Writing Passionates discussion

I find it so hard to write in third person, though I do prefer it over first. Although I like getting in the person's head, I think it is much easier to understand writing when its in third person. It reduces much unnecessary ranting from the characters . . . I still have a hard time writing it. I don't know why.

For me, it really depends on the story. Some stories are just meant to be in first person, and others in third. The same is true for present vs past tense.

Usually my stories end up in first person though. I'm not sure why that is, exactly.

And something interesting that I've noticed is that almost all childrens books are written in third person. Even the early reader chapter books are like that, not just the picture books. I wonder why that is.
Perhaps its because younger kids can more easily mix up fantasy and reality? Or maybe it's that adults are usually the ones that write kid's books, and childhood is too distant for them to see directly through the eyes of the character?

I can only do first person. If I can't get in my charecter's mind, than I don't know what they'd do.

I have to write in first. If I write in third, I feel so distant from the characters. Plus I lose focus and I start to switch around between different ppl ... It gets confusing. lol

lol. I agree. Third person is harder for me, mainly because my characters are control freaks.

Umm, well David I do have to be my charecter. If I don't imagine myself in their position then I don't really know what would happen next. When I write in third I just feel like I don't really understand what is going on. Often I begin a story in third and slip into first so, I just stick with first. And if this response sounds mean it is just because I took a little bit of offense at your comment. I guess you just don't have the same methods as me.

Peace, Marley

David wrote: "It sort of sounds to me like many of you are writing in First person because "you" "need" to be your story's main character. I don't say this as a put-down--it's just an observation, and may not be..."

You may not have made this sound like an accusation, but I sorta took it as one. I mean, I get what you're saying; I just disagree. I choose to write in first person because when I get an idea, the main character speaks to me directly, so I write the story in his or her exact words. To me, it feels like the most sincere way to tell a story.

David, I disagree with what you said, but I agree with your example.

Like you said, you didn't decide--the character did. I think that it's the same with pretty much everybody. Some stories just come out in third person, while other stories wind up in first, for absolutely no reason at all.

Well, if you want to write third person but have difficulty with it, you may want to start so that it just follows one character. Just replace I with he/she, mine with his/her, etc. Most third person seems to be like this, except for folk tales, so you won't have to worry about it sounding immature or beginnerish.

Or, you could go all out and jump from person to person, and not settle on following anybody around. That is what happens in folk tales much of the time.

Or, you could try your hand at third person limited (the other two being omniscient) and only have the characters' actions on the page, and none of their thoughts and feelings. I don't think that I've ever run across a book like this, though this is usually what movies use. Unless, of course, there is a narrator who happens to be the main character. I'm not even sure what tense that would be in.

It has nothing to do with which one is the original writing, it has to do with how close you get to your character.

I have written plenty of stories in both first and third person and I myself find that writing in first person comes more naturally and really introduces me to the characters.

When I write in third I don't feel like I really get to know the main character's side of the story as well. I don't get as much of their emotions breaking through to the surface.

And, I'm not choosing to write in first person either--in a sense. My characters "tell" me which style to write.

When I begin a story I just write what's in my head.

For instance, when I began "Runaway" the sentences, "The tower struck twelve and the moon shone in the darkness, brighter than ever before. The sound of hooves echoed in the plaza. A horse grunted off to the left as Joan galloped by." were clear in my mind.

On the other hand, when I began "Reawakened Soul" the prologue shot directly to mind, beginning with, "Anything I will happens. Like everything else in this world all good things have to come to an end—that’s where I come in."

It wasn't my "choice" persay when I began writing, it was just how the character decided to relate their story to me.

Alright, I understand now. I thought you meant something else by the "little test". You're right, it just takes a little bit of practice to switch from writing in first to third.

Runaway is a completed 119 page novel that I wrote planning on getting it published, but have decided not to due to its short length and problems. Sorry.

I didn't mean to sound so offended, David. I wasn't, really; I was just giving my opinion. >.<

I think the reason I have to write in first person is not because I can't get into my character's head, otherwise, but because I want to get into EVERY character's head. I'm very interested in every character that arrives in my mind; they all have their separate goals, their separate purposes, their separate voices and personalities. Part of me wants to write from every single one of their perspectives, which I would be tempted to do if I were to write in third person. Instead, I focus in on one character, and tell the story through his/her point of view. However, I am still aware of the thoughts/feelings/reactions/plans of all other characters in the stories -- even the things my main character doesn't know. I think that's the beauty of writing in first person: it's more like real life, because you can't get into the head of anyone besides one person -- yourself. I think that gives a story more intrigue, when the reader and the main character of the story share the curiosity about what's going on in the heads of all the other characters.

I hope that makes sense ...

:D

Well, thanks David, but I'm not published. :) I hope to be soon, though.

oh, it's a happy face. lol

Laughing Out Loud

no problem :) haha

LOL

In general, if you see something with a colon that you don't understand, turn your head sideways, and a smiley (or angry or sad) face will probably show up.

as for abbriviations...
ty=thank you
rofl=rolling on the floor laughing
lmao=laughing my a** off

I like third person better as you get to introduce details ad twists more subtly. Sometimes the reader takes these details for granted and they're not aware of it until a twist comes in the end. But I also use first person, especially when it's the characters' emotions that drive the story rather than the plot.
:)

Oh, definitely –- although I'm not sure how to explain it. It's like, a plot-driven story is all about the plot. It's all about the action and exciting the reader, but the characters aren't necessarily interesting or developed; sometimes they end up being like props, things that the author can just move around. In a character-driven story, the reader is compelled to keep reading because the characters are like real people, who have deep thoughts and emotions. The reader gets attached to the characters and wants to know what will happen to them.

