Getting perspective

Any time we tell a story, we present it from a particular point of view. It may be from the perspective of someone within the story, or it may be from outside of it; we may use it to draw the reader into the tale themselves, or keep them at a bit more distance. Certain points of view tend to come in and out of fashion, particularly in the context of genre and medium, but it's not something you should take for granted when you write your story down to share it with the world, as each type of perspective will have its own effect on the narrative.

First of all, though, before we dig into pros and cons, let's get clear about our terminology and what it means.

The different points of view

First person

First-person narration is delivered from the perspective of one of the characters in the story, in their own voice. It is characterised by the use of pronouns such as I and we, and the narrating character is usually directly involved in the action (most frequently as the protagonist). Here are some examples:

I run gasping into the room, my lungs fit to burst, desperate to find Amanda.

Although the letter wasn't addressed to me, I picked it up anyway and began to read.

I don't know when we'll get the chance to eat chocolate again, so I cram as much of it into my mouth as possible, stomachache be damned.

I gathered the little dog into my arms and looked deep into his big, soulful eyes.

Second person

Second-person narration is delivered in direct address to the reader. It is characterised by the use of pronouns such as you, and the reader is positioned as the protagonist themself, rather than as a spectator. (Other points of view may refer to the reader directly, but only incidentally.) Using the same examples as before, this is how they would look in second person:

You run gasping into the room, your lungs fit to burst, desperate to find Amanda.

Although the letter wasn't addressed to you, you picked it up anyway and began to read.

You don't know when you'll get the chance to eat chocolate again, so you cram as much of it into your mouth as possible, stomachache be damned.

You gathered the little dog into your arms and looked deep into his big, soulful eyes.

Third person

Third-person narration is delivered from a perspective outside the story, and is not addressed to the reader. Outside of dialogue, characters are never referred to as I, we, or you, but always by either their name or a gender-appropriate pronoun. Neither the reader nor the narrator are involved in the plot. Repurposing our examples again, this is how they might look if written in third person:

Janine runs gasping into the room, her lungs fit to burst, desperate to find Amanda.

Although the letter wasn't addressed to Tommy, they picked it up anyway and began to read.

Saoirse doesn't know when they'll get the chance to eat chocolate again, so she crams as much of it into her mouth as possible, stomachache be damned.

Edwin gathered the little dog into his arms and looked deep into his big, soulful eyes.

There are several different perspectives that may come from the third person, depending on how close to the action the narration sits. If the narrator is third person omniscient, for example, they speak from a place of authority, knowing everything about all the characters and the world they live in. The story may dip in and out of the perspectives of different characters, or it may stay out of their heads but close to their experiences. It may also offer up knowledge from beyond the story, such as a teaser about what will happen in the future or an obscure reason for why or how something happened the way it did.

A narrator who is third person objective also speaks from outside the story, but unlike the other perspectives this narrator keeps at a distance and does not get close to any of the characters. It also usually refrains from adding commentary that no-one could know, as is more common in third person omniscient.

The final type of third-person narrator is that of the third person limited. This narrator speaks from the perspective of a single character, much like first person, but doesn't speak with that character's voice. Sometimes, if multiple characters take turns "owning" the story, the narration will use this perspective to stay within the point-of-view characters' experiences while still being clear about who is currently in focus.

Which perspective is right for my piece?

The perspective you choose will affect the tone and narrative structure of your work; picking a suitable one will enhance the story you want to tell, but a poor fit will make the telling of it more difficult. So the real question becomes: how does your story need to be told?

If, for example, you have multiple protagonists that need to share the limelight, a perspective that sticks closely to a single character such as first person or third person limited would do a poor job of giving your characters the attention they require. Third person omniscient may be a much better option as it allows you to get close to all of your main characters.

On the other hand, if there is only one character that your readers have to get to know and you want their inner life to be a major part of the story, first person and third person limited would do the trick quite admirably. If your central character has an engaging personality and neat turn of phrase, they might be a good candidate for first person, otherwise limited third person may be preferable.

Or, on another hand entirely, if characterisation is not a big focus of the piece, third person objective could be a good way to reflect that, as it gives the readers distance from the characters. Alternatively, third person omniscient might give you more scope for wit and humour (in the style of Douglas Adams).

But what, I hear you ask, about second person? Does that ever get used? The answer is yes, but rarely. There are certain types of stories that lend themselves particularly well to making the reader part of the narrative, such as choose your own adventure books and certain types of fanfiction. Outside of such genres, second-person narration is much rarer than first or third person; that, however, makes it more powerful if you do choose to use it.

These suggestions are, or course, only that—only you can say for sure what perspective your story needs. But if you find that the current narration style is stymieing you, it may be worth reconsidering its point of view.