POV in Writing: First, Second, and Third Person

Point of view determines whose eyes readers see through and what information they have access to. This fundamental choice shapes everything from intimacy to suspense.

First Person ("I")

The narrator is a character in the story, telling it from their own perspective. "I walked into the room and immediately knew something was wrong."

Strengths

• Intimate access to one character's thoughts and feelings
• Natural voice and distinct personality
• Reader strongly identifies with the narrator
• Creates mystery through limited information

Challenges

• Can only show what the narrator experiences
• Hard to describe the narrator's appearance naturally
• The narrator's voice must sustain the entire book
• Limited ability to show other characters' inner lives

Best For

Coming-of-age stories, memoir-style narratives, mysteries where the narrator investigates, character-driven literary fiction, stories with distinctive narrative voices.

Second Person ("You")

The narrator addresses the reader directly, casting them as a character. "You walk into the room. Something feels wrong."

Strengths

• Immediate and immersive
• Creates unusual intimacy
• Fresh and distinctive
• Works well for instructional or choose-your-own-adventure

Challenges

• Difficult to sustain for long works
• Can feel gimmicky if not handled well
• Some readers find it alienating
• Hard to create a distinct protagonist

Best For

Short fiction, experimental literary work, choose-your-own-adventure, self-help and instructional content, creating specific effects within sections of longer works.

Third Person Limited ("He/She/They")

The narrator is outside the story but follows one character closely, sharing their thoughts and perceptions. "She walked into the room and knew immediately something was wrong."

Strengths

• Can get close to character thoughts while maintaining flexibility
• Easier to describe the POV character
• Can switch between characters in different scenes
• More objective feel than first person

Challenges

• Must stay in one character's head per scene
• Less immediate than first person
• Easy to accidentally head-hop between characters

Best For

Most genres work well with third limited. Particularly good for stories with multiple important characters, when you need some distance from the protagonist, or when the plot requires information from different perspectives.

Third Person Omniscient

A godlike narrator who knows everything—all characters' thoughts, events happening simultaneously, past and future. "She thought she knew what would happen. She was wrong. Meanwhile, across town..."

Strengths

• Complete flexibility in what to show
• Can reveal anyone's thoughts at any time
• Can make dramatic commentary on events
• Epic, sweeping feel

Challenges

• Less intimate—harder to deeply connect with any one character
• Difficult to create suspense when the narrator knows all
• Requires a strong, consistent narrative voice
• Can feel old-fashioned to modern readers

Choosing Your POV

Ask yourself:

• How close do I want readers to be to the protagonist?
• Do I need to show multiple characters' thoughts?
• Is there information I need to hide from readers?
• What POV does my genre typically use?
• Does my protagonist have a distinctive enough voice for first person?

Related Resources

• Finding Your Writing Voice →
• Character Development →
• First Draft Tips →