So my novel takes place in an afterlife and focuses on one major character, as they try to heal from childhood trauma, learn helpful mental health tools, and newly take in this beautiful universe.
The other major characters are also developing ethically and emotionally, and we need to see inside their minds and watch them learn.
Meanwhile the past was literally a different life, and there’s not a lot of past talked about in the narration— more thought about or talked about by the characters.
So with that, I’ve decided that the best way to write my novel is first-person present tense with the main character; and then with the occasional times where I need to focus on other characters when the main isn’t around, third-person present tense.
This is not a common choice, but I think it is the best choice for my particular novel. I think it’s the best choice for my novel’s sense of immediacy, for getting inside characters’ heads, and for experiencing many new things from the main character’s viewpoint.
Also also, I intend to make my main character Chris/Solemn completely-ambiguous when it comes to gender; so that really works with the first-person perspective.
Tell me your opinions or tangents!
How I would do it and actually done quite often in the novels that I read. Sounds like an interesting book and you have a well thought out plan.
The correct POV for a story, in my opinion, is the one that best serves the story.
So it sounds like you’re making a solid choice for yours!
I’ve noticed I have a preference for third person limited, and I think the reason for this is that it allows me to tell a story without feeling like I’m pretending to “know” my characters well enough to write from their perspective. Rather, I write their stories from the perspective of the character I know the best, and do so with as much empathy as possible, without “being” that character.
Which kind of makes sense since I have a tendency to write about real people but perhaps I should try an exercise where I write in first person just to see if it really does feel too much like my own voice.
Sorry, that’s was a bit of an aside. I wish you the best in your story!
I asked for opinions and tangents. Thanks for yours! I appreciated hearing and learning from it! <3
