tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4311874471131728227.post1690122449555717747..comments2024-03-27T11:40:33.128-06:00Comments on September C. Fawkes - Editor & Writer: Pros and Cons of First Person, How to Deflate the ConsSeptember C. Fawkeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03229411886583938325noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4311874471131728227.post-2054882384948225522019-04-30T10:44:13.180-06:002019-04-30T10:44:13.180-06:00Hi. I know I'm late to this party, but just wa...Hi. I know I'm late to this party, but just wanted to add that a great example of a "narrator telling the story from beyond the grave" is the wonderful book "the lovely bones". The protagonist/narrator is murdered at the beginning of the novel, and then watches as her loved ones cope with her death.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4311874471131728227.post-69631003566696395442017-01-16T10:08:08.006-07:002017-01-16T10:08:08.006-07:00Thank you for taking the time to read and comment ...Thank you for taking the time to read and comment on this. In my efforts to understand, appreciate, and acknowledge all perspectives and arguments, I sometimes make my opinions sound more muddled to others. This isn't the first place this has happened, and it is something I am working on communicating more clearly in my personal life.<br /><br />However, we will have to agree to disagree on some of those points, which is fine. I strongly disagree--using subtext is *extremely* powerful and not a weak argument. As I mentioned, I did a whole post on writing subtext and how powerful it can be: http://www.septembercfawkes.com/2015/03/how-to-write-whats-not-written-subtext.html The topic, in my opinion, is way too big and broad to add to this post on first-person, so I referred to it in passing.<br /><br />How talented you are with writing will absolutely play a role in what you can get away with and how well you can get away with it. (Side note: I believe talent is something that can be learned, not something that someone strictly has to be born with).<br /><br />I personally feel that the reader's experience is more important than these other technical issues that often only writers really care about, not the general audience. <br /><br />I think all rules can be broken, if it makes a better story. A story should not be weaker in its effort to adhere to certain rules. Rules should be adhered to if it makes the story better, not worse. In some cases, if the story is better with the character dying, then go for it.<br /><br />That's just my opinion. I appreciate and respect yours. Also, sometimes I think these sort of things depend on your goals and priorities as a writer. Based on my goals and priorities, these are my opinions.<br /><br />ThanksSeptember C. Fawkeshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03229411886583938325noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4311874471131728227.post-11905661750420380992017-01-15T17:52:57.295-07:002017-01-15T17:52:57.295-07:00I'm aware this was not your intention but it s...I'm aware this was not your intention but it sounds like you agree with the cons of first person. In each one, your response is basically "this one is true but...." <br /><br />It's a weak counter argument to say things like "use subtext", "if you're good enough" and "readers don't care about this". <br /><br />If a character is a secretive person who doesn't like talking about their past in the story then why would they tell it to the reader? If a character dies then the author has no means to continue telling the story, unless they move to another character. Brian Wilkersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14450751137708813329noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4311874471131728227.post-57011443882994891952017-01-07T08:23:00.694-07:002017-01-07T08:23:00.694-07:00I love a good ol' broken rule. As long as it&#...I love a good ol' broken rule. As long as it's broken well and with purpose ^_^<br /><br />But yes, it is true that the reader usually only once one or two sets of main characters.September C. Fawkeshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03229411886583938325noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4311874471131728227.post-66296418739231481472017-01-04T10:33:29.178-07:002017-01-04T10:33:29.178-07:00You raise interesting questions and defend your op...You raise interesting questions and defend your opinions well. I write in first- person, present-tense. I find it easy to slip into my main character. I use third-person, present-tense for the other main character. He sees her and we his impressions of the situations as well as his agenda.<br /><br />My mistake was writing a series from three different sets of main characters. Aparrently the reader only wants to follow one couple. Oh, look at me, breaking a rule!Yvonne Redigerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17193153751563416792noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4311874471131728227.post-18536976084385548232016-11-29T05:56:22.323-07:002016-11-29T05:56:22.323-07:00Yes, they are. CHARACTERS do that. Have you ever m...Yes, they are. CHARACTERS do that. Have you ever met a *real* person in the *real* world who has done that? Sat down and told (verbally) you (in person) their autobiography for 6-12 hours? That's what I mean by artificial.<br /><br />Thanks for your comment. I assume you read my whole post, which would have indicated that I think this argument is unimportant (I even think it's kind of stupid). It's not something *I* have a problem with; it's something *other people* in the writing world have a problem with.September C. Fawkeshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03229411886583938325noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4311874471131728227.post-56286721313589353832016-11-29T02:00:07.750-07:002016-11-29T02:00:07.750-07:00"No one has ever sat down and told their own ..."No one has ever sat down and told their own story in 6-12 hours (300+ pages) to someone." Excuse me? Isn't that exactly how a character's memoirs or as-told-to autobiography are written? Also, they may not know something at the time, but may learn about it before telling their story, thus coloring the tale differently than if they wrote it at the time.Steve Merchanthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02827556846799139673noreply@blogger.com