Writing in 1st person http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/29070 mexialice I just jumped into this madness about 10 days ago, never even having heard of NaNoWrMo until Oct. 28, 2011! I had a story in my head that I've been carrying around for about 10 years without ever having put anything down...now is the time. The problem is, as a great deviation from everything else I write, I am writing this novel in first person POV. So my question is...do you write the ENTIRE novel in 1st person or is there a good way to have it sprinkled with other POVs? My main fantasy novel that i have been working on for 8 years (slow writer anyone?) is divided into parts and each part has a different POV but the idea behind this novel for NaNoWrMo is to tell it entirely in 1st person. bad idea, good idea? and i hope you could discern a question or two in this rambling...:)thanks! Mon, 07 Nov 2011 13:58:39 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/29070?page=1#forum_thread_comment_557488 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/29070?page=1#forum_thread_comment_557488 kouzumi93 What I do if I want multiple POVs in a first person POV story is pick a few characters and have them each narrate a chapter or two. (I'm actually currently doing this with my novel as practice for a more involved story that I want to do eventually.) Mon, 07 Nov 2011 16:26:47 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/29070?page=1#forum_thread_comment_561026 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/29070?page=1#forum_thread_comment_561026 karaokeninja I'm writing my novel entirely in the first person. I'm not interested in multiple perspectives because I want something that feels personal and immediate, but you could switch perspectives. Dracula does that pretty succesfully, as do other novels... But what made you want to write in first person? What effect are you going for? Do you plan to have several main characters and each narrate part? Mon, 07 Nov 2011 16:30:51 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/29070?page=1#forum_thread_comment_561112 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/29070?page=1#forum_thread_comment_561112 mexialice that is a great question i have not considered...what effect am i going for? i think i started writing it in first person because i had the first paragraph laid out in my mind years ago, just you know, when something comes to you and you know you've got to use it/start there? i did...and it was in first person...i think though, i want my reader to experience this through my character's eyes and feel the conflict that she feels within herself...i really don't want the reader to have an objective view... thanks for the help! Mon, 07 Nov 2011 16:35:02 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/29070?page=1#forum_thread_comment_561199 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/29070?page=1#forum_thread_comment_561199 adriannenoel I would keep the entire novel in the first person. If you want multiple POVs, then have your other POVs also in the first person--and make it very clear when you switch. I think it would be highly irregular to have a first person POV, then a third person limited, then another third person limited, and then of course you'd have the third person omniscient thrown in. If the first person POV isn't working after a while, then try writing a portion of the novel in third person. I think that sometimes a story "asks" to be written in a certain POV--and you figure that out as you go along. Unfortunately, it sometimes means some re-writing later on. For first person POV, look at "The Kite Runner" and "Secret Life of Bees"--two mainstream novels, bordering on literary, that are successful at it. Tue, 08 Nov 2011 14:42:56 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/29070?page=1#forum_thread_comment_583474 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/29070?page=1#forum_thread_comment_583474 o0hawaiigirl0o I'm doing a first person (dog in my case, lol) POV. My reason behind it is that I find it difficult to write, so I'm challenging myself. Tue, 08 Nov 2011 18:48:30 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/29070?page=1#forum_thread_comment_588573 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/29070?page=1#forum_thread_comment_588573 o0hawaiigirl0o Forgot to add: I'm having just one dog's POV. I want the story to be from his view, and his alone. So it can show more contrast between a dog's life and a human's life. Tue, 08 Nov 2011 18:49:34 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/29070?page=1#forum_thread_comment_588596 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/29070?page=1#forum_thread_comment_588596 DDE First decide Who's story is this? Is there one central character around whom all the action takes place? If so, is it her/his story, feelings, thoughts, ect. you want the reader to know? 1st person POV is more intiminate; it put's the reader in the mind and heart of the character who is telling the story. But, the entire story must be told through this characters eyes alone. Keep this in mind. Imagine a televsion camera is sitting on the shoulder of the character who's thoughts. views, etc. you wich to show to your reader. In 1st person POV, the character telling the story must be in every scene. #3rd person POV is not as intimate, but you have the option of showing various characters' thought, feelings, etc. and no one character has to be in every scene. Ask yourself if there will need to be scenes where the main character is not in the scene. If so, 3rd person POV is best. I tried to write my first novel BREAKING TWIG in 3rd person and it was like pulling teeth. I switched to 1st person and it began to flow. In this novel, I started out in 1st person, and soon realized that later in the book, there would need to be a few scenes without my main character in it and so, I started over in 3rd POV and it worked better. Write your first 2-3 pages in both POVs and see which reads best/rings truer to you. Remember, you know your characters better than anyone. Tue, 08 Nov 2011 22:43:10 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/29070?page=1#forum_thread_comment_593007 