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How to Write in Third Person Point of View

Sarah Oakley

Whether you’re going to write a short story, a novella, or a novel, one of the most important decisions you’ll need to make is which point of view (POV) to use.

Third person is the most popular POV for fiction writers to use. It gives the reader a chance to experience the narrative from a perspective above, or on the shoulder of, the characters.

In this article, we’ll learn what the third person POV is, how it compares to other points of view, and how to write in third person point of view.

What Is Third Person Point of View?

Third person pov meaning, how to write in third person, third person pov examples, conclusion on how to write in third person pov.

Third person POV is when the narrator exists outside of the story. This narrator relates the actions of the characters by using their name or third person pronouns such as “she,” “he,” and “they.”

There are three types of third person POV that you can choose from. Each POV provides a different reader experience as they reveal different amounts of information about the narrative, characters, and setting.

To decide on a POV, think about the type of story you are telling and whether your readers need to be aware of certain details at each point in the plot.

1. Third Person Objective Point of View

The third person objective POV is a way to tell your story by giving the reader all the details within the scenes without including what is going on in the characters’ minds.

To write in the third person objective POV, you will need to create an unbiased narrator who doesn’t tell the reader the thoughts and feelings of the characters. Instead, your narrator will simply relay the actions and dialogue of the story in an objective, impartial telling of the events.

This is great for keeping distance between the reader and the characters. It’s like looking through the window of a stranger’s house and trying to figure out why everything is happening.

2. Third Person Omniscient Point of View

When writing in the third person omniscient POV, you give your reader an all-access pass to the thoughts and feelings of any character in each scene of your story. You can give as much detail about the scene as you can in the third person objective POV, but this time you can also include information from the characters’ perspectives.

The narrator you create to speak in the third person omniscient POV will need to relay the thoughts and feelings of all the relevant characters in the scene. You can do this by switching perspectives. This is sometimes called “head hopping.”

You can use head hopping to show conflict in the story. For example, one paragraph is from the main character’s perspective, as they give some important information to another character. Then, the next paragraph is from the perspective of the person who received the information, which shows their reaction to what the main character just said.

Third person omniscient is perfect for sharing all the little details about the world you have created and allows the reader to pick up clues that some characters might not have noticed. Some writers refer to the third person omniscient POV as an all-seeing being who likes to give their thoughts on the plot.

3. Third Person Limited Point of View

This narrator sits on the shoulder of your main character and tells the story from their perspective. It’s close to being first person, but the reader isn’t solely within the character’s mind and this narrator still uses third person pronouns and verbs.

Sometimes, the third person limited POV narrator sticks to a different character each chapter instead of one character throughout the entire story. We refer to this as a viewpoint character, as we are seeing the world from their perspective.

You are controlling the amount of information given to the reader by focusing on one character’s awareness, rather than all characters’.

First Person vs Third Person

First person POV gives readers full access to the thoughts and feelings of the main character, as they are the one telling the story. There isn’t a narrator getting between the reader and the character.

Another key part of writing in the first person POV is that the character uses first person pronouns to tell the story. They use “I,” “me,” “my,” and “myself” as they are talking about actions and experiences.

Remember : not all main characters notice everything going on around them. It can break the reader’s immersion if they are wondering how the main character knew they were about to die, but there were no clues it was about to happen. Not all characters are psychic!

If you’re aiming to stick to one character’s thoughts and feelings, but you also want to add in some extra details that are in the character’s peripheral vision, try the third person limited perspective.

This POV can be used to great effect in thrillers where you want to stay close to the main character, so the reader connects with them.

Meanwhile, you can also give clues about things that are about to happen that the character is unaware of. Let us watch in horror as the character falls down a hole we all saw coming, but could do nothing to stop them.

Second Person vs Third Person

Second person POV puts you, the reader, in the driving seat as the main character. The narrator breaks the fourth wall and speaks to you directly.

This perspective uses second person pronouns such as “you,” “your,” and “yourself” to bring the reader into the narrative. The narrator uses third person pronouns to refer to other characters.

Second person works well in stories where you want full immersion for the reader. Some people love the feeling of being dropped onto the rollercoaster of drama in a good story. This is why second person is used in video games and Choose Your Own Adventure stories.

However, it is one of the least used POV types by fiction writers. One reason for this is that it takes a lot of skill to write about the reader in a way that feels natural to them while also giving away the right amount of information for the story. You don’t want your reader to lose interest because they don’t agree with something the narrator has said.

Third person objective would be a better option if you don’t want to write as though your story is about the person reading it. The third person POV allows the reader to focus more on the narrative and everything else that’s going on around the characters.

So far, we’ve discussed what the third person POV is, but what does the “third person” part of that mean?

Third person is a grammatical style of writing that uses pronouns such as “she,” “he,” “they,” and “it.” It also uses proper nouns and names when referring to specific individuals and objects.

1. Decide If Third Person Provides the Right Reader Experience

Do you want to tell the story from within the mind of your main character? Do you want to make the reader the main character of the story? If the answer is no to both questions, it’s time to look at your options for writing in the third person.

2. Pick the Type of Third Person Narrator

Go over the details of your story and your characters. You will need to establish whether third person limited, third person objective, or third person omniscient is the best POV for your story.

3. Read Examples of Writing in Third Person

It’s important to take the time to analyze what works and what doesn’t work in third person narration. The best way to do this is by reading other works that use third person points of view.

Focus on the information they are sharing. Did it work? Would you have used a different type of narrator for that story?

4. Use a Consistent POV

Switching POVs is a habit that a lot of writers do if they’re writing in a POV they’re not used to. Don’t worry, it happens. However, being aware that this is something to avoid before you get 200 pages into your novel and realize you switched POVs back on page 90 can help you be more observant of your writing habits.

5. Use the Correct Pronouns—ProWritingAid Can Help!

The third person POV means using third person pronouns when your narrator is speaking. Remembering this is one of the best ways to catch yourself from slipping into different points of view.

You can stop yourself from using the wrong pronouns by using ProWritingAid’s pronoun report. It’ll highlight all the examples of pronouns in your text, so you can easily work through your story and change them back into the third person if you’ve made any mistakes.

6. Create a Trustworthy Third Person Narrator

Your third person narrator is the voice of your narrative. How do they tell the story? Do we believe them?

Readers need to feel like your narrator has the authority to tell these events in a way that satisfies them. If you want to share the thoughts and feelings of the characters, the narrator needs to sound like they are confident in the details they are sharing.

Third Person Objective Example

If you’re wondering how to show conflict when writing in the third person objective POV, we would recommend reading Hills Like White Elephants by Ernest Hemingway.

Let’s look at an excerpt from the story:

The woman brought two glasses of beer and two felt pads. She put the felt pads and the beer glasses on the table and looked at the man and the girl. The girl was looking off at the line of hills. They were white in the sun and the country was brown and dry. “They look like white elephants,” she said. “I’ve never seen one.” The man drank his beer. “No, you wouldn’t have.” “I might have,” the man said. “Just because you say I wouldn’t have doesn’t prove anything.” The girl looked at the bead curtain. “They’ve painted something on it,” she said. “What does it say?” “Anis del Toro. It’s a drink.”

As you can see from this extract, the third person objective narrator is relaying the information about the scene without being biased to either of the characters. They do not quote the characters’ thoughts or feelings; they simply give details about their actions and words.

As a reader, you can still imagine what the characters are thinking and feeling, as the conflict is laid out bare for you to witness.

Third Person Omniscient Example

Readers of the third person omniscient POV expect the narrator to be all-seeing and all-knowing, so it makes sense that the narrator in Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett is “God” or the “Almighty.”

Here’s an extract from the novel:

“Er. Okay,” he said. “I’ll, er, be off then. Shall I? Get it over with. Not that I want to get it over with,” he added hurriedly, aware of the things that could happen if Hastur turned in an unfavourable report. “But you know me. Keen. So I’ll be popping along,” Cowley babbled. “See you guys... see you. Er. Great. Fine. Ciao.” As the Bentley skipped off into the darkness Ligur said, “Wossat mean?” “It’s Italian,” said Hastur. “I think it means food .” “Funny thing to say, then.” Ligur stared at the retreating tail-lights. “You trust him?” he said. “No,” said Hastur. “Right,” said Ligur. It’d be a funny old world, he reflected, if demons went round trusting one another.

This example shows how the third person omniscient narrator pops into the heads of several characters in one passage. At the beginning, we’re in Cowley’s mind, which is shown by the phrase “aware of things that could happen if Hastur turned in an unfavourable report.” However, within a few lines, we pop into Ligur’s mind, which is apparent in the sentence, “It’d be a funny old world, he reflected, if demons went round trusting one another.”

Third Person Limited Example

If you’re looking for examples of third person limited narrators that tell the story from one character’s perspective, we would recommend reading Happily Ever After by Harriet Evans.

Let’s check out a section of the novel:

She knew his face so well, knew him so well, how he drummed his fingers on any spare surface, how he looked vague when trying to get out of things, how his mouth curled to the side when he was making a joke. But she’d never sat this close to him before, because he was her boss. It didn’t feel like that tonight. It was as if they were different people. It was nice. Rory was nice, but then, she’d always known that.

Romance writers like writing first person POV, but third person limited also works well in this genre, like in this extract. The narrator is giving us a direct connection to the mind of the main character (Elle). They do this by describing everything Elle’s noticed about the man she’s attracted to.

Elle realizes her boss has always been nice and we get the impression she’s always secretly wanted to date him. The narrator shows us this by giving us Elle’s perspective on what’s happening in the scene. It’s as close as the narrator can be without Elle telling the story herself.

As you can see, writing in the third person isn’t hard when you follow the step-by-step process. It’s a lot of fun to experiment with the different types of third person POV. Which one do you prefer?

Don’t forget, if you’re worried about slipping into different POVs within your writing, you can always use the ProWritingAid pronoun report to keep you in check!

Be confident about grammar

Check every email, essay, or story for grammar mistakes. Fix them before you press send.

##About Sarah is a romance writer with a passion for studying human connections and psychology. She lives with her fiancé and two cats in Gloucester, UK. When she’s not writing, Sarah enjoys visiting theme parks, singing along to rock songs, and planning her next vacation. ##Writing Experience Sarah is an aspiring screenwriter who hopes to see her name in the credits of a romance film one day. She has also written short stories and has had many ideas for novels in a variety of genres. ##Education Sarah has been studying the art of writing and film from the age of 16 and she holds a BA in Creative Writing.

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What is Third Person Point of View in Writing? + Examples

In every example of writing you can think of, there is a point of view at play. The point of view is the narrator’s angle on the piece, as well as their bias.

Whether they’re talking about themselves (first person), you, the reader (second person), or a third-party (third person).

Third person point of view is what we will discuss in this article.

What is Third Person Point of View?

In this case, third person point of view tells events from the perspective of the person being discussed. Pronouns such as he, she, it, and they are used to convey this, as well as the name of the subject if applicable.

For example, in a screenplay, the narrator would refer to “John sped down the corridor, his hair bouncing as he ran.” Notice how the character’s name John and the pronouns his and he were used.

In contrast, if we were referring to John in the first person, i.e., John was the one narrating, the sentence would change: “I sped down the corridor, my hair bounding as I ran.” Pronouns I and my are used to define the point of view used here.

Third person point of view often distances the reader from the subject, the narrative not including the reader or acknowledging their existence. Whereas first and second point of view may do just that: “I had not intended to love him; the reader knows I had wrought hard to extirpate from my soul the germs of love there detected…” (Brontë, 1992).

The Importance of Third Person Point of View in Writing?

Third person point of view is an extremely relevant and useful tool in all forms of creative writing. It allows us to explore and describe points of view that aren’t our own, even the complete opposite.

We can develop and delve into different types of characters, perspectives and worlds, and switch between them. Writers have been using these techniques for centuries to capture the imaginations of their audiences and offer them a view of the world they may not have previously considered.

Types of Third Person Point of View

1. third person limited.

Third person limited follows one character from beginning to end. We stay consistently with that person, the insight into the world all theirs. They are the ones moving the story forward. The narrator in this case is omniscient: they know the full story already and what is going to transpire. Your protagonist does not.

An Article You Might Like: How to Write a Good Story (11 Tips from an Actual Writer)

Examples of third person limited works include:

• Cloud Atlas – David Mitchell
• A Game of Thrones – George RR Martin (one character per chapter)
• Thanks for the Memories – Cecelia Ahern

This particular perspective allows you to really develop this character’s psyche, giving your audience an in-depth insight into their personal world, emotions, and reactions to what is happening around them. Your descriptions can also be specific, homing in on what the characters themselves focus on, rather than giving a more general description. You can be specific!

The audience learns about plot events, twists, and turns simultaneously with the protagonist, so they truly go on the journey with them.

Third person limited also allows you to build effective suspense and interest. If you write third person well, you can draw an audience in, meaning they buy into your protagonist and care deeply about what happens to them.

Of course, the caveat to writing in third person limited is that your audience only sees one point of view. The emotions and journeys of other characters are merely surface level, or there is less opportunity to develop them. Additionally, it can be easier than you think to slip into describing another character’s feelings or divert off into their story. Make sure to stick with your protagonist.

