3rd Person POV and 1st person POVs, does it benefit to have both?

[Representing_Tromba]

I am currently working on a story from the 3rd person pov as the MC is being watched through a camera system. Would it be beneficial to have the second half of each chapter contain the 1st person POV of the MC? Alternatively, I could make it a whole separate chapter or not release the 1st person POV until the end of the 3rd person POV? Would the 1st person POV actually help? Mind you, the 1st person POV shows things that the 3rd person camera cannot see or hear that are relevant to the story.

 

[TheNonexistentOne]

I prefer one style all the way.

BUT... If you want to change povs... Use one pov for that particular chapter.

I, as a reader, personally won't like to see the pov changing from 1st person pov to 3rd person pov in the same chapter.

Just stick to one style for one chapter in whole.

 

[Jerynboe]

Is the person watching the MC a character contributing a different pov, or is this just an artsy decision to swap between third person limited and first person?

If we have “dude watching pov” alternating with “dude in the trenches pov” that seems reasonable. If the MCs interiority drastically recontextualizes the scene, that seems reasonable.

Basically, what are you going for? As a general rule I’m kinda against just doing things to do them, but almost any justification is enough to make it an interesting artistic choice if you can pull it off.

Edit: also yeah there should be clear delineation between what pov you are using. Don’t seamlessly swap or it’s confusing.

 

[Representing_Tromba]

Is the person watching the MC a character contributing a different pov, or is this just an artsy decision to swap between third person limited and first person?

If we have “dude watching pov” alternating with “dude in the trenches pov” that seems reasonable. If the MCs interiority drastically recontextualizes the scene, that seems reasonable.

Basically, what are you going for? As a general rule I’m kinda against just doing things to do them, but almost any justification is enough to make it an interesting artistic choice if you can pull it off.

Edit: also yeah there should be clear delineation between what pov you are using. Don’t seamlessly swap or it’s confusing.

It's a person watching them through a camera. You get to meet the character later but for now they are a professional taking notes of various things as they view the MC, even adding in their own little opinions. Each of their 3rd person POV scenes start and end with a system file booting up, saving, and booting down. There is a reason for it but it comes as surprise later. Every 1st person POV will be mirrored by an alternative 3rd person narrative POV. Both leave stuff out of the other and are written in separate voices, on professionally sassy and the other more brazenly hopeful.

 

[greyblob]

if im invested in a story i dont want a new pov introduced halfway trhough. if both are introduced early on then its fine

 

[LiteraryWho]

There isn't really anything you can do from a first person perspective you can't do from third, at least in terms of information content. You're allowed to do third person limited from one perspective, and then next chapter from another. That's probably the standard, even.

If you're trying to bring out the character of your camera watcher, then that's a different story, though it doesn't seem like that's the case from what you said.

Addendum: From your later comment, it seems like that's the case. You can still, strictly speaking, put a character's personality into third person narration. Thinking on it a bit more, though, I think the "through a camera" angle is probably easier done in first person.

 

[greyblob]

There isn't really anything you can do from a first person perspective you can't do from third, at least in terms of information content.

this is factually incorrect

 

[LiteraryWho]

this is factually incorrect

What information can you put in first person you can't put in third? You're allowed to describe someone's internal state in third person, you know.

 

[Representing_Tromba]

There isn't really anything you can do from a first person perspective you can't do from third, at least in terms of information content. You're allowed to do third person limited from one perspective, and then next chapter from another. That's probably the standard, even.

If you're trying to bring out the character of your camera watcher, then that's a different story, though it doesn't seem like that's the case from what you said.

Addendum: From your later comment, it seems like that's the case. You can still, strictly speaking, put a character's personality into third person narration. Thinking on it a bit more, though, I think the "through a camera" angle is probably easier done in first person.

That makes sense. Though I believe it would be different for what I am attempting as they are two distinct characters. Even though one is through a camera, they are typing up what they see and taking notes, completely cut off from the MCs thoughts and successfully hidden actions.

 

[Dawnathon]

That makes sense. Though I believe it would be different for what I am attempting as they are two distinct characters. Even though one is through a camera, they are typing up what they see and taking notes, completely cut off from the MCs thoughts and successfully hidden actions.

That sounds more like you could have a first-person perspective either way, simply with one being the researcher and the other being the real MC. It would be less jarring that way than having a third-and-first switch, if it does keep switching between chapters.

 

[LiteraryWho]

That makes sense. Though I believe it would be different for what I am attempting as they are two distinct characters. Even though one is through a camera, they are typing up what they see and taking notes, completely cut off from the MCs thoughts and successfully hidden actions.

Ah, you're doing it Truman show style. If I were writing something like that (for whatever that's worth), I think I'd do the MC in first person, and the "camera" entirely through the logs or notes (with an introduction from "Mr. Camera" or a header like a research paper). The logs can technically be done in third person, which would give them a bit of an "impartial researcher" angle (in formal writing, first person is frowned on (from what I've heard).

 

[Representing_Tromba]

That sounds more like you could have a first-person perspective either way, simply with one being the researcher and the other being the real MC. It would be less jarring that way than having a third-and-first switch, if it does keep switching between chapters.

I see.

 

[Jerynboe]

It's a person watching them through a camera. You get to meet the character later but for now they are a professional taking notes of various things as they view the MC, even adding in their own little opinions. Each of their 3rd person POV scenes start and end with a system file booting up, saving, and booting down. There is a reason for it but it comes as surprise later. Every 1st person POV will be mirrored by an alternative 3rd person narrative POV. Both leave stuff out of the other and are written in separate voices, on professionally sassy and the other more brazenly hopeful.

In which case you have two separate point of view characters, one of which is masked by initially being a third-party observer. You have a convenient signal to show when you swap POVs that you can carry over should the observer ever get out of their chair. Seems fine to me as long as you signpost when a swap happens.

Personally I use 3rd person in my stories whenever I have anyone other than my MC as the pov. Reinforcing that he is THE main character even when other people get attention. In your case, you’re reinforcing that the observer is… well, observing.

 

[greyblob]

What information can you put in first person you can't put in third? You're allowed to describe someone's internal state in third person, you know.

i guess youre right now that i think about it.