Writing Excuses 20.14: Third Person Limited
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Apr 6, 2025 Diving into third person limited, the discussion highlights its unique storytelling advantages and the balance it strikes between intimacy and distance. The hosts explore its intricacies, sharing strategies for effectively portraying characters while maintaining reader engagement. They demystify the differences between narrative perspectives and offer creative homework to refine writing skills. Listeners also learn about head hopping and its potential to enrich narratives, making this a must-listen for aspiring authors.
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Third-Person Limited Basics
- Third-person limited POV uses pronouns like he, she, or they, focusing on one character at a time.
- Unlike omniscient, you only see one character's thoughts at any given moment.
Limited vs. Close Third-Person
- Third-person limited is broader than close third-person; you can have distance while staying limited.
- Close third-person offers more interiority, like a camera close to the character.
Limited vs. Omniscient Example
- Howard Tayler gives an example of distinguishing limited and omniscient perspective.
- In limited, character A observes B's face; in omniscient, we know B's thoughts directly.