Consider role playing video games, where you take on the role of one character embarking on a quest or journey. As the player, you follow the protagonist’s path, but don’t have the opportunity to see things from other characters you may meet on the way. Games such as The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, Dark Souls and Assassin’s Creed Valhalla are such examples.

2.  Third Person Omniscient     

We have already discussed that to have an omniscient narrator, they need to know everything that’s happened in the plot. The difference with third person omniscient as a sub-category is that the narrator doesn’t just focus on a single protagonist, but instead switches between multiple characters.

This means they can explore the thoughts, feelings, and actions of any character, each to a greater or lesser degree. The narrator can also have any bias and voice their own opinion throughout the plot.

Examples of third person omniscient works include:

• Lord of the Flies – William Golding
• Good Omens – Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett
• A Wizard of Earthsea – Ursula K Le Guin

The freedom of third person omniscient is clear; the narrator can freely bounce between characters, their perspectives, and different motivations. Writers can create attention-grabbing conflict, building it over a series of chapters.

The narrator can also lean towards any bias, favoring one or more characters over others, most often the protagonist. This also means they can directly address the reader, unlike in third person limited.

Third person omniscient narrators can also explore context within the characters’ world. Instead of just being stuck to one character, they can build on details invisible to that character, by taking into account the emotions and actions of other characters.

However, with the wealth of views, feelings, and voices, it is easy for writers to fall into the ‘head hopping’ trap, where they easily confuse readers. Don’t fall into the trap of writing every single detail – not everything is absolutely necessary.

3.  Third Person Objective       

This third person narrator is the most neutral and impersonal of them all. Along with the reader, they discover the plot along with the characters, not privy to thoughts and feelings. No perspective is focused upon, with the narrator playing an observational role, meaning the audience is almost eavesdropping on the unfolding events.

Usually implemented within short fiction, the third person objective doesn’t reveal judgments or opinions on behalf of the narrator. It forces the reader to interpret and conclude events in their own way. When done well, you can spark insightful and interesting conversation between readers.

Examples of third person objective include:

• Hills Like White Elephants – Ernest Hemingway

Of course, an advantage of using this point of view is one which we’ve discussed; the ability to keep your audience guessing and drawing their own conclusions from your writing . However, it is a tricky art to master. You must be one hundred percent sure it’s a good fit for the story you’re trying to tell.

How to Write in Third Person Point of View

First, consider which basic point of view is most appropriate for your story. First person, second person, or third person?

Once you have ultimately chosen third person, it is time to look at which of the three sub-categories we’ve discussed are most fitting.

Are you looking to have a single protagonist or an ensemble piece? For an ensemble, you have a range of perspectives and arcs to reflect upon. This means a web of narratives to weave together. In this case, third person omniscient or limited would be a good fit.

Alternatively, if you have a single protagonist, third person limited would work, or if you’re up for a challenge, third person objective.

Next, you’ll need to work out how distanced your narrator is going to be from the action. Do you wish for them to be reliable and authoritative, open with their knowledge? Or are you looking for them to keep things to themselves, twist the plot, their bias obvious?

If your narrator has an agenda of their own, the third person limited could be a good bet; one viewpoint, close to the action. Or if they’re giving an overview of events, giving all sides of the story, third person omniscient or third person objective are both good fits.

Remember, you don’t need to follow all characters; for not all perspectives will be required at any one time. Follow those characters who are high stakes, those who lead a particular chapter or scene. Who has the most to lose? Whose emotions and actions matter the most?

When you’ve decided who the focal characters are at each point in the story, ensure you only reveal what the audience needs to know in that moment. It’s no use showing your whole hand early on; spread character detail throughout the narrative.

Similarly, remember that every character is different and will act/react in different ways. So, ensure that everything a character says and does is within the personality remit you’ve created for them; it must make sense to the reader!

Advantages of Third Person Point of View

• Limitations of First and Second Person POV: Both first and second person points of view can be fairly limiting, allowing only the authentic description of the actions and emotions of a single character.
• Unique Advantage of Third Person POV: Third person point of view can eliminate the limitations of first and second person points of view, especially with an ensemble cast of characters.
• More Narrative Opportunity: The third person point of view provides more narrative opportunities. It offers readers a more comprehensive view of the plot, the key characters within the plot, and their interrelationships.
• Authoritative and Reliable: Having a narrator who sees from all angles in third person point of view can come across as more authoritative and reliable to the reader.
• Depiction of Multiple Recollections: A third person narrator can portray the memories of multiple characters, as well as different perspectives on a single character.
• Creation of Dynamic Characters : By shifting to different characters in the same situation, a third person point of view allows for a variety of perspectives. This diversity can make it easier to create dynamic and well-rounded characters.

Disadvantages of Third Person Point of View

• Difficulty in establishing intimacy: With too many perspectives in third person narration, it can be challenging to establish a deep connection or intimacy with specific characters. The ease of ‘head-hopping’ between characters can cause the loss of the central thread of a scene or chapter, leading to potential reader disinterest.
• Risk of confusing the plot line: Having too many perspectives can cloud and complicate the plot line. The narrative might become confused and directionless.
• Challenge of managing multiple characters: With multiple perspectives, it may become difficult to effectively manage character development and progression. This could lead to inconsistent characterization and conflict, causing further confusion for the reader.
• Importance of careful character selection: It is advisable to stick to a small selection of characters that the narrator gets close to. These characters should ideally serve as the main guides for the reader, providing consistent characterization and conflict throughout the narrative.

Let’s conclude with a recap on each of the three third person POVs!

• Third person limited – focuses on one character’s perspective only, where the reader journeys with them.
• Third person omniscient – focuses on multiple character perspectives and is usually an ensemble piece.
• Third person objective – can focus on either one or multiple character perspectives, but is usually distanced from the action, merely observing and providing no specific bias.

Ultimately, third person point of view gives you an objectivity as a writer. It allows you to tell a story with multiple points of view. Yes, the protagonist’s may be the most important and prominent, but other characters and events will inform that perspective.

Real life always has multiple points of view, and so reflecting this in literature is important. Yes, the first-person experience is sacred, but the objectivity we have looking from the outside in with multiple sets of emotions and thoughts is also valuable.

Remember, if you do decide to tackle the third-person point of view, ensure to continuously check your writing. Are you maintaining third-person objective, omniscient or limited throughout? Take care not to slip out of your intended point of view. The less confused your reader, the better!

Overall, consistency is key!

Natasha is a UK-based freelance screenwriter and script editor with a love for sci-fi. In 2022 she recently placed in the Screenwriters' Network Short Film Screenplay Competition and the Golden Short Film Festivals. When not at her desk, you'll find her at the theater, or walking around the English countryside (even in the notorious British weather)

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Types of Point of View: The Ultimate Guide to First Person and Third Person POV

by Joe Bunting | 72 comments

In my experience as an editor, point of view problems are among the top mistakes I see new writers make, and they instantly erode credibility and reader trust. Point of view isn't easy though, since there are so many to choose from: first person point of view, third person limited, third person omniscient, and second person.

What do those even mean? And how do you choose the right one for your story?

All stories are written from a point of view. However, when point of view goes wrong—and believe me, it goes wrong often—you threaten whatever trust you have with your reader. You also fracture their suspension of disbelief.

However, point of view is simple to master if you use common sense.

This post will define point of view, go over each of the major POVs, explain a few of the POV rules, and then point out the major pitfalls writers make when dealing with that point of view.

Table of Contents

Point of View Definition The 4 Types of Point of View The #1 POV Mistake First Person Point of View Second Person Point of View Third Person Limited Point of View Third Person Omniscient Point of View FAQ: Can you change POV in a Series? Practice Exercise

Point of View Definition

The point of view, or POV, in a story is the narrator's position in the description of events, and comes from the Latin word, punctum visus , which literally means point sight. The point of view is where a writer points the sight of the reader.

Note that point of view also has a second definition.

In a discussion, an argument, or nonfiction writing, a point of view is an opinion about a subject. This is not the type of point of view we're going to focus on in this article (although it is helpful for nonfiction writers, and for more information, I recommend checking out Wikipedia's neutral point of view policy ).

I especially like the German word for POV, which is Gesichtspunkt , translated “face point,” or where your face is pointed. Isn't that a good visual for what's involved in point of view? It's the limited perspective of what you show your reader.

Note too that point of view is sometimes called narrative mode or narrative perspective.

Why Point of View Is So Important

Why does point of view matter so much?

For a fiction writer, point of view filters everything in your story. Everything in your story must come from a point of view.

Which means if you get it wrong, your entire story is damaged.

For example, I've personally read and judged thousands of stories for literary contests, and I've found point of view mistakes in about twenty percent of them. Many of these stories would have placed much higher if only the writers hadn't made the mistakes we're going to talk about soon.

The worst part is these mistakes are easily avoidable if you're aware of them. But before we get into the common point of view mistakes, let's go over each of the four types of narrative perspective.

The Four Types of Point of View

Here are the four primary types of narration in fiction:

• First person point of view.  First person perspective is when “I” am telling the story. The character is in  the story, relating his or her experiences directly.
• Second person point of view. The story is told to “you.” This POV is not common in fiction, but it's still good to know (it is  common in nonfiction).
• Third person point of view, limited. The story is about “he” or “she.” This is the most common point of view in commercial fiction. The narrator is outside of the story and relating the experiences of a character.
• Third person point of view, omniscient. The story is still about “he” or “she,” but the narrator has full access to the thoughts and experiences of all  characters in the story. This is a much broader perspective.

I know you've seen and probably even used most of these point of views.

While these are the only types of POV, there are additional narrative techniques you can use to tell an interesting story. To learn how to use devices like epistolary and framing stories, check out our full narrative devices guide here .

Let's discuss each of the four types, using examples to see how they affect your story. We'll also go over the rules for each type, but first let me explain the big mistake you don't want to make with point of view.

The #1 POV Mistake

Do not begin your story with a first person narrator and then switch to a third person narrator. Do not start with third person limited and then abruptly give your narrator full omniscience. This is the most common type of error I see writers make with POV.

The guideline I learned in my first creative writing class in college is a good one:

Establish the point of view within the first two paragraphs of your story.

And above all, don't change your point of view . If you do, it creates a jarring experience for the reader and you'll threaten your reader's trust. You could even fracture the architecture of your story.

That being said, as long as you're consistent, you can sometimes get away with using multiple POV types. This isn't easy and isn't recommended, but for example, one of my favorite stories, a 7,000 page web serial called Worm ,  uses two point of views—first person with interludes of third-person limited—very effectively. (By the way, if you're looking for a novel to read over the next two to six months, I highly recommend it—here's the link to read for free online .) The first time the author switched point of views, he nearly lost my trust. However, he kept this dual-POV consistent over 7,000 pages and made it work.

Whatever point of view choices you make, be consistent. Your readers will thank you!

Now, let's go into detail on each of the four narrative perspective types, their best practices, and mistakes to avoid.

First Person Point of View

In first person point of view, the narrator is in the story and telling the events he or she is personally experiencing.

The simplest way to understand first person is that the narrative will use first-person pronouns like I, me, and my.

Here's a first person point of view example from Herman Melville's  Moby Dick :

Call me Ishmael. Some years ago—never mind how long precisely—having little or no money in my purse, and nothing particular to interest me on shore, I thought I would sail about a little and see the watery part of the world

First person narrative perspective is one of the most common POVs in fiction. If you haven't read a book in first person point of view, you haven't been reading.

What makes this point of view interesting, and challenging, is that all of the events in the story are filtered through the narrator and explained in his or her own unique narrative voice.

This means first person narrative is both biased and incomplete, but it can also deliver a level of intimacy other POVs can't.

Other first person point of view examples can be found in these popular novels :

• The Sun Also Rises  by Ernest Hemingway
• Twilight by Stephenie Meyer
• Ready Player One by Ernest Cline
• The Hunger Games  by Suzanne Collins
• The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
• Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brönte

First Person Narrative is Unique to Writing

There's no such thing as first person in film or theater—although voiceovers and mockumentary interviews like the ones in The Office and Modern Family provide a level of first person narrative in third person perspective film and television.

In fact, the very first novels were written in first person, modeled after popular journals and autobiographies which were first-person stories of nonfiction..

First Person Point of View is Limited

First person narrators are narrated from a single character's perspective at a time. They cannot be everywhere at once and thus cannot get all sides of the story.

They are telling their  story, not necessarily the  story.

First Person Point of View is Biased

In first person novels, the reader almost always sympathizes with a first person narrator, even if the narrator is an anti-hero with major flaws.

Of course, this is why we love first person narrative, because it's imbued with the character's personality, their unique perspective on the world.

The most extreme use of this bias is called an unreliable narrator. Unreliable narration is a technique used by novelists to surprise the reader by capitalize on the limitations of first person narration to make the narrator's version of events extremely prejudicial to their side and/or highly separated from reality.

You'll notice this form of narration being used when you, as the reader or audience, discover that you can't trust the narrator.

