Advice Needed Please

[Becky86]

I am in the process of working on my first novel, I am writing in 1st person for the 2 main characters, they have their own chapters which I plan to label by name to clarify to the reader, however I think some of what I want to write would work better in 2nd person narrative, I would keep the different writing styles exclusively in their own chapters, however do you think this may confuse the reader somewhat? I think it could work but it’s not something I can recall seeing before, maybe that’s just because I wasn’t looking for it or taking note?

 

Advice much appreciated.

 

 

Thank you

[Hopman]

however I think some of what I want to write would work better in 2nd person narrative,

 

Are you sure you want to write in this way? = 2nd person.

 

Is she sure she wants to write in this way? = 3rd person.

[coyleys]

Have we got the ‘mode of narration’ mixed up here?

Do you mean 1st and 3rd person, as I rarely see writings in the 2nd person.

I think it goes…

1st – I. 2nd – you. 3rd – he.

I may be wrong.

Anyway, the easiest way to make your mind up is to do a chapter in the first person and then the same chapter in the third person. I suppose it’s a personal preference. I tend to use the 3rd unless it’s about ‘young Coyley’.

 

I have just found this…

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Narrative_mode#First-person_view

[Becky86]

My apologies, 3rd that's right

[Hopman]

Chapter One (Romeo's bit)

Hey, I fancy that Juliet.

Chapter Two (Juliet's bit)

I think that Romeo fancies me

Chapter Three (comment)

I don't know what they see in each other...

[Mantaspook]

Hi Becky86,

 

Changing the perspective between characters / alternate chapters can work, I have seen this technique before and it can be quite effective.

 

Here are some observations:

 

Generally the 1st person perspective is used for the book's protagonist as this is the character the reader will get to know best because they are 'inside his head'

 

Conversely, the third person perspective works better with characters that the reader doesn't identify with so much, such as the bad guys.

 

One typical use of this technique would be a murder-mystery novel where the detective is followed in the 1st person and the murderer (who we feel less sympathy with) in the third person, however, there is no 'correct' way; this is simply the most common.

 

For instance, in an unusual twist Jeff Lindsay's book 'Darkly Dreaming Dexter' is a first person story narrated by a serial killer, it succeeds because the reader is given an insight into the very human emotional conflicts within his head and there is a rich vein of dark gallows humour that acts as a comical counterpoint.

 

I'm not sure that labelling the chapters by name is a good idea, Audrey Niffenegger used this technique in 'The Time travellers wife' - in fact she would start paragraphs with "Henry:" or "Claire:" but this was a story of two 1st person perspectives so it was a good device for attributing which voice was speaking straight away.

 

If you do label the chapters by name I'm sure the 1st person perspective would work fine, however the 3rd may be limited because you're using a 'locked' perspective on that one character, you can't uses a roving point of view which is one of the main strengths of the 3rd perspective.

 

Suggestion: Consider labelling your chapters by name when you use 1st person perspective and by location when using third. This would give you more flexibility, for instance you could switch perspectives between your two main characters. Or you could utilise a CCTV like view at a particular location.

 

Watch out if you kill one of the characters off, generally the reader will assume that a character writing in the 1st person perspective, writing after the fact, cannot die. (An exception is Alice Seabold's 'Lovely Bones')

 

This may also cause a few problems with maintaining tension if they get into a life threatening situation; you know they survive because they're telling you about it after it has happened, therefore, if you're going to kill someone off, the 3rd person character is the best victim.

 

Finally, here is a list of the relative merits of using 1st vs. 3rd perspective.

 

Writing in first person.

 

Advantages.

 

1.Inner voice Point of view - the reader knows what the main character thinks, feels, sees, hears – all the senses and thoughts of the body and mind of the main character in this POV.

 

2. Action is immediate. – You are following a characters action and reaction from a perspective that draws your reader right into the action, as though the reader is fighting for their life etc.

 

3. Tension - because this is a limited point of view it provides a good source of ‘not really knowing’ what might happen next. However, when writing after the fact the tension may be dissipated. (see above)

 

Disadvantages.

 

1. Limited landscape- Nothing happens beyond what the character chosen for this POV is aware of or learns about. Such a limited POV doesn’t allow the writer to ‘flesh out’ any other characters beyond what the main character sees or thinks of others.

 

2. Motive is limited to the main character and there are no real motives stated for anyone else, except what is expressed and/or thought by the main character.

In some respects this could be a good point if you introduce an unreliable narrator, ie: the main character is concealing something, has been fooled by a different character, or is just plain wrong.

 

Writing in third-person.

 

Advantages.

 

1. Roving Point of view. The writer can be omnipresent, in any characters head or viewing a scene not visible to a 1st person character. It doesn't have to follow a timeline either.

 

2. Conflict - This POV lets the writer show even slight but meaningful differences between characters who are fighting each other.

 

3. Active voice writing is easier with this POV because the choices are increased for action and reaction.

 

Disadvantages.

 

1. Confusing jumps - hopping around too much using this POV could confuse the readers.

 

2. Diffuse focus - the lack of a strong main character to follow may mean the story lacks focus, especially if you use this POV in a non linear way.

 

3. Thoughts of the characters. The writer has to be very good at expressing the thoughts of the characters in a believable way when using the Omnipresent POV, you have to effectively slip into a limited 1st person perspective but with a knowing nod to outside events, this is a difficult balancing act for some writers.

 

More details on these links:

 

First person perspective

 

Third person perspective.

 

As usual, there are no firm rules so simply pick out the bits that you can use and use a perspective that works for your style of writing.

[SarahD]

I'm having a similar problem.

 

I started in the 3rd person with 2 main characters who tend to have their own sections/chapters.

 

However I regret not writing in the 1st person as I could then pad out the descriptions with internal dialogue and could explain the feelings of the character much easier.

 

Writing in the 1st person is much much easier. I'm finding the 3rd person quite a struggle. If I were you, I'd stick to the 1st person until you've penned this one. Then develop your skills and experiment.

[Becky86]

Thank you to everyone for all your help and advice.

Mantaspook your advice has proved to be invaluable, how did you become so well informed? I really appreciate you taking the time out to help me, Thank you so much! I have read 'The Time Travellers Wife' and the 'The Lovely Bones' and thoroughly enjoyed both, looking back I understand your explanations very well and have taken note. I think I am going to write 3rd person and 1st and as you suggested maybe title the 3rd person chapters by location.

 

I think both are essential because at times I want to express just the view and emotions of the main characters, but if they are together at any time I want to have the flexibility to describe both characters feelings etc and not be limited to the one character having to gauge the others expression and body language.

I am thinking of putting my first chapter on tonight, I am looking for some feedback, I am just worried it isn’t good enough to share yet.