WRITERS: Do you write in first person or third person?

Question

How do you like to write your stories? Do you switch around? Devote a chapter to a person and the next one to another? I personally write in all, but I do prefer first person- what about you?

And because I'm bored; bonus question. Have you ever tried writing a post apocalyptic or a dystopia/utopia-like world? Did you think it was good?

Answer 1

I preffer to write in first person but i've written in both. When i write in third person i tend to focus on the setting, description and actions of the characters whilst not going into much about what they are thinking and feeling. This means i usually get a lot of static description and not as much 'feeling' in the story. When i write in first person i really develop my character, they are deep and real and the story is full of emotion, however i can spend a while describing how they are thinking and feeling and loosing track of the action in the story.



I've tired the switching thing but it didn't work well for me so i gave up.



I personally preffer reading in first person but don't really mind, the chapter per character rarely works well in my opinion. Usually i like one character more and wish they would have more parts so when it switches to the other cahracter it can get frustrating. Some notable examples of good books/series that use this however are the Bartimaeus trilogy by Johnathan Stroud and The Vampire Chronicals by Anne Rice (well ok it a diff character per book usually, but it still works well)



Yes i've done the dystopia and end of the world thing. i had to write a dystopia story for english class and i remember being very proud of it but i never re-read it so i don't know if it was actually any good. I also had a post apocolypse story but whilst in my head it's planned in great detail, i've put very little on paper, i'm planning on finishing it when i've finished my current story (assuming i'm able to get it off my broken computer *crosses fingers*)

Answer 2

I've wrote in both first and third person. I prefer third person because it helps me get across the feelings and thoughts of other characters; in my opinion anyway, I feel some first person stories are a bit whiny and complainy. I'm not so much a fan of teenage literature. But as I said, that is just my opinion.



I haven't tired to write a post apocalyptic or dystopia world. I have read them but I don't think I would ever write one.

Answer 3

Normally, I find writing in third person easier than writing in first. The majority of the time it sounds less like a realistic character and more like me pretending to be someone else. However, for the story I'm writing at the moment, it's imperative that it's written in 1st person, as the structure creates much more of a lasting effect. So, for me, it really depends on what I'm writing.



BQ: Many many moons ago, I attempted to create a utopian dystopia (I know O_o). I ended up getting bored with it and ditched it after a couple of days.

Answer 4

I write in both. I haven't done any serious dabbling in third person omniscient, but it's actually how I'll be writing my next book. I like writing in first because it seems more real to me, but it doesn't always work. Sometimes third person limited varying is the only way to go.



BQ: Yes I have, and I'm writing another right now. My first attempt, I think, turned out quite good (it's getting good reviews from the people who've read it on authonomy and inkpop, though it's not very high on the list.) Hopefully, this one will be even better. (Both are dystopian lit. Utopian is too much like a fairy-tale for me to write, since I don't believe in it at all.)

Answer 5

I prefer to write it in first person for one character for the most part of my stories, but sometimes that character is not involved in something important so I have to have it in another person's POV. I like to incorporate the character's thoughts and feelings in my writing.



BQ: I'm currently writing a sprt-of dystopia/utopia story, and I'm liking the way it's coming along.

Answer 6

The current book I'm writing is in first person. I think both third and first person are easy, but if I write a short story in third person I usually find myself writing some of it in first person.

Answer 7

I actually don't think I've ever written in first person. I don't like to read in first person, so I won't write in first person either. I've only ever read one author who (in my opinion) could pull off first person writing, and that was Sir Arthur Conan Doyle with his Sherlock Holmes stories, written from the viewpoint of Dr. Watson.



BQ: Not yet. I'd certainly be interested in it, particularly if there are zombies involved, as I do love zombie movies and zombie books. I just haven't gotten around to it yet. I actually have a rough apocalyptic plot stashed away in one of my notebooks. Perhaps I'll work on that once I've finished my current stories.

I suppose one of the novels I'm working on now could be counted as post-apocalyptic, but it's so long after the apocalypse, it doesn't really count.

Answer 8

Generally, I write in third person because I feel that it's easier for the events and action to flow rather than do it in first person, which is one-sided and a bit biased, seeing as you're only looking inot the protagonist's head and not the other characters'.



BQ: Nah, not really. Not fond of those types of stories. >.<

Answer 9

I used to write in third, but then I found it easier to write in first (only have to concentrate on one person's perspective rather than the whole cast). And for question number 2: no I have not. I usually write fantasy stories.

Answer 10

I like to personally write in first person. I think it's easier to understand the character better that way. It's funny because I was just thinking about having my characters switch around when they are not by each other. Like i go from my main character (which is in first person) to my other some-what main character (which would be in third person) but i wont use it that way often.



I'm still wondering about that though.



And about your bonus question....i have no clue what you just said so i'm gonna skip it....

Answer 11

I do both. :) But I mostly write in third person... ^^



BQ: I've thought about it, but I always too afraid that it'll be -way- to similar to the Fallout series - which I absolutely -love- - and any other post-apocalyptic, or even zombie, films/books. ^^;

... actually, I take that back. I do write post-apocalyptic stories... in fanfiction. ^_^;

Answer 12

omg i love apocalyptic/post/dystopian settings im currently trying to write one xD



but if this is your first time writing, then go with first person its easier.

i do like third person but sometimes its difficult to rrally get a grasp on what the characters feeling. but it gives you more options.



but when your writing a book, stick to one view, you cant switch from first person to third or the reader will get confused lol



good luck

Answer 13

Third person. I'm God that way ^^

First person doesn't bore me but it's painful to write in. Only doing something from one POV? *shudders* Not free enough, a-ha!



BQ: Thought never even crossed my mind. I'm not interested with the genre in film, book or play!

Answer 14

i think you can read This Is Your Brain on Music: The Science of a Human Obsession [Bargain Price]

There are questions that are too big for science; are there gods, for instance, or what is love? And maybe we will never fully find out scientifically why music does what it does and why we care about it so. But for many reasons, music ought to be a profitable subject for scientific enquiry.

Answer 15

Third but at one point a character has a pretty massive monologue so there will be quite a few pages in the first.

Answer 16

I have written in both first person and third person, but i prefer third person.

Answer 17

Third person