For example, Gillian Flynn's Gone Girl  pits two unreliable narrators against one another. Each relates their conflicting version of events, one through typical narration and the other through journal entries. Another example is  Fight  Club , in which *SPOILER* the narrator has a split personality and imagines another character who drives the plot.

Other Interesting Uses of First Person Narrative:

• The classic novel Heart of Darkness is actually a first person narrative within a first person narrative. The narrator recounts verbatim the story Charles Marlow tells about his trip up the Congo river while they sit at port in England.
• William Faulkner's Absalom,  Absalom  is told from the first person point of view of Quentin Compson; however, most of the story is a third person account of Thomas Sutpen, his grandfather, as told to Quentin by Rosa Coldfield. Yes, it's just as complicated as it sounds!
• Salman Rushdie's award-winning  Midnight's Children  is told in first person, but spends most of the first several hundred pages giving a precise third person account of the narrator's ancestors. It's still first person, just a first person narrator telling a story about someone else.

Two Big Mistakes Writers Make with First Person Point of View

When writing in first person, there are two major mistakes writers make :

1. The narrator isn't  likable. Your protagonist doesn't have to be a cliché hero. She doesn't even need to be good. However, she must  be interesting .

The audience will not stick around for 300 pages  listening to a character they don't enjoy. This is one reason why anti-heroes make great first person narrators.

They may not be morally perfect, but they're almost always interesting. (Remember Holden Caulfield in The Catcher in the Rye ?)

2. The narrator tells but doesn't show. The danger with first person is that you could spend too much time in your character's head, explaining what he's thinking and how he feels about the situation.

You're allowed to mention the character's mood, but don't forget that your reader's trust and attention relies on what your character does , not what he thinks about doing.

Second Person Point of View

While not used often in fiction—it is used regularly in nonfiction, song lyrics, and even video games—second person POV is still helpful to understand.

In this point of view, the narrator relates the experiences using second person pronouns like you and your. Thus, you  become the protagonist, you  carry the plot, and your  fate determines the story.

We've written elsewhere about why you should try writing in second person , but in short we like second person because it:

• Pulls the reader into the action of the story
• Makes the story   personal
• Surprises the reader
• Stretches your skills as a writer

Here's an example from the breakout bestseller  Bright Lights, Big City by Jay Mclnerney (probably the most popular example that uses second person point of view):

You have friends who actually care about you and speak the language of the inner self. You have avoided them of late. Your soul is as disheveled as your apartment, and until you can clean it up a little you don't want to invite anyone inside.

Second person narration isn't used frequently, however there are some notable examples of it.

Some other novels that use second person point of view are:

• Remember the Choose Your Own Adventure series? If you've ever read one of these novels where you get to decide the fate of the character (I always killed my character, unfortunately), you've read second person narrative.
• The Fifth Season  by N.K. Jemison
• The opening of The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

There are also many experimental novels and short stories that use second person, and writers such as William Faulkner, Nathaniel Hawthorne, and Albert Camus played with the style.

Breaking the fourth wall:

In the plays of William Shakespeare, a character will sometimes turn toward the audience and speak directly to them. In  A Midsummer Night's Dream , Puck says:

If we shadows have offended, think but this, and all is mended, that you have but slumbered here while these visions did appear.

This narrative device of speaking directly to the audience or the reader is called breaking the fourth wall (the other three walls being the setting of the story).

To think of it another way, it's a way the writer can briefly use second person in a first or third person narrative.

It's a lot of fun! You should try it.

Third Person Point of View

In third person narration, the narrator is outside of the story and relating the experiences of a character.

The central character is not the narrator. In fact, the narrator is not present in the story at all.

The simplest way to understand third person narration is that it uses third-person pronouns, like he/she, his/hers, they/theirs.

There are two types of this point of view:

Third Person Omniscient

The all-knowing narrator has full access to all  the thoughts and experiences of all  the characters in the story.

Examples of Third Person Omniscient:

While much less common today, third person omniscient narration was once the predominant type, used by most classic authors. Here are some of the novels using omniscient perspective today.

• War and Peace  by Leo Tolstoy
• Middlemarch  by George Eliot
• Where the Crawdad's Sing by Delia Owens
• The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway
• Still Life by Louise Penny (and all the Inspector Gamache series, which is amazing, by the way)
• Gossip Girl by Cecily von Ziegesar
• Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor
• Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
• Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan (one of my favorites!)
• A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula Le Guin
• Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
• More third person omniscient examples can be found here

Third Person Limited

The narrator has only some, if any, access to the thoughts and experiences of the characters in the story, often just to one  character .

Examples of Third Person Limited

Here's an example of a third person limited narrator from  Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone  by J.K. Rowling:

A breeze ruffled the neat hedges of Privet Drive, which lay silent and tidy under the inky sky, the very last place you would expect astonishing things to happen. Harry Potter rolled over inside his blankets without waking up. One small hand closed on the letter beside him and he slept on, not knowing he was special, not knowing he was famous…. He couldn't know that at this very moment, people meeting in secret all over the country were holding up their glasses and saying in hushed voices: “To Harry Potter—the boy who lived!”

Some other examples of third person limited narration include:

• Game of Thrones s eries by George R.R. Martin (this has an ensemble cast, but Martin stays in one character's point of view at a time, making it a clear example of limited POV with multiple viewpoint characters, which we'll talk about in just a moment)
• For Whom the Bell Tolls by Ernest Hemingway
• ​The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson
• The Da Vinci Code  by Dan Brown
• The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson
• Ulysses by James Joyce
• Love in the Time of Cholera  by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
• 1984  by   George Orwell
• Orphan Train by   Christina Baker Kline
• Fates and Furies by Lauren Groff

Should You Use Multiple Viewpoint Characters vs. a Single Perspective?

One feature of third person limited and first person narrative is that you have the option of having multiple viewpoint characters.

A viewpoint character is simply the character whose thoughts the reader has access to. This character become the focus of the perspective during the section of story or the story as a whole.

While it increases the difficulty, you can have multiple viewpoint characters for each narrative. For example,  Game of Thrones  has more than a dozen viewpoint characters throughout the series.  Fifth Season has three viewpoint characters. Most romance novels have at least two viewpoint characters.

The rule is to only focus on one viewpoint character at a time (or else it changes to third person omniscient).

Usually authors with multiple viewpoint characters will change viewpoints every chapter. Some will change after section breaks. However, make sure there is  some  kind of break before changing so as to prepare the reader for the shift.

Should You Use Third Person Omniscient or Third Person Limited

The distinction between third persons limited and omniscient is messy and somewhat artificial.

Full omniscience in novels is rare—it's almost always limited in some way—if only because the human mind isn't comfortable handling all the thoughts and emotions of multiple people at once.

The most important consideration in third person point of view is this:

How omniscient are you going to be? How deep are you going to go into your character's mind? Will you read their thoughts frequently and deeply at any chance? Or will you rarely, if ever, delve into their emotions?

To see this question in action, imagine a couple having an argument.

Tina wants Fred to go to the store to pickup the cilantro she forgot she needed for the meal she's cooking. Fred is frustrated that she didn't ask him to pick up the cilantro on the way home from the office, before he had changed into his “homey” clothes (AKA boxer shorts).

If the narrator is fully omniscient, do you parse both Fred and Tina's emotions during each back and forth?

“Do you want to eat ? If you do, then you need to get cilantro instead of acting like a lazy pig,” Tina said, thinking, I can't believe I married this jerk. At least back then he had a six pack, not this hairy potbelly . “Figure it out, Tina. I'm sick of rushing to the store every time you forget something,” said Fred. He felt the anger pulsing through his large belly.

Going back and forth between multiple characters' emotions like this can give a reader whiplash, especially if this pattern continued over several pages and with more than two characters. This is an example of an omniscient narrator who perhaps is a little too comfortable explaining the characters' inner workings.

“ Show, don't tell ,” we're told. Sharing all  the emotions of all  your characters can become distraction. It can even destroy any tension you've built.

Drama requires mystery. If the reader knows each character's emotions all the time, there will be no space for drama.

How do You Handle Third Person Omniscient Well?

The way many editors and many famous authors handle this is to show the thoughts and emotions of only one character per scene (or per chapter).

George R.R. Martin, for example, uses “ point of view characters ,” characters whom he always has full access to understanding. He will write a full chapter from their perspective before switching to the next point of view character.

For the rest of the cast, he stays out of their heads.

This is an effective guideline, if not a strict rule, and it's one I would suggest to any first-time author experimenting with third person narrative. Overall, though, the principle to show, don't tell should be your guide.

The Biggest Third Person Omniscient Point of View Mistake

The biggest mistake I see writers make constantly in third person is  head hopping .

When you switch point of view characters too quickly, or dive into the heads of too many characters at once, you could be in danger of what editors call “head hopping.”

When the narrator switches from one character’s thoughts to another’s  too quickly, it can jar the reader and break the intimacy with the scene’s main character.

We've written about how you can get away with head hopping elsewhere , but it's a good idea to try to avoid going into more than one character's thoughts per scene or per chapter.

Can You Change POV Between Books In a Series?

What if you're writing a novel series? Can you change point of view or even POV characters between books?

The answer is yes, you can, but whether you should or not is the big question.

In general, it's best to keep your POV consistent within the same series. However, there are many examples of series that have altered perspectives or POV characters between series, either because the character in the previous books has died, for other plot reasons, or simply because of author choice.

For more on this, watch this coaching video where we get into how and why to change POV characters between books in a series:

Which Point of View Will You Use?

Here's a helpful point of view infographic to help you decide which POV to use in your writing:

Note that these distances should be thought of as ranges, not precise calculations. A third person narrator could conceivably draw closer to the reader than a first person narrator.

Most importantly, there is no best point of view. All of these points of view are effective in various types of stories.

If you're just getting started, I would encourage you to use either first person or third person limited point of view because they're easy to understand.

However, that shouldn't stop you from experimenting. After all, you'll only get comfortable with other points of view by trying them!

Whatever you choose, be consistent. Avoid the mistakes I mentioned under each point of view.

And above all, have fun!

How about you? Which of the four points of view have you used in your writing? Why did you use it, and what did you like about it? Share in the comments .

Using a point of view you've never used before, write a brief story about a teenager who has just discovered he or she has superpowers.

Make sure to avoid the POV mistakes listed in the article above.

Write for fifteen minutes . When your time is up, post your practice in the Pro Practice Workshop (if you’re not a member yet, you can join here ). And if you post, please be sure to give feedback to your fellow writers.

We can gain just as much value giving feedback as we can writing our own books!

Happy writing!

Joe Bunting

Joe Bunting is an author and the leader of The Write Practice community. He is also the author of the new book Crowdsourcing Paris , a real life adventure story set in France. It was a #1 New Release on Amazon. Follow him on Instagram (@jhbunting).

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Third Person Point of View: The ‘He Said, She Said’ Narrative Style

Third person point of view is narrative style in which the narrator refers to all characters using the pronouns he , she , or they . An example of a sentence written in third person would be: 

She sat in the café waiting for her food to arrive. “What is taking so long?” she thought.

Writers can zero in on individual characters using third person limited , or zoom out and tell the story in third person omniscient , where the narrator is an all-knowing figure. Your POV choice will depend on what kind of story you want to tell, as you’ll discover in the next two posts in this series!

Here, however, we’ll simply cover everything you need to know about third person as a whole, and why writers might choose to use it over first or second person perspectives.

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Third person stories often have a wider scope

First and second person stories are great for their immediacy, placing the reader right in the action. However, can be restrictive if you want readers to see the bigger picture. Complex stories with a large primary cast often benefit from a narrator who can swiftly move between characters and locations instead of being tethered to your viewpoint character. An example would be George R.R. Martin’s Song of Ice and Fire series, an epic fantasy series sprawling in scope that features an entire chorus of POV characters. 

With each chapter break, Martin shifts to a new viewpoint character (while staying in third person), allowing him to span vast gaps in the geography of his world and give insight into each character’s personality.

The morning had dawned clear and cold, with a crispness that hinted at the end of summer. They set forth at daybreak to see a man beheaded, twenty in all, and Bran rode among them, nervous with excitement. This was the first time he had been deemed old enough to go with his lord father and his brothers to see the king's justice fine. It was the ninth year of summer, and the seventh of Bran's life.

The man had been taken outside a small holdfast in the hills. Robb thought he was a wildling, his sword sworn to Mance Rayder, King-beyond-the-Wall. It made Bran's skill prickle to think of it.

A Game of Thrones , George R.R. Martin

Martin’s third person narrator has the flexibilty to play this scene through the eyes of a nervously excited seven-year-old while also revealing useful expositional details like the idea of a “King-beyond-the-Wall” and Westeros’s decade-long gaps between winters.

Of course, one could argue that it’s possible to write a sprawling novel written from multiple first-person perspectives. But having an enormous cast all narrating in first person can be confusing, and would put a lot of pressure on the writer to sustain multiple convincing character voices. 

(Psst! For more help with characterization when dealing with a large chorus of characters, you can check out our free character profile resource below.)

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While third person narration can allow the reader a great deal of intimacy with viewpoint characters, there are added benefits to staying out of your protagonist’s head.

