When I started working on Miss Snitch, I got about 100 words in before I decided that what I was doing wasn't going to work. What I usually do is 3rd person POV. It just felt too distant, too out of my MC's head. I needed to shift into 1st person.
I don't usually work in 1st person. Actually, this is the farthest I've ever gotten in something that wasn't 3rd person. I don't really know why I favor the 3rd person, since a lot of books I love have been 1st person stories. Maybe it's because I tend to see the stories I'm writing from the perspective of a observer, watching it play out instead of acting in it myself.
I think this has been a growing experience for me. It's certainly forcing me to rethink the way I narrate stories. I feel as though I use the word 'I' too much. If I were writing 'Jenny' instead, I know it wouldn't feel half so awkward.
I'm not sure I've got the handle on it yet, but I'm working on it.
What POV do you favor?
Any tips for working in 1st person?
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I don't really have a POV preference. My first ms is in 1st person because it seemed to work. My two other projects are in 3rd person, but I'm thinking of changing one to 1st. I don't have any tips for you because I'm not sure I did it right myself.
ReplyDeleteSusan -- I think the key is just doing what seems to work. If you think a story works better in one than the other, then run with that.
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