I don't like it. It throws me out of the story, so I have to 'shift gear' each time the POV changes. I've mostly seen it done in suspense, James Patterson, Lisa Gardner, a few of their books do it, though I don't remember which ones. It's usually the killer that is in a different POV.
Writing a 3rd and 1st Person combination
Happy Saturday!
Some of you may recall that I was trying to decide between writing a sequel to my first novel or starting something altogether different. I went back and forth for a while but decided to write the sequel; the story has just been brewing in my head and I can't stop thinking about it, plus the reader feedback from my first novel has been amazing (with many asking for a sequel), so it was the natural choice.
My first novel was entirely written in the third person. I've started writing the sequel in both 1st and 3rd person -- the POV of one main character is told in first, while the rest are in third, and it only switches with new chapters.
Two questions:
1. Does anyone have objections to reading a book that has both 1st and 3rd?
2. Can anyone name other books that use this technique, both successfully and poorly, so I can have a look?
I'm going fishing for a few hours so talk amongst yourselves until I return.
Thanks!
Some of you may recall that I was trying to decide between writing a sequel to my first novel or starting something altogether different. I went back and forth for a while but decided to write the sequel; the story has just been brewing in my head and I can't stop thinking about it, plus the reader feedback from my first novel has been amazing (with many asking for a sequel), so it was the natural choice.
My first novel was entirely written in the third person. I've started writing the sequel in both 1st and 3rd person -- the POV of one main character is told in first, while the rest are in third, and it only switches with new chapters.
Two questions:
1. Does anyone have objections to reading a book that has both 1st and 3rd?
2. Can anyone name other books that use this technique, both successfully and poorly, so I can have a look?
I'm going fishing for a few hours so talk amongst yourselves until I return.
Thanks!
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James Patterson does (or did originally) it in his Alex Cross novels. He's pretty successful.
I don't mind if the book starts in 1st ( i.e Prologue ) and then it switches to 3rd for the rest and ends on 1st. I have seen that done a few times by authors ( Kind of like bookends)Many Waters said:Happy Saturday!
Some of you may recall that I was trying to decide between writing a sequel to my first novel or starting something altogether different. I went back and forth for a while but decided to write the sequel; the story has just been brewing in my head and I can't stop thinking about it, plus the reader feedback from my first novel has been amazing (with many asking for a sequel), so it was the natural choice.
My first novel was entirely written in the third person. I've started writing the sequel in both 1st and 3rd person -- the POV of one main character is told in first, while the rest are in third, and it only switches with new chapters.
Two questions:
1. Does anyone have objections to reading a book that has both 1st and 3rd?
2. Can anyone name other books that use this technique, both successfully and poorly, so I can have a look?
I'm going fishing for a few hours so talk amongst yourselves until I return.
Thanks!
But if it's switching back and forth continually, no. I would say stick with one or the other.
I haven't hit the water yet. Getting my tackle ready and reading the replies.
Some interesting feedback here. I could definitely see how a constant switching between 1st and 3rd would be jarring. If done poorly, it would be a difficult read. For some reason I feel like I can do it in such a way that would enhance the story, not detract from it. Kind of a gut feeling I guess.
What I was envisioning, though, would be to write this novel from the POVs of probably three different characters. The backbone of the story would be the character whose POV I would tell in first person, mainly to delve deeper into her thoughts and feelings, because hers is as much an inner journey as it is an outer one.
The chapters would go in a sort of cadence: 1st person Character 1, 3rd person Character 2, 3rd Person Character 3, and then circle back to 1st person Character 1 and repeat the cycle.
I would rather do it this way than all 3rd person, I think, and I definitely wouldn't even consider writing in 1st person for all the characters and POVs. I almost feel like it would be less jarring, because, once they pick up on the sequence, the reader would know that the only 1st person perspective is the one particular character.
No? Yes? Maybe? I am reading the feedback here with great interest, and I'm certainly early enough in the novel to make a change if it seems I should. It's a tough call - I certainly don't want to scare people away from my book.
Some interesting feedback here. I could definitely see how a constant switching between 1st and 3rd would be jarring. If done poorly, it would be a difficult read. For some reason I feel like I can do it in such a way that would enhance the story, not detract from it. Kind of a gut feeling I guess.
What I was envisioning, though, would be to write this novel from the POVs of probably three different characters. The backbone of the story would be the character whose POV I would tell in first person, mainly to delve deeper into her thoughts and feelings, because hers is as much an inner journey as it is an outer one.
The chapters would go in a sort of cadence: 1st person Character 1, 3rd person Character 2, 3rd Person Character 3, and then circle back to 1st person Character 1 and repeat the cycle.
I would rather do it this way than all 3rd person, I think, and I definitely wouldn't even consider writing in 1st person for all the characters and POVs. I almost feel like it would be less jarring, because, once they pick up on the sequence, the reader would know that the only 1st person perspective is the one particular character.
No? Yes? Maybe? I am reading the feedback here with great interest, and I'm certainly early enough in the novel to make a change if it seems I should. It's a tough call - I certainly don't want to scare people away from my book.
This. It has to be completely clear who the POV is in each chapter, and not based only on the 1st to 3rd shift.bmcox said:
I seem to recall one of Iain M Banks's books, Feersum Endjinn, did this. Mostly 3rd, but one of the protagonists' scenes were in 1st person phonetics, no less. I've read it twice and I still couldn't explain the plot to anyone, so I don't know if it was successful
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