It’s great for intrigue and suspense

One challenge of writing in first person is knowing how to toe the line between what your narrator knows and what they should reveal. Third person adds a little more distance, making it easier to flesh out main characters or move the story along without divulging information you wish to reveal later on.

This lends itself particularly well to thriller and mystery novels, where some holding back certain bits of exposition is essential to heightening the suspense. It can also be useful when writing any kind of novel that wants to deploy backstory or character history at a time when it can have maximum impact.

On the other hand, the third person isn’t just great for characters keeping secrets from the reader. An all-knowing narrator can also be useful for creating dramatic irony , revealing details that the characters don’t know themselves. For example, in the final act of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, Romeo discovers Juliet’s body. Unwilling to live in a world without the girl he has loved (for all of five days), he downs a vial of poison.

Come, bitter conduct, come, unsavoury guide!

Thou desperate pilot, now at once run on

The dashing rocks thy sea-sick weary bark!

Here’s to my love. O true apothecary,

Thy drugs are quick. Thus with a kiss I die.

— Romeo and Juliet (Act V, Scene III), William Shakespeare

At this point, the audience knows that Juliet is not dead — but merely sedated in a ploy to escape her family. The gulf between what the audience or reader knows and what the character knows creates an almost unbearable tension, bringing the story to its climax as Juliet awakens to discover her beloved’s corpse beside her.

Of course, dramatic irony can also be deployed more light-heartedly — for example, in comedies of error where humor is driven by a character misinterpreting the world around them. And speaking of understanding the world…

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Third person can help you build up your world

A third person point of view can be a great choice when your story requires a certain amount of descriptive worldbuilding. Whilst first and second person narrators certainly talk about their environment, third person narratives can offer a more natural way to include worldbuilding exposition, especially when extended passages of description might be required. 

A first person narrator probably might not take the time to intricately describe something they’ve seen a thousand times. If you live in a world where society is ruled by a giant brain from outer space, you probably wouldn’t pause your story to arbitrarily explain the backstory of ‘President Lobularr the Cruel.' But a third person narrator will have no limits to what they might want to zero in on at any point in the story.

Though an all-seeing narrator gives writers the freedom to reveal setting and backstory in any way they see fit, don’t forget that one of the effective ways to draw readers into a setting is by showing how a character experiences that world. For example, in this passage from The Vanishing Half , author Brit Bennett describes a humid Louisiana rainstorm from the perspective of her protagonist, Desiree.

Instead of telling the reader that “it was a hot, rainy day,” this passage employs several “showing” devices, including strong verbs and sensory descriptions (“the sky hung heavy and hot,” “water splattering against their ankles”). Bennett evokes one of Desiree’s memories packed with specificity — the girls duck under “eaves” rather than just roofs, and the word “shrieked” conjures a very particular sound. The result practically drops the reader next to Desiree as she braids her daughter’s hair, half-lost in a ripple of nostalgia. 

Written in third person, this passage is just as intimate and personal as it would have been were being narrated directly by Desiree, once again showing the versatility of this viewpoint.

Want to learn more about "show, don't tell"? You can check out our free 10-day course all about this golden rule of writing — it's useful for more than just third person narratives.

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It’s a viewpoint that doesn’t distract from the narrative

In its enduring popularity, third person narratives have become the default mode of storytelling around the world, pre-dating even thelikes of Homer (the epic poet, not the animated nuclear engineer). As a result of its long and impressive history, this viewpoint has thebenefit of instant familiarity.

Starting a story in third person helps readers settle in right away, rather than asking them to adjust to the particular voice of a first-person narrator or the unusual directness of second person . Ever found a story’s first chapter hard to settle into? This may be because of an unconventional narrative style or unanswered questions about who is doing the talking distracting you. Third person narratives are relatively easy to get into the swing of.

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While many writers are keen to develop an utterly unique way of writing, most of the time, readers aren’t looking for something particularly experimental or opaque. In that way, the third person can be a writer’s best friend — a straightforward, versatile, and easily digestible narrative perspective that has stood the test of time.

And with that, we've concluded our post on third person point of view and how to write it! For more in-depth guidance on the two different styles of third person, limited and omniscient, be sure to check out the next couple of posts in this series.

In those posts, you’ll learn even more about which type of third person would best suit your own project, plus bonus tips on how to write in third person — to help you create a story that will be enjoyed by many more than three people, as it were.

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Understanding Third Person Objective Point of View: Tips and Examples

Defining third person objective, characteristics of third person objective, common misconceptions, examples of third person objective, classic literature, modern fiction, tips for writing in third person objective, developing a narrative voice, maintaining objectivity, using dialogue effectively, benefits of third person objective, increased tension and suspense, enhanced storytelling, resources for improving your third person objective writing, writing workshops, online courses, books on writing.

Are you curious about third person objective point of view in writing? Look no further! This blog will guide you through the ins and outs of this unique narrative style, offering tips and examples to help you master it. So, let's dive right in and explore the fascinating world of third person objective storytelling.

In this section, we'll define third person objective point of view and examine its characteristics and common misconceptions. You'll learn what sets this narrative style apart from others and how to recognize it in a piece of writing.

Third person objective is a narrative style that uses a neutral, unbiased narrator who doesn't reveal the thoughts or feelings of the characters. The narrator presents the story through an observational lens, focusing on what characters say and do, rather than their inner thoughts. Here are some key features of third person objective storytelling:

• Neutral: The narrator doesn't take sides or express opinions, maintaining a detached, impartial stance.
• Observational: The story is told through the actions and dialogue of the characters, rather than their thoughts or emotions.
• Limited information: Readers don't have access to the characters' thoughts, which can create suspense and intrigue.

Third person objective is often confused with other narrative styles. Let's clear up some common misconceptions:

• Third person objective vs. third person limited: While both styles use a third person narrator, third person limited allows the reader access to the thoughts and feelings of one character, while third person objective does not.
• Third person objective vs. third person omniscient: Third person omniscient reveals the thoughts and feelings of multiple characters. In contrast, third person objective keeps the reader in the dark about what characters are thinking or feeling.

Now that we've defined third person objective and explored its characteristics and misconceptions, let's take a look at some examples of this narrative style in literature.

Third person objective is a versatile narrative style used by authors across genres and time periods. In this section, we'll explore examples from classic literature and modern fiction, showcasing the wide range of stories that can be told through this unique point of view.

Many classic works of literature employ third person objective to create a sense of distance and intrigue. Here are a couple of notable examples:

• Ernest Hemingway's "Hills Like White Elephants": This short story is a prime example of third person objective, as the narrator only reports the dialogue between the two characters and their actions, leaving their thoughts and feelings up to the reader's interpretation.
• Anton Chekhov's "The Lady with the Dog": This captivating tale of a chance encounter and subsequent romance also uses third person objective, with the narrator focusing on the characters' actions and conversations without delving into their inner thoughts.

Contemporary authors also use third person objective to bring their stories to life. Here are a couple of examples from modern fiction:

• Cormac McCarthy's "No Country for Old Men": McCarthy employs third person objective throughout much of this novel, providing readers with a suspenseful, action-driven narrative that leaves them guessing about the characters' thoughts and motivations.
• Raymond Carver's "Cathedral": In this short story, Carver uses third person objective to depict the interactions between the narrator, his wife, and a blind visitor, creating a sense of detachment and leaving the reader to infer the characters' emotions from their actions and dialogue.

Now that you've seen third person objective in action, let's explore some tips for writing in this narrative style.

Writing in third person objective can be a unique challenge, as it requires you to maintain distance from your characters' thoughts and feelings. Here are some tips to help you develop this narrative skill and create engaging stories.

• Focus on actions and dialogue: Since you're not delving into characters' thoughts, their actions and dialogue are crucial for revealing their personalities and motivations. Ensure that each action and line of dialogue is meaningful and contributes to the story's development.
• Establish a consistent tone: A strong narrative voice helps immerse the reader in your story. Choose a tone that complements your story's themes and atmosphere, and maintain it throughout your writing.
• Show, don't tell: Third person objective is all about showing the reader what's happening, rather than telling them. Use descriptive language and sensory details to paint a vivid picture of each scene, allowing readers to draw their own conclusions about characters' thoughts and feelings.
• Avoid subjective language: To maintain objectivity, steer clear of words that express judgment or opinion. Stick to facts and observable details, presenting events as they are without coloring them with your own perspective.
• Be mindful of your word choice: Even seemingly neutral words can carry connotations that unintentionally reveal a character's thoughts or feelings. Choose your words carefully to maintain the third person objective point of view.
• Limit your focus: Concentrate on one or a few characters at a time, rather than attempting to cover every character's perspective. This helps maintain the objective viewpoint and prevents the narrative from becoming overwhelming.
• Reveal character through dialogue: Since you can't share the characters' thoughts, use dialogue to reveal their personalities, emotions, and motivations. Make each line of dialogue purposeful and reflective of the character who speaks it.
• Balance dialogue with action: While dialogue is important for conveying information and character development, don't let it dominate your narrative. Balance dialogue with action and description to create a well-rounded story.
• Use subtext: Subtext—meaning that lies beneath the surface of dialogue—can add depth and nuance to your characters' interactions. Allow your characters to say one thing while implying another, creating intrigue and inviting readers to interpret the underlying meaning.

With these tips in mind, you're well on your way to crafting engaging stories using the third person objective point of view. Let's now examine the benefits of this unique narrative style.

While third person objective may initially seem restrictive, it offers several advantages that can enhance your storytelling and engage readers. Here are some key benefits of adopting this narrative style.

• Limited information: By withholding characters' thoughts and feelings, third person objective creates an air of mystery and intrigue, encouraging readers to pay close attention to actions and dialogue for clues about characters' motivations.
• Unpredictability: Readers can't predict a character's next move based on their inner thoughts, which adds an element of surprise and keeps them on their toes throughout the story.
• Ambiguity: The objective viewpoint allows for multiple interpretations of events and characters, fostering discussion and debate among readers and encouraging them to think critically about the story.
• Varied perspectives: Third person objective allows you to shift focus between different characters, providing a broader view of the story's events and enabling you to explore different facets of your narrative.
• Immersive experience: By focusing on actions and dialogue, third person objective encourages readers to experience the story through their own interpretations, rather than being guided by the author's perspective. This can create a more immersive and engaging reading experience.
• Heightened emotional impact: Since readers must infer characters' emotions from their actions and dialogue, they become more invested in the story and may experience a stronger emotional connection to the characters and events.

Embracing the third person objective viewpoint can provide new storytelling opportunities and enhance reader engagement. To further develop your skills in this narrative style, consider exploring various resources that can help improve your writing.

As with any writing style, mastering third person objective takes practice and dedication. To strengthen your skills, consider the following resources tailored to help you excel in this unique narrative approach.

• Local workshops: Many cities and towns offer writing workshops or classes where you can receive feedback from fellow writers and experienced instructors. These workshops can provide valuable guidance and support as you develop your third person objective writing skills.
• Online communities: There are numerous online forums and writing communities where you can share your work, receive feedback, and learn from others who are also working to improve their third person objective writing.
• Free resources: Websites like Coursera, edX, and FutureLearn offer free courses in creative writing that can help you refine your third person objective writing skills.
• Paid courses: Some platforms, such as MasterClass and Udemy, offer paid courses specifically focused on narrative techniques, including third person objective. These courses, often taught by experts in the field, can provide in-depth instruction and personalized feedback.
• General guides: Books such as "On Writing" by Stephen King or "Bird by Bird" by Anne Lamott offer valuable insights and advice on the craft of writing, including tips for mastering narrative techniques like third person objective.
• Genre-specific guides: Depending on your preferred genre, consider seeking out books that focus on the unique challenges and techniques associated with that genre. For example, a book like "Writing the Breakout Novel" by Donald Maass can provide guidance on writing compelling third person objective narratives in the realm of fiction.

By taking advantage of these resources and consistently practicing your third person objective writing, you'll be well on your way to crafting captivating stories that keep readers engaged and intrigued.

If you're eager to master three-point perspective in your illustrations and designs, don't miss the workshop ' Three-point Perspective Made Easy ' by Roberto Bernal. This workshop offers a comprehensive guide to understanding and applying three-point perspective in your creative projects, making it an invaluable resource for artists of all skill levels.

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How To Write In Third Person

Feb 2, 2020

It is very easy to fall into the habit of first-person writing. However, third-person writing is a very important, and a fun and exciting perspective to write a story from! What is beneficial for one story may not be for the other. These steps will help you learn how to write in the third person point of view, which will open up brand new pathways for your writings that maybe you hadn’t considered before.

Many times, writers are way too focused on the story’s plot rather than what it has become. If you change the point of view of your story it can give you a fresh new perspective, many times opening up new pieces of creations, by coming up with new ideas, and making for bolder and more inner-directive fiction.

6 Steps To Help You Learn How To Write In Third Person

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Mastering Third Person Point of View in Fiction Writing

One of the most popular techniques seasoned fiction authors use to engage their readers is to tell their story from the third person point of view.

