# 1st person or 3rd person? Please help! (writing advice needed) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 4, 2005, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1st-person-or-3rd-person-please-help-writing-advice-needed/324782 "2005-10-04T20:43:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2005, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1st-person-or-3rd-person-please-help-writing-advice-needed/324782/21 "2005-10-05T17:30:37Z")
> [@DeadlyAccurate](#): > > Rather than start a new thread, I’ll just post here. I just got a sick feeling in my stomach because this is the month my D&D adventure is released, and someone on their boards was asking if it’s out yet. I’m terrified. What if everyone hates it? What if it doesn’t sell well? What if they find tons of mistakes? What if people just find it boring or stupid? ☹ I need a pukey smiley. From my experience, you will hear from more of the people who hate it, than from the people who like it, but that doesn’t mean there are more of them. Just that they are more vocal. Good luck with it! ---
**Author:** ![rjk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ed655f/32.png) [@rjk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjk)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2005, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1st-person-or-3rd-person-please-help-writing-advice-needed/324782/22 "2005-10-05T21:18:09Z")
> [@The Chao Goes Mu](#): > > … In my estimation, 1st person is a little more difficult to pull off. … Yes, it’s difficult, but can be worth it. Look at Raymond Chandler. If you can write half as well, you’re doing fine. ---
**Author:** ![TV\_time](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f17d59/32.png) [@TV\_time](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TV_time)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2005, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1st-person-or-3rd-person-please-help-writing-advice-needed/324782/23 "2005-10-06T00:58:18Z")
For what its worth, the author of the _Princess Bride_ uses both first and third person narration (in my opinion) very effectively and entertainly in the same book. When I was writing (and occasionally selling) fiction (short stories) the type of story would dictate to me whether I would use first or third person. I would tend to use first person for detective fiction (both classical and hard boiled) and occasionally romance. I would use third person for SF and Westerns (and sometimes romance - I was never comfortable writing romance - it sold, but I was never comfortable with it). On the two occasions I attempted porn, I wrote third person (I attempted the first one in first person, but I kept getting my character into situations that just didn’t work). I still write humor and I almost exclusively write in first person. —When I write in third person, I prefer third-person limited to third-person omniscient. I find that a certain amount of ignorance adds a level of suspense that usually helps a story. -----The only good story I have ever read in second person future tense was by Asimov (sp?). It was a time-travel piece about a man who goes back and talks to himself. I enjoyed it as much for its novelty as anything else. TV ---
**Author:** ![dotchan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9d8465/32.png) [@dotchan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dotchan)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2005, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1st-person-or-3rd-person-please-help-writing-advice-needed/324782/24 "2005-10-06T02:37:45Z")
What about writing it from second person present (with a semi-omniscient narrator), in the viewpoint of the intruder? > [@](#): > > She doesn’t realize you’re in her room until you clamp a hand over her mouth. She wakes suddenly, looking pissed. Probably at her landlord for the cheap electronic locks on her front door, or that she lived in a building that didn’t have an alarm system, but mostly at herself for falling into such a deep sleep. That sort of thing gets people killed. > > “He said you were a pretty sweet piece of ass,” you purr into her ear. “Guess he was right.” With your free hand, you rip aside her comforter and snake a hand under her t-shirt. You can’t see much in the dim light coming from her alarm clock, but you don’t need to. You’re very tall and very strong and very, very drunk. Your voice is nasally, as if you’d broken your nose a few times. You’re not sure; it was a pretty messy fight, and the other guy didn’t get up afterwards. > > Her nine millimeter is on the bedside table, but she won’t be able to grab it without you noticing. Her twenty-two is on the kitchen table instead of under her pillow, you passed it way in, wondering about it. Most likely she had started to clean it last night and stupidly left it for the night… ---
**Author:** ![DeadlyAccurate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ac91a4/32.png) [@DeadlyAccurate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DeadlyAccurate)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2005, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1st-person-or-3rd-person-please-help-writing-advice-needed/324782/25 "2005-10-06T03:42:24Z")
It’s like an evil choose-your-own adventure. 🙂 I think I’ve decided on first person. It’s what feels right. I think I was trying to force the story into third person when it wanted to be told in first person. Mostly it was the thought of being 2/3 of the way done (and having already finished another in the series) and going back. But it’ll be better in the long run. ---
**Author:** ![Askia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/96bed5/32.png) [@Askia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askia)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2005, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1st-person-or-3rd-person-please-help-writing-advice-needed/324782/26 "2005-10-06T03:52:39Z")
**DeadlyAccurate.** I was hoping you would re-write it in first person. I like the idea of seeing events from inside Phaidra Johnson’s head. Now you have to decide whether she’s an unreliable narrator or not. I don’t envy the work of re-writing ahead of you but the rewards should be worth it. Good luck. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2005, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1st-person-or-3rd-person-please-help-writing-advice-needed/324782/27 "2005-10-06T13:10:31Z")
> [@DeadlyAccurate](#): > > Rather than start a new thread, I’ll just post here. I just got a sick feeling in my stomach because this is the month my D&D adventure is released, and someone on their boards was asking if it’s out yet. I’m terrified. What if everyone hates it? What if it doesn’t sell well? What if they find tons of mistakes? What if people just find it boring or stupid? ☹ I need a pukey smiley. Yow! Cool! What’s it called? ---
**Author:** ![DeadlyAccurate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ac91a4/32.png) [@DeadlyAccurate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DeadlyAccurate)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2005, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1st-person-or-3rd-person-please-help-writing-advice-needed/324782/28 "2005-10-06T14:29:37Z")
Since I don’t want to get in trouble for promoting something I shouldn’t, I’ve sent you an email, **Ethilrist**. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1st-person-or-3rd-person-please-help-writing-advice-needed/324782.md?page=1)