Writing Excuses
20.13: First Person
Mar 30, 2025
Dive into the art of first-person storytelling as the hosts explore its benefits and challenges. Learn how to foster intimacy with readers through subjective viewpoints and engage their senses. Discover the pitfalls of excessive introspection and the intrigue of unreliable narrators. Participants are challenged to creatively rewrite scenes from different perspectives. Plus, get insights on how to enhance narrative engagement with fresh storytelling techniques. This discussion is perfect for anyone looking to deepen their writing craft!
26:22
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Quick takeaways
- First-person perspective offers emotional intimacy by allowing readers direct access to a character's thoughts and feelings, enhancing engagement.
- While first-person narration creates a personal connection, it limits perspective and can lead to challenges in conveying complex scenes.
Deep dives
The Strengths of First-Person Perspective
First-person perspective provides a unique intimacy by allowing readers direct access to a character's thoughts and feelings, creating a strong emotional connection. This narrative style excels in delivering exposition through personal asides that deepen the reader's understanding of a character's motivations and inner conflicts. Moreover, it captures the immediacy of experiences, making moments feel more urgent and personal, as the reader shares in the character's subjective reality. It is particularly effective in genres that rely on emotional depth, such as romance and horror, as readers can experience the character's fears and desires firsthand.
