I’m writing from that moment before you write your first word.

	Eli Cranor

You already have an idea. You know what you want to write about. But how are you going to tell your story?

Point of view is an often overlooked yet extremely important aspect of the narrative. The choice you make at this point will shape every line you write.

Let’s start by determining whether your story should be told in the first- or third-person point of view (I’m omitting second-person point of view because I assume you’re not a psycho).

First-person point of view is often the go-to choice for novice writers (my rule of thumb, however, is that you shouldn’t pick first person unless the narrator has a distinctive voice, but feel free to ignore that).

First person is how you’d tell a story at a bar, or around the dinner table: “I was walking down the road and…” Notice the verb tense in that sentence? Past tense is also the most natural way of telling a story, but that doesn’t mean you have to choose it.

You could just as easily employ a first-person, present tense point of view: “I am walking down the road and…”

Notice the difference? Present tense is even more immediate than past tense. It sucks readers in and makes them feel like they are right there with the character.

Immediacy is the greatest strength of the first-person point of view, but that immediacy also comes at a cost.

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First-person point of view can be limiting. You are literally stuck inside a single character’s head for the duration of a novel (yes, you can have different first-person narrators for different chapters, but you’re still stuck with them, for better or worse).

I’m always a little wary of first-person narration. This is due to motivation. I want to know why this random character has decided to tell me a story. Are they writing it all down? Why? Is this a journal, a case report, a blog, or a novel about a guy who goes mad in pursuit of a white whale? You don’t have to justify your first-person point of view (I opted not to in my debut novel). It’s just something to think about.

Another thing to think about is that first person can limit your vocabulary. If you’re a fan of employing five-dollar words, then your narrator must be intelligent enough also to use such language.

If, however, you opt for third-person narration, you can wax poetic to your heart's delight, but that doesn’t mean you should. Simple, clean writing is often the best writing. Third-person narration reads like this: “She was walking down the road and...”

Again, you have the option of past or present tense, but remember, most stories are written in the past tense. A good rule of thumb: if you’re going to break a rule, have a reason for doing it.

That’s how I feel about third-person narration. It’s become my default. I like a third-person limited point of view, which means I can only express the inner thoughts of one character per scene. If, however, you prefer to play God, you can always try a third-person omniscient narrator. But be warned, that’s a tall task.

So there you have it. Those are your options when it comes to point of view. Choose carefully, but also remember there’s no right way to write. These are just some tricks I’ve picked up along the way.

The only test that matters comes when you give your pages to a reader. Will your words, your narrative voice, keep them turning the pages?

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