Point of view in your story is significantly important. It’s the difference between knowing exactly what the protagonist is thinking, knowing what all characters are thinking, and only knowing what we are being shown or told. There are three main point of views that can be used: first person, second person, or third person. Determining which point of view to use depends on what tone or voice you are trying to portray.

First person is most used in fiction. It is the narrator’s viewpoint, utilizing I, me, my, and other first-person pronouns. This perspective allows your audience to feel a close connection to the narrator; we are aware of their thoughts, reasonings, and opinions. However, this limits what you as the writer can reveal about other characters. With a first-person narrator, the audience can only know what the narrator knows. Writing in first-person has its perks. It is reflective of reality as we are only privy to our thoughts, motives, and feelings until someone tells us theirs. This can lead to suspense, miscommunication, drama, and other plot points—especially if we as an audience are aware of something the narrator isn’t due to dramatic irony and the author’s writing choices.

Second-person point of view is more unique as it directly involves the audience. Second person includes pronouns like you and you. It is harder to write in and not commonly seen in creative writing outside of shortform content and nonfiction. However, it is a unique challenge to try out, especially for horror or psychological thrillers. It makes reading a more immersive experience. Usually, I see second-person point of views in choose-your-own-adventure creative writing stories.

The third person limited is like first person in the sense that the perspective is limited to the thoughts and feelings of one character. However, instead of first-person pronouns, it is written with third person pronouns (he, she, or they). Personally, I tend to enjoy writing my stories in third person limited because I feel it allows for more creative or poetic writing. It is easier to have a paragraph of background information or a character’s true feelings when I do not have to use I or me.

Third-person omniscient gives you the ability to switch perspectives between your characters. With this point of view, the audience can be in the head of everyone without being limited to the protagonist. This is a powerful tool when your characters are separated or experiencing different lives. Instead of seeing one character’s entire story play out, third-person omniscient allows the writer to show the audience what the protagonist can’t know. This can stir up drama and suspense as the audience will now be more knowledgeable than the protagonist. However, it can also work in the opposite way: the audience can be left in the dark to what the protagonist knows as we are no longer just in the head of one specific character.

The third-person objective point of view is similar but more unique and not as common. This is where the narrator is neutral without letting us into the thoughts of a character. It is more of an observation than a direct experience. This point of view makes the audience feel like a background character: someone who is there on the scene but is not intimately involved or included in every detail. This is a complex perspective as we typically like to be involved in the action; however, it is a very interesting change of pace. Here, the readers are truly outsiders looking in.

The point of view you choose changes the entire tone of your writing. Before choosing your point of view, consider how you want your audience to feel and what you want them to know. Also consider your main character and their personality. Do you want to have more mystery around them, or do you want the audience to be more intimately acquainted with them? Everything down to the plot points you want to include can sway your decision on which perspective to use so be sure to think it through before you choose.