Of course, the ideal book is plot-driven AND character-driven. As a writer, I try to pay attention to both. I want my characters to seem realistic and thought-out, but the plot has to be intriguing as well. It can be difficult, and I'll find the story leaning towards one or the other. I try to keep it balanced. But I think that, if you only have one of the two, the character aspect is more important.

Really? I can't imagine writing w/o caring about the characters … I get so obsessed with getting to know them, figuring them all out. That's my favorite part!

Oh, the characters are WAY more important in my opinion, although a good balance is needed to make a good story.

And plot driven novels are the ones that make it on the bestseller lists, because they are 'page-turners' that can manage to keep the non-avid reader reading.

I think that a good example of a book that is more plot driven than character driven is Harry Potter. As far as character driven... hmmm... OH! You Don't Know Me. There's the link if you haven't read it. I think that most books with character vs self tend to be more character driven, whereas character vs character or character vs society tend to be more plot driven .

Ohmigod I hate You Don't Know Me. lol. I thought it was so annoying … But that's just that specific book. I'm trying to think of another example.

What about The Catcher in the Rye? I read it last week … I liked it. Very character-driven.

I write in both...usually my shorts are in 1st though

hmm, that's interesting.

And brigid, I LOVED You Don't Know Me. And I read The Catcher in the Rye in like, 4th or 5th grade, so I don't remember it very well.

I definitely prefer third person. It gives some distance between me and my characters. First person makes me feel like I am the main character, and I never intended for that to happen.

EyeOfTheStorm|RONI wrote: "hmm, that's interesting.

And brigid, I LOVED You Don't Know Me. And I read The Catcher in the Rye in like, 4th or 5th grade, so I don't remember it very well. "

ehhh ... I found You Don't Know Me annoying. particularly the dialogue, cuz it was all these eighth graders talking like "I WILL ANNIHILATE YOU, YOU FOOL!!" and what was with the part where he passed the girl a note, and she ATE IT?? and then he spends like ten pages analyzing why this girl ate his note, and then he's like "why did you eat my note?" and she's like "because i was hungry!" O_o idk, i thought it was weird. lol

Really? I thought that those parts were funny. :P It was pretty weird that she ate the note, though. I mean, really, you shove it in your pocket or if that's not convenient then down you're shirt (though I've never done it, I've seen people stick stuff there before... like cell phones... when they didn't have pockets) but eating it? I mean, how could anybody even force themselves to swallow paper? Just the thought of it is kinda disgusting.

yeah ... >.< lol

i use both, but mostly first person... i think it's easier..

I have never written in first person in my life. It just seemed so formidable to be inside a character's head... maybe I should try it.

Well, sometimes it's good to write about your own experience... and maybe exaggerate it a bit...

I have this...problem I guess you could say. I am writing this story (of course I am, we all are), and I keep switching between first and third person. I will write one part in third person, then for some reason or another switch to first, only to swtich back to third...all for the same character.

One of the things you have to know about me is that I am a very detail oriented person...or I try to be. And I can often be obsessive about it.

Anyway, I was writing a...I'll call it a character profile in third person of the main character Brianna. I was focusing on her childhood (long story as to why I was doing it) when I switched from telling the story in third person, to telling it in first. Then after the incident, back into third.

When I am writing the story itself I often find myself struggling with deciding which way to write. I started with third, set it aside for awhile (another long story) then when I came back to it I ended up writing in first. Then after setting it aside so I can more firmly establish the rules of the world (mosly just writing them down in one spot so I wouldn't keep losing them) I was writing in third person again. Which, let me tell you really gets me no where fast.

Now, I'm a little leary of going back to my story...I don't know which to continue with, first or third person.

Well, when you say that you switched to first person for the ordeal, that could be used as sort of a tool, like a flashback. Maybe writing on and off in third person isn't such a bad thing. It can make for a ver interesting read.

Has anybody done a First Person Prologue with the book in Third Person?

Actually half of my book is in third person, and the other half in First. Mostly becuase the book itself is in Third person, but my characters are reading journals, so the majority of the book has to be in first person. Because the entire book is about them reading these journals. if that makes sense.

I find it easier to write in first person I've done it since I was ten. I find it easier to relate to my character that way, I'm looking at it like it's hapening to me, not like I'm watching it happen to someone else.

Jessica wrote: "I find it easier to write in first person I've done it since I was ten. I find it easier to relate to my character that way, I'm looking at it like it's hapening to me, not like I'm watching it hap..."

I agree. Most of my stories are written in first person. I just find it to be less awkward, and the reader tends to identify more with the character than a more distant third person. I think it gives them a better flavor of the character's personality.

S.S. wrote: "Has anybody done a First Person Prologue with the book in Third Person?"

No, but I've done the opposite .. third person prologue, with the book in first person. The other way is fine too; a prologue can be a different person than the rest of the book! Same with epilogues.

I think it's fine to switch back and forth between third and first person in books, as long as it makes sense to do so.

Sella wrote: "S.S. wrote: "Has anybody done a First Person Prologue with the book in Third Person?"

No, but I've done the opposite .. third person prologue, with the book in first person. The other way is fin..."


Same! And I always see books that are written with third person prologue, then first person for the rest of the book.

I think it's easier to write in first person. It's easier to express emotions and actions, in my opinion. (: But that's just me.

sometimes first fits one story, other times, third fits a different story. Multiple main characters/stories going on at the same time=third person. You want the reader inside the MC's head=first.

And I've done that with a third person prologue (well, actually first chapter) and the rest in first person. It's the story that I can't think of a title for, and is about crazy kurt. I haven't written much so far, but I don't think thta I'm going to finish anytime soon. I think I need to research mental disorders first...(probably paranoia and schizophrenia)

THIRD PERSON FTW! lol i like first person too though :P