First or Third Person?

[Maerean]

So, I'm just curious. Do people tend to write from a first person perspective on here, or is it usually the third? (or maybe it doesn't matter?)
When left to my own devices I usually write in the first person, but sometimes it can sound a little too much like a self-insert, so it'd be nice to hear what other people make of it.

 

[Ren Olvry]

From what I've seen is a bit of a mix, that tends to lean toward third-person. There are definitely writers that might write in either style, but most of the request threads I've seen seem to specify third-person

 

[Jericho Z. Barrons]

1st person role-play has a strong association with sexting or smut focused rp, and a lot of people see it as a red flag for people who don't obey conventional writing partner distance and boundaries. Thus, most people who consider themselves writers and not just role-players or who prefer actual plot to go with their erotica, will more often prefer third.

 

[Maerean]

Nice, thanks for letting me know. Guess I'll stick to the third-person, then. It usually sounds better anyway.

 

[Erased523]

I'm mostly a 1st person type of player.

 

[deRobeck]

... Guess I'll stick to the third-person, then. It usually sounds better anyway.

Don't be afraid to use first person present tense for internal monologue, just be sure to indicate you're doing that, maybe by using italics.

 

[Nagisa Fukoshima]

I write in third person, it’s always sounded better and I find is easier to attach yourself to the story with. First person can sometimes feel as if it’s too much yourself and not enough your character. At least how I find it.

I will say this, I have had some write in second person, and present tense...it is one of the weirdest things and I never know how to go about it 0-0

I hope your writing goes well!! ^_^

 

[PhoenixRising82]

I roleplay in third person as a hard rule. I believe first person opens the door to weird roleplaying habits and blurs the line between character and self. Boundaries are important.

Couldn’t have said it better. Also, a very big part of why I don’t RP via instant messengers.

 

[skyfetcher]

Another + to the above. First person does funny things with my brain and it's too associated with self inserts when I see it elsewhere for my tastes. A split is critical for me.

 

[ShadowsLitany]

I'd agree with the first person bit being weird, though it has worked in a couple of stories where you want to be inside the persons head, though I find its jarring when you jump from person to person in responses so it makes the story hard to read overall. Though when doing it in a chat and you are doing a quick story, then it sort of works.

 

[obieblu]

I think first is creepy. I won't do it.

To prove my point, I had a partner from a nonsmut site. He told me every day he wanted story, not smut. When he did inevitably initiate smut, he switched to 1st person. Then every day he'd tell my how special it was that he felt comfortable cybering with me.

Noooooooooooooooooooooooooo.

 

[TheGreenJade]

In my experience, first person not only sounds less formal itself but also tends to be utilized more often by lazy and/or inexperienced writers than by more skilled writers. Even beyond my personal experinlence, I want to be able to immerse myself in the entirety of the story and its environment, which is nearly impossible to do from a limited first-person perspective. Objective third-person perspective typically allows the story to utilize so many more elements than it otherwise would have.

 

[MrsGaper]

I would agree on some parts, and disagree on others. Does first person limit the perspective? Yes. But if you are not interacting with other chars than the 2 of you in the rp, you dont need multi perspectives. Only yours and theirs counts. Or else you are creating a multiple character world, and that's not why I rp. I rp here so that I can feel things and do things I cant in the real world, hence the preference of first person. It's not about "cybering" its about inner monologue, soliloquy's and feelings. So while yes I can understand why people dont get first person, Its not necessarily about trying to get something from the other rp'er, it may be about getting more from yourself....

 

[Dirty Fingers]

I would prefer first person as to me RP means taking on that character's persona, like acting. But you will find third person is the most preferred tense.

 

[Tazreale]

Third.

Though I also seen a lot of misconception of people using first person in RP. A common problem in it, is the use of 'you,' when they interact with their partner. That should be more of a him/her pronoun as the use of 'you' in the interaction towards another's character is truly a first/second person blend. (Though feel free to beg to differ. I don't mind debating this.)

I stick with third, first is not a glove that fits. Plus, I multi character and I am too concerned to keep a solid, revolving story to focus on a singularity for a character. While first person narrative may also be capable of covering the use of additional characters; I really don't want to immerse myself into a single one.

First person RP feels more constrictive than it truly needs to be and the only real way for it to shine would involve someone doing first person while another narrating events in second person.

 

[Henndog]

Wow, I didn't know people put this much thought in to these types of things.

