So you want to write your story in first person narrative?
But should you?
Me, I love a well written first person narrative, but the last thing I want to ever hear from another writer is that the reason they write in first person narrative is because "that's my writing style."
If that's your reason for writing in first person--
Well, it's a rather odd thing to say, because a lot of the writers who've said this to me have barely ever written anything. And the "that's my writing style" has always come after I've personally called them out for using first person narrative poorly.
Poorly written first person narrative is cringe, because--
Well, it's not enjoyable to be reading from the POV of the writer rather than the character. I'm there to hear what the writer's character is thinking as the narrative unfolds or after the narrative unfolds, not what the writer is thinking.
And I do know some writers gravitate towards first person point of view because it feels easy, and they can churn it out fast, not realizing that they're not writing the characters POV, but themselves, with narrative after narrative being the same.
Which, that isn't a problem for the most part when the writer does in fact have a pleasant personality, but it is not fun when the writer doesn't because it leads to an unplesant character.
It does get to be a problem even for a writer who does have a pleasant personality, because from story to story it's going to be the voice of the same character rather than a different one, which is great if all the stories one writes is about the same character and thus from the same POV, but stands out like a sore thumb if there are more characters and readers will notice with some eventually calling the writer out for not being original with their MC.
But, it also is a problem when a writer is doing multiple POV in one story, because then the reader reads the story and—well, as they read all the characters feel the same.
So, yes, first person narrative does seem easy.
It's not as easy as people think, and that is what I want people to think about, particularly newer writers who are more likely to be drawn in by how first person narrative feels easy. True, there are some who find themselves quite gifted at writing the narrative, because they're really good at getting into the characters heads. It can also help to take a step back and try and look at the work as if you were a reader rather than a writer, but that doesn't always work.
The thing is, it's not a good idea to assume with a few stories under your belt that you are one of those writers.
Of course, there's going to be some reading this wondering if maybe they need to rethink doing their ONC entry in first person narrative.
My suggestion isn't to do so unless you have the time to do so. Keep in mind as you write that you are not the character. Keep in mind as you write that there are only certain things that character from who the POV is from will know, so don't reveal things they wouldn't.
Oh, and make sure your reader can tell who the POV is from without resorting to identifying it for them as much as possible. I've read POV where had the writer not identified the character I would have assumed it was the same character because it all had the same narrative voice, where when you're using more then one POV you need to change up with how you use narrative voice. Actually, I think the writers who do first person POV well are able to use more than one narrative voice, yet remain consistent with that narrative voice within the narrative they are telling, or the part of the narrative that uses that particular narrative voice.
