First-Person Addict - CrimeSpace2024-03-28T13:18:47Zhttps://crimespace.ning.com/forum/topics/537324:Topic:155938?commentId=537324%3AComment%3A156059&feed=yes&xn_auth=noMy preference is for third pe…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2008-08-26:537324:Comment:1574372008-08-26T18:09:37.468ZLaura L. Cooperhttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/LauraLCooper
My preference is for third person. The advantage is that readers can stay in the action without the author having to contrive the protagonist's involvement in every scene. Very few first-person characters are interesting enough to be the sole perspective, but I enjoy it when an author makes it work. When I write, I turn to first-person more often with very short fiction. That's my POV.
My preference is for third person. The advantage is that readers can stay in the action without the author having to contrive the protagonist's involvement in every scene. Very few first-person characters are interesting enough to be the sole perspective, but I enjoy it when an author makes it work. When I write, I turn to first-person more often with very short fiction. That's my POV. Hi, It was interesting that t…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2008-08-19:537324:Comment:1566372008-08-19T16:11:35.116ZPauline Rowsonhttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/PaulineRowson
Hi, It was interesting that this conversation came up this afternoon when I was giving a talk to a local Reading Circle. They were lovely. I am just about to put something on my blog and add photos. We talked about POV. Many of the readers found it irritating when a writer skipped between too many viewpoints but didn't really mind whether it was first or third person as long as the story was a good one.
Hi, It was interesting that this conversation came up this afternoon when I was giving a talk to a local Reading Circle. They were lovely. I am just about to put something on my blog and add photos. We talked about POV. Many of the readers found it irritating when a writer skipped between too many viewpoints but didn't really mind whether it was first or third person as long as the story was a good one. Thanks. And absolutely! If it…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2008-08-19:537324:Comment:1566122008-08-19T14:09:38.265ZI. J. Parkerhttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/Ingpark
Thanks. And absolutely! If it doesn't sell, I will do this. It's not a worry; it's a challenge. I once rewrote some 500 pages from present tense to past (on my agent's suggestion). That, too was an interesting exercise, though the mood of the book changed and I'm not sure it was for the better -- still, no doubt, it made it more marketable. Readers like what they are familiar with.
Thanks. And absolutely! If it doesn't sell, I will do this. It's not a worry; it's a challenge. I once rewrote some 500 pages from present tense to past (on my agent's suggestion). That, too was an interesting exercise, though the mood of the book changed and I'm not sure it was for the better -- still, no doubt, it made it more marketable. Readers like what they are familiar with. If and when you had time and…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2008-08-19:537324:Comment:1565552008-08-19T06:06:35.948ZPauline Rowsonhttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/PaulineRowson
If and when you had time and felt so inclined you could have a go at changing the thriller (or part of it) to first person to see if it works better. Not an easy task I know, but I found it an incredibly good writing exercise. Still, you might yet get an offer for it. Good luck.
If and when you had time and felt so inclined you could have a go at changing the thriller (or part of it) to first person to see if it works better. Not an easy task I know, but I found it an incredibly good writing exercise. Still, you might yet get an offer for it. Good luck. Fascinating. And Congrats!
I…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2008-08-18:537324:Comment:1564302008-08-18T17:36:13.714ZI. J. Parkerhttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/Ingpark
Fascinating. And Congrats!<br />
I also write third person POV for a male protagonist for much the same reasons (plus some historical ones). The only thriller I wrote (still on offer), is also third person (two protagonists, one male -- one female), and now I wonder what it would have been like in first. You may be absolutely right about it being "faster" in first.
