Writing Excuses 20.13: First Person
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Mar 30, 2025 Dive into the art of first-person storytelling as the hosts explore its benefits and challenges. Learn how to foster intimacy with readers through subjective viewpoints and engage their senses. Discover the pitfalls of excessive introspection and the intrigue of unreliable narrators. Participants are challenged to creatively rewrite scenes from different perspectives. Plus, get insights on how to enhance narrative engagement with fresh storytelling techniques. This discussion is perfect for anyone looking to deepen their writing craft!
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Multisensory Approach
- Use multisensory details in first-person narration.
- Don't just tell what the character thinks, but also what they see, smell, hear, and touch.
Cadence and Emotion
- Vary sentence cadence in first person to convey emotion without explicitly stating it.
- A faster rhythm can indicate fear, while a slower one suggests safety.
When to Choose First Person
- Choose first person for raw emotion, especially in YA, humor, romance, erotica, and horror.
- Its intimacy excels at conveying subjective experiences.