First Person Narration: Strengths and Weaknesses

Using the first-person point of view when writing has fallen out of popularity in many ways and is often considered 'unprofessional' or 'amateurish'. This could be because it is most often employed by new writers who find it easier to tell a story in their own voice. Nonetheless, the first-person narration style is a powerful tool when deployed with skill and creativity.

Unlike second-person and third-person writing, first-person narration brings the reader very close to the action and can allow for unique insights that would be out of place in the second or third-person perspectives. The first-person narration style has 6 main strengths that you should consider when planning a short story or novel.

What is a First-Person Narrative?

The shortest definition of first-person narration is a story that takes place from the point of view of the main character. First-person storytelling uses 'I', 'Me', and 'We' instead of "She/He' or 'They' when speaking about the main character.

Some good examples of first-person writing include:

The Yellow Birds by Kevin Powers

"The war tried to kill us in the spring. As grass greened the plains of Nineveh and the weather warmed, we patrolled the low-slung hills beyond the cities and towns."

The Wolf Road by Beth Lewis

"I sat up high, oak branch 'tween my knees, and watched the tattooed man stride about in the snow. Pictures all over his face, no skin left no more, just ink and blood. Looking for me, he was. Always looking for me."

As you can see, each of these opens differently but effectively; first-person narration can be just as diverse, punchy, and evocative as third-person writing.

The Advantages of First-Person Narration

There are a number of benefits when it comes to first-person narration. This style of writing offers a unique perspective and an opportunity to connect the reader to your characters inner life. The unique strengths of writing in first person are:

1. Strong Character Voice

Giving your character a distinct, unique, and engaging voice is critical to any story, but it is doubly important when writing in first person. Thankfully, it is also easier to create a distinct voice for your main character when writing in first person - in first person, the narration is essentially a dialogue between your character and the reader.

2. Increased Character/Reader Connection

One of the biggest benefits of this dialogue is a strong connection between your character and the readers. First person narration gives an unprecedented opportunity to create empathy for your character by presenting their vulnerabilities, sentiments, and weaknesses as well as what's driving them. This connection is harder to create in third and second person, which means that first person has a unique advantage in this sense.

3. Lean Storytelling

For many writers, especially new ones, there is a temptation to fit as much context as possible into a story. In a first draft this can be helpful and act as a form of scaffolding, but it should generally be minimized in polished stories (this is, of course, not a hard rule but loose guidance - the amount of context any story can have without feeling heavy or awkward depends on a number of factors). First person narration lends itself well to lean storytelling because the reader is seeing the world through the main character; blind spots and gaps in memory or knowledge are acceptable or even expected.

4. Immersion

Because the reader is experincing the world through the main characters eyes when a story is written in first person, they must also see the world through their eyes. This gives you, as an author, the unique opportunity to totally immerse the reader into your world. Engaging olfactory descriptions can be undertaken more liberally and naturally in first person because it is one of the key ways in which you can communicate your characters' feelings and experiences.

5. Accessibility

Stephen King once noted that first person writing is often the first method of writing chosen by those who are new to the craft. This is certainly true, of course, but it is worth noting that many established authors use it, too. As well as being direct and simple, first person narration comes naturally to storytellers - it is an extension of oral narration in many ways. This makes it an accessible style for those who lack experience or certainty in story writing.

These are just some of the benefits of choosing to narrate your story in first person - there are others. Of course, the best reason to choose this point of view for your story is compatibility with your story and writing style.

The Limitations of First-Person Writing

Just as it has advantages, first person narration also has limitations. It is not uncommon for new writers to be told that they should avoid the first person POV in writing becuase it is amateurish or repetitive, but this is not necessarily true. It certainly can be, but this is a matter of skill and experience - as is all writing. These are the major weaknesses of first person writing:

1. Repitition is Hard to Avoid

In first person writing 'I' is unavoidable, but it is important that it is not allowed to rule the roost. There is a real risk of starting every other sentence with it if the author is not careful, skilled, and focussed. This can easily make the writing feel clunky and stilted, and even impact the way the reader percieves your character.

2. Character Description Can Be Awkward

The single largest limitation of first person narration is the difficulty of presenting the reader with a coherent and clear idea of what the main character looks like. This is why so many writers rely on the 'mirror scene' cliche. Finding ways to make the main character more than a faceless presence for the reader can be tough.

3. Narrowed Scope

First person writing is lean and narrow by nature, which makes it perfect for thrillers and horrors where the connection to a characters emotion is as important as context. In other genres, however, it can be a hindrance. When you write in first person, some aspects of the plot and scene are unknowable for the main character - this can make it a bumpy road if your plot is heavily reliant on context and wider in-world events.

4. Bias is Inevitable

Writing a story from inside one characters head makes it inevitable that the story will be biased in some ways. This is why so many unreliable narrators are written in first person. When you choose this POV, you are limiting yourself to writing only one side of the story.

5. Authorial Bleed

There is a real and present danger that the authors' voice will supercede the characters' voice when writing in first person. Preventing this is a matter of consistency, experience, and focus, of course, and as such it can be overcome. Nonetheless, it is much harder to form and maintain a clear character voice without authorial bleed in first person narration.

So, as you can see, the first person writing style has its pros and cons. You should consider them all, as well as those of the other common perspectives used in fiction, and even try writing short pieces in first person perspective before you commit to writing a novel from this POV.