That site also said that a first person point of view is an intimate way to write. Ah! That explains why I’m not particularly interested. If I were to write with that point of view, I wouldn’t mind getting intimate with my own characters. After all, they’re not real. It’s readers who I don’t want snuggling up to me - as if they’d know me through some fictitious being. And besides they’re strangers. I’d be squirming in my skin. Readers might identify me and the character as being one entity. My character would probably develop as someone stiff and unnatural as I’d guard and restrict the character’s speech, action, and thinking. I’d rather hid behind a third person and let him or her romp freely through the story. Yeah. Call me a coward.
The writer of the site also mentioned that when writing in the first person one must be careful not to over use the word “I”. That’s not always an easy task. I know because I have written several humorous short stories. Okay! You caught me! I have used the first person point of view. But only in short stories to get a laugh.
Perhaps one of these days I’ll try writing a novel in that fashion. But not now. I’m still working on a romance novel – something else I said I didn’t care to do but here I am. Another new avenue – keeps life interesting.
Thanks, Shirley, for sharing about some new writing avenues you've been exploring these days. I've enjoyed reading your musings on these ventures.
ReplyDeleteYou're right...it keeps life interesting.
Brenda
Shirley, thanks for naming something for me that I felt, but never identified. You don't want readers snuggling up to you, thinking they know you? Me too! I often write narrative non-fiction based on memoir, and almost always, I write in the 3rd person, and it is because I need some distance from my readers. Thanks for helping me understand!
ReplyDeleteBobbi
Like you, I prefer to read - and write - in third person. I have thinking about trying first person but just can;t seem to make that leap... perhaps because it seems too personal, as you said...
ReplyDeleteYes, new avenues DO keep life interesting. Way to go in challenging yourself in this way and spurring us all on to do the same.
ReplyDeleteInteresting discussion here! I love first person novels and blog posts/columns - maybe because I admire somebody who has the courage to be honest about themselves. I usually end up appreciating the writer for putting themselves out there.
ReplyDeletePam Mytroen
Shirley, I love your line "It's readers I don't want snuggling up to me!" Great imagery.
ReplyDeleteTo tell you the truth, I have been writing in the first person for years. I find it the easiest, but then again, the type of column that I wrote for over 11 years was humour, slice of life and intimate. Hence I guess I 'got used to' writing that way. Great post. Thanks for sharing.