First person/ third person...

by Lisa Rowe
22nd June 2013

hi everyone. i am having a bit of trouble with my writing. i want to write in first person but it always slips into third person halfway through my writing. sometimes i don't even notice it. does anybody else have this problem?

Replies

I find that the style of speech develops in its own unique way, almost like an unseen character. at least that's how it falls into place for me

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Daniel
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Daniel Orpeus
23/06/2013

I prefer writing in third person and past tense, and when I once wrote something in first person and present tense I was forever slipping out of it without noticing. My suggestion would be to examine your narrator very carefully. I can't remember which author said it, but whoever it was said that you should always write in third person unless a really irresistible and distinctive first person voice comes into your head. This seems too severe, and I certainly wouldn't obey that strictly, but I can see the point. Perhaps you haven't discovered your narrator's 'style' of speech?

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Alice
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Alice Cattley
23/06/2013

I think if you keep slipping into the third person that might be your story telling you it would work better that way. If it was meant to be told in the first person you wouldn't keep slipping.

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Andrew
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Andrew Atkinson
23/06/2013