Fascinating. And Congrats!<br />
I also write third person POV for a male protagonist for much the same reasons (plus some historical ones). The only thriller I wrote (still on offer), is also third person (two protagonists, one male -- one female), and now I wonder what it would have been like in first. You may be absolutely right about it being "faster" in first. A very interesting item and…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2008-08-18:537324:Comment:1564012008-08-18T15:55:26.198ZPauline Rowsonhttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/PaulineRowson
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A very interesting item and discussion. I write in both the third person, (single viewpoint) for my Detective Inspector Horton crime novels and in the first person for my thrillers. I also always write from the male point of view and often get asked why I do so. I can't really say except that it was only when I started writing from the male point of view that I found my style! I have both male and female readers, which I find most rewarding. I enjoy…
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A very interesting item and discussion. I write in both the third person, (single viewpoint) for my Detective Inspector Horton crime novels and in the first person for my thrillers. I also always write from the male point of view and often get asked why I do so. I can't really say except that it was only when I started writing from the male point of view that I found my style! I have both male and female readers, which I find most rewarding. I enjoy writing (and reading) thrillers in the first person because it makes the novel faster and more 'thrilling'. When I first wrote In Cold Daylight ( a thriller) I wrote it in the third person and it wasn't until the revisions stage that I realised it just wasn't working, so I changed it to first person and it worked much better. Maybe readers thought so too because it was shortlisted for the World Book Day Prize and was voted by readers into the Top Ten Best Reads! I think it comes back to deciding, as a writer, whose story it really is, and what will be more entertaining for the reader. Very true. There's at least s…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2008-08-18:537324:Comment:1563632008-08-18T13:31:32.069ZI. J. Parkerhttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/Ingpark
Very true. There's at least some reassurance in this that the world hasn't regressed totally into anarchy and that some people might still believe in ethical behavior.<br />
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And John, I don't disagree with you -- which is why I put an "or" after justice always prevailing. The novel needs to remain believable and realistic and I tend to be pretty cynical myself.
Very true. There's at least some reassurance in this that the world hasn't regressed totally into anarchy and that some people might still believe in ethical behavior.<br />
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And John, I don't disagree with you -- which is why I put an "or" after justice always prevailing. The novel needs to remain believable and realistic and I tend to be pretty cynical myself. I agree. I grew up in an era…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2008-08-18:537324:Comment:1562892008-08-18T01:53:23.854ZTom Cookehttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/TomCooke
I agree. I grew up in an era of fictional hero's that fought for justice and a code of moral behavior. It left a positive impression on me. I would like to return the favor. If I can at least leave the impression that with work, sacrifice and diligence, GOOD at least has a chance to win over EVIL then perhaps someone, somewhere, will be able to benefit.<br />
Where is The Shadow when you really need him?
I agree. I grew up in an era of fictional hero's that fought for justice and a code of moral behavior. It left a positive impression on me. I would like to return the favor. If I can at least leave the impression that with work, sacrifice and diligence, GOOD at least has a chance to win over EVIL then perhaps someone, somewhere, will be able to benefit.<br />
Where is The Shadow when you really need him? I disagree that anything is a…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2008-08-17:537324:Comment:1562822008-08-17T23:36:29.365ZJohn Dishonhttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/whiteskwirl
I disagree that anything is an author's responsibility. Certainly your view is a valid one for an author to take, but then all views are equally valid. In life, justice doesn't always prevail; in fact it frequently doesn't. To only describe scenarios in which justice prevails, then is to leave out an essential facet of life, and then one can hardly say that such work is representative of reality. A world in which justice always wins out is a world of fantasy.<br />
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Then again, since an author has no…
I disagree that anything is an author's responsibility. Certainly your view is a valid one for an author to take, but then all views are equally valid. In life, justice doesn't always prevail; in fact it frequently doesn't. To only describe scenarios in which justice prevails, then is to leave out an essential facet of life, and then one can hardly say that such work is representative of reality. A world in which justice always wins out is a world of fantasy.<br />
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Then again, since an author has no responsibility, taking the view I suggest and describing both aspects of life is not required. It just happens to be my preference. This business of the author's…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2008-08-17:537324:Comment:1562692008-08-17T21:51:01.640ZI. J. Parkerhttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/Ingpark
This business of the author's responsibility is an interesting one that I frequently struggle with. It seems to me that there are two extremes that ought to be avoided: the author who uses the book to preach a particular moral theme, and the author who celebrates amoral values by making violence acceptable and refuses to be judgmental about such acts.<br />
Mostly, mysteries tend to show that violence and cruelty exist, but that justice ultimately prevails or is at least seen as the goal and that the…
This business of the author's responsibility is an interesting one that I frequently struggle with. It seems to me that there are two extremes that ought to be avoided: the author who uses the book to preach a particular moral theme, and the author who celebrates amoral values by making violence acceptable and refuses to be judgmental about such acts.<br />
Mostly, mysteries tend to show that violence and cruelty exist, but that justice ultimately prevails or is at least seen as the goal and that the good man wins at least a moral victory. That, I think, is among an author's responsibilities.