Why is that? Because this POV allows them to present their plot and characters from an outside perspective, and this outside-in angle creates a much more immersive experience for their readers.

Now, writing in the third person is easier said than done and it doesn’t come without a number of challenges.

Having said that, you don’t have anything to worry about because in this article we’re going to break down third-person writing down to its basics.

In fact, we’re going to demystify this POV and teach you techniques, tricks and tips so you can master third-person writing in order to create a more compelling narrative for your readers.

So grab a pen and paper and get ready to take your writing to the next level!

Do Readers Prefer First or Third Person?

Before diving into how to write in third person, it’s important that you understand the key difference between the two most common points of view in fiction writing: first and third person.

First person point of view involves telling the story from the perspective of a character who refers to themselves as “I,” in other words, from inside their mind.

Third person point of view, on the other hand, is when the story is told from an outside perspective, using pronouns like “he,” “she,” and “they.”

In this POV, someone else is talking about the character and that someone could even relate to the reader things and circumstances that the character is not even aware of.

Now, both first and third person writing have their advantages and disadvantages when it comes to storytelling, but regardless of that readers will have a preference for one over the other.

Some readers find first person point of view more engaging, as it allows them to intimately connect with the protagonist and experience the story through their eyes.

Others prefer the third person point of view because it provides a broader perspective of the narrative, allowing them to gain a better understanding of the characters and the world in which they inhabit.

Examples of popular books written in first person include The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger and The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. Conversely, books written in third person include Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen and The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien.

Benefits and Drawbacks of Third Person Writing

As mentioned above, the third person point of view comes into play when your story is narrated from an outside perspective, using pronouns such as “he,” “she,” or “they.”

It allows you to present your story from a more objective and impartial standpoint, which can be useful in situations where you may want to give your reader a wider view of the narrative.

Some of the benefits of writing in the third person include:

• Allowing your readers to see your story from multiple perspectives
• Offering a broader view of your narrative
• Creating a more objective and impartial tone for your story

However, third person writing also has some drawbacks, including:

• Feeling less personal and engaging than the first person POV
• It may make it more challenging to create a sense of intimacy between your readers and your characters
• It may also create distance between your reader and your story

Main Types of Third Person Writing

Great. Now let’s break down the third person POV into different types. While there are many variant and sub-variants for this type of writing, they all stem from the following three main types, each with its own unique characteristics and limitations:

Third Person Limited

Here, the narrator focuses on the thoughts and feelings of a single character. This is the most common type of third person point of view used in modern fiction writing.

Third Person Omniscient

Here, the narrator has access to the thoughts and feelings of all the characters in the story. This type of point of view allows for a more comprehensive view of the narrative.

Third Person Objective

Here, the narrator simply reports the facts of the story without providing any insight into the characters’ thoughts or feelings. This type of point of view is often used in journalism or news reporting.

Is It Hard to Write in Third Person?

It depends. Writing in third person may seem daunting at first, but with practice, it can easily become second nature.

Here are some tips to help make writing in the third person a bit easier to figure out:

1. Start with an outline

Having a clear outline of your story or scene will help you keep your eyes on the prize and avoid confusion when writing in the third person.

Outlining your story beforehand will also help you keep track of your characters, their motivations, and your overall plot.

2. Use vivid descriptions

Writing in third person allows you to paint a vivid picture of the setting and the characters, so use descriptive words to create a clear mental image for your reader.

However, be careful not to overdo this realism since too much description could actually slow down the pacing of your story.

3. Be consistent

This tip is critical for your success. One of the biggest challenges of writing in the third person is maintaining consistency, so make sure to keep the same point of view throughout the entire story and avoid jumping from one perspective to another.

4. Use proper nouns

Proper nouns, such as character names or specific locations, can help avoid confusion in your writing. Using proper nouns can also help give your writing a sense of specificity.

5. Use the omniscient point of view sparingly

While writing in the third-person omniscient point of view is one of the main three options, be careful when using it. It can be challenging to write and it can also become confusing for the reader to process. Reserve the omniscient point of view for when it’s necessary for your story.

6. Practice

Last but not least, the more you practice writing in the third person the more comfortable it will become. Take some time to write short stories or scenes in the third person to help you master the technique.

In preparation for your practice, make sure to read plenty of well-written third person narratives from acclaimed authors so you can learn from the pros and develop your third-person writing muscle.

With time and dedication, you’ll be able to master this writing technique and create captivating stories from an outside perspective.

How to Write in Third Person About Yourself

Here’s a trick question: how do you write in the third person when the main character is, well… you! This is actually more common than you think, especially if you’re planning to write a memoir or a personal essay.

While it might feel strange to write about yourself in the third person at first, this is actually a great way to add a level of objectivity to your work.

Here are some tips on how to write in third person about yourself:

Use your name instead of “I” or “me.” Referring to yourself by your name can feel impersonal at first, but it’s an effective way to distance yourself from the story and add a level of formality.

Don’t make assumptions about your thoughts or feelings. When writing in the third person, it’s important to only include information that you can observe or infer. Stick to the facts and leave the interpretation up to the reader.

Keep the tone consistent. If you start by referring to yourself in the third person, make sure you continue to do so throughout the entire piece. Switching back and forth between first and third person can be confusing and jarring for readers.

Don’t be afraid to get feedback. Writing about yourself can be a vulnerable experience, but it’s important to get feedback from others to make sure your writing comes through as clear and effective. Find a trusted friend or writing group to share your work with and ask for their feedback.

Ten Tips for Writing From the Third Person POV

To bring it all together, let’s close with ten tips to help you master the third-person writing technique like the pros.

Use the tips below in any particular order:

• Remember to stay consistent . Once you choose a point of view, stick with it throughout the story.
• Focus on the character’s actions and words . Avoid writing about your character’s thoughts or feelings unless it’s something that can be observed or inferred.
• Use dialogue to reveal character traits and emotions . Show and don’t tell your reader how a character is feeling.
• Use sensory details to immerse your readers in the story . Describe what your character sees, hears, smells, tastes, and touches to create a vivid image in the reader’s mind.
• Avoid head-hopping . Don’t switch between different characters’ perspectives within the same scene.
• Use body language to reveal emotions . Show the reader how your character is feeling through their body language and actions.
• Use the third person limited point of view to create a stronger connection between reader and character.
• Use the third person omniscient point of view for a broader view of the story and to reveal information that the character might not know.
• Use the third person objective point of view for a more objective and impartial view of the story.
• Practice, practice, practice . Writing in the third person point of view takes practice, so keep writing and experimenting with different techniques until you find what works best for you and your story.

Wrapping Things Up

Writing in the third person point of view can be challenging, but with practice and patience you’ll find that it’s a powerful tool for presenting your plot from an outside perspective.

Remember to stay consistent, focus on action and dialogue, and use sensory details to immerse the reader in your story.

Whether you’re writing a short story, a novel, or a personal essay, mastering the third person point of view will help you add depth and complexity to your writing.

So, don’t be afraid to experiment and take your readers on a journey that’ll keep them coming back for more!

Harry  Wallett  is the Founder and Managing Director of Relay Publishing. Combining his entrepreneurial background with a love of great stories,  Harry  founded Relay in 2013 as a fresh way to create books and for writers to earn a living from their work. Since then, Relay has sold 3+ million copies and worked with 100s of writers on bestselling titles such as  Defending Innocence ,  The Alveria Dragon Akademy Series  and  Rancher’s Family Christmas . Harry oversees the creative direction of the company, and works to develop a supportive collaborative environment for the Relay team to thrive within in order to fulfill our mission to create unputdownable books.

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Find out more about us , and get in touch . We can’t wait to hear from you!

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For Authors

Writing in the Third-Person Perspective: A Guide

By: Ginger on January 17, 2020

Over the last couple of weeks, we’ve published a couple of articles on first-person perspective in writing – which can be a fun and productive exercise even if you ultimately choose not to pursue that style of writing in your work. But there is more than one way to tell a story, and many authors prefer writing in the third-person perspective.  So today, Ginger is giving the details on writing in that style, and some of the common issues to keep in mind while doing so.

When I wrote my blog post Defending First-Person POV , I didn’t anticipate the number of people who disagreed with me – and while I might not share their opinion, they all made valid points – and I think it’s a point worth discussing.

For a start – don’t listen to me! If you want to write your story in third-person, go right ahead. I just think the first-person perspective is a powerful one; but only if it fits what you’re trying to say.

But just as the first-person perspective empowers a reader to enter the heart and soul of a character, the third-person perspective is a powerful “God’s eye view” of a story, and isn’t just a robustly serviceable style of narrative, but one that offers a flexibility to your storytelling that the first-person perspective can’t equal.

I claim the third!

One of the reasons the third-person perspective style of writing is so popular among authors is because it’s popular among authors – it’s the default style of writing, and anybody who interested in writing and publishing has probably had their narrative shaped by books written in this practically ubiquitous style.

I speak from experience. While I might write in the first-person perspective now, it was James Bond, and The Saint, and Jilly Cooper’s romances that shaped the stories I like to tell, and they were all written in third-person perspective.

As I got older, the fantasy books I used to love were similarly written from this perspective – and, arguably, the most influential movies of all time similarly reinforced this because you got to see things that the hero or heroine wouldn’t – such as how Luke Skywalker had no idea that Darth Vader was up on the Death Star choking out his minions in the first few minutes of his story, but we – the audience – got to see that delightful scene ourselves (“Your lack of faith is disturbing.”)

A lot of thrillers, murder mysteries, and other genres employ this because it offers a great way to add exposition to a story which would be difficult in first-person perspective, and it allows a lot of flexibility in ‘flow’. An example of that would be following one character into a room, recording an interaction, and then following the second character out of the room.

I’ve always called it a ‘God’s eye view’ because you can literally dip in and jump out of any character’s scene, at any time, anywhere in your story. Its like playing that video game The Sims , where you have an overhead view of all the characters, and can zoom in on whichever one is doing something interesting at the time.

However, while this approach offers a lot of flexibility – it also presents challenges. One of the reasons I like writing genre romance, and writing in first-person, and even penning poetry is because it has a format . Rules. You know what you can and can’t do with it, and to quote T.S. Eliot: “When forced to work within a strict framework the imagination is taxed to its utmost – and will produce its richest ideas. Given total freedom the work is likely to sprawl.”  

For years, I worked in the advertising industry, and one of my mentors showed me how the more defined a client’s request is, the easier it is to fulfill. He quoted the great David Ogilvy, who said: “Give me the freedom of a tight brief.”

But for a lot of writers, the appeal is the freedom – and that’s why they enjoy third-person perspective so much. There’s nothing wrong with that – in fact, freedom of expression should be celebrated – but from a reader’s perspective, here are some things to keep in mind:

The Story Comes First

If there’s been a reoccurring thread to my blogs in recent weeks, it’s that you need to ruthlessly divorce story from writing . The story is the sheet music, and the writing is the instrument you play it on. Great works of literature could be considered a philharmonic orchestra, while genre books could be considered ‘pop music’ because they have mass appeal, but ultimately you should be able to take the writing style of one and marry it to the story of the other and still have something worth reading.

So, just as I recommended with the first-person perspective, make sure you have your story buttoned up first. Stories should have a structure – I enjoy using the story circle to figure it out – and the events of the story shouldn’t change whether you write it in the third-person or first-person (in fact, I even warned that if your story DID shift in your mind when you swapped writing perspective, you should go back and reexamine it because your character’s motivation is probably a little off.)

The advantage of doing this is that you then have a ‘map’ of the story, and a map of what all the characters are doing throughout the story. Then you can dip in and write specific scenes about specific characters with a freedom you don’t have in first-person perspective.

I’d even go so far as to draw out a timeline of your story and actually highlight the journey of each of the characters – maybe drawing a line with a different colored pen. That way, you can see what order things happen in, and decide which characters you should focus on at different points in the story.

If you’re a pantster rather than a plotter, this suggestion might be a bit off-putting to you. If that’s the case – ignore it. Pantsters normally have a talent for sewing a parachute after they’ve thrown themselves into the first chapter, and with any luck they’ll have finished it by the time they reach the words THE END. However, as a reformed pantster, I’ll tell you that plotting a story is a REALLY powerful step and you should start experimenting with it more often. 

Watch for Transitions

As an editor, the most frequent problem I came across in other people’s books was when they shifted focusing on one character in a scene, and moved onto another character without so much as blinking.

I won’t take a real example, but this is a fairly close one from a book I edited recently:

Marcus walked into the room, and found Neil waiting for him.  He put his hands on his hips and snorted: “What are you doing here, Neil?”  He narrowed his eyes, balling his hands into fists.  “Leaving, actually.” With a snarl, he turned and strode out of the room. He couldn’t believe the cheek of that guy! Fortunately, Denise had her office just down the hall, so he strode down there to vent to her about his colleague.

Chances are, that might have read fine to you – but you might also have got hung up on the ‘he’ bit. When we started that scene we were following Marcus, and he put his hands on his hips. The next ‘he’ refers to Neil, though – and that’s who balls his hands in response, and then strides out of the room.

