POV preferences

I got another one of those poll-like questions! I rather like them.
Do you prefer writing in 1st, 2nd, or 3rd POV?
And what do you think of using more than one POV style in a story?

I like 1st, and 3rd, sometimes. I'm wary of 3rd because I don't want to accidentally slip out of it, but I always use it if I want to write in a guy's POV.

I like 1st and 3rd equally--they're different, but both great in their own way. The series I have going with multiple POV is in 3rd--it just seems a lot easier that way, plus it's an epic fantasy, so 1st seems weird. But my other project/a two-book series is a paranormal-ish type thing in 1st person, the first book from a girl's POV, and the second a couple decades later from a boy's. The epic fantasy is the one that I'm working on primarily, though, so I probably won't get to do 1st person from a guy's perspective for several years.

lol, 2nd...so neglected. But it really is useless.

I dunno, I've read some good epic fantasy in 1st(Lisa Shearin's series is in 1st, if I recall correctly––granted, it's epic fantasy with the feel of contemp.)
My main WIP is actually in both 1st and 3rd––1st for the gal, 3rd for the guy. But yeah, most of my epic fantasy stories are in 3rd. I'd never really thought about why. They just were.

Well, it's great for choose-your-own-adventures(I used to love those books!)... But otherwise, yes, yes it is.

Like Amanda, I alternate between 1st and 3rd depending on the feel of the story I'm starting to write. ^^ It can be a bit of a rough transition to go from one directly to the other, but a few chapters in I've usually got the flow of it again. Recently I've written 2 stories back to back in 1st person, which was more than usual, so I'm thinking my next will be in 3rd. ^^

And same as you, WriteSpinner, I write from boy's POVs in 3rd. ^^

What genres do you write? Does that effect what POV you choose at all?

I write in 1st. I always have since I was little so I've gotten good at it. I've tried 3rd but it didn't sound as good because I'd never written in it, and halfway through the page I subconsciously switched back to first :/

I write paranormal, most of what I've read in that genre is in first but really it could be either first or third and work really well.

I remember when I first tried to write in 3rd; I'd switch back into 1st on accident too! It was irritating. I don't do that much anymore, but it took a while.

WriteSpinner wrote:What genres do you write? Does that effect what POV you choose at all?

Yeah, it does. It has a lot to do with it. I write fantasy and sometimes science fiction (my current is sci-fi/fantasy, combined, and so it's in first person because it worked). Some of my more epic fantasies have been in 3rd, naturally, but then also my most recent fantasy was in 1st because it worked much better. ^^

Cool... Some of my favorites.
I never have a reason for choosing one over the other. I just start writing, and it picks itself. The only time I think, "Okay, this needs to be 3rd," is if I'm wanting to do something in a guy's POV.
But when I look at it, all the story bits I have that are in 3rd are all fantasy. The rest are mostly 1st.
Makes me want to write a fantasy in 1st just to prove to myself that I can write a good fantasy in 1st.

Hmm...I've been thinking about why the epic fantasy types are in 3rd...

Maybe because it's in a fantastical world, and third can feel a bit more whimsical? Idk, I write rather close 3rd, so it's almost the same as 1st, with a few stylistic differences aside from 'he/she' instead of 'I'. I'm trying to imagine it in first, and it just doesn't work as well to suspend disbelief.

I think the small distance between the reader and the character helps the reader to believe the world more than if you were in the character's head, living it through their eyes. In 3rd, it's like you can live it through your own eyes right next to the character. Also, 1st is a rather self-involved character voice, which doesn't seem to work as well if your story is highly plot driven, such as in a fantasy epic. That's my theory.

Heh... For me, as a reader, that's not a problem. I suspend disbelief easy. but I can see how it could matter to others.

Just imagine Eragon in first person.

NO.
^That was my part of my thought process when coming up with this theory, lol.

I think suspending disbelief is easy for me, too, as long as the author introduces the world piece by piece instead of packing all possibly relevant information in the first couple chapters. And my disbelief is suspended, unless I find a sizable flaw in the author's world logic. But at that point, I've probably already stopped reading for other reasons.

The main thing is whether you want plot or character to be the focus. Both should be awesome, to be sure, but in all epics, plot is the most important, though character should be a very close second. If it's character-driven, it's not an epic, just a fantasy. Which is great, too. <--that's the only smiley that nods. Apparently, agreeing is evil.

Thinking about Eragon in 1st does make me cringe...

I'm not sure I understand what you mean. What's your definition of fantasy vs. epic fantasy? Just whether it's plot or character driven?

Of course. Didn't you know that? It's much better to disagree. There are tons for that!
Granted, they're all a bit moody.

WriteSpinner wrote:Thinking about Eragon in 1st does make me cringe...

I'm not sure I understand what you mean. What's your definition of fantasy vs. epic fantasy? Just whether it's plot or character driven?

Of course. Didn't you know that? It's much better to disagree. There are tons for that!
Granted, they're all a bit moody.

Fantasy can be either plot or character driven--the character becomes a better person/solves the mystery of their powers/learns to share, or the plot is the saving of a village from an evil wizard/playing with dragons/hanging or fighting with elves. Epic fantasy always has the plot of saving the world/country, and as such, is plot driven. The character plays a major role, but their destiny is set, and it can only really end one basic way.

Graceling by Kristin Cashore is a fantasy. Fire, by the same author, is more of an epic, because she's saving the country from destruction. It's very character oriented, but essentially a plot-driven book. So I think that helps if you've read those. If you haven't, these examples are rather worthless, lol. I'm going to keep using this smiley to agree.

That was a great description, thanks. It's another of those things I've never really thought about (but my brain immediately started categorizing my stories into the different ones ).

I have read both of those, so the example was fine.
What about Twilight? Character-driven or plot-driven? I'm guessing character, mostly? (Honestly, I had a comment about Twilight that made me think it could be plot, but then I totally lost it, so... yeah.)

Okay, good to know. I'll know not to be overly concerned whenever I see you use it, then...

Twilight is DEFINITELY character. (lol) First 100 pages? Boy meets girl. Next 100 pages--boy and girl make out, debate over who loves who more, and make googoo eyes at each other. Last 20 pages? Problem, climax, and resolution. Okay, so that's a bit of an exaggeration, but yes. In Twilight, if character is driving, plot is in the trunk, lol.

Pretty much all romances are character driven, only in the case of Twilight, it is Edward's character and a shell of a character called Bella that almost all tween/teenager girls can fit themselves into. So it's kind of a choose-your-own adventure without any choices. And little adventure, lol. The small amount of plot included involves simple complications, i.e. enter new love interest, exit old, hang out with new for the entire book, then, in the last 20 pages, problem with old love interest, climax, and resolution.

The plot is just there to give the author justification to go on and on about character. Then why are you riveted, on the edge of your seat while reading it, you ask? (Just ask. ) Stephenie Meyer weaves tension into basically every sentence. Which is something we should all learn from...

btw...you should be concerned. Every smiley posted is one more evil agreeing robot that will rise to my aid when the time is right.

No kidding. If tension is what made Twilight famous with 3+ movies, there is DEFINITELY something to be learned.

...Well, I've got the Coast Guard and sharktopuses on my side, so I'm not worried. They'll beat your robots any day.