#howtowritepov

[coffeebeanwriting]

Hi! I'm wondering how you go from writing in 1st person to 3rd person?

Thank you for the question! O3O.

How to Switch from Writing in First Person to Third Person POV

First, consider if you will be writing in Third-Person Limited or Third-Person Omniscient. In short, omniscient is an "all-seeing eye" that knows all the thoughts, feelings and events of every character. Limited only knows the mind/heart of one one character at a time and can only see things through their eyes.

Writing in Third-Person Omniscient allows the reader to watch the story from the outside looking in. They get to join the journey from a perspective that is different than that of the characters. The reader can often times learn things the characters don't know yet.

When making the switch from first person to third person, here are some things to consider: • You'll now be using "he/she/them/they/etc" which can create some emotional distance... however, you can bring that personal pull back in through the dialogue and actions of the characters. • Third person is good for world building and explaining information in a seemingly neutral way to the readers. With first person, the information is processed by the main character and can be warped by their beliefs. They can lie, bend the truth or misinterpret information. With Third Person, you have an opportunity to reveal information without the personalities of the characters interfering, in a factual, "as-is" way. • Third person omniscient can bounce from one side of the world, to the other side and tell the events of multiple characters. • Third person is great for detailed imagery that the characters might not be able to see, know or understand yet. With first person, you can only see what the main character sees and understand the world as they know it. With Third Person, you can see that world before they do and learn it at the pace that the narrator reveals it to you.

Here is an example on how first person can be more personal/intimate, and how third person can reveal information to the reader that the character isn't aware of yet:

I ran to the bus stop as fast as I could and arrived just as it began to pull away. It was like the world hated me or something, and that feeling burned hotter as the bus driver looked me dead in the eye through his review mirror. I gasped for air, drinking in as much of it as I could. He couldn't stop for just a second to let me on? How was it fair that I had to walk half a mile to the bus stop that everyone else lived right next to? Mom already left for her second job... how would I get to school now?

The bus driver saw the same young boy who was always late to the stop running towards his bus. As he reached for the door lever his long, 24 gauge shotgun shifted to the side beneath his legs. The kids were so sleepy every morning, earbuds in and eyes half shut that they never cared to glance twice at the short, balding man that drove them to school. The doors shut with a hard shake and the driver pulled away. He gave a single glance back at the airless, young boy who was wore his defeat plastered on his face. It was the single smile that the boy gave him every morning that caused the driver to pull off without him.

All in all, when writing in third person you'll want to pull out of that first person point of view and become the "god/all-seeing eye" of your story. You don't have to stay limited to one perspective, place or time. You can reveal information to your readers before your characters know about them, and you can build up beautiful imagery and worldbuilding as you are not limited to through the eyes of the protagonist anymore. Before swapping over to third person completely, I'm going to say something that some might consider treason. Your story can contain both first person and third person, together. The only flop to this is that you have to execute it well to work. Understand the rules to break them. You can really jar your reader if the first thirteen chapters are told in first person and then you randomly slap in a third person POV without any warning. You have to find a way to weave the different perspectives into your story seamlessly. Here are some sources for mixing the two perspectives: How To Mix First and Third Person POV 

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