tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7780182174577095197.post9211285373454777458..comments2024-03-25T09:56:16.164+00:00Comments on An Awfully Big Blog Adventure: The world within the book or the book within the world - Lily HydeUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7780182174577095197.post-1189394473167808532012-07-04T22:54:27.872+01:002012-07-04T22:54:27.872+01:00Isn't Wasted third person present tense, Nicol...Isn't Wasted third person present tense, Nicola?Keren Davidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13121027210783177857noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7780182174577095197.post-15117783192237497482012-07-04T08:36:32.162+01:002012-07-04T08:36:32.162+01:00Those of you who dislike first-person-present-tens...Those of you who dislike first-person-present-tense had better not read my latest novel, Wasted. <br /><br />In my view, each story needs the right tense and pov and as long as you get the right one for the story that's all that matters.Nicola Morganhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12189894289540344094noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7780182174577095197.post-45586480026578708052012-07-03T19:59:26.046+01:002012-07-03T19:59:26.046+01:00What an interesting conversation. It made me thin...What an interesting conversation. It made me think about a novel I've not read for a while by Lindsay Clarke - 'The Chymical Wedding'. Which makes use of 1st person (and he is a self-centred, immature individual on a learning curve)interspersed with much more sophisticatedly delivered 3rd person narrative in a different historical period. The two stories are linked by place (and some other interesting things). It seemed a clever, tactical use of the 1st person which doesn't get the chance to grate on the reader. First published 1989 (no, I am not a YA...)Jean Atkinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09619733874421657191noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7780182174577095197.post-69340934510213100342012-07-03T17:23:06.451+01:002012-07-03T17:23:06.451+01:00Very interesting post, I think a third person wit...Very interesting post, I think a third person with multiple POV would work very well. in fact if I am going to read something with varying points of view I think third person would work very well for that.<br /><br />I write in whatever writes best for the story, I think, first person present does seem very popular at the moment. <br /><br />Very interesting!VikLithttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12675200811539358961noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7780182174577095197.post-33587274942785411492012-07-03T13:41:17.434+01:002012-07-03T13:41:17.434+01:00Interesting point about first person being a way t...Interesting point about first person being a way to get round 'Show not Tell', Emma. A first person narrative I guess is totally 'telling' - it's one person telling their story. I like the way that third person allows you to 'show' the characters from different perspectives. <br /><br />Nick - yes, I've used first person present too! I still hate it though, 9.5 times out of 10...Lilyhttp://www.lilyhyde.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7780182174577095197.post-16993654341672777782012-07-03T13:17:32.034+01:002012-07-03T13:17:32.034+01:00I too have a real dislike of first-person present ...I too have a real dislike of first-person present tense; it feels the most artificial form of all. That said, I have used it once. Briefly! It has its place. Not a whole book, though.<br /><br />@Emma - I agree, I think 'show don't tell' is an overused and misunderstood mantra. It's catchy and memorable, but a far truer one would be, 'Sometimes it's best to show; sometimes it's best to tell; your challenge as a writer is to know which form to choose at any given time.' Not very snappy, though.Nick Greenhttp://www.nickgreenbooks.webeden.co.uknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7780182174577095197.post-18248371909947491662012-07-03T09:56:33.018+01:002012-07-03T09:56:33.018+01:00I think it's the long arm of Catcher in the Ry...I think it's the long arm of Catcher in the Rye and its first person narrator, Holden Caulfield. Somehow that quirky, subversive teenage voice has become an essential part of YA literature.<br /><br />Like you, though - and although there are lots of first person novels that I love - I prefer the third person. It's so intriguing to see into different minds, and to realise that every character has a different perspective on a situation.<br /><br />I also think that first person is popular with authors because it lets them evade the creative writing mantra of "show not tell". Somehow it's acceptable to "tell" when its a character doing the telling - look at the Hunger Games for example, where Katniss "tells" the reader lots of what they need to know. (And why not? It works well, and its economical.) Maybe it's time to rethink that particular piece of writing dogma for third person too.Emma Barneshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02718171070716804800noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7780182174577095197.post-62814216731636907622012-07-03T08:04:37.393+01:002012-07-03T08:04:37.393+01:00First person narrative is supposedly easier to rea...First person narrative is supposedly easier to read, and may be easier to write. I’m not personally a fan of it, unless it is exceptionally well done (and don’t get me started on first-person present tense…) but I do think that every story finds its own voice.name badges internationalhttp://www.namebadgesinternational.usnoreply@blogger.com