On Monday I read Tracy's post about how much she loved writing in first person and it's like something clicked.
I think it was this (sorry I'm stealing):
"Third person is like watching a movie and knowing what's going to happen to your beloved characters before they do. First person is like being the character in the movie and having no idea what's about to hit you."
I've always been a third person kind of writer. Even when I wrote stories as a teenager I never even thought of writing in 1st person, but today I tried.
I took the first scene in my book (you know the one that I think kind of sucks) and I switched it over to first person and I kind of liked it.
I remember reading about a writer who finished his book and then decided to change it to first person (I think it was John Irving). At the time I thought that was crazy. Now I'm not so sure. I'm not saying I'm going to switch my whole book, but I'm going to experiment and really isn't that what a writer is suppose to do.
What about you? Have you ever changed your mind about POV and switched after you were done?
19 comments:
I've never switched POV after a project was finished. With my most recent manuscript, I was writing in third person and just couldn't get the story right. One night it suddenly occurred to me that I had to write it in first person for exactly the reasons you talked about. I needed the reader to know only as much as my main character. It was amazing how fast the story was written after I made the POV change.
I always write in first person. BUT I've changed a whole novel into switching pov's and then I decided it needed to be in present tense...
So, yeah, I've switched. I think that even if you don't USE what you wrote, it helps you connect with your characters and your scenes.
Yep! But I'm the opposite. I usually always start writing first person, and then switch it to third. :)
I'm in the exact same boat! I have a novel in third person and a WIP in first. Something with the first person is just really clicking, and I'm seriously considering putting the completed novel in first person. But also not because that's a pretty big change! Just thinking it through...
My crit partner suggested I change my last book to first POV and I balked. Now that it's shelved, and I'm working on something I love, maybe, BIG maybe, I'll take a look at it again next year.
I've changed the tense after finishing. That was a big pain and a lot of work. But POV, not so much, I usually stick to what I've started.
I have changed my pov, but I find I write best in first person. I'm changing my plot line right now in my book. I think I might be a little crazy!
I've always written in 1st but there's this project I have that I want to write in 3rd (2 POVs) and I still don't have the nerve to go and try my hand w/3rd! :P
I have a thing with 1st person. When I started writing, I wrote in 3rd, but then I fell in love with 1st. It really is like being the character in the movie. I think it's much more personal for some reason. :)
I started off writing in third person as well. Now I write in first most of the time. I think they both work well. It's fun to switch up every now and again. You'll have to keep us updated with what you decide to do. :)
I love both but it has been mentioned to change POV's on a MS before. It's awesome that you changed the bit you didn't like and now like it!!
I haven’t switched once I started. I usually write in third person too, but current WIP told me to write it in first.
I just finished doing this. It's been kind of fun, and I'm definitely delving into the mc's thoughts more.
I've never changed POVs, but if I thought it would make the story better then I would try it. My WiP is in first person and I love it that way.
My first novel was in third person. For my second, I wrote in first. I started one novel (which is my next YA project), and tried out the first few pages in both povs to see which one I liked best. I also did the same for tense. :)
I haven't written a novel and changed the pov--only the tense.
One of my writing partners switched hers about 200 pages in, from third to first, and it was like a completely different book. Amazingly wow! It was a headache for her, but worth every single hair she pulled out doing it.
I've done it a few times with a chapter or two. I like first better, but this one I'm writing now is in 3rd because things just got too dark in her head and I didn't want to be there. After writing in 1st for so long, it was REALLY hard to write in 3rd!
Experimenting is good. Even if you don't use it ultimately, it still can breathe good life into something in the trying. :)
I switched the MS I'm currently querying from 3rd to 1st person--after I finished it. :-)
I've never switched, but when I'm revising, I always read the manuscript in my head as if it's written in first person. It helps!
so far I've been a 1st person girl every time. But I could try 3rd at some point... it could happen! :D
I thought Tracy's post was brill as well~
Post a Comment