 

[Anael]

Most of my RP experience was on IRC during the '90's, and when I saw a scene unfold in first person I thought it looked clumsy and it interrupted the flow of the story - for me. First person story telling, I think, should be reserved for writers who don't share the work with others. Role Play is a group effort, even if the group is just two, so first person just doesn't seem to work well.

Some folks, though, prefer writing - even in RP - in first person and reading the RP that way. Who am I to knocks what works for them?

For me to try it in RP, I think I'd need a good feel for how my partner(s) worked with it.

 

[Nasil]

Just a quick chime in here to say that I RP primarily in third person. I've tried to accommodate in the past with peoples writing styles, but I tend to keep it a hard rule for myself now and my partner to both be in third person when writing.

 

[pandrel]

Depends on setting for me. If there is more characters, then third person.

 

[LordLicentious]

Hey, so, if I might add my thoughts, I've been doing stuff like this for a while, and I generally find that second-person perspective strikes the best balance between immersion and functionality. That said, the big mistake inexperienced roleplayers make when it comes to first- and second-person perspectives is that they fail to keep the perspective characters consistent. In first-person, the only character than should ever be "I" is the player's main character, and in either, the only "you" should be their partner's main character. When side characters get involved, it should effectively become third-person, as neither perspective character is active.

 

[Tazreale]

Hey, so, if I might add my thoughts, I've been doing stuff like this for a while, and I generally find that second-person perspective strikes the best balance between immersion and functionality. That said, the big mistake inexperienced roleplayers make when it comes to first- and second-person perspectives is that they fail to keep the perspective characters consistent. In first-person, the only character than should ever be "I" is the player's main character, and in either, the only "you" should be their partner's main character. When side characters get involved, it should effectively become third-person, as neither perspective character is active.

There is no 'you.'

'You' should only be applied in a second person perspective. This is where the big confusion starts to come in conflict with RP itself. It is extremely hard to pull off a pure second person RP as second person RP puts the reader in the perspective of that character that you(the writer) are playing. In fact, as I stated before, the best approach of this would be(in the least confusing of ways) for one player to partake in first person and the other partner narrates the experience with second person. Though even then, that will probably still get pretty confusing.

First person, regardless of the mains of both partners, the person they are interacting with is a him/her and not a you. The same goes for all other characters that may be sides or genetic NPCs that pop up in story, they are still addressed in a him/her, he/she, or whatever perspective in each writer's First Person, respective point of view.

I hate to come off as some minor, grammar nazi in this; but the terminology of 'you,' being used in a driven RP involving first person is more of a blend of first person and second person perspective and not true first person RP. It is just very wrong in narrating.

Lets look at some quick examples. I will use abbreviations of MC as in my character and PC as in partner character.

I. First Person
Me: I(MC) does this action for her(PC.)
Partner: I(PC) responds happily from his(MC) action.
Incorrect: I(MC) looks at you(PC.)

Who is you? (Well, you is my partner's character. But grammatically correct, you does not exist in first person writing or format. Involving the terminology of you in first person is not true first person, but a blend of first and second person.)

II. Second Person (Tricky to do)
Me: Before you(MC) stands a tall man(PC.)
Partner: Looking up at you(PC), the gnome's(MC) eyes glimmer.
Incorrect: You(MC) move towards me(PC.)

Now.. You can really see how freaking confusing second person can get. But lets do this.

III. True Second and First Person
Me: Ahead of you(PC) is a tall dark tower of foreboding nature.
Partner: I(PC) approach the tower to study it more in curiosity.
Incorrect: I(MC) appears before your(PC) character.

In this example, the prime method should be for one person taking the backseat and narrating the adventures for other person in first person to react towards. This is true First and Second person RP. That same person cannot become a character beyond whatever NPCs/sides that he/she operates and even then those control will still entitle you towards their partner's character.

IV. Third Person. (Shouldn't really need explaining.)
Me: The knight(MC) smirks towards the young lady(PC.)
Partner: The lady(PC) curtsies towards the knight(MC.)
Incorrect: The knight(MC) smiles towards you. OR. I(PC) grin towards the knight.

The only excuse should be in the incorrect is if someone is playing first or second person. But first/second person meeting third person of a partner is going to be out there in the ballpark as well for me to fully explain.

