One of the decisions some writers find difficult is which point of view to use. Here are some tips to help you figure this out for your stories.
First, figure out who needs to tell the story. Does the reader need more or less information than what the protagonist will have? Does the story need a more subjective voice or a more objective one? Do you want a more intense emotional story or do you want the reader to have some distance?
Here are the basics:
First Person Point of View: the most subjective, emotional voice. The narrator is either the protagonist or someone who is immediately impacted by the protagonist (a “sidekick” or other secondary character). First person POV uses the pronouns “I” and “we” to tell the story.
- I stepped onto the bus, dodging the toddler who’d escaped his mother’s hand.
- The storm hit hard, and we barely made it to the shelter of the trees.
- Sometimes I just don’t know what my mother is thinking.
Second Person Point of View: the trickiest voice to write. The narrator talks directly to the reader, using the pronoun “you.” Second person is almost always told in present tense, which is another tricky writing technique.
- You step onto the bus. A toddler darts under your feet and you dance to stay upright.
- The storm hit hard, and you barely made it to the shelter of the trees.
- Sometimes you just don’t know what your mother is thinking.
Third Person Point of View: the most common voice in literature. There are actually two types of third person POV: limited or subjective, where the narrator focuses tightly on one person and what they know, or omniscient or objective, where the narrator shows what many characters are feeling or thinking. Third person uses pronouns such as “he,” “she,” “it,” and “they” to tell the story.
- He stepped onto the bus, dodging the toddler who’d escaped his mother’s hand.
- The storm hit hard, and they barely made it to the shelter of the trees.
- Sometimes she just didn’t know what her mother was thinking.
Emotional impact depends on who is telling the story. First person and third person limited have the most emotional investment by the narrator, because you’re getting inside their heads and seeing their thoughts and feelings. Third person omniscient backs away from the intimate and gives you a more objective viewpoint of the story.
“But which one should I use?” you ask. The answer is always “it depends.” Different stories are told best in different ways, and sometimes you have to experiment a bit to see which one works for a particular tale. Try the most common POV first (third person) and see if it flows well. You can also try moving from third person limited to omniscient if you feel the story needs more information than just what the protagonist would know. If you want a more immediate, intimate story, switch to first person. I don’t recommend using second person POV unless you are a seasoned writer striving for a particular literary tone. It’s too hard to read, and usually comes across as contrived and stilted.
Your point of view should enhance the story, pulling the reader into your universe and keeping them there. If you find you’re having trouble with anything, try changing the point of view and see if it flows better from another angle.