First or Third?

[bumblegrum]

I'm sure this topic has been discussed before, but, hey, that's never stopped me in the past. Simple question - do fellow Literoticans prefer to write in the first person or third person and why?

My preference is for first person and all my stories on Lit are from that POV. I use a lot of dialogue and I think that's easier in first, as is description of emotions. But there are many great stories written in third. So I'd be interested in any comments, suggestions, ideas, objections, thoughts or other feedback that anyone may feel inclined to post.

Many thanks in advance.

 

[lovecraft68]

I'm sure this topic has been discussed before, but, hey, that's never stopped me in the past. Simple question - do fellow Literoticans prefer to write in the first person or third person and why?

My preference is for first person and all my stories on Lit are from that POV. I use a lot of dialogue and I think that's easier in first, as is description of emotions. But there are many great stories written in third. So I'd be interested in any comments, suggestions, ideas, objections, thoughts or other feedback that anyone may feel inclined to post.

Many thanks in advance.

I like first for straight up erotica. To me it has the ability to really describe the sex to the reader and for the most part can move the story along quicker.

For things that I have worked on outside of lit, I prefer third. For the most part I am doing a lot of scenes with three or more people involved in action and conversations and third seems to work best for that.

Except for that damn "thoughts" thing that is going on in another thread, that confuses me.

 

[litfan10]

I usually picture my stories in my head and I watch them before I write, so I find this makes me gravitate towards third person.

 

[PennLady]

I generally prefer third person. I find first person limiting -- I like to know what else is going on in the story that the narrator does not have first-hand knowledge of. I also usually have at least two POVs going in my stories, so first person wouldn't work. Although one of my WIPs is in first person, so that should be interesting.

I don't find first- or third-person POV any more or less intimate than the other. They're just different.

This topic gets discussed a lot, and there's no real consensus. What you like, you like, and that's cool.

 

[YDB95]

I hadn't thought of it until now, but so far all my Lit stories have been third person. This is at least partially because I am male and my protagonists are usually female. Inevitably I'm going to get something wrong here and there, and having it in third person at least offers a bit of plausibility when that happens.

 

[sr71plt]

I just start writing and let the person establish itself. The one I'm writing now is in first; the one I wrote yesterday is in third. I didn't think about either before I started writing. I trust my brain knew the context of the story and made the choice for me. Most of my erotica is in first person, though. It's the most intimate voice.

 

[Cruel2BKind]

I alternate between limited and omnipotent third person and first person. One of my more popular series is first person with multiple perspectives.

Limited third person is where you narrate from one person. Omnipotent third is so freeing when you have a larger cast of characters and a larger plot. It's where you can hop from perspective to perspective, all the while keeping a god-like narration going on. It's a feeling of power.

My most recent story is using a very unique perspective. I'll edit in a link once it's up. It's in a dystopian future world and it is just a computer file on a political prisoner. The file includes transcripts from the trial and execution, public records, recorded statements, interviews, and the contents of a journal that the prisoner had while in his cell. I'm not sure how well it will be received. If you're interested, be warned, it's in gay male.

http://www.literotica.com/s/file-66

Got it!

 

[Darkniciad]

Some of my favorite stories have been first person ( VR: DQ and Ghost of a Chance ) and my biggest hits have been first person as well ( 100k+ views 2k+ votes )

I just tend toward third because a lot of my stories have large casts, and first person isn't all that common in my main genres.

 

[sr71plt]

Limited third person is where you narrate from one person.

But the narrator isn't that person. The narrator is describing from a single character's perspective, but the narrator isn't that person. The person is still a he/she. If the narrator was that character, it would be first person.

 

[MatthewVett]

I've only used first-person so far, although I may switch between viewpoints. All my attempts at third-person have just crashed on the runway before even taking off, so I'm starting to stop even trying...

 

[soflabbwlvr]

I use both, depending on the story. Generally, if the main character is female then I use third, and first if male. I'm more comfortable writing that way.

 

[amofiga]

I'm sure this topic has been discussed before, but, hey, that's never stopped me in the past. Simple question - do fellow Literoticans prefer to write in the first person or third person and why?

My preference is for first person and all my stories on Lit are from that POV. I use a lot of dialogue and I think that's easier in first, as is description of emotions. But there are many great stories written in third. So I'd be interested in any comments, suggestions, ideas, objections, thoughts or other feedback that anyone may feel inclined to post.

Many thanks in advance.

