Check in: March 27, 2013 - Wednesday

[barbayat]

It is already the middle of the week. Time flies by ...

Did you ...

... write?
... thought about writing?
... promised yourself to write more?

How about editing or supplying your beta?

Wednesday's Discussion Topic : POV - First Person

How do you feel about a first person narrator?

I've heard that lots of people do not like it with fanfic (especially with original characters) like it is an indicator for bad fic almost instantly.

Some of you already said they used it?

If you do not, why not?

Comments

[the_rck]

I wrote a bit today. I need to stop and edit what I've got because most of what I wrote today seems boring to me. I need to think of a different approach to the scene. I'm not sure what I'll do with it. I do have a previous chapter to finish editing. That one's probably sat long enough that I can see it properly.

I've used first person. There are times when it's appropriate. This year's Yuletide fic, for example, was for a canon that's all first person narrative, and I was using one of those narrators as the focus of the story. It's not the first point of view that I try usually, but I don't automatically dismiss it.

I'm not sure why people are so down on first person narratives. They're a challenge because the author has to get the voice just right, but most writing is a challenge, one way or another.

[barbayat]

I was wondering if it might have something to do with people having read stories with first person narrators they did not like and then concluded that first person narrator is generally bad.

That I can understand, because I am not going to read a novel or a longer piece told by a character I dislike. That does not mean it is necessarily bad or that I will always dislike first person.

Oh how I dread figuring out what irks me about a scene I have written. Good luck with that ...

[linaewen]

I am thinking about writing. I have the time today, so I should take advantage of it and actually do some writing instead of just thinking about it! :-)

I have used first person a time or two, for special cases. I think there are definitely times when it works.

[barbayat]

Well, if a writing session would help with it, I am available for a bit ;)

And yes, I think given the right story and the proper use, first person narrator can work very well for a story.

[sharpiefan]

I've done zero writing this year, pretty much.

Anyway. First person narration... I'm not that fond of it, myself - and that includes actual published novels, not just fanfic. Having said that, though, I've used it once - I opened a multi-part fic with an intro from the first-person perspective of an OC, who went on to be the main character in my retelling of a canon event from the perspective of an unnamed witness to the canon story. So, in that regard, it worked, and pretty well, I think.

It's not something I would make a habit of doing, but once in a while, and done properly, I think it works.

(If you want to read it, it's Hornblower, titled Divided We Fall, United We Stand and part one can be found here. Rated PG.)

[lilly_c]

Editing and writing, I've started to flesh out the small scene that has been annoying me. I'm leaving it as is for tonight and going back to it on Friday, I'm going to Edinburgh tomorrow and won't have any time to write.

I'm not keen on first person in fic or novels because I find it difficult to visualise the characters and the flow and overall pacing of the story feels odd to me. That, the pacing, might just be a dyslexic thing though :)