First Person vs Third Books: All You Need To Know

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Struggling with the difference between first person and third person? Dive into the first vs third person debate and see which type of writing is for you here at What We Reading!

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When it comes to first person vs third person books, writers tend to veer to what they’re familiar with reading. And there are certainly stellar examples on both sides of the fence showcasing how each type of person can create a compelling narrative. The likes of The Great Gatsby, The Fault in Our Stars and To Kill A Mockingbird are some examples of the best first person books, whilst the Harry Potter and A Game of Thrones series are examples of how sweeping stories can be told via the third person. With pros and cons on both sides, join us as we take you through everything you need to know about first person vs third person books! 

What’s The Difference Between First Person And Third Person?

The biggest difference between first person and third person writing are their perspectives of the story and its characters. 

A first person perspective uses ‘I’ and ‘We’ as a means of telling the story. First person stories are usually told through the lens of the protagonist, though this isn’t always the case. Books like American Psycho, You or Wicked are stories with the villain’s point-of-view, for example.

Third person writers use ‘He’, ‘She’ or ‘They’ as perspective for the story. In third person books, the narrator is often outside of the story, commenting on the events and developments that occur.   

So, those are the differences between first vs third person stories. But, let’s take a deeper dive into what makes both perspectives unique and some of the biggest benefits of using either of them. 

What Is First Person?

First person books can only be told through the eyes of the narrator. Writers who are used to writing journals or diary entries might find it more natural to write in the first person. 

First person stories give readers a more personal relationship with the narrator, allowing them to see things solely from their viewpoint and giving them insight into their thoughts, feelings and motivations. For writers who love throwing a twist into their works, first person perspectives can be the best way of introducing tropes such as an unreliable narrator.

In first person books, the narrator’s perspective tends to be more subjective than in third person perspectives. If a reader can’t resonate with the one telling the story, it can be a real immersion-breaking experience sitting through this point-of-view. 

But a first person narrator doesn’t necessarily have to be ‘likeable’ to be an enthralling storyteller. As mentioned above, there are countless stories told through the eyes of deplorable bad guys that have gone down as some of the best books in history. 

Benefits of First Person Perspective

• The biggest benefit of first person perspectives is the emotional connection readers can have with the narrator. It can amplify the stakes and make their journeys much more memorable.
• Some readers prefer the conversational approach that comes with a first person narrator. It can make reading feel less formal and help mirror the themes and genre of a story much better than the third person.
• First person perspective allows authors to be much more creative with unreliable narrators. This can give a story more shocking twists and turns.

What Is Third Person?

Essentially, the rule of thumb to remember when it comes to third person perspectives is: the narrator knows more than the characters. Because of this, writers have two options when it comes to third person perspectives: 

• Third-Person Limited (TPL) – the narrator is free to jump into different characters one at a time, but doesn’t know everything (at least until all the developments come to light).
• Third-Person Omniscient (TPO) – the narrator knows everything in play and what is going to happen, and can jump between characters freely.

Third person perspectives are able to show and explain things to readers that the characters either can’t see, don’t know or haven’t paid attention to. 

Writing in the third person also gives authors a chance of keeping the story rolling, but with different characters revealing different parts. A good example of this would be The Paris Apartment, The Game or Happy New Year. 

Benefits of Third Person Perspective

• An omniscient narrator is able to give an author more freedom to explore more of the plot and dive into the thoughts and feelings of their characters in more inventive ways.
• Third person perspectives tend to offer more objectivity for a reader. This is especially crucial in non-fiction writing, but can also be important in fiction.
• Even if a book is being told from the third person, there are still opportunities for a first person point-of-view through dialogue and certain sections.

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Read More: Plot Driven vs Character Driven Books

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First Person vs Third Person: Which Is Best?

As we mentioned right at the start of this post, whether it be reading or writing, most people find themselves drawn towards a perspective naturally. If you’re struggling with your preferred choice, think about your favourite books on your bookshelf and ask yourself: are most of my picks in the first or third person? 

We touched on the pros and cons of writing from both points of view, but we would only recommend writing in the first person if you’re absolutely certain you have a narrator that is compelling and layered enough to carry a story. Again, if you’re used to that sort of writing, go for it. Otherwise, best to stick to the third person.