Writing is like telling secrets, in a very slow, sort of manipulative way. As writers we should treat our readers like friends we wish to gossip with. We know something, details, a juicy spill we let our friends know in spicy chunks. At work the other night, and usually I'm not the type to gossip (I swear!), a coworker of mine had a story to tell me. Every time she began to talk we would get interrupted. I'd return to her and before she could get knee deep, another interruption! But, I kept returning because her tale had sparked my interest. The more she tried to tell me her story, the more it made me think about writing.
As her audience I kept coming back, even though job duties kept calling. I knew she had something good to tell. As writers we want our readers to feel this way. We want them to keep coming back to our pages, edgy for our secrets. If we spill everything right up front, our readers might get full on our words and no longer be hungry for more. We have to play hard to get, remain mysterious, and tell our secrets like teasing kisses.
Wednesday, September 17, 2014
Monday, September 1, 2014
Author, Christopher Reardon, talks about point of view! He shares some interesting thoughts on first and third person.
Point of View in Writing and Reading
First Person (i.e., I, me, we, and us) Third Person (i.e., he, she, it, they)
I personally like writing first person A LOT more than third. My debut novel, Obstacles, is completely in first person. I knew I wanted it this way from the start. I really believe a story is more engaging when you believe you are part of it yourself. Getting to say ‘I’ and ‘me’ when I’m writing really helps me get into a character’s mind. I truly thought about how I personally would react to the situation, and that made it a lot easier to write for my main character, Alcott. He became much more real and relatable then just talking about reactions from far off.
Third person makes me feel like I’m stalking the characters and talking about them. When I read, too, I’ve learned I like first person MUCH better. I actually feel like the main character is speaking to me personally. There’s more of a connection, and I care more about how the person/situation turns out. When the author just talks about what’s going on from a far off, omniscient view, I just don’t care as much. I don’t like the narrator being ‘all knowing.” I want a narrator with flaws!!
Also, I think first person is the BIG ADVANTAGE BOOKS HAVE OVER MOVIES. Despite how well a movie is filmed, I don’t think it can possibly connect a person to a story like being told about each and every thing specifically. That’s why books are so powerful. Language has the major power of perspective and the ability to connect. I personally don’t think movies can give that as much.
However, third person can definitely have its advantages. When writing first person, you’re kind of stuck with one character’s perspective. There’s no free roaming to whatever situation you want to talk about. You are restricted to what that character thinks and feels. I don’t like that very much. There can be so much more to a story than just what one character feels. That’s why third person is awesome. When you write, you can speak about many different characters and tons of different situations. You certainly aren’t as trapped. So, you can personally choose whatever you want. I don’t think you should stick to just one writing style, because both points of view have big advantages.
Email: chrisreardon34@gmail.com
Point of View in Writing and Reading
First Person (i.e., I, me, we, and us) Third Person (i.e., he, she, it, they)
I personally like writing first person A LOT more than third. My debut novel, Obstacles, is completely in first person. I knew I wanted it this way from the start. I really believe a story is more engaging when you believe you are part of it yourself. Getting to say ‘I’ and ‘me’ when I’m writing really helps me get into a character’s mind. I truly thought about how I personally would react to the situation, and that made it a lot easier to write for my main character, Alcott. He became much more real and relatable then just talking about reactions from far off.
Third person makes me feel like I’m stalking the characters and talking about them. When I read, too, I’ve learned I like first person MUCH better. I actually feel like the main character is speaking to me personally. There’s more of a connection, and I care more about how the person/situation turns out. When the author just talks about what’s going on from a far off, omniscient view, I just don’t care as much. I don’t like the narrator being ‘all knowing.” I want a narrator with flaws!!
Also, I think first person is the BIG ADVANTAGE BOOKS HAVE OVER MOVIES. Despite how well a movie is filmed, I don’t think it can possibly connect a person to a story like being told about each and every thing specifically. That’s why books are so powerful. Language has the major power of perspective and the ability to connect. I personally don’t think movies can give that as much.
However, third person can definitely have its advantages. When writing first person, you’re kind of stuck with one character’s perspective. There’s no free roaming to whatever situation you want to talk about. You are restricted to what that character thinks and feels. I don’t like that very much. There can be so much more to a story than just what one character feels. That’s why third person is awesome. When you write, you can speak about many different characters and tons of different situations. You certainly aren’t as trapped. So, you can personally choose whatever you want. I don’t think you should stick to just one writing style, because both points of view have big advantages.
Christopher Reardon
http://reardonchris34.weebly.com/
Here's the link to Obstacles, my Amazon page, and my contact information.
Obstacles :http://www.amzn.com/B00EVVIOSE
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18743462-obstacles?from_search=true
Twitter : https:/www.twitter.com/reardonchris34
Facebook : https:/www.facebook.com/chrisreardon34
http://reardonchris34.weebly.com/
Here's the link to Obstacles, my Amazon page, and my contact information.
Obstacles :http://www.amzn.com/B00EVVIOSE
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18743462-obstacles?from_search=true
Twitter : https:/www.twitter.com/reardonchris34
Facebook : https:/www.facebook.com/chrisreardon34
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