First Person Narrative

[Blutea]

Hello,

Would anyone happen to have some tips on writing first person? It's my desired writing style, but I know I'm not very good at it. Any suggestions, tips, etc.?

-blutea

[DanielScocco]

I would say read as many books as possible that use that style.

[Blutea]

Thank You,

So far, I suppose, that's all I can do. I've delved into Stephenie Meyers' novels and find I get most of my inspiration and information from there.

-blutea

[Mel Menzies]

Almost all of my published books have been written in the first person (I have some as yet unpublished ones in 3rd person). However, my latest - a novel - was originally written in 3rd person past tense. One of my readers suggested changing the main character to 1st person. I'd completed the manuscript at this stage, but I decided to take her advice - and to go one step further. So I re-wrote the main character in 1st person present tense, leaving the others as they were. One of my pre-publication reviewers wrote: 'skillfully handled, interlinking present tense narrative with third/past point of view - and oh boy! how it adds texture and dimension. . .' That review is quoted on the back cover of the book. And oh, how glad I am that I took my reader's advice.

So I do understand your desire to do likewise. The best way, I'd say, is to imagine yourself (in character) talking to a friend. Or writing a letter to someone you know. That way, you'll be sure to keep your perspective and tense accurate. Good luck!
Mel Menzies - Author of: A Painful Post Mortem http://www.melmenzies.co.uk/

[Slayer]

Thank You,

So far, I suppose, that's all I can do. I've delved into Stephenie Meyers' novels and find I get most of my inspiration and information from there.

-blutea


I'm like you in that I love writing in first person. I provides more depth into the main character and gives the story more human insight.

I've written incomplete novels in third person and found myself spread thin between the characters.

I'm now writing my first 1st person novel and have discovered that I am able to give the story more texture and layers and hone in on human emotion.

Read Anne Rice's novel The Vampire Lestat. I think that one is 1st person if I'm not mistaken.

[Daniel]

Keep writing on that style until you master it.

[Rustum]

Hello,

Would anyone happen to have some tips on writing first person? It's my desired writing style, but I know I'm not very good at it. Any suggestions, tips, etc.?

-blutea

Try reading some of Nelson DeMille's work - Plum Island or Gold Coast -he's a master at the first person style, but there are many others, one of the women I really enjoy is Laura King. Every time I read these folks, I wonder, "How do they do that?"

[Mikes]

Keep writing on that style until you master it.

Seconded. The only thing that will help develop your style is through writing, writing, writing.

As for suggested reading, two books which immediately jump to my mind are Life of Pi by Yan Martell and tge Dexter series by Jeff Lindsay. While Dexter isn't exactly going to be a classic, the main character is such a strange indidvidual the use of first person really shows how you cna get inside the head of a different personality. And Life of Pi should just eb read by everyone.

The suggestion of the Vampire Lestat (yes, it was first person) was a good one, and i'd go one further and also suggesting reading Interview with the Vampire first. Both are first person from two different character and there's a lot of overlap in stories from the two books, which will show how the view point of two personalities show scenes in different lights.