Without specifically calling them out by name, it’s difficult to know which ‘he’ is who, until you finish the sentence and gather context. If you think this is a valid complaint, just imagine an entire chapter written like this – with shifting perspectives from multiple characters, many of whom are referred to as simply ‘he’ for the majority of their bit.

There are various ways to address this. I like the method in which chapters are written using third-person perspective, but you only follow one character through that scene. If the perspective shifts, you shift chapters. This makes it clear who is being written about, but you can still pop in and out of different character journeys in a way you can’t if you’re writing your book from the first-person perspective of just one or two characters.

Another option is simply tighter editing – be sure to use names where you can, to clarify whether or not ‘he’ refers to Neil or Marcus. If that gets a bit repetitive (trust me, it will) you should come up with a consistent two-word descriptor for that character which is interchangeable (for example, ‘the steely eyed inspector.’) That way, you can make it clear.

Finally, you could have a section break – or just describe the shift better. For example, you could add a single line to the paragraph above which helps the reader ‘shift’ from Marcus to Neil:

Marcus walked into the room, and found Neil waiting for him.  He put his hands on his hips and snorted: “What are you doing here, Neil?”  Neil had been waiting for him for fifteen minutes, just to make a dramatic exit.  He narrowed his eyes, balling his hands into fists.  “Leaving, actually.”

That single line stops the reader in their tracks and forces them to think: “Oh, I see, we’re seeing things from Neil’s perspective now” and subsequently, the next few ‘he’ sentences are clearly referring to Neil.

It’s a straightforward approach, but very important. As I’ve said before, the essence of good writing and editing isn’t perfectionism, but flow. You want to make sure your writing is clear, and a reader can be immersed in it without anything throwing them back out into reality when they don’t ‘get it.’ That can be a typo, a misused word, or a scene in which it’s confusing which character is doing what.

Cut the Fluff

Using third-person perspective, you can dip in and out of any scene, at any point in the story, and present it to the reader – but before you do, you should ask WHY.

While there’s nothing wrong with longer books – heck, Stephen King has made a career of them – there has to be some meat to what you write. Chopping and changing and switching character perspectives is fine – as long as the scenes you include actually add to the story, either in terms of moving the plot forward, or providing characterization.

This is another reason why the first-person perspective is popular with romance genre authors – because their books are generally designed to be on the shorter side, and by writing from only the hero and heroine’s alternating perspectives, you only have to write about the events they witness, experience, or learn about. This means you can’t put in scenes that don’t fit those perspectives – for example, writers would have had to nix the scene of Darth Vader choking his subordinate if Star Wars was a romance novel (although given the onscreen kiss in Star Wars is between Luke and Leia, maybe it’s a good job Star Wars isn’t a romance novel.)

While you have more flexibility to follow other characters in a third-person perspective story, you have to be disciplined about whether you should . Switching perspectives can interrupt the pace of a book as it is, and if you indulge yourself by writing a scene that doesn’t really drive the story or enrich the characters – even if it’s really, really good – it might be a better idea to shelve it to preserve the pace and brevity of your novel.

Of course, if you’re anything like me, you can feel incredibly protective of some scenes you’ve written – and nixing them would be like cutting off a metaphorical finger. However, unless you can definitively define how the scene progresses the book, it doesn’t.

Again, this is where plotting comes in so handy. If you plan out your story as I described above, outlining the experiences of each character and how they intertwine, it’s easier to choose which scenes to include, which events to mention in passing, and what to leave unwritten. Look for scenes in which character threads overlap, or in which one character’s actions impact the lives of other characters. These are the clues that the scene is important to include. If in doubt, ask yourself: What about the plot won’t the reader understand if I do leave out the scene?

If the scene isn’t a supporting pillar for the story, or a rich tapestry of characterization, it’s just words on a page; and I usually remove them and store them in a separate document which I can then offer as bonus content to fans, or to cannibalize for cute turns of phrase or good description. Words don’t need to be wasted – either by including them unnecessarily in your manuscript, or by not saving them to repurpose them.

The third-party perspective is a very popular choice of writing and reading style, and not without good reason. While a lot of authors swear by it – especially over first-person perspective writing – it does come with some challenges to be aware of. Hopefully this blog covered some of the most important ones, and will help you hone your craft as you write in this point of view.

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Previously:

Writing in the First Person Perspective – A Guide

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Your second example with Marcus and Neil is still an error. You shouldn’t switch perspectives within the same scene. There should be no mention of the 15-minute wait. Marcus can’t know that, and his is the current POV. If there’s a break in the chapter, or if a new chapter has begun, then you can switch POVs to anyone. But you need to stay there.

A more subtle (and common) error would be if Marcus described Neil as “very angry.” Technically, that’s a POV switch, too. It should read, “plainly very angry.” Again, Marcus can’t know what’s in Neil’s mind, but can determine it from his face, actions, etc. So words like “clearly” and “obviously” are often necessary to reinforce the main POV when thinking about how another character feels.

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Writing third person limited POV: Tips and examples

Third person limited point of view (or POV) is one of the most common POVs in modern fiction. What is third person limited? How can you use it effectively? Read a Ursula K. Le Guin’s definition, plus tips and examples:

• Post author By Jordan
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What is third person limited POV?

Third person narration is narration using pronouns such as he, she,  newer gender-neutral third person singular pronouns , or they. In this type of narration, the narrator is usually ‘a non-participating observer of the represented events’ ( Oxford Reference ). In other words, the narrator exists observes and reports the main events of the story.

Third person limited differs from omniscient third person because the narrator is an active participant . Although the pronouns may be the same as in  omniscient POV , the narrator only knows what a single person or group (the viewpoint narrator  or current narrator) knows. Or, as Ursula K. Le Guin puts it in her writing guide Steering the Craft  (1998), in limited third person:

Only what the viewpoint character knows, feels, perceives, thinks, guesses, hopes, remembers, etc., can be told. The reader can infer what other people feel and think only from what the viewpoint character observes.’

[ Novel coaching editor and author Romy Sommer shares additional tips on POV in our monthly webinar series – follow Now Novel on YouTube for helpful extracts and tips.]

So how do you use third person limited POV well?

How to use third person limited POV:

• Use tone in limited third person narration to show feelings
• Show the mystery of a limited point of view
• Show characters’ mistaken assumptions
• Contrast limited viewpoints to show contrasting experiences

1. Use tone in limited third person narration to show feelings

Third person limited POV works well for showing how others’ actions impact your viewpoint character. Because you can only share what your viewpoint character knows or guesses, other characters’ actions keep all of their mystery.

In limited third person, our guesses regarding what other characters’ private thoughts and motivations are become only as good as the narrating character’s ability to observe, describe and interpret. 

Example of effective tone in third person limited POV

For example, J.K. Rowling uses limited third person narration in her Harry Potter series. In Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets  (1998), she shows how habitual mistreatment by his aunt and uncle give Harry low expectations of occasions we’d expect to be happy:

The Dursleys hadn’t even remembered that today happened to be Harry’s twelfth birthday. Of course, his hopes hadn’t been high; they’d never given him a real present, let alone a cake – but to ignore it completely… J.K. Rowling,  Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (1998), p. 9.

Harry doesn’t tell us his feelings directly: The  tone  of the limited third person narration does. It clearly is coloured by Harry’s own experience. The words ‘of course’ and ‘but to ignore it completely’ could almost be Harry’s own voice, his own thoughts in italics.

Use emotive language in third person narration similarly to make your narration show narrators’ feelings.

2. Show the mystery of a limited point of view

Third person limited is a popular POV in mystery novels because when we don’t know what secondary characters are thinking and feeling explicitly, they remain an intriguing mystery.

Example: Showing another character’s unknown thoughts and feelings in limited third person

For example, we could have a scene where an investigator encounters a possible murder suspect:

Inspector Garrard watched the man behind the counter serving a customer. His movements were quick, almost agitated. As he approached he saw the man’s eyes flick to his chest, as though looking for a telltale badge. Or was he imagining things, the man had glanced down out of shyness?

Here, we only know what the detective sees and guesses. We see him actively reading people’s body language and giving it meaning.

Because he’s looking for a suspect, the man’s smallest gestures – movements, where he looks – seem suspicious. Yet our viewpoint character’s perspective is warped or rather shaped by his current focus – catching a culprit. The man could be wholly innocent.

Third person limited lets us feel the tension of how ‘unknown’ another person – a ‘not-I’ – may be. Because we don’t know with certainty their private thoughts and opinions.

3. Show characters’ mistaken assumptions

Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice  (1813) is an excellent example of how you can use limited third person to show assumptions and the surprises they lead to.

Just as the inspector in the above example assumes or imagines guilt based on telltale signs in a person’s behavior (e.g. nervous movement), your limited third person narrator can assume the worst (or best) through limited information.

Example of assumption in third person limited narration

In Pride and Prejudice , Austen uses limited third person narration to describe Elizabeth Bennet’s first impressions of her eventual love interest, Mr. Darcy.

We first meet Darcy at a dance. Darcy dismisses the idea of dancing with Lizzie to his friend. Lizzie overhears:

“She is the most beautiful creature I ever beheld! But there is one of her sisters sitting down just behind you, who is very pretty, and I dare say very agreeable. Do let me ask my partner to introduce you.” “Which do you mean?” and turning round he looked for a moment at Elizabeth, till catching her eye, he withdrew his own and coldly said: “She is tolerable, but not handsome enough to tempt me; I am in no humour at present to give consequence to young ladies who are slighted by other men. You had better return to your partner and enjoy her smiles, for you are wasting your time with me.” Mr. Bingley followed his advice. Mr. Darcy walked off; and Elizabeth remained with no very cordial feelings toward him. Jane Austen,  Pride and Prejudice  (1813), p. 9.

Note the emotive language in Austen’s third person description of Darcy. He ‘dismisses’ the idea of dancing with Lizzie; ‘coldly’ withdraws. These coupled with his spoken words convey icy superiority –  but this is all Lizzie’s POV ,  shaped by the perceived insult regarding her appeal.  A

Although to Lizzie Darcy ‘withdraws’ his gaze, he could just as easily be looking away out of shyness. Lizzie interprets the gesture together, however, with his indifferent-seeming words. This shows how effective limited third person can be in showing how people evaluate each other using the limited information they have.

It’s only later in the novel that we see the kindness and warmth Darcy is capable of and recognize his aloof mannerisms as signs of a serious, passionate yet socially awkward character.

[Discuss POV and more in an online writing group where everyone shares the same goal – finishing a novel.]

4. Contrast limited viewpoints to show contrasting experiences

In third person limited, although your narrator occupies a limited viewpoint in the scene, showing the reader only what a single mind sees, hears, thinks and assumes, you can still alternate between viewpoint characters from section to section.

The advantage of this approach is that you can show the beliefs and assumptions of multiple characters as they interact with others with partial, inherently flawed awareness.

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Example: Contrasting third person limited viewpoints in  Love in the Time of Cholera

Gabriel Garcia Marquez uses this potential of third person limited to excellent effect in Love in the Time of Cholera  (1985).  His epic romance tells the story of unrequited love when two would-be lovers cross paths again much later in life.

Early in the novel, Florentino Ariza confesses his love to the obsession of his youth, Fermina Daza. Yet with very poor timing – at her husband’s wake:

“Fermina,” he said, “I have waited for this opportunity for more than half a century, to repeat to you once again my vow of eternal fidelity and everlasting love.” Fermina Daza would have thought she was facing a madman if she had not had reason to believe that at that moment Florentino Ariza was inspired by the grace of the Holy Spirit. Her first impulse was to curse him for profaning the house when the body of her husband was still warm in the grave. Gabriel Garcia Marquez,  Love in the Time of Cholera (1985), p. 50.

We see Florentino’s besotted gestures, but through the disbelieving, critical eye of Fermina.

In the next chapter, we see more of his view. Florentino remembers the first time he saw Fermina:

As he passed the sewing room, he saw through the window an older woman and a young girl sitting very close together on two chairs and following the reading in the book that the woman held open on her lap […] the girl raised her eyes to see who was passing by the window, and that casual glance was the beginning of a cataclysm of love that still had not ended half a century later. Love in the Time of Cholera , p. 55.

Throughout the novel, Marquez alternates the less romantic views of Fermina and the dogged, obsessive romantic viewpoint of Florentino.

The contrasts between how they interpret their encounters and the meanings they attach to them create a strong impression of two different characters with individual quirks, strengths and weaknesses.

Get writing feedback on your limited third person use, and pro feedback when you upgrade your membership.

Related Posts:

• First person narrative: 7 tips for writing great narrators
• How to start a novel in third person: 7 tips
• 52 common writing errors (examples and tips)
• Tags POV , third person limited

Jordan is a writer, editor, community manager and product developer. He received his BA Honours in English Literature and his undergraduate in English Literature and Music from the University of Cape Town.

30 replies on “Writing third person limited POV: Tips and examples”

Do you have any tips on how to choose the appropriate POV character? I’m currently editing my fantasy novel and I have 5 POV characters so far. I tried to lower the amount but it’s not possible unless I delete an arc.

I read your article on how to use multiple POV characters. I have a lot of POV errors including head hopping unfortunately.

