It is often underestimated how many decisions the writer needs to make before even putting the pen to the paper. The plot, the characters, the conflict, the setting—the list goes on and on, and something that makes a big difference in a piece is the perspective it is written from. A story written in first-person, second-person, or third-person has different impacts and advantages. I am here today to introduce the first-person perspective to you, one of the most common points of view (POVs) that writers use.
The first-person POV uses I/me/we/us and is told from the perspective of one character, often the protagonist. We get to experience the story through their eyes, and we have access to their inner world, their thoughts, opinions, secrets, strengths, and internal conflicts. This makes the reading experience intimate, and the reader has an emotional connection to the character. It also gives the writer more control over what information is revealed and when. We learn and discover information at the same time as the character, and writers can use this to their advantage to build curiosity, suspense, and mystery. The way we encounter the story is heavily influenced by the character, because we see it through their view, meaning their opinions, experiences, and personality will impact how they tell the story and how we read it. The first-person POV therefore leaves a lot of room for creativity and adds emotion, perspective, and a unique tone, depending on the personality of the narrating character.
When writers use the first-person POV, they have a lot of options for the style they can implement it in.
1. First-Person Central
With this perspective, the story is told through the eyes of the main character. Most first-person POVs use this style. An important thing to remember when opting for this is that you only know what your character knows, and you have to be creative when revealing plot details and describing other characters. Remember to build a unique voice for this character, either through specific vocabulary or personality traits that are unique, to help them stand out from other characters and other first-person narratives.
2. First-Person Peripheral
This is when the story narrator is a different character from the protagonist. They observe the story of the protagonist and tell the reader everything from their perspective. Just like with the first-person central perspective, the reader only knows as much as the narrator. Even though the story plot revolves around the protagonist, we only know the protagonist to the level that the narrator does. This can deepen character development, as we read the story through the eyes of a different character and get to see the protagonist through someone else’s eyes. The writer can use this to their advantage, to highlight aspects of the protagonist that we may otherwise not notice unless pointed out by another character. The narrator influences the storytelling a lot, based on their proximity to the protagonist, their opinions on them, and their own personality. This adds a lot of layers to the story.
3. Multiple Narrators
This is personally one of my favorite ways to write and read stories. With this style, two or more characters tell the story, usually taking turns, from their perspective. This can be done in a variety of different ways, but a common technique is splitting the book into different sections or chapters. Through this, the reader can experience the story from multiple perspectives, adding depth to the storytelling and emphasizing how unique the human experience is from person to person, or even how similar it is. We also get to experience the characters first-hand through their own perspectives, and then from each other’s views. This gives the author the opportunity for character development, as seeing the narrators through different perspectives can highlight traits we otherwise might never have known about. For this style to work well, the stories of each character need to intersect to some degree, connecting them, and each narrator benefits from a distinct personality, voice, and way of speaking to make each of them refreshing and interesting.
4. Epistolary
This is when the writer tells a story in the form of documents, including letters, journal entries, message logs, blogs, social media posts, articles, and many more. Within this style, you can choose between first-person central narration, usually through a diary or letters, and multiple character perspectives using different documents and voices. This gives the reader an intimate view into the character’s life, as mediums like diaries are deeply personal, as are letters, emails, and text messages. The writer can get creative by taking advantage of how the character’s voice can change based on what medium they are using, showing multiple sides to them.
Feeling inspired? Excited? Writing in first-person perspective opens so many doors to creativity and ways of telling a story! Before grabbing your writing tools, though, read on for some general helpful tips to keep in mind, so that you can get started on your beautiful writing!
- Develop strong personalities and characters!
Since this point of view is so focused on a particular character, their personality, opinions, emotions, reactions, and way of talking need to be well planned and thought out to make the reader want to spend time with them and feel curious and intrigued by them. - Background story!
The narrating character needs a strong background story, which informs how they act. Why do they react to certain things the way they do? Why do they have the goals they have? What is their motivation and why? This will build your character development. We all learn from our past, and so should first-person narrators! - What is their current life?
How do their circumstances and their present life impact how they show up in the story? Are they relaxed, or do they experience a lot of stress? How does this affect the decisions they make along the way? How does this affect their narrator's voice and how they view and tell the story? - Let your creativity flow!
Find new ways to start sentences, instead of with ‘I’. Have the character interact and experience their surroundings and setting. - Develop other characters too!
Just because it is one (or multiple) narrator(s) does not mean the other characters don’t matter… They matter a lot! Have other characters make up for the narrator's faults; have them highlight different personality traits of the narrator and of the story. - Show, don’t tell!
Using an active voice prevents distance from developing between the reader and your narrator. Have the narrator actively experience and react to their surroundings. What does the rain feel like? Would you rather read “It rained heavily” or “As I stepped outside, the raindrops raced down my arms”?
The first-person perspective brings a lot of opportunities and decisions during the writing process. And it may seem easy at first, but crafting a compelling first-person narrative requires careful details and planning. Sounds like a perfect challenge for a young writer like you! Take the time to practice these techniques, the different styles, and most importantly, have fun! Happy writing!
About the author
Chloe Rebecca Woodley is a Summer Intern at Write the World, from Kenya and Germany. She recently graduated from Hampshire College in Massachusetts, with a Bachelor of Arts in Scientific Journalism. Before university, she went to the United World College East Africa, where she regularly performed her poetry and learnt how to strengthen her communication to connect with multicultural and diverse peers. While studying, she worked in her university’s career center, curating social media posts, flyers and their newsletter. She also gained experience at the Turkana Basin Institute in Kenya, where she published blogs and learnt about their Communications Department. Writing is a passion, which is what drew her to Write the World’s platform, where she was inspired by the safe and nurturing community for young writers. As a Summer Intern, she enjoys being part of a writer’s community and hopes to empower and support young writers to enjoy and develop their passion!
