First-person narration

[Finchbearer]

I’ll add, just for the sake of it, that one format I find very readable, is alternating chapters between characters, either in first person OR close third.

 

[Gallio]

The POV you pick matters very little in my opinion. As, they can all work. Robin Hobb uses first person POV masterfully in the Farseer Trilogy.

In my opinion, the main things are that you need to stay true to the POV, and that you should use them to their strength. 1st person is very intimate. You're very much into the characters thoughts and feelings. If you don't dig into that, then pick a different POV.

3rd limited if done well is very close to first. You can in some instances change I for he/she and it works. 3rd limited is a bit more distant, but with that, it also offers you a chance to step away from the POV character a bit more. While technically you shouldn't do it, you can get away with showing something the character can't see or notice in third limited, which you can't in first person.

If you're going with multiple POV's, then I would personally stick to third, unless you really know what you're doing. Switching it up tends to jerk the reader out of the story. The charm of first person is that you're along for the ride with the protagonist. You're experiencing their story. Throwing in different POV's removes this facet.

Thanks for the helpful and thought-provoking comments!

"Robin Hobb uses first person POV masterfully in the Farseer Trilogy." Another author whose work I need to explore!

"The charm of first person is that you're along for the ride with the protagonist. You're experiencing their story. " Yes, that's more-or-less one of my aims.

 

[Gallio]

Thank you to all of you who've replied. Lots to consider!

 

[Demesnedenoir]

The book in question is The Great Forgetting, The War of Seven Lies Book 1, but it's still in progress. It's a prequel to Eve of Snows and that series.

It sounds doable to me. A good chunk of work in rewrite/editing, but doable.

First, thank you for your comments. They have helped me to understand why I think the change might work.

"If that insanity works, then 1st is a cakewalk." I can imagine! What is the title of your book? I'd like to read it.
"Oftentimes, 3rd Intimate can damned near be swapped for 1st person," This is exactly why I began to think I should change, though I hadn't verbalised it as clearly for myself. About 90% of the book is intimate 3rd person, focusing on a single MC.
"multiple POVs won't pass muster with many people," There will be three at most. I'm going to try to keep it to one, especially as the motives of characters 2 and 3 are meant to be obscure to Mc, and to the reader, until the reveals.

 

[pmmg]

Wouldn't the easiest thing to do here, is start putting some of it in first person and see what you think of it? Then we don't have to guess

From far away, I'll just be another saying anything can work, its all in the execution.

 

[Gallio]

Hi pmmg, thanks, I've been doing that for the last 2 days.

 

[Mad Swede]

Gallio if you want a good example of first person point of view then read some of Dashiell Hammett's stories, or Raymond Chandler's books. Both are wonderful examples of compelling first person writing.

 

[Gallio]

Gallio if you want a good example of first person point of view then read some of Dashiell Hammett's stories, or Raymond Chandler's books. Both are wonderful examples of compelling first person writing.

A trip to the local library is due!