Hi Marissa, that is a tricky thing to juggle, but with an omniscient (i.e. non-involved) narrator you can move between characters’ viewpoints and impressions without it being too disorienting for the reader.

The advantage of an omniscient narrator is that you can also give the reader details about your world inside the main narration without having to reserve this information for a prologue or appendix. You may find this post on using omniscient narrators helpful: https://www.nownovel.com/blog/omniscient-narrator-examples-tips/

Have a lovely weekend.

I have a question. So if I’m writing third person limited POV, how would I refer to the main character’s parents? Would it be mother or her mother? Also her sister is sometimes in the scene with her, so how would I refer to them in these scenes. Would it be Krystle’s parents, or her parents, or their parents?

Thanks for asking. That’s an interesting question. It depends on how much narrative distance you’d want from the character. If you just used ‘mother’ and ‘father’ more without the pronoun it would make the narrator feel closer to first person. E.g. ‘Mother had given her a lecture again that morning’ reads as a little closer to the character’s own voice than ‘Her mother had given her…’. This is likely because in first person we might drop the possessive pronoun ‘my’ and write ‘Mother/Mom gave me a lecture again this morning’ (and not ‘My mother…’) so the sentence reads almost as though it is in first person at first.

Also, you might use the one without pronouns more if ‘Mother’ and ‘Father’ were the given character names in the story (e.g. in E.L. Doctorow’s novel ‘Ragtime’ the characters have names like ‘Mother’, ‘Father’ and ‘Mother’s Younger Brother’. This gives them a sort of ‘everyman’ quality.

I hope that helps!

thank You was helpful

It’s a pleasure, Kuda! Thank you for reading our blog.

Third person limited differs from omniscient third person because the narrator is an active participant. I am a little confused by this sentence, can you please provide an example or clarify – I’d really appreciate it. When I think of actively participating narrator I think of either 1st person (because they are telling the story themselves) or possibly a narrator in 3rd person limited or omnicient when they break the 4th wall to address the reader or supply their own oppinions/thoughts, even if they are not a chracter in the story. Confused! Thanks!

Hi Quill! With pleasure. The difference is: In omniscient third person, the narrating voice can tell us what *any* character is thinking or feeling at a given point in the scene. The narrator is ‘God-like’ in that way that they are all-seeing. Yet they are not one of the characters. Tolstoy used this type of narrator a lot. In limited third person, narration is restricted to a specific, involved character’s POV. So say, for example, a boy sees a girl he has a crush on in his class at high school, if he is the viewpoint character, the author can only show the reader what the girl is thinking or feeling via what the boy sees, hears and interprets (the narration cannot access the girl’s thoughts and feelings as it is ‘limited’ to the boy’s POV).

Does that help a little?

That helps, thank you. Can you write in limited third person, but also, as the narrator, address the reader either directly or chime in with my own thoughts and opinions? Would this still be third person limited?

Also, in general, I am having difficulty deciphering when a narrator is telling us what is happening, and when we are reading what the character is thinking or feeling. It’s a confusing questions to try to put into words, and I’m probably over thinking it, but I haven’t been able to get passed this. I’ll use an example:

Benjamin picked up the pace on his way to the school bus stop. If he was late again, Mrs. Snim would be really mad.

Is the narrator is telling us that if Benjamin was late again, Mrs. Snim would be really mad, or are we witnessing what Benjamin himself is thinking and feeling?

Hi Quill, you can do that, though it’s perhaps a little outmoded (it was common in Victorian era novels that moralized along the lines of ‘Now listen, dear reader, why you should/shouldn’t do this or that’). The main point of third person limited is that it sticks to a single character’s consciousness so it would definitely break the effect. Omniscient third (being able to switch between third person view points at will, with no single character’s viewpoint guiding the story) might be better for that.

I’m writing in third-person limited with multiple POVS from chapter to chapter. The characters are mostly siblings. When I move from one sibling’s POV to another, do I write ‘their parents’ or ‘her/his (POV character) parents – given they are all in the same room. Help would be appreciated. I’ve been very confused about this. Great article!

Hi Anya, thank you for your question and for the feedback.

It would depend whether at that moment in the story you are writing from one sibling’s POV or from a collective POV. Compare:

‘Anna wished her parents would stop embarrassing her at PTA meetings’ to ‘Anna and Sarah wished their parents would stop embarrassing them at PTA meetings’.

Alternatively, if you wanted to differentiate Anna and Sarah’s POVs if both are present in the scene, you could have ‘Anna wished their parents would stop embarrassing them at PTA meetings, while Sarah just wanted their dad to stop clearing the dance floor at every wedding the family attended.’

Here the plural pronoun would make sense as the two sisters’ individual views about a shared object are presented (making the plural ‘their’ read fine, because the sisters are being spoken of together). It would also help to avoid the ambiguity of using ‘her’ for each character, as this could be misread as Anna and Sarah having different dads.

So let whether the narration is describing a single character’s viewpoint or a shared or grouped viewpoint (or object) be your guide. I hope this helps!

I have a question about something I’ve gotten into heated debates over:

I think that writing from the third person limited point of view of an unsavory character does not mean the author implicitly endorses that character. Even if the character doesn’t learn better by the end of the story, the author and the character are separate.

This applies to thoughts that are racist, misogynistic, etc.

A frequent example is teenage boys checking out teenage girls. People often call this writing pedophilic. But I can remember being a hormonal teen and what girls looked like to me.

Hi Nate, thank you for sharing that. I agree with you that characters should not necessarily be taken as representative entirely of the author. A big part of storytelling is imagining otherwise, imagining what is different to your own experience. For example, Vladimir Nabokov created Humbert Humbert who is a pedophilic narrator in Lolita , which was of course very controversial at the time and still is to this day. When an interviewer asked him what his inspiration for the story was, he told an anecdote he’d heard about a chimpanzee who’d been given art materials and drew a picture of the bars of their cage/enclosure.

In a way that says a character (like a person) has a fixed frame of reference and conscience, so to a racist or misogynistic character, they’re only seeing the bars of their own cage, their own way of thinking. Showing this doesn’t necessarily mean the author’s cage has the same bars. But it’s also worth thinking about art in terms of ‘responsibility’. For example, is it socially responsible to center hateful (racist or other) voices in the world (or are there enough of them rioting, forming mobs, spreading propaganda?) It depends on the purpose of your story (for example, you might want to show how a racist is formed, where they go wrong, but from their viewpoint). It does take a lot of wisdom, maturity and skill to do this well.

Thank you for sharing your thoughts.

Do you have an article on how to write third person close (third person deep), I searched nownovel but could only find this post. I also searched google and found a few articles, but I am still struggling on how to write it

Hi Marissa, thank you for asking. You may mean what we also often call ‘third person limited’? (Where third person narration is restricted to an individual’s viewpoint). We have an article on this here . I hope it helps!

I am working on a mystery in 3rd person limited, with 3 POV characters. I am looking for recommendations of mystery novels in this POV. I am particularly interested in how writers successfully handle exposition. None of my villains are POV characters and I don’t want to go in that direction. What to read?

Hi Andrea, thank you for your great question! I’d say it’s fine if none of your villains are POV characters as that does leave them with more mystery (if the reader has no access to what they’re thinking/feeling). They remain a big unknown ‘other’. There are some helpful examples of limited third POV in mystery in this article here over at Herded Words. Good luck!

A great story illustrating subtly using limited third to characterize from the start of the exposition is James Joyce’s short story Clay (though this is not a mystery).

[…] proceeds to give the reader fragments written in the third person, alternating with captioned photographs from his youth. For example, in one fragment titled […]

Thanks for the fantastic article, Jordan. What do you think of mixing a first-person POV with a third-person limited POV via separate chapters? For example, my main character’s story is told in FP POV, but I want to achieve two things by writing the secondary character in third-person limited: create a sense of mystery and danger, since she has become involved, unknowingly, with an escaped convict; and to give the reader a break from the constant “me, me, me…I, I, I” FP narration of the protagonist. I feel the voice/tone would be identical in either instance, the only differences being the pronoun usage and perhaps a slightly more intimate feel to the FP voice (i.e. “I watched him evenly over my cup of tea” vs. “she watched him evenly over her cup of tea.”) Essentially, I’m trying to decide if the secondary character’s chapters would provide more mystery and intrigue written in third-person limited versus FP. Or would this be too jarring for the reader to switch back and forth? In my first book, I alternated between FP *past tense* POV for one character and FP *present tense* for a secondary character (though only four chapters out of 25); not a single reader complained about it, although when I read it now, I myself hate it! This is why, in my second installment, I want to get it right. I would sure appreciate your opinion on this, Jordan, and am delighted you’ve kept the comments open after all this time :-.)

Hi MJ, thank you for the great, detailed question. Personally I find there’s a satisfying unity when different characters’ chapters use the same POV, and am concerned readers would indeed find the switch between first and third jarring, though I’m sure you wouldn’t be the first to do this (unfortunately I can’t think of any examples off-hand).

Part of what makes a book like Faulkner’s As I Lay Dying with its many viewpoint narrators cohesive is that each first-person narrator has a distinctive viewpoint, known name, position within the family, and a personality that comes through in part thanks to the ‘closeness’ which you describe being a particular property of the first person. This anchors each viewpoint in relation to the others; one can slip into each viewpoint comfortably without stopping to think ‘who is this now’ too often.

My advice would be to write a chapter in each POV and see how they read in succession. It would need to become clear early in the second chapter who the pronouns refer to in order to avoid any confusion about who is speaking and who the focal characters are in relation to the first-person narrator the reader has been introduced to already.

I hope this helps!

Yes, Jordan, this certainly helps.

After a ton of research on this subject, the consensus seems to be to stick to one POV. Thus, I’ve decided to write both characters in first person, being mindful to curtail the number of references to “me” or “I” in my prose. It’s definitely an art that other more experienced authors have mastered. They consistently use description of surroundings rather than inward feelings, as in, “The yoga studio’s temperature was set to 80 degrees, a level of heat only suitable for my grandma and incubating chicken eggs.” versus “I was so hot I thought I might pass out.”

Thank you for your great insight. Love reading all the great tips on this site.

It’s a pleasure, MJ. Great example! Exactly as you say, it’s a matter of capturing that character’s voice and turn of phrase which asks a lot more of a writer’s imagination (and also requires knowing your characters well). A useful exercise one could do would be, for example, to describe a room (like the yoga studio in your example) from first a pessimistic character’s POV, then an optimistic character’s POV, without using the words ‘me’ or ‘I’ once.

It’s fine to use these pronouns moderately. Another helpful strategy is to identify and remove ‘filter words’ (e.g. instead of ‘I felt that she was being unfair’, ‘How dare she!’ and so forth). Thank you for visiting us and taking time to share your feedback and questions!

Hi, Jordan.

I’m around halfway through my story, which is written in third person limited. I change character POVs for different chapters, but when in a chapter I maintain a single character’s POV throughout that chapter. If I change to a new character, I’ll use a scene break.

Here’s my problem:

The reader has, by this point, been introduced to all main characters, but the chapter I’m currently writing is from the POV of a main character who hasn’t yet met some of the others. Let’s call him Bob. Bob is tasked with finding a young woman in her 20s called Jill. He’s never met Jill and doesn’t know what she looks like. He knows that his adversaries, Dave and Pete, are also looking for Jill.

Bob arrives outside of a bar to see Dave trying to push a young woman in her 20s into a car. Bob can make a reasonable assumption the woman is Jill, so I’ve referred to her as such, even from Bob’s POV. Bob also sees his other adversary, Pete, trying to get a young man into the same car. The reader already knows this young man as Jack. But Bob has no awareness that Jack even exists at all. He makes an assumption that the young man (Jack) could be Jill’s brother or friend or boyfriend, but can’t even guess at Jack’s name, as Jack isn’t mentioned in Bob’s files.

Here’s my question:

How do I refer to Jack when I’m writing from Bob’s perspective? Can I still refer to him as Jack, even though Bob doesn’t know his name (but the readers do), or do I need to refer to (and continue to refer to) Jack simply as the young man until such time as one of the other characters says Jack’s name out loud, at which point Bob then knows it?

Any advice would be greatly welcome.

Hi Dash, thank you for sharing this question. That’s a complex and interesting scenario. I would firstly say definitely do not refer to Jack by name in Bob’s POV section if he does not know his name/identity (if you want to keep the chapter in Bob’s limited POV throughout) as this would make the reader think Bob does know Jack and his identity and perhaps become confused if this has not been shown or explained before.

One solution would be to cut the chapter/scene when Bob sees ‘a man’ being bundled into a car to have a new scene/chapter from either Jack’s POV (if he is a viewpoint narrator) or Pete’s POV (if he is a viewpoint narrator) so that your reader has the ‘aha’ moment of realizing the mystery man is in fact Jack. Here, switching viewpoints could thus be used for narrative irony; to show what Bob doesn’t know (but the reader does).

Another option would be to let the scene play out with Bob thinking about ‘the man’ or some other generic descriptor and later reveal the identity of Pete’s captive. You could also have Bob noticed a hallmark physical detail such as an item of clothing the reader may recognize from an earlier description of Jack, if you want the crossover to be subtler.

