The Benefits of Writing in Third Person: Why You Should Give it a Try
As a writer, you are often faced with the decision of choosing between writing in first person or third person. While there are certainly benefits to writing in the first person, there are also significant advantages to writing in third person that are often overlooked. In this blog post, we will explore the benefits of writing in third person and explain why you should give it a try.
What is Third Person Writing?
Before we dive into the benefits of writing in third person, let’s first define what third person writing is. Third person writing is a type of writing in which the writer refers to themselves as “he” or “she,” or by using the proper noun, “the author.” This is different from first person writing, where the writer refers to themselves as “I.”
The Benefits of Writing in Third Person
1. Provides a Broader Perspective
One of the primary benefits of writing in third person is that it allows you to provide a broader perspective to your readers. Instead of limiting the story to the experiences and thoughts of a single narrator, writing in third person offers readers insights into the thoughts and experiences of multiple characters. This can add depth to your writing and provide your readers with a more complete picture of the story.
2. Keeps the Focus on the Story
When writing in first person, it can be easy to get caught up in the thoughts and experiences of the narrator. While this can be valuable for developing a character, it can also distract from the overall story. Writing in third person helps to keep the focus on the story itself, rather than the narrator’s personal experiences.
3. Builds Suspense
Writing in the third person can also help to build suspense in your story. By providing insights into the thoughts and experiences of multiple characters, you can create a “who-done-it” type of narrative. This can keep your readers engaged and guessing until the very end.
4. Offers More Objectivity
When writing in first person, it can be challenging to maintain objectivity. The narrator’s personal experiences and biases can influence the story’s overall tone and message. Writing in third person allows for a more objective approach to storytelling, giving your readers the space to interpret events and draw their conclusions.
Examples of Third Person Writing
To help illustrate the benefits of writing in third person, let’s take a look at a few examples.
Example 1: A Scene from “Pride and Prejudice”
In the following passage from “Pride and Prejudice” by Jane Austen, the narrator is writing in third person, providing insights into the thoughts and experiences of multiple characters.
“It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife. However little known the feelings or views of such a man may be on his first entering a neighbourhood, this truth is so well fixed in the minds of the surrounding families, that he is considered the rightful property of some one or other of their daughters.”
By writing in third person, Austen is providing readers with a broader perspective on society’s expectations of marriage in the novel’s setting.
Example 2: An Excerpt from “The Great Gatsby”
In this excerpt from “The Great Gatsby” by F. Scott Fitzgerald, the narrator is writing in third person, building suspense by withholding information.
“The eyes of Doctor T. J. Eckleburg are blue and gigantic—their retinas are one yard high. They look out of no face but, instead, from a pair of enormous yellow spectacles which pass over a non-existent nose. Evidently some wild wag of an oculist set them there to fatten his practice in the borough of Queens, and then sank down himself into eternal blindness or forgot them and moved away. But his eyes, dimmed a little by many paintless days, under sun and rain, brood on over the solemn dumping ground.”
In this passage, Fitzgerald is using third person writing to withhold information about Doctor T. J. Eckleburg, building suspense as to his significance in the story.
Conclusion
In conclusion, writing in third person can provide your readers with a broader perspective, keep the focus on the story, build suspense, and offer more objectivity. While there are certainly benefits to writing in the first person, it’s essential to give third person writing a try and experiment with its advantages. By doing so, you may find a whole new perspective on storytelling that you wouldn’t have discovered otherwise.
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