A novel written in first person is a first-hand account of events told or narrated through the eyes of a single character, typically the main character. Books written in first person are easily identified by the use of the pronoun “I” rather then “he or she.”
The reader will see phrases such as “I said, I thought,” rather than “he said, she thought.” Everything is experienced through the eyes of a single character, and all thoughts and observations are limited to that one person. There can be no outside observer. If the narrator does not see or experience an event first-hand, it cannot be a part of the story. All scenes in the story are filtered through this person’s unique perception.
What are the Advantages of Writing in First Person?
First person makes the narrator close up and personal. The reader can identify with the character and experience their deepest, innermost thoughts and feelings. While third person and omniscient points of view distance the reader, first person allows the reader to enter the world of the narrator, privy to his personal thoughts and feelings.
What are the Disadvantages of Writing in First Person?
When writing in first person, the author is restricted to a single point of view. First person is the narrowest, most restrictive point of view because everything is seen and processed through the mind of the narrator.
Some authors find first person a natural choice, while others find it too limiting to stick with one character’s viewpoint through an entire book. Some find writing in first person as easy and comfortable as writing in a personal journal, others find it awkward and restrictive.
When is First Person the best POV to Use?
First person can add a hint of foreboding or foreshadowing, which makes it a popular point of view for ghost stories, gothics, and novels of suspense. It is also a good point of view to use if the book is confessional in nature.
Let’s take a look at a made-up opening below:
Example of First Person: Had I but known what terrors awaited me at Grange House, I would not have been so eager to board the carriage that night, to begin a night-bound journey to a place where only ghosts and torment reside.
Example of Third Person: Had she but known what terrors awaited her at Grange House, Susan would not have been so eager to board the carriage that night to begin a night-bound journey to a place where only ghosts and torment reside.
These examples demonstrate that first person viewpoint can sometimes be a better way to draw a reader into a story that contains intrigue, suspense, and character reflection. While any book can be written in first person, this point of view works well with novels that rely on thought processes and the personal emotions of one character rather than books that contain multiple main characters and lots of action.
When should First Person be Avoided?
Books that require multiple characters to tell a story work better in third person, so that more than one viewpoint of events can be offered.
How do Publishers feel about First Person?
Third person is still the point of view most commonly used and recommended by many editors. First person, long associated with gothic romance, some private eye mysteries, and a few mainstream novels, falls in and out of favor with publishers. For many years, first person was very popular. It then declined in popularity. Lately, however, many new books, especially mysteries, have appeared on the shelves that are written in first person. It seems the bias against first person has been lifted and the point of view is once more the author’s individual choice.
When choosing a point of view, the author should first experiment by writing a few passages in first person, then change them to third and see which feels the most natural for the unique story they are trying to tell.
Example of Books Written in First Person
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte (gothic)
The Lying Tongue by Andrew Wilson (mystery)
The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold (mainstream)
The Year of Fog by Michelle Richmond (mainstream, mystery)
The Meaning of Night Michael Cox (confessional)
To learn more about other points of view visit The 3 Points of View in Writing