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/29070?page=1#forum_thread_comment_593007 teninches I write in first person, present tense. Sometimes it drives me mad, but it kind of works for my story. Thu, 10 Nov 2011 02:38:28 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/29070?page=1#forum_thread_comment_615939 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/29070?page=1#forum_thread_comment_615939 Rebrites You can write first person looking backward, narrator telling their own story as past events. That way the narrator can be several different people, depending on who they were back then, then later on, then later on after that. People change over time. This gives you lots of flexibility, within the safety of "I." Thu, 10 Nov 2011 08:49:58 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/29070?page=1#forum_thread_comment_619829 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/29070?page=1#forum_thread_comment_619829 lilyadler i am officially cheating by re-typing a story i wrote in 1997. that said, i kept changing things, especially person. i am on it now and sticking with first person. it is what it is and if and when it is done, (and I only say if b/c it looks like it's gonna be way longer than 50,000 words as i am done with chapter 6 at >21000 and there are at least 16 chapters around here somewhere awaiting re-typing), then i can redo if it makes sense in third person. i even tried it once in second person. i do use caps in the novel but forgive me for skipping them here or in emails. write on! Sun, 13 Nov 2011 17:09:22 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/29070?page=1#forum_thread_comment_682430 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/29070?page=1#forum_thread_comment_682430 Mariana OConnor I'm writing 1st person for the first time in ages, and the challenge of getting all the little bits of offscreen information in is actually proving quite enjoyable. There are all sorts of things going on that the narrator doesn't see, but I have to hint at them. This means that I have strange scenes that seem pointless at the time (like the scene on the bus >.<). But when you realise what's going on then it all makes sense. It all depends on the novel. Mine wouldn't work as anything but a 1st person past tense POV because of the entire premise. You can jump around if it works for the novel. Diary excerpts, or just making sure that 1st person chapters are clearly labelled so the reader isn't confused. But 1st person isn't as daunting as it seems. :) Mon, 14 Nov 2011 06:49:51 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/29070?page=1#forum_thread_comment_691174 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/29070?page=1#forum_thread_comment_691174 Jacks_reg For a good example of first person read Maria V Synder's Yelena Zaltana's series. It showcases just how well rounded the story can be even though it's from one prespective. I'm also writing 1st Person present and I love it. It's so engaging and natural. The way I get around adding other POV's to it is through dialogue and observation. My MC will say her co-MC is twitchy, or looks angry and is pacing, etc. Dialogue is a great way around it because you have various POV's without the hassle of changing POV. And don't worry about being a slow writer, it took me 10 years to write my book and I'm now using nano to edit the last bit of it. Good luck and enjoy. Wed, 16 Nov 2011 08:53:24 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/29070?page=1#forum_thread_comment_725490 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/29070?page=1#forum_thread_comment_725490 lilyadler thanks jacks! write on. lily Wed, 16 Nov 2011 19:50:49 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/29070?page=1#forum_thread_comment_734542 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/29070?page=1#forum_thread_comment_734542 mexialice Thanks everyone for your responses! I appreciate your insight, tips and encouragement! I usually write for magazines or newspapers so this novel thing is a huge change up for me! But I am hanging in there and doing okay with it all! i look forward to the finished product and if it sucks, then I can fix it later...again, thank you all so much! Thu, 17 Nov 2011 06:31:18 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/29070?page=1#forum_thread_comment_739375 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/29070?page=1#forum_thread_comment_739375 Alerane The most recent first-person novel I read that was very effect was the Hunger Games. I think first-person is great to use as long as the character used is relate-able for the reader. If it's hard to be in their head don't force it. My NaNo this year is first-person present in its entirety. Thu, 17 Nov 2011 09:07:31 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/29070?page=1#forum_thread_comment_740890 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/29070?page=1#forum_thread_comment_740890 rubysmummy I think it depends how complicated you want to make things and how confident you are that you'll make it work! I've done my novel in 2 parts. Part 1 has 8 chapters in first person (same narrator) - and each of these chapters is linked by a short piece, either a flashback, newspaper article or even a poem (!) in 3rd person. Erm. Then I have a part 2 with 4 chapters, each written in first person and each narrated by a different character. Help! The last chapter and 'afterword' is in 3rd person. I think it works! LOL! Mon, 21 Nov 2011 15:08:50 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/29070?page=1#forum_thread_comment_796533 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/29070?page=1#forum_thread_comment_796533 GypsyLuc @Rebrites: I am using 1st person-past tense for my novel this go 'round. You are right in that this method can show the change of the MC/narrator over time. Mine is fundamentally a story of growth, self-discovery & self-realization. The changing thought processes, dialogue & observations help to tell the tale of his progression. Tue, 22 Nov 2011 17:02:49 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/29070?page=1#forum_thread_comment_810287 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/mainstream-fiction/threads/29070?page=1#forum_thread_comment_810287