The Real Difference Between 1st and 3rd Person

You may think you know the difference between first and third person, and you likely do, if you are only hoping to learn how to identify it.

"Well, er... 1st person is when the narrator uses I, me, or my. 3rd person is when they use he, she, or the main characters name."

Yes, middle school aged child! You're correct! But what effect does this have on readers?

"Uh... I don't know... The 1st person is like you're the character, and the 3rd person is like you're the God."

But that's not correct, child. Now then, listen.

First person is when you become a character. Readers feel that they are the character who is telling the story. This can cause great distress when something bad happens and great joy when something good happens because the person they have become may feel this emotion. It gives you slightly more control over the emotional impact of your story. Keep in mind this power is not absolute, though. Readers, of course, still have free will.

It also makes your story more vulnerable to people who don't connect. You don't want to write about a murderer in first person, in most cases, because no one wants to experience murdering someone! (Or I don't aim for that particular fan base...) But you also shouldn't write in the point of view of someone only interested in, say, colored pencil drawings. Readers who do like colored pencils will love it, yes! But readers who don't will be alienated.

Third person is not just listening to a story told by a God(dess) or other type of onlooker. Instead of becoming the character, you yourself get to watch everything go down. Instead of having to become someone else, you stay yourself. This means that you are more like a fly on the wall than a participant. It slightly disconnects the reader. At the same time, they feel almost as if they as an individual has taken part in this instead of feeling as though they have lived it through someone else.

It also means every reader has a more equal opportunity of enjoying the story. Why? Because despite few wanting to be a murderer, how many take in media where murder occurs? They obviously find it an interesting, if still immoral and unjust, action. You don't want to miss out on opportunities because you've limited yourself to a point of view.

Going back to the colored pencils, if I were to say, "I burnished the red skirt of the drawing only after the values were established. Despite, the idea that the wax buildup would keep me from layering further made me nervous." I'd say many of you were confused right now.

If I were to instead write, "She pressed harder on the red pencil, making the soft, crayon-like lines previously applied blend together and appear painterly. The shading remained the same, though the entire area had become much more saturated. Her hand was tense on the pencil though, as if she still wasn't happy with it somehow."

I think I just realized why we must be so careful with our point of views... Remember, and choose wisely.

Keep writing!
-Amanda McCoy