person's eyes and throughout the whole story you only know what that one character knews. In third person it's like you're watching a movie, but in first person you're seeing it through that character's eyes.

-I like both, but i guess i choose 1st person.

August 29, 2007, 7:43 PM

When I was talking about 2nd person stories, I wasn't refering to actual published works - they're way too bad to be taken seriously. I was refering to the proliferation of fanfic sites that use this medium solely.

August 30, 2007, 4:21 AM

I do not mind really...good book is a good book regardless how it is told...

October 7, 2007, 12:32 PM

3rd Person all the way.

October 11, 2007, 7:14 PM

I'm going to have to say first person only because we can see deeply into one characters thoughts. Especially if it's written in a monologue style then we can see exactly what the speaker is thinking. Don't get me wrong though, I love many, many third person books.

October 14, 2007, 11:33 AM

It doesn't depend on the person, it depends on the writer. My favourite book list compiles of books written in both 1st and 3rd person. In fact, here it is:

Twilight - Stephenie Meyer 1st person
The Sight - David Clement-Davies 3rd person
The Amber Spyglass - Phillip Pullman 3rd person
Martin the Warrior - Brian Jaques 3rd person
Knife Edge - Malorie Blackman (I think that was my favourite...) 1st person
Fire Bringer - David Clement-Davies 3rd person
The Subtle Knife - Phillip Pullman 3rd person
A Shadow on the Glass - Ian Irvine 3rd person
Inkheart - Cornelia Funke 3rd person
The Meaning of Night - Michael Cox 1st person

There might be more books there that are in the 3rd person, but that's mainly because I've read more books in the 3rd person.

There's 1 book from each series I've read that has been written in the 1st person on that list.

As for writing, well, I find it much easier to write in the 3rd person, but I can write in the 1st person too.

One thing I hate in writing is the present tense. "She looks around her and notices a small crack in the window." I hate that style... ¬_¬

October 17, 2007, 7:21 PM

I prefer 3rd person. It makes the novel less personal and you can get into the story more.

November 14, 2007, 12:51 AM

I prefer third person for many reason's. The top three being that I cant write in first person well, You already know the main character lives , first person stories dont draw me in as much.

My Character Profiles · November 14, 2007, 12:59 AM

I'm actually really glad I stumbled across this thread. I'm working on a small fiction piece on my own time, and I really can't decide which perspective is more likeable.

I really love the 1st person perspective. Reading a story in first person makes me feel like I'm actually there, experiencing everything as the main character. "I did this, I did that". It puts you right in the middle of the action.

But there are some points in which 3rd person makes the story more understandable. What one person sees on the inside might be entirely different from what someone else would see with a bird's eye view of the situation.

December 22, 2007, 5:10 PM

I read anything that catches my attention. Usually in first person I feel closer to the characters, but if I don't like the writing style I won't read the book regardless. I write in both ways.

I mean, I love Bloody Jack, which is written First Person present tense, but also Harry Potter, third person past tense. As long as the story and the style are good, I'm good with it.