The Joys of Writing in the First Person.

[tsubasahome]

So here I am, chugging along with my story, and feeling discouraged...there's always the moment where I wonder why I think I can produce a decent book and worry that I'm going to get laughed at once this thing sees the light of day...if it does. If it does.

I know there's a bias against writers who write stories in the 1st person, but I didn't come to the decision easily. When I read accusations that people who attempt to write in the first person are immature and amateurish, and if they had any skill they'd know never to write in the first person, I get very discouraged...but honestly, at this point, I don't think I could write this in the 3rd person. And I normally always write in the 3rd person! I'm fully aware of the limitations of 1st person perspective. I know what my main character knows and what she couldn't possibly know. I have to work very hard to reveal plot details in a non-contrived manner, and it may be easier to do it in 3rd person...but for my story, I think it's important that the reader know as little as the heroine. Never mind the fact that every time I have read a book with a female child-preteen protagonist and it wasn't in the 1st person, even if I liked the book I never liked the main character. I don't want her to come across as too precious. At the same time, if she's not precious or special or has all the powers of God, why are people supposed to care about her unless the reader is directly inside her head? She has to do stuff and be pivotal to the plot because she's the main character, but it's not like everybody loves her and/or wants to be her.

As far as the accusation that people who write in the 1st person can't write a story unless they are the main character...all of the characters are little bits of me and people I know. People I know well and people I don't know too well. At least a couple of the characters were formed from parts of myself that I don't particularly like. I love each and every one of my characters, even the ones who hate my heroine.

I know I just have to keep writing and not keep thinking that I'm doomed before I even finish. I just get very discouraged hearing about these aspiring/semi-successful writers who claim to be geniuses...don't they know what it's like to have to work hard at writing? I was under the impression that it was SUPPOSED to be hard!

Comments

[nagasvoice.livejournal.com]

I wouldn't pay a lot of attention to people who do put-downs. You've got the very important idea that you have to watch that point of view like a hawk and not show things the main character wouldn't know. You've got the important idea that you *need* that tone for the kind of person and story you're giving us.
BTW, both of my published books are in first person.
I understand that John Gardner described first person POV as barbarous. Well,if you're writing a barabarian, why not?

[tsubasahome.livejournal.com]

That's very comforting to hear. I personally have no bias against books written in the 1st person, and I was surprised to hear that it was so frowned upon. I've read plenty of bad books written in the 3rd person and plenty of good books written in the 1st person. I recognize that it's very hard to write in the 1st person but to say that even choosing it is a mistake that only beginning writers make...? If anything, it's a challenge. And I don't think the story needs my author intrusion.