a random question for anybody

[the_siobhan]

What do you prefer when reading fiction, first person or third person? Or does it depend?

Comments

[sushispook]

What I love about first person is the interior dialogue. When it's third person but still goes into the interior dialogue of the characters? /chef's kiss

[lil_m_moses]

I prefer third, but done the right way, first can work. I actually just finished an N.K. Jemisin trilogy that made interesting and good use of first, second, and third person perspectives, which I hadn't seen before.

[bladespark]

It really does depend. Mostly I like third person, but in the right story first really brings something.

[nicklausse]

I feel like first person is a niche that isn't going to work for all stories. But I love it as an interior narrative.

[sabotabby]

Third. I can hardly ever stand first.

[conuly]

Honestly could not care less. I will say that a snarky narrator works better in the first person than the third - a snarky or chatty third person narrator only works some of the time.

[ironed_orchid]

I like both, and also fiction with multiple points of view.

[jo]

Third person is more common, so I sometimes find first person a bit harder to get into initially, but ultimately, it really depends. If it works for the story, and more importantly, if I like the story, it's fine. The Outlander series uses both -- chapters told from Claire's POV are always first person, but everyone else's are 3rd person.

[elusis]

So good, that one.

[ayebydan]

Third usually,

[kest]

I feel like it's about what works for the story. First person is interesting because it is more natural to be in someone's head...but there's also things that they don't know, and the story will be paced along their uncoverings of those things. Third person is more flexible for different viewpoints, but can seem less personal/immediate.

[greylock]

Prefer third person.
I groan when I find first, but I can get over it.

[50ftqueenie]

It really depends, on many things. The type of story mostly, but also the skill of the writer. First-person in the hands of green or unskilled writer can be come across as self-absorbed, but in the hands of a good writer, it can be immersive and captivating.