1st, 2nd or 3rd Person

[T.S.Thorn]

When you create a story, do you want it to be told by the narrator or told by your character?

( Example: https://tapas.io/episode/708975 )

[UzukiCheverie]

I mean, the narrator is typically one of the characters. Unless it's one of those stories where it's being told by some other being (ex. Stranger Than Fiction, Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy) But I still get the point you're making lol

For the novelized version of Time Gate specifically, the whole series is written in a very House of Leaves type style, where the entire series is compiled much like a diary with entries from various people. Some of the entry writers aren't revealed right away though, so it makes for an interesting dynamic in perspectives and writing styles.

Typically though, I usually write in first person. Most of the entries in Time Gate are written in first person, save for the few sidenotes and footnotes that are "inserted" by other writers.

[T.S.Thorn]

Thank you. Just wondering because when I address my character I say: "I want to play video games", said Nik. Instead of, "I want to play video games". Could I mix it in there, like I'm the other being describing the environment or what my MC is doing?

[punkarsenic]

i think it depends heavily on the story. like, ari and dante or the song of achilles work so well in first person because theyre personal accounts, theyre very emotion heavy, they have very internal protagonists.

meanwhile, books by terry pratchett tend to work better in 3rd person for the joy of dramatic irony, and the ability to retain the authors personal voice, which is very funny.

second person? ive only seen in fanfic and tbh i dont like it. its weird.

also, a story can be in third person and be told by the character (maybe with offcuts into other areas the character doesnt see) in a sense - the sense that you see inside their head, but nobody else's. harry potter does this. i like it, because it allows for things to go on behind the scenes and in the subtext, shown and not told, and also delve deep into the MCs head.

[L_M_S]

I prefer writing and reading in 1st and 3rd person, and don't like reading stories in 2nd person unless it is a reader's-choice type of thing.

My default is 3rd person, though I find writing in 1st easier.

[T.S.Thorn]

Thank you. I think I'm 1st & 3rd person because I describe where my character is and what he's doing, then when he says a sentence it's like: "I don't know", said Nik.

[T.S.Thorn]

So, it really depends on the person? I say she or he after I mention the character's name.

[NickRowler]

I think 1st person works better with simpler narratives like slice of life and dramas.

For more epic stories or complex narratives, 3rd person works better. It allows for multiple perspectives.

I've mostly seen 2nd person in informative writing, like instructional books. I guess if you are making a "how to" comic, you would use "you" when addressing the reader.

[T.S.Thorn]

Okay, that makes sense.

[UzukiCheverie]

Thank you. I think I'm 1st & 3rd person because I describe where my character is and what he's doing, then when he says a sentence it's like: "I don't know", said Nik.

Well, you'd have to do that regardless of what point of view it's taken in. You can either do:

I dragged my body up onto the beach, out of breath, as the water from the ocean coated my skin.
"Dammit . . ." I gasped, as I fought for air.

OR

Uzuki dragged her body up onto the beach, out of breath, as the water from the ocean coated her skin.
"Dammit . . ." she gasped, fighting for air.

Like, picking a first person point of view doesn't mean you can get away with being non-descriptive lol Even though it's the character that is experiencing these things in first person, you still have to remember that people are reading your story and need to know what's going on