Who is telling your story? This is the primary question you’re answering when selecting a point of view. Oftentimes the point of view seems to be clear to a writer before they even begin to flesh out their story, but as their characters and plot line develop, it may become more difficult to be certain you’re making the best choice to highlight the strengths of the narrative. All points of view have their strengths and weaknesses in how they create character connections, build tension in the plot, and how much control the author has over their world, and each is worth consideration.
There are three key considerations to make when choosing the narrator’s point of view: how many narrators we need, their relationship to the lead character, and their access to knowledge surrounding themselves and throughout the universe the story inhabits (and occasionally beyond). Today we’re going to discuss your narrator’s relationship to the lead character aka first, second, or third person.
Choosing which person to use is fundamentally a question of which pronouns will be used throughout the prose but most importantly how closely the narrator will be related to your primary character(s). The lower the number, the more intimately they are aware of your lead’s internal experiences.
First Person
Pronouns – I, Me, We, My, Our
Strengths – First person is the closest you can get to your lead character because they are narrating their own experiences either as they happen or with hindsight after the fact. This is the best way to create a relationship with readers, as the reading experience is akin to two friends catching up over a coffee together as they describe their thoughts throughout the story. First person is also the best vehicle for characters with deep flaws because the closeness creates room for forgiveness. Twists and turns in a plot feel natural in first person POV because the implicit bias of the narrator often won’t see complications coming. A natural mystery builder.
Weaknesses – First person is difficult to do in a story that has a large scope without either several POV characters, which can sometimes weaken the reader’s connection to the story, or magic and/or technology that allows the lead character to see beyond their own experiences.
Second Person
Pronouns – You, Y’all, Your
Strengths – Second person is an uncommon and direct means of telling a story. It is great at building tension in morality tales and a dichotomy between the protagonist(s) and antagonist(s). The nature of speaking directly to the reader builds a fast connection and keeps readers engaged throughout the story. The recipe adds up to a page turner that is often unputdownable. Typically, second person POV is not intimately aware of the primary character’s emotions and inner thoughts (unless they are speaking to themselves). However, as they directly address the primary character, the narrator is clearly watching the primary character’s actions very closely and is, therefore, more knowledgeable than the third person narrator.
Weaknesses – Second person can sometimes be viewed as a gimmick to the literary world. But in reality, that is largely because there aren’t many books that do it. So, it doesn’t feel like a natural storytelling technique. But for the right story, it can be earthshattering. One limitation that is difficult to overcome with second person, however, is its nature toward animosity and otherness. This POV is not strong at creating comradery with other characters.
Third Person
Pronouns – She, He, It, They, Them, His, Hers, Its, Theirs
Strengths – This is by far the most common POV used in literature today, making its biggest asset being the most natural POV to write and read. It allows readers to fall into a comfortable pace quickly. With its added distance from the primary character, it makes space for a mysterious or guarded lead like an officer of the law, spy, or even an alcoholic that may surprise readers in the final act, but it works with a wide variety of characters. This perspective also allows a narrator to zoom out and look at scenes from other characters’ understanding or on a worldwide scale. The story can easily get as big or as complex in timeline as the author wishes.
Weaknesses – Third person narrative is like hearing a story third hand. Typically, the narrator will not have intimate knowledge of their lead’s thoughts and emotions. So, characters will need to think out loud or take action to convey emotion or reactions. These can sometimes serve as barriers between an author’s words and a reader’s feelings, making the story less compelling if not addressed properly.
There are a great many considerations to make when selecting how close your narrator is with your lead character(s). But this is only the first choice to make before you begin creating a cohesive voice for your novel. If you continue to have questions on how to pick the best point of view for your story, keep a weathered eye. In the next installment in our POV series, we’ll discuss omniscient and limited points of view. Or if you want help mulling this idea or any others before you begin writing, reach out for a book coaching session to help you get a jumpstart.
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