*First Person
*Second Person
*Third Person
First Person
First person means the story is told from the “I” viewpoint. This point of view brings the reader up close and personal with the narrator. Many detective and private eye novels are written in first person because this viewpoint immediately puts the reader “in the shoes” of the crime-solving hero. The reader can quickly identify and derive pleasure from experiencing the events in the book as if they are seeing them through the eyes of the main character.
First person viewpoint is also effective in a thriller. A first person viewpoint can provide immediate empathy with the main character and enhance suspense because the emotions are deeply felt by the reader. First person gives the effect that each twist and turn, each setback or sensation of joy, fear or pain seems to be happening to the reader personally.
Many “confessional” novels or ones with a gothic atmosphere are written in the first person point of view. In this case the hero may actually be a villain. Seeing the story unfold through the eyes of a narrator who may be self-deluded and not entirely truthful in his account can be very effective. First person can also create a sense of foreboding because the emotions are deeply felt by the reader. Of the books listed below, The Meaning of Night , which begins with the narrator’s confession of the murder of a total stranger, would be much less effective if written in third person.
Second Person
Second person is told from the “you” viewpoint and is most often associated with literary works. It would be rare to find an entire mystery written in this point of view. However, second person can be very effective in small doses, such as in a prologue or in italicized scenes interspersed throughout a first or third person novel. But an entire novel written in this tense can quickly gets tiresome unless the author has mastered the technique. Two authors who consistently employ this point of view are Joyce Carol Oates and Thomas H. Cook. Thomas H. Cook writes both literary novels and mysteries. Many of his novels contain a blend of tenses, including second person.
Third Person
Third person means that everything is seen through the main character’s eyes and in past tense. A book written in third person has the phrases “he said, he thought,” all coming from the same person’s head. The reader sees, thinks and feels only what the main character experiences. There are no shifts at any other time to other character’s thoughts or emotions. Many detective novels are written in this simple, straightforward tense. This POV is comfortable, easy to read, and readily accepted by most publishers.
I hope this helps.
