And I want fresh blood. No, I haven’t gone vampire but I want new meat. Not werewolf either, new authors who will take these steps along with me and take on the first pov.
Deep 3rd pov seems to be very popular in the market so many writer’s have take this route. Heck, even I have. But how much deeper can you get?
My blogs on this subject are to encourage, not only the new writer but the experienced ones too, and take the plunge. Give it awhirl.
Like in any type of writing the use of pronouns should be done in moderation but with first person the variance with me, my, and I helps. One never has to write I thought, felt, or touched. These are a given. You’re only in one character's head so if there are any theses things they are happening to that character. So leave out the I.
Example: (mind you these are quick)
3rd pov – He touched her sleeve and it felt silky.
1st pov (done badly) – I touched her sleeve and it felt silky.
1st pov (done better) – Her sleeve was silky to the touch.
Hope I made sense and encouraged you to give it a try. A parting note, if you blog, you’re already writing first person pov. :)
FYI: On Dec. 11 I'll be part of a blog tour. There will plenty of prizes. For more info click HERE.
13 comments:
LOL My recently released Christmas book is in first person ;-) Hint hint.
Have a great day Annie!
I have several short stories in 1st person, no novels yet. A different better version of your example: "Oo, silky!"
Sandi, I love your stuff and have your book. ;)
Guy, great example!
I've recently met some up and coming authors at Romance Divas who show a lot promise with the fist pov. I can't wait until they get published.
Some genres are very open to first person. Those would include (but not be limited to) science fiction, fantasy, erotica, mystery, and women's fiction/chick lit. It's less likely to find romance/erom in first person, since romance tends to lean toward two or more POV characters, the main ones fairly balanced. You CAN do two first POVs or more, but that lends to a he said/she said type of telling.
Some editors say they don't want first, but they will consider well-written first. Some say they don't want first and really mean it, since they don't personally like it or don't see a large audience for it.
All told, any deep third work can be fairly simply turned into first person and vice versa. You're absolutely right that good is good and bad is bad, whether it's first or third.
And you're right that the biggest problem people have with writing first is getting stuck in the head of the I character, using the personal pronouns for the I and focusing inward. Like any deep character, you are inside the head of the POV character but facing OUT to the whole world.
That said, I like first person, if it's well-executed, and I've written a few of them myself.
Brenna
Hey Annie, I love reading the first person but I'm really bad at writing in it.
I liked this post!
I tried writing in first person but didn't have much success with it. I don't mind reading it though any sex scenes tend to be a little awkward.
Great post.
Liena~
Liena, nothing was harder for me to learn than how to writed sex in first person without making the reader and myself feel squishy. LOL
Maaybe I'll make my next post about this. It's a hard lesson learned.
oh yes! I does throw me off, too, but a well-written first person does not have to be all about I. :D great example at the end there.
I'll have to contemplate the sex issue. I haven't done that in first...yet. ;-) LOL
Great Blog. My paranormal romance, The Dream House Visions And Nightmares is in 1st person. I had a hard time transitioning to multiple POV in the third novel I'm working on.
Very good post, Annie
I love reading 1st person and have tried countless times to write it but failed. I cannot grasp the dynamics of my characters well enough in 1st, which is strange since it's supposed to be all about them.
But to each her own though - some people who write wonderfully well in 1st may not be able to do 3rd and vice versa, so that always keeps things moving!
Hugs!!
Excellent post. I struggle with all POV's lol I'm not seasoned like most here are.
Gary
I love the I's. :-D
I tend to love third POV the best in reading and in writing but I've given first person a shot. Depending on the story, it can really make the characters and setting pop!
Post a Comment