Also one should never perspective jump around in a RP with a partner. That even gets more confusing and is taboo.
Example
Me: I smile towards her.
He moves closer to you.
He grins at her.
Parther: Has no idea what the hell is going on.

Yep. And vice versa. Perspective jumping is big no-no.

 

[uncensoredOmega]

I´m glad we all agree on third-first is just unprofessional and also creepy!

 

[Rapscallion]

So, I'm just curious. Do people tend to write from a first person perspective on here, or is it usually the third? (or maybe it doesn't matter?)
When left to my own devices I usually write in the first person, but sometimes it can sound a little too much like a self-insert, so it'd be nice to hear what other people make of it.

Third person is much more common.

 

[PowerPlay]

*** Yes, buckle-up ladies and gents because this is a RANT ALERT. ***

First-person roleplaying is terribly stigmatized on BlueMoon.

Which I've always found to be so strange, because some of the greatest writers and works of fiction in the literature world have been written in first-person perspective.
I think it's an unfortunate reality that first-person roleplayers on BMR get rejected, shoved aside, or not taken seriously because of the X.Y.Z reasons listed by everyone above.
Are these X,Y,Z reasons true? Yes and no to all of them, because at the end of the day --- it all comes down to who's behind that computer screen. It all comes down to the PERSON. The same concept applies to third-person writers.

I have been writing for over 15 years and have had both TERRIBLE roleplayers in BOTH third and first. However, some of my greatest stories have come from first-person interaction, simply because I love how "into a character's mind" first-person perspective provides.

- Do the lines get blurred between fiction and real life with first-person perspective?
It can, but I have seen it get blurred with both third and first. It's not a reflection of the perspective, but of the actual professionalism and mindset of the writer.

- Do smut writers use first-person more often than third?
Nope! BlueMoon is an erotica-based RP forum, and the majority of writers are third-person roleplays. What does that say about that? At the end of the day, we are all here to have the privilege to roleplay 18+ content. Smut comes in all forms and perspective, and considering I would say upwards of 85+ percent of roleplayers on BMR write in third, meaning that majority of smut players are likely third-person writers. But as Joey from FRIENDS would say, the point is "Moo".

- Are first-person writers less experienced or mature?
Hard, hard NO. I have written with over 100 fellow writers and roleplayers, and statistically speaking, the least experienced and least mature writers are actually the ones who can't take no for an answer and are unable to take criticism or accept the fact that you have lost interest in the story. Neither of those reasons have to do with the preferred perspective of writing. Again, it comes down to the person behind the screen.

- First-person perspective is unprofessional!
lolwut? Professional writers have written award-winning novels, novellas, and stories using first-person perspective. It's not unprofessional. It's a legitimate form used by some of the most talented writers in the world to create quality literature.

- First-person perspective is creepy!
Is it creepy? Is it SUPPOSED to be? Sometimes the goal of first-person perspective is to make the reader uncomfortable; for them to really experience the mental state of the character they are reading. If it makes you feel creep-ed out or invasive, then maybe the first-person writer is actually doing a great job. It all depends on context, story, and again, comes down to the PERSON. A terrible writer will be bad in BOTH first and third!

TL;DR version of my rant:
The preferred perspective for writers has NOTHING to do with quality, professionalism, maturity, or experience.
Terrible writing does not come from the writing perspective chosen. It comes from the writer being, well, TERRIBLE!

Closing statements:
YOU GUESSED IT. I'm a first-person perspective roleplayer. Every single one of my writing partners has, at some point in time, expressed their appreciations and love for my style of writing. There is so much more to my work than just "FIRST-PERSON", and to reduce my writing to mere stigmas that are neither true nor factual is a damn shame. I tend not to trust writers who think first-person perspective embodies any of the above stigmas expressed in my post. An experienced writer knows that great works of fiction come from TRUE TALENT and appreciates that quality work can come in all forms of literature (and ultimately is not based on whichever perspective is preferred/ chosen). Apologies if that is offensive, bull-headed or snobby in any way.

But that's my two-cents. :3
(please don't hate me)

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[CasualVelociraptor]

@PowerPlay That was a very well reasoned alternative point. I don’t think anybody who has an ounce of integrity on here should hate you for this. I do want to give an alternative theory (apologies if it’s already been stated before) why first person may not be used often on BMR or other roleplaying sites; if one person does first and the other third it can be very conflicting to have the viewpoint shift instantly, while if both people are writing first it could feel like characters are fighting for the spotlight.