It depends. Writing in the first person is easier if you are simply telling the story as if it happened to you. However, it can make it difficult to describe things that are going on in the background or at another location that aren't happening directly to the person telling the story. It is possible to include third person action into a primarily first person story but it can be difficult. Sometimes you have to do it as if the other action were told to you and then you are relaying it, or you can sometimes "speculate' about what's going on with other people while you, as the story teller, are doing something else. "I didn't know it till later, but while I was driving across town, Cindy was seeing Jim and they were doing such and such. Cindy told me that Jim said to her, 'blah blah'. She told him, "yadda yadda.'"

Using the third person makes it easier to include action and dialogue of individuals separated in time and space from the primary story teller.

 

[HeatherVivant]

If the story is more than a single scene and it involves a change in the narrator, I prefer limited third, since it helps make it easier to provide some the details.

If the story is simply a single erotic scene, and the story is very short, first person is great for grabbing attention, especially if your narrator has an interesting perspective or voice.

 

[HeyAll]

I usually write first-person because it's simpler and, in terms of my stories, people generally like it better.

But there is a strong appeal in writing third-person for me. I'm working on a few right now, and I like it because it allows you to tell a story differently from a more erotic perspective (in my opinion). And as already mentioned by someone, I use third person when the female character is the main character in the story.

 

[Handley_Page]

I've used both.

 

[kromen]

I use both, haven't picked a favorite.

 

[Tyro999]

I'm a reader, not a writer [writing military/govermentese for forty-mumble years destroyed any talent/desire I may have had for writing]. On Literotica, if a first-person/second-person story hasn't caught me in the first few paragraphs [2 screens max], I page out and pass on it. Probably 90%-95% of those 1st/2nd person stories suffer that fate.

[Maybe it's that 12 years in the military. Intel counts, you want to know everything going on, and third person is best for that. Ghods, the Marines ruined me for reading stories on Lit! ]

 

[MelissaRoberts]

Some readers of adult fiction like to imagine being the main character in the story.

Others want to be a person that is peeking in the window.

Here is an excerpt from one of my stories. Nobody liked it because I treated the reader as a character in the story and not someone watching it.

"My alarm clock just woke me up, so I reach over and turn it off. I have an early class at the college and need to take a quick shower. I pull the blankets away from my naked body and stand up in front of the mirror to check if my brother made another hickey on my neck. He did that last month and it lasted for entire week. Damn him, he gave me another one! I turn around and the bastard is laying in my bed sleeping. I am going to wake him up with a slap to his face!"

I think second or third person would have worked better.

For example, "I pull the blankets away from me" should be changed to "I pulled the blankets away from me."

That would be in second tense and would have been for better reading.

Excuse me because I am getting confused.

 

[sr71plt]

(A), that wouldn't be second anything, Melissa.

(B), what makes you think "Nobody" liked it the way it was written? You got zap votes and comments for every single view of the story?

 

[Boota]

In the current novel I'm writing I write in first person with one characters POV and third for the other characters. I think in general I prefer first person, but it's all about the feel. Sometimes it doesn't feel right.

 

[BONNIEBREA]

I've always prefered first person. I like the challenges it presents. Third person (especially the omniscient variety) is just too easy - the narrator knows and sees and can tell everything. But with first person you really have a challenge to figure out plot revelation at some points. Also, it's easier to keep things hidden: you have the view of the first person narrator, but maybe that person is wrong about things, or mis-lead, or has no knowledge at all.

 

[XXplorher]

The clear answer is: NEITHER

Fuck man, brutal.

 

[XXplorher]

For reals though, I like to write 3rd. I like to be somebudeee else. Jeepers, I pretty much like all random perceptions... hug me!!

 

[bumblegrum]

Hugs, XXplorher . And thanks to everyone who has contributed. I rather suspected that the answers would be as they have been - essentially, do what feels right and don't force it into any place where it won't go. Come to think of it, that's just about the whole ethos of Literotica

I enjoy first person because I can then identify directly with my protagonist. But then, third obviously allows for more input from more POVs.

Great stuff, everyone. To use an Australian expression, yer blood's worth bottlin'.

 

[PennLady]

I've always prefered first person. I like the challenges it presents. Third person (especially the omniscient variety) is just too easy - the narrator knows and sees and can tell everything. But with first person you really have a challenge to figure out plot revelation at some points. Also, it's easier to keep things hidden: you have the view of the first person narrator, but maybe that person is wrong about things, or mis-lead, or has no knowledge at all.

First person does present challenges, but that doesn't mean third person doesn't. In third person, the author has to decide how many POVs to include -- you can just do one -- and what information each character knows. Then you have to keep track of who knows what and who may have told whom a piece of information. You can hide things in third person, I've done it. Characters can still be misled, or wrong, or what have you. It's all in what information is presented to the reader. I've read tons of third-person books and a blanket statement like "is just too easy" doesn't fit.