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First or Third Person?

CasualVelociraptor said:
@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.
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LOVE this point because I do, agree, for the most part.

However, I have found that I am (personally) able to disconnect my character from my partners, so when I do role play with another first-person narrator, I don’t find it confusing nor impeding. I don’t feel that “fight for the spotlight”, but I think that’s more based off of the fact that both my partner and I are always on the same page in our story (through OOC) and don’t compete. (Well, we do compete... but not for the spotlight! Just for “who make can make the best plot twist and surprise the other”!)

As for writing one partner in first and another in third —> this actually makes up for the bulk of my role plays, since most roleplayers write in third on BMR. I definitely get how someone can find it confusing or uncomfortable, but I think the majority just require that “adjustment period” if it is new to them then it becomes pretty “moo” (moot) once they have adapted. It’s never honestly been an issue. Like, ever? Once the story starts and the juices are flowing (pun sort of intended there), you don’t notice the perspective difference and it becomes cohesive and conjoint like a real story all its own.

I will say lyrically, I find the first-and-third combination actually the most flattering for what I call “novel-conversion”. That’s if the role play were to ever be converted in to some sort of novel, or would be easier to transfer since only one character/player is in first person, and the rest are third.

Some great food-for-thought!
 
From my experience of all of a week’s worth of rping (though with a hefty dose of writing experience in fanfiction), I present my own take on writing in first person perspective.

One thing about first person is that you can’t write about anything that the character doesn’t know. As a 1x1 rp, that limits the things you can do greatly without occasionally breaking out another character’s perspective, or a few paragraphs in third person, both of which is a bit jarring to read. Especially if it’s a high plot to smut ratio rp, at least without a LOT of ooc coordination.

Another problem is that it’s not feasible to describe my character’s appearance often without sounding vain in first person, and even less so in a way that emphasizes how appealing they look in that particular scenario, and so I don’t. Sometimes that’s a turnoff for my partners. Same goes for overall approach, I might be able to portray a confident character with actions alone (as in without using words like confidently), but in first person rping I’ll be forced to do it.

Finally, first person rp requires the narrator be in character, which heavily limits the vocabulary I’m allowed to use. It’s especially difficult to write someone under duress, as they probably won’t have the mind to think in any fancy word with over three syllables, but that’s usually when I want to be the most descriptive.

It’s great when you have the time, but it’s more work than writing in third perspective.

p.s. Should be obvious, but I do like rping in first person, I’m just anal enough about these things that I often break my own immersion when my partner writes something without considering all these.
 
Maerean said:
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.
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I tend to write more in first person due to it being the way i naturally write
 
I’m sure it’s whatever people prefer most of the time. I prefer third person to be honest like it’s an actual story.
 
I'm fine with both, definitely use third more. In any case no mindless smut for me.
 
I personally like third. The experiences that are happening involve characters I make not me therefore my comfort is better with third.
 
Personally I like third person for the fact I'm playing a character. First person makes me feel weird. Like it's ME when it's not. I also get thrown off when a partner will write in first person while I'm in third....I just can't.
So I perfer third...as well as the person i'm writing with.
 
A good writer can handle first or third person (author Lee Child writes his Jack Reacher novels in either first or third), and often both when internal monologue appears in first person. beginning writer ought to stick with first-person POV while learning the craft.
 
I agree with deRobeck, a writer should be able to handle both first person and third person as appropriate in the story, but the writer must remember to stay in "character"
 
Another advocate for third person.
I usually have more than enough characters, and none of them are 'me', they each have their own merits, so they get treated as individuals with their own stories, so third makes the most sense.
 
I myself prefer third person in a role play, only use first person when my characters have journals or photo albums. But when it comes to plot etc I stick to third person, find first person a bit confusing but I can work with it. Add sets in, I lose focus from either perspective really easily. IRL I have add, find that writing in third person allows me to interact with the characters more. Plus as stated above I keep first person to inner monologue such as characters journals etc.
 
For role playing specifically, I always go for third person. Yet for some reason when I'm writing a solo story, I'd usually go for first person, even if there are multiple main character's I'd usually pick one and write it all from their perspective.

The one exception is that if I was doing something that is a GM / player RP... with that I'd be okay if my player wanted to use first person and then actually use second person for the GM posts. For some reason I just find that it reads more smoothly.
 
I always do third person (even if I'm roleplaying with someone I know and we're doing true-to-life, playing as ourselves)
I will Italicize my first-person sentences because that's my character's thoughts.
Also, I am strict about working in the past tense as well. I can't stand 3rd-person present tense. It doesn't make any sense to me.
 
Third person is definitely more appropriate in erotic roleplay for me. It makes sense to establish that you yourself, the writer, is separate from the character you roleplaying. There's just something creepy about reading "I'M gonna do this to her" instead of "HE'S gonna do this to her"
 
Third person has always been my preferred perspective ever since I started writing and it's now a hard rule.

First person simply makes me feel uncomfortable - especially when writing erotic content. When I write erotic content with someone, I get weirded out when they respond with "I" instead of he or she for their character. That crosses a personal boundary for me.
 
I find first person uncomfortable and just plainly difficult to write. I'd like to see the scene more as an onlooker rather than one actually becoming the character.
 
In my fics and RPs I tend to third person. First is useful, and if I decide to ride on the unreliable narrator trope that can be cool, but third is pretty much my bread and butter
 
Thanks for this question! I find all these responses very personal, and fascinating too. For me, both perspectives are crucially important in the process. Lately, I've been using a lot of present-tense 3rd-person, since it makes the prose seem more urgent, and dynamic. Third-person conveys a sense of grandeur, and purpose to a scene or story. I often find myself narrating my own life in my head, in this tense. On the other hand, I've found that, when written with precision, first-person is much more intimate. First-person lends itself to a kind of internalized narrative voice. I find I can better convey feelings of fear, or desire in this perspective. Third-person does not have the same chaos to it, the way we run through our own feelings in the heat of the moment. Ah, I seem to be rambling. TL;DR: they're both good! Practice more, because they're equally powerful and equally useful tools.
 
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