6 Types of Narration - The strengths and limitations of each

D.S.Nate

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So last year we talked about the six types of narration or POV (Point of view).


I want to hear your POV on POV's :s_wink: .

What POV type do you use and why? 🤔

I personally use third person limited in past tense, I feel it's the happy middle being close with the character and narrating things.
 
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RepresentingEnvy

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For the third person, I generally use a close narrator. I use the third and first person, always past tense, for narration.

I like a close narrator in the third person because the character's thoughts can paint the text. The limitation is that you can't really zoom out as much. It's like a first-person narrator, but with a bigger field of vision.
 

MatchaChocolate69

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I use the first person present tense for the MC, and the third person present tense for the other characters. In any case, the "narrator" is the POV and is always limited to the thoughts and information available to the POV or to their sensations.
 

RiaCorvidiva

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I tried 1st person present for a bit of an experimental work, but I didn't like it.

I stick to close 3rd past PoV for the most part unless I feel a strong need to deviate. Any other PoV doesn't feel right to me, and leaves me prone to tense slipping as I write.
 

RepresentingEnvy

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By the way, with a close narrator, you can zoom into the first person present thoughts with italics, like this line from my story: Her hand rubbed against her forehead at the wet spot. What the hell is this? Is all of this my blood?

I like this sort of style a lot; rather than just having dialogue, you also get thoughts with the narration. I picked it up from reading some Brandon Sanderson stuff, but not just him; I saw a few other authors doing it, too.
 

J_Chemist

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I am constantly reminded that there is more to writing/literature than just words on a page, and the backyard author that is me is regularly baffled by the fact that there exists actual "techniques" and definitions of said techniques to explain how to properly write something.

Meanwhile I just throw up into a Google Doc and call it a day.
 

GlassRose

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I prefer third person limited in past tense. It's the most natural and intuitive perspective, in my opinion.

First person sounds like the character is telling you the story, and second person can create a lot of cognitive dissonance, and I feel like it fails its intended purpose to put the reader in the story. Third person feels more, matter of fact, everything is as it happens. And limited to just the thoughts of the pov character, because people can hear their own thoughts, but usually not others. And even when someone can hear another's thoughts, it's still colored and processed through their perspective. It's very effective, because it allows for a enough separation between the reader and the pov character that you avoid the dissonance 2nd person imparts, while still putting you in their shoes. You become the character and the character is in the story, rather than you being in it directly as yourself, chained to the plot. Ultimately I find third person limited the most immersive.

As for tense? I don't usually notice it while reading tbh, but I've tried writing in present tense and it feels strange and unintuitive, so while theoretically it sounds like it would be more immersive as it describes things as they happen, functionally it doesn't read too different from past tense, and past tense is easier and, I feel, more flexible, which allows for more variance in sentence structure, and thus potentially better prose.
 
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D.S.Nate

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I use the first person present tense for the MC, and the third person present tense for the other characters. In any case, the "narrator" is the POV and is always limited to the thoughts and information available to the POV or to their sensations.

Using two different POV's for the MC and other characters is interesting.
I tried 1st person present for a bit of an experimental work, but I didn't like it.

I stick to close 3rd past PoV for the most part unless I feel a strong need to deviate. Any other PoV doesn't feel right to me, and leaves me prone to tense slipping as I write.
Yeah sometimes it's the one you feel most works that makes the difference.
By the way, with a close narrator, you can zoom into the first person present thoughts with italics, like this line from my story: Her hand rubbed against her forehead at the wet spot. What the hell is this? Is all of this my blood?

I like this sort of style a lot; rather than just having dialogue, you also get thoughts with the narration. I picked it up from reading some Brandon Sanderson stuff, but not just him; I saw a few other authors doing it, too.
Yeah same, I feel it kind of touches on a bit of everything since you can zoom in or out of a charcter pov. And by switching pov you only have the objective view of other characters. Handy when you have a few characters who's thoughts you want to keep in the background.
I am constantly reminded that there is more to writing/literature than just words on a page, and the backyard author that is me is regularly baffled by the fact that there exists actual "techniques" and definitions of said techniques to explain how to properly write something.

Meanwhile I just throw up into a Google Doc and call it a day.
Honestly I think it one ofbthe best ways to get into writing. Anyone and everyone can learn the craft but learning too much too soon could limit some people creativity. Not saying that learning the craft is bad if anything it's very important and can help solve problems that might have taken years to workout without it.

But if it is all taken on too on he nose then that can have it own problems for some people. I'd say just keep writing, learn what you must to keep writing and if you looking for a place to interact with other writers then just drop me a DM 😄
 
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MatchaChocolate69

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Using two different POV's for the MC and other characters is interesting.
Thank you, but it's more common than it seems, I've often seen it used on this site as well. It's more of a stylistic choice than anything else, but I like the switching effect it creates and it clearly demarcates who is the main character or the supporting character.

*****

It's normal that the third person past tense is the most commonly used POV, after all, most of Western literature uses this mode and we have grown up reading things written this way. So, it comes more naturally to us. At first, it seemed strange to me too.

But in the first person, and especially in the present tense, I find it gives more dynamism, a sense of immediacy, "realism," and personally, it pushes me to show and not tell. I like the raw effect that can be achieved and the pathos it conveys, as if it's a real-time capture. The effect keeps the reader on edge, it's not a "well, it's old stuff that's already happened, easy reading" but "it's happening right now in front of me" like watching a movie. Moreover, it's the style of Japanese light novels, and I am a consumer targeting readers of this type of novel.

EDIT:
The main flaw of this style is that it's not the best at indicating the passage of time.
 
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MatchaChocolate69

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What about second person future tense though?
"You will go to the grocery store to buy ingredients for dinner."

Feels very intimidating...
Apart from the future tense, it seems like the style used by the narrator in Baldur's Gate 3. Actually, I'm not a fan.
 

Paul_Tromba

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I personally prefer to use 1st person in a present tense when the MC is present while switching to 3rd person present tense when the MC isn't involved with a scene. This allows me to express the MCs inner views/external views for the bulk of the story while also allowing me to give the reader information that the MC doesn't know about. The reader can understand the MCs thoughts on a the current subject and his/her feelings. It brings together the best both POVs in certain stories and styles of writing but can also bring together the worst of both in others. Thus, a double-edged sword.
 
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