Tuesday, July 1, 2008

Writing in 3rd person

I researched how to write in 3rd person on the internet. Well turned out there are three ways to write in 3rd person. I decided to keep it simple.

Writing in 3rd person is like writing events you are only observing.

Okay, that is too simple.

Ok I’m going to explain the three ways to write in 3rd person without of all the terms.

First way to write in 3rd person is the way to give the most information. The narrator knows everything! Every action the characters are making, their every thought. The readers get it all!

Example:
Mary smiled knowing her friend had found more then one new dress. She looked up from the pendent she fiddled with, to look out the door. She met the brown eyes of a young man walking by. Wow he’s cute! She thought. He returned her smile, showing a dimple in his right cheek before disappearing into the crowd.
Mary’s heart raced at the sight of his smile. She felt a burning sensation in her stomach. She almost stepped out the door to follow him, wondering how she could have any reaction to him when she only liked one guy in her life.

Will stopped walking he realized he lost track of his older friend. His thoughts had drafted to the girl he had seen a minute or two ago. He remembered the girl’s smile. Stop thinking about her. He angry told himself. Find Michael and talk him out of this foolishness. I have my own mission to complete. He pushed through the crowd.

In this one the writer can go into every character’s head, not just the hero and heroine.

Ok so the next way is more limited. The writer only writes from one character point of view.

Ok
Example:
Mary’s heart raced at the sight of his smile. She felt a burning sensation in her stomach. She almost stepped out the door to follow him, wondering how she could have any reaction to him when she only liked one guy in her life.
“Mars,” said Selena. Stopping her in her tracks. She looked to see what Selena wanted. “I’ve asked Ms. Joy’s assistant to help you pick out some dresses.”
“Selena?” Mary asked unsure what to do. “A few seconds ago I saw a guy.” Mary stopped to smile at Selena’s reaction to the word guy. Her friend has stopped in mid-motion of reaching for yet another dress. “He had the most gorgeous eyes.”
Selena pushed the dresses in her hands at the assistant who grabbed them in surprise. “Well, go after him!” Selena said. She headed to the door. “Are you going or not?” She asked when Mary didn’t make a move. Mary left without a second thought, Selena right on her heels.
In this one you know only what the heroine is doing and what she’s thinking. You don’t know what her friend is thinking.

Ok is last way to write in 3rd person is only to narrated the characters’ actions.

Example:

A young woman pushed through the crowd. She looked in every direction. She stood on her toes but she didn’t reach over the heads of the taller people. She laughed and shook her head.

Okay I realized that my examples are flat especially that last one. But I hope this helped some people at least start to understand 3rd person.

Does anyone have anything to add about 3rd person?

Keep Faith writing report:
I wrote 112 words yesterday! I'm now on chapter 3!

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