Which person? 1st.. etc (1 Viewer)

[Azi]

My short story relies on the day to day 2nd person observations of a man, and rather twisted 1st person stream-of-consciousness from another man who turns out to be the first in a kind of sleep apnea.
I am much better (well I think it just seems to sound more interesting) writing in 1st person, and I was wondering whether I should change/reverse my 'persons', since most of the story is of the first man mentioned..

Which person do markers prefer?
Who else prefers 1st person?

 

[Deer]

Are you sure you mean 2nd person?
2nd person is like; "You are driving a car, you see a tree, and you swerve"
You are placing the audience inside the text.

It's not impossible, but I think that would be pretty hard to sustain for a long time? Or did you mean 3rd person? If not, good on you for doing something different, + goodluck!

In any case, if you're more comfortable writing in first person, I'd switch. I prefer writing that way, and reading that way, because it is can be more interesting to view the story from a subjecting, human voice, rather than a god-like story teller who has an objective view on everything (in 3rd person). Well, of course, it depends on what you're trying to do with the story. Obviously both can work well, but I think it would work better in your situation if you used mainly 1st person.

Your idea sounds interesting, just try not to make it too much like fight club. That movie influences so many stories. It's amazing, just make sure it's only an influence, not a reliance 0

 

[Absolutezero]

Third person is the easiest to write in for most people. You stand outside of the story, so you can discuss everything that's going on.

First person is interesting. However, it is limited by what is known by the character.

Second person is to be avoided. Usually only works in things like choose-your-own-adventure mysteries.

You're probably better of leaving it as mostly 3rd, with partial 1st. It's easier to get the whole overview of your story this way.

 

[Shadowdude]

If on a winter's night a traveller is the best 2nd person book I've read. It's mindblowing, and it's awesome. If you can do that well, then I would think it's an easy 50/50 right there.

Still, most people do 3rd person, 1st person and 2nd person. In that order, I believe.

 

[Absolutezero]

Still, most people do 3rd person, 1st person and 2nd person. In that order, I believe.

Qft.

 

[Azi]

Oh my god Im an idiot. I meant 3rd not 2nd.

 

[pman]

2nd person is the best, love 2nd person stories..when done well they are quite interesting

 

[Absolutezero]

when done well they are quite interesting

This is the problem. Most are horribly written, especially at high school level

 

[Shadowdude]

Read "If on a winter's night a traveller" by Italo Calvino.

It's an EX1 text, but you'll find that observations of real life really add to it - especially his passages in the 1st Chapter where he describes the phalanxes of books and sorts them into categories of like 'Books I will read when they come in paperback' or 'Books I want to read but don't want to because they are too expensive' or 'Books that will go well with other books, but I don't have the first book yet'.

So if you can set that tone up, you are set. Or, if you can entertain people.

Remember, this is English Extension 2 - Standard, Advanced and Extension 1 analyse the texts, we write the texts. You have around 9 months from now to make it perfect, so don't fuss.

 

[Shadowdude]

Try... 4th person! Nah. Or do what John Fowles did in The French Lieutenant's Woman, assume a person - he did 3rd - and gently mock it somewhat. I found it nice and original as he'd cut during the middle of the story and muse on whether he should write about a certain thing, and then decide to go back to something else and continue on with that.

 

[Absolutezero]

Try... 4th person! Nah

Do it.

 

[Shadowdude]

You mean like:

"As you peer over the shoulder of the writer, he begins to pen down words to a story. As you are not the writer, surely, you do not know what he writes, but as he writes quicker than you can read you figure to yourself that you will start at the first sentence and continue on, imagining all the things the writer writes, immersing yourself in his fictional world.

You begin to read:

Once upon a time...."

Like that?

 

[Absolutezero]

lol. Close, but good enough. Repped.

 

[alex.leon]

1st person usually allows for a more sincere character development- and it's dynamic. The reader feels like they're in the moment.

3rd person is the easiest to both write and read. Not to say it isn't effective, though. It also makes plot development easier as you can provide contextual information, as well as play with time and place.

Yeah, 2nd person sucks. I think people dislike it because you feel like you are being forced into complying with the author's wishes. It's like they have you in their hands and can bend and manipulate you to their will. I always think 2nd person sounds like a list of instructions.

 

[annabackwards]

I did 1st person for my creative as i imagined that it was actually me in the story and gave the point to my story more of a "wow" factor.

Just do whatever you're more comfortable with, but i suggest you stay away from 2nd person unless it's excellently well done

 

[alcalder]

And there are a few sorts of 3rd person as well which depend on Point Of View (POV) - not sure of their technical names, though but just looked them up on Yahoo answers!

3rd person specific when all the action you see is ONLY from the POV of one person eg Harry Potter, where we only see what happens and learn about feelings from his POV.

3rd person alternating when the POV switches between characters in different passages eg the Dune follow up novel by Brian Herbert, also Terry Pratchet does this (apparently).

3rd person omnipotent where there is a narrator that is like a god figure who knows and explains everything eg "Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell" and Michael Crichton does it, too (apparently).

2nd person always reminds me on the "Choose Your Own Adventure" books. Very cheesy.

Personally I find 3rd person specific easiest to write in (and more fun because you can then hide some things because you are only introducing your readers to one POV and individual people never know all sides of a situation). Although JKRowling does use 3rd person alternating a couple of times to introduce various things that we need to know but Harry doesn't - eg Snape's unbreakable vow.

Basically, you need to write the way you 1. feel most comfortable and achievable 2. fits your voice 3. fits the story you are telling.

 

[ashleejade09]

I was told by my Ext. 2 teacher to avoid 2nd person, but I LOVE it.
"The bride stripped bare" Is one of my favourite books, in 2nd person as well! And for the record I wrote my English ext. 1 creative writing piece in 2nd person and got 23/25 for it.
I guess it was a short piece and wasn't long enough to get boring, but I have some sort of love/obsession with the old 2nd.

 

[1leah1]

your story sounds similar to vanilla sky with the sleep and different/same guys...is it going to be post modern?
and i would'nt recomment second person, 6000+ words is a long time to be telling your audience what they're doing (I know you said 1st or 3rd but yeah). might be easier in 1st coz you can play around with the audience so they're not sure who's speaking, but could be confusing if you're not that proficient at the multiple voices business.

 

[kiniki]

sorry just reading through, the '4th person' or when the author gives his/her own narration of her composition is called authorial intrusion