Which is better, writing in 3rd person or 1st?
I remember when I was younger my teachers told me to write in 3rd person. It’s less messy (not a sentiment I agree with, but it’s what they told me). Lately I’ve seen a lot of books written in 1st person and it’s got me wondering: will my book have less appeal if I stick to the tried and true 3rd person POV?
I recently read an article (for the life of me I cannot remember where, so my apologies) that said it is better to write in 1st person if you are writing to a younger audience. This makes the reader feel more connected to the story and like you are one of them. But there have been a lot of books written for the mg/tween/ya audience that were not written in 1st person, many of them published this year.
In an attempt to jive with my intended audience, I’ve given first person writing a chance. The problem I’ve run into is that getting an entire story to flow when told in first person is pretty tough. Not to say it isn’t possible. I’ve read many successful examples recently, but every time I try, the writing seems forced. So after much perusing of the Internet, I’ve come to the following conclusion: write in whichever style you are most comfortable with. You writing will flow better and your reader will be engaged because you were engaged.
To see page one of my novel, written in 3rd person, check out my writing excerpts page.
