There are two common points of view taken when writing novels: the first person (I, me, we) and the third person (he, she, they). Writing in the second person (you) is not recommended at all and will not be discussed in this article.

I enjoy both the first person and the third person points of view when writing and have utilized both in my novels. But there are pros and cons for each that you should be aware of when deciding which point of view to use.

First Person Point of View

The first person point of view is robust in the sense that it is easier to impose the character’s personality on the narrative than with third person, but it is also limiting in that the story can only ever be written from one character’s perspective. If the story starts off with:

I couldn’t have wished for a better outcome…

Then this means the character is the narrator and telling the story, so the entire story must come from that single viewpoint. You can’t jump to another character in a different scene because the “I” in the story is not there and would have no idea what is happening or what anyone else is thinking or doing. The entire story must revolve around that single character. The scenes must be seen from that one character’s viewpoint and the reader can only know what that one character knows.

Third Person Point of View

The third person point of view is more common in storytelling. This is because, with this point of view, there is a narrator that is telling the story about a person or a group of people and has more freedom to jump around from character to character to tell the story. The narrator acts as the storyteller, revealing the innerworkings of each character. So, if the story starts off with:

She couldn’t have wished for a better outcome…

Then the narrator, some invisible, omniscient storyteller, is relating what happened to someone else and gains the freedom to switch characters and scenes if necessary. The reader can know what multiple characters and the narrator reveal, meaning they can be more knowledgeable than the characters in the story. This can be used to guide the reader into solving a mystery or building anticipation of coming conflict.

However, when used incorrectly, characters can come off as stale and uninteresting. This happens when the author tries to tell the story from everyone’s point of view at the same time, trying to give too much information about the characters and how they’re feeling or thinking. This is dangerous because it tends to flatten your characters and makes it harder for the reader to care about them.

First Person Pros and Cons

Pros:

1. Robust means of imposing the character’s personality on the narrative.
2. Lends to a faster paced story.
3. Is easy to write.
4. Easier for the reader to relate and care about your character.
5. Best with simple, single plot lines.
6. Great for character driven stories.
7. Is easier to write actively with less passive sentence structures.

Cons:

1. Must stick to a single character.
2. Can’t jump to a scene where the character is not present or has no knowledge of.
3. Limits the information you can give the reader.
4. Limits the story that can be told.
5. Harder to show complicated, multiple plots.
6. Not so good for plot driven stories.

Third Person Pros and Cons

Pros:

1. Allows for more storytelling opportunities.
2. Can jump from character to character and thus from scene to scene.
3. Allows for more complicated plots and multiple plot lines.
4. Can be great with both character and plot driven stories.
5. The narrator has more power in the storytelling.
6. The reader can gain information easier, which makes it easier to build suspense and intrigue.

Cons:

1. Tends to create a slower paced narrative.
2. Harder to create dynamic characters that the reader cares about.
3. Much easier to be wordy and overly descriptive, boring the reader.
4. Requires more skill to do well.
5. Easier to write passively instead of actively.

Both points of view have a place in novel writing. I recommend both. But you should know the strengths and limitations of each before you decide on which to settle on.

Now go write!