Point of view is one of the most important decisions a writer must make before they begin drafting their story. Point of View - or POV - is the writer's way of deciding who is telling the story and to whom. Establishing a clear point of view is essential because it dictates how your reader interprets characters, events, and other vital details. There are three kinds of points of view: first person, second person, and third person.
What is the First Person Point of View?
In writing, the first-person point of view uses the pronouns "I," "me," "we," and "us" to tell a story from the narrator's perspective. First-person POV is the most commonly used point of view for teen fiction as it allows the readers to step into the mind of the main character truly. Showing the readers their thoughts and feelings in a completely personalized way.
No two first-person POVs will be the same as no two characters are the same.
What is the Second Person Point of View?
In writing, the second-person point of view uses the pronoun "you" to address the reader. This narrative voice implies that the reader is either the protagonist or a character in the story and the events are happening to them. Second-person POV is the least common point of view in storytelling and is mostly used in conjunction with AU's or fanfiction with self-injection.
What is the Third Person Point of View?
In writing, in the third-person point of view, the narrator refers to all characters with third-person pronouns such as 'he', 'she', or 'they'. This is considered the most objective and trustworthy viewpoint as it does not get muddled with emotions and feelings. This is also the most commonly used POV in storytelling.
Tips for writing in the First Person Point of View
When writing in the first person there is no clean-cut way of writing. Every character is different and as such every time you write in first-person should be different and tailored to your character. There are some tips to help with writing first-person.
Consistency
When writing in first-person it often feels like you are writing in a diary, which allows the leakage of your personality to come through in the writing. You need to stay consistent in the character's voice as you write. Remembering things like; the way the character speaks, the terminology they use, and the way they behave should all reflect the character's background and personality, rather than the writer's.
To help with this many authors create character profiles for their characters: documents listing details about their characters to help them get into the right mindset when portraying them in their stories.
Me, Myself and I
In first-person, avoid phrases that take the reader out of the character's thoughts—for example, "I thought" or "I felt." While one of the advantages of first-person writing is knowing what the narrator is thinking, don't get stuck in the character's head. We also want to see through their eyes, so use visual language to show the reader around their world.
Supporting Characters
When writing in the first-person present tense or past tense, it's easy to focus solely on your narrating protagonist. However, it's equally important to give your narrator a lively group of secondary characters who can support, challenge, and illuminate the traits of your protagonist.
Tips for writing in the Second Person Point of View
It's widely considered the most daring POV in fiction, and the novelty of such a perspective can amuse the reader. Also, 2nd person immediately makes the story personal, grabbing the reader by the collar and pulling them in. Of course, Second POV is a hard perspective to write here are some brief tips to help you in this writing journey.
Avoid Starting Every Sentence with 'You'
Since you're writing a story that will engage your reader, you need to make sure your writing is varied so that it's not too repetitive. Readers can get tired of having "you" in every sentence.
Make the Narrator a Full-Fledged Character
Writers who attempt the second person are often awkward at telling readers their sexual preferences, favorite foods, and where they live, so they forget to give many details about their main character. But that is the nature of the second person. The most common mistake writers make when writing second person is to turn the narrator into a cardboard cutout with no detail or identity.
Avoid Detachment
The importance of tapping into the reader's emotions cannot be overemphasized. Consider writing your secret weapon in the second person. Your story is as powerful and meaningful as your emotional appeal. I've touched on this before, but the more you listen and practice, the better you'll become at second-person narration.
Tips for writing in the Third Person Point of View
If you're writing a novel or a short story, there are advantages to using the third person to take the reader on a narrative journey. If you've chosen to write in this POV, follow these three tips to strengthen your third-person writing skills:
Choose the Best Type of Third-Person POV.
Before crafting your plot, think about which third-person perspective — objective, omniscient, or limited — would be best for your story. Everyone has their strengths when it comes to telling stories. Want to keep your readers in suspense and only know what your main character knows? Then write your story with Third-Person Limited. If you're writing an epic with many important characters, consider being omniscient in the third person. This makes the narrator omniscient.
Write with authority.
Create an authoritative and trustworthy narrator. Third-person writing puts the narrator above the action, creating a bird's eye view of the story. This angle, and the ability of the narrator to know at least one character's mind (both omniscient and limited third person), makes the story more authoritative, as nothing is wrong with the narrator. You will be given a trusted voice with
Use the Five Senses.
When writing third-person POV, you might forget to add the senses of characters, what things look like, feel like, taste like, or smell like just because you're not in the character's mind, but this creates a block between the character and the reader. You want to pull the reader into the story, and you need to use the five senses to do that.
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How to Write Teen Fiction
RandomThe genre Teen Fiction crosses multiple sub-genres, anything from Horror to Romance to Science Fiction. With this book, we want to offer helpful tips and advice when writing teen fiction.