So there are several options. The other option you shared of one of the other characters supplying the information Bob needs by speaking Jack’s name could also work.

I hope this helps! Good luck.

Thanks, Jordan.

You’ve suggested exactly what I figured I would need to do, which is to keep Jack anonymous to Bob until Jack’s identity is explicitly revealed to Bob.

Thanks, mate.

It’s a pleasure, Dash. Glad I could help! Good luck with your story further.

This article has been a great help. Thank you so much for putting the time in to write it.

Thanks so much David! Very glad to hear that it is helpful. All best with your writing!

Glad you found it useful, David. Thanks for letting us know. Happy writing!

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How to Write in Third Person

Last Updated: March 27, 2024 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Alicia Cook . Alicia Cook is a Professional Writer based in Newark, New Jersey. With over 12 years of experience, Alicia specializes in poetry and uses her platform to advocate for families affected by addiction and to fight for breaking the stigma against addiction and mental illness. She holds a BA in English and Journalism from Georgian Court University and an MBA from Saint Peter’s University. Alicia is a bestselling poet with Andrews McMeel Publishing and her work has been featured in numerous media outlets including the NY Post, CNN, USA Today, the HuffPost, the LA Times, American Songwriter Magazine, and Bustle. She was named by Teen Vogue as one of the 10 social media poets to know and her poetry mixtape, “Stuff I’ve Been Feeling Lately” was a finalist in the 2016 Goodreads Choice Awards. There are 7 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 1,131,412 times.

Writing in third person can be a simple task, with a little practice. For academic purposes, third person writing means that the writer must avoid using subjective pronouns like “I” or “you.” For creative writing purposes, there are differences between third person omniscient, limited, objective, and episodically limited points of view. Choose which one fits your writing project.

Writing in Third Person Academically

• Third person helps the writing stay focused on facts and evidence instead of personal opinion.

• Third person pronouns include: he, she, it; his, her, its; him, her, it; himself, herself, itself; they; them; their; themselves.
• Names of other people are also considered appropriate for third person use.
• Example: “ Smith believes differently. According to his research, earlier claims on the subject are incorrect.”

• First person pronouns include: I, me, my, mine, myself, we, us, our, ours, ourselves. [3] X Research source
• The problem with first person is that, academically speaking, it sounds too personalized and too subjective. In other words, it may be difficult to convince the reader that the views and ideas being expressed are unbiased and untainted by personal feelings. Many times, when using first person in academic writing, people use phrases like "I think," "I believe," or "in my opinion."
• Incorrect example: “Even though Smith thinks this way, I think his argument is incorrect.”
• Correct example: “Even though Smith thinks this way, others in the field disagree.”

• Second person pronouns include: you, your, yours, yourself. [4] X Research source
• One main problem with second person is that it can sound accusatory. It runs to risk of placing too much responsibility on the shoulders of the reader specifically and presently reading the work.
• Incorrect example: “If you still disagree nowadays, then you must be ignorant of the facts.”
• Correct example: “Someone who still disagrees nowadays must be ignorant of the facts.”

• Indefinite third person nouns common to academic writing include: the writer, the reader, individuals, students, a student, an instructor, people, a person, a woman, a man, a child, researchers, scientists, writers, experts.
• Example: “In spite of the challenges involved, researchers still persist in their claims.”
• Indefinite third person pronouns include: one, anyone, everyone, someone, no one, another, any, each, either, everybody, neither, nobody, other, anybody, somebody, everything, someone.
• Incorrect example: "You might be tempted to agree without all the facts."
• Correct example: “ One might be tempted to agree without all the facts.”
• This is usually done in an attempt to avoid the gender-specific “he” and “she” pronouns. The mistake here would be to use the “they” pronoun with singular conjugation. [5] X Research source
• Incorrect example: “The witness wanted to offer anonymous testimony. They was afraid of getting hurt if their name was spread.”
• Correct example: “The witness wanted to offer anonymous testimony. They were afraid of getting hurt if their name was spread.”

Writing in Third Person Omniscient

• For instance, a story may include four major characters: William, Bob, Erika, and Samantha. At various points throughout the story, the thoughts and actions of each character should be portrayed. These thoughts can occur within the same chapter or block of narration.
• Writers of omniscient narratives should be conscious of “head-hopping” — that is, shifting character perspectives within a scene. While this does not technically break the rules of Third Person Omniscience, it is widely considered a hallmark of narrative laziness.

• In a sense, the writer of a third person omniscient story is somewhat like the “god” of that story. The writer can observe the external actions of any character at any time, but unlike a limited human observer, the writer can also peek into the inner workings of that character at will, as well.
• Know when to hold back. Even though a writer can reveal any information they choose to reveal, it may be more beneficial to reveal some things gradually. For instance, if one character is supposed to have a mysterious aura, it would be wise to limit access to that character's inner feelings for a while before revealing his or her true motives.

• Do not use first person and second person points of view in the narrative or descriptive portions of the text.
• Correct example: Bob said to Erika, “I think this is creepy. What do you think?”
• Incorrect example: I thought this was creepy, and Bob and Erika thought so, too. What do you think?

Writing in Third Person Limited

• The thoughts and feelings of other characters remain an unknown for the writer throughout the duration of the text. There should be no switching back and forth between characters for this specific type of narrative viewpoint.
• Unlike first person, where the narrator and protagonist are the same, third person limited puts a critical sliver of distance between protagonist and narrator. The writer has the choice to describe one main character’s nasty habit — something they wouldn’t readily reveal if the narration were left entirely to them.

• In other words, do not use first person pronouns like “I,” “me,” “my,” “we,” or “our” outside of dialog. The main character's thoughts and feelings are transparent to the writer, but that character should not double as a narrator.
• Correct example: “Tiffany felt awful after the argument with her boyfriend.”
• Correct example: “Tiffany thought, “I feel awful after that argument with my boyfriend.”
• Incorrect example: “I felt awful after the argument with my boyfriend.”

• Note that the writer can offer insight or guesses regarding the thoughts of other characters, but those guesses must be presented through the perspective of the main character.
• Correct example: “Tiffany felt awful, but judging by the expression on Carl's face, she imagined that he felt just as bad if not worse.”
• Incorrect example: “Tiffany felt awful. What she didn't know was that Carl felt even worse.”

• Correct example: “Tiffany watched from the window as Carl walked up to her house and rang the doorbell.”
• Incorrect example: “As soon as Tiffany left the room, Carl let out a sigh of relief.”

Writing in Episodically Limited Third Person

• Limit the amount of pov characters you include. You don't want to have too many characters that confuse your reader or serve no purpose. Each pov character should have a specific purpose for having a unique point of view. Ask yourself what each pov character contributes to the story.
• For instance, in a romance story following two main characters, Kevin and Felicia, the writer may opt to explain the inner workings of both characters at different moments in the story.
• One character may receive more attention than any other, but all main characters being followed should receive attention at some point in the story.

• Multiple perspectives should not appear within the same narrative space. When one character's perspective ends, another character's can begin. The two perspectives should not be intermixed within the same space.
• Incorrect example: “Kevin felt completely enamored of Felicia from the moment he met her. Felicia, on the other hand, had difficulty trusting Kevin.”

• In a novel-length work, a good time to switch perspective is at the start of a new chapter or at a chapter break.
• The writer should also identify the character whose perspective is being followed at the start of the section, preferably in the first sentence. Otherwise, the reader may waste too much energy guessing.
• Correct example: “Felicia hated to admit it, but the roses Kevin left on her doorstep were a pleasant surprise.”
• Incorrect example: “The roses left on the doorstep seemed like a nice touch.”

• For instance, if Kevin had a talk with Felicia's best friend about Felicia's feelings for him, Felicia herself would have no way of knowing what was said unless she witnessed the conversation or heard about it from either Kevin or her friend.

Writing in Third Person Objective

• There does not need to be a single main character to focus on. The writer can switch between characters, following different characters throughout the course of the narrative, as often as needed.
• Stay away from first person terms like “I” and second person terms like “you” in the narrative, though. Only use first and second person within dialog.

• Imagine that you are an invisible bystander observing the actions and dialog of the characters in your story. You are not omniscient, so you do not have access to any character's inner thoughts and feelings. You only have access to each character's actions.
• Correct example: “After class, Graham hurriedly left the room and rushed back to his dorm room.”
• Incorrect example: “After class, Graham raced from the room and rushed back to his dorm room. The lecture had made him so angry that he felt as though he might snap at the next person he met.”

• Correct example: “When no one else was watching her, Isabelle began to cry.”
• Incorrect example: “Isabelle was too prideful to cry in front of other people, but she felt completely broken-hearted and began crying once she was alone.”

• Let the reader draw his or her own conclusions. Present the actions of the character without analyzing them or explaining how those actions should be viewed.
• Correct example: “Yolanda looked over her shoulder three times before sitting down.”
• Incorrect example: “It might seem like a strange action, but Yolanda looked over her shoulder three times before sitting down. This compulsive habit is an indication of her paranoid state of mind.”

Examples of Third Person POV

Expert Q&A

You Might Also Like

• ↑ https://stlcc.edu/student-support/academic-success-and-tutoring/writing-center/writing-resources/point-of-view-in-academic-writing.aspx
• ↑ http://studysupportresources.port.ac.uk/Writing%20in%20the%20third%20peson.pdf
• ↑ http://www.grammar-monster.com/glossary/third_person.htm
• ↑ https://www.grammarly.com/blog/use-the-singular-they/
• ↑ Alicia Cook. Professional Writer. Expert Interview. 11 December 2020.
• ↑ https://www.merriam-webster.com/words-at-play/point-of-view-first-second-third-person-difference
• ↑ https://ojs.library.dal.ca/YAHS/article/viewFile/7236/6278

About This Article

To write in third person, refer to people or characters by name or use third person pronouns like he, she, it; his, her, its; him, her, it; himself, herself, itself; they; them; their; and themselves. Avoid first and second person pronouns completely. For academic writing, focus on a general viewpoint rather than a specific person's to keep things in third person. In other types of writing, you can write in third person by shifting your focus from character to character or by focusing on a single character. To learn more from our Literary Studies Ph.D., like the differences between third person omniscient and third person limited writing, keep reading the article! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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Summaries, Analysis & Lists

Third Person Short Stories: Examples Written in 3rd Person POV

These examples of third person short stories have narrators who are telling a story about someone else, using third person pronouns like “she”, “he” and “they”. 3rd person point of view is the most common type of narration, so you’ll find lots of stories that use it. Here are some well known selections. See also:

Third Person Short Stories

“the story of an hour” by  kate chopin.

A woman receives the news that her husband has been killed in a train accident. She processes the news over the next hour, experiencing a range of emotions.

Read “The Story of an Hour”  (Includes Summary & Analysis)

“Cookie Cutter Superhero” by Tansy Rayner Roberts

Joey has a newfound celebrity status at school. She’s reminded of her first day when everyone was interested in her left arm. It’s her last day for at least six months. She’ll be going to live at Sky Tower with the team. Her friends speculate about who she’ll become and who she’ll be replacing. There’s a lot of uncertainty and excitement about Joey’s new path.

This story can be read in the preview of  Kaleidoscope: Diverse YA Science Fiction and Fantasy Stories .  (10% in)

“Shiloh” by Bobbie Ann Mason

Leroy has been off work for four months since getting hurt. His wife, Norma Jean, supports them both by working at a drugstore. Leroy is glad to be home with his wife, but he’s worried that she’s drawing away from him—maybe his presence reminds her of their son who died as a baby.

This story can be read in the preview of  Shiloh & Other Stories .

“Button, Button” by  Richard Matheson

A hand addressed package is left at the door of Arthur and Norma Lewis. Inside is a contraption with a button on it, and a note saying that Mr. Steward will call on them at 8 PM. He arrives at the appointed time and makes them a startling proposition.

This is the first story in the preview of  The Box: Uncanny Stories .  (20% in)

“A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings” by Gabriel Garcia Marquez

In a small town, an old man with wings washes up on shore. There are many ideas about what he is and where he’s from. A couple takes him and locks him up on their property.

This is the eleventh story in the preview of  The Big Book of Modern Fantasy .  (78% into preview)

“Miss Brill” by  Katherine Mansfield

A middle-aged woman takes a weekly Sunday walk. She likes to observe and listen to people, but she overhears something that upsets her.

Read “Miss Brill”

“The Lottery” by  Shirley Jackson

On a summer morning, citizens of a small village are anticipating the annual “lottery”, a local tradition that is believed to bring a good harvest. The children gather first, making their usual preparations. The women and men arrive and make sure their whole family is present. Mr. Summers arrives with the black wooden box.

This story can be read in the preview of  Brave New Worlds: Dystopian Stories .  (10% in)

“A Good Man is Hard to Find” by  Flannery O’Connor

An extended family is headed to Florida for a vacation. The grandmother wants to go to Tennessee instead, so she talks about an escaped murderer—The Misfit—who is suspected to be on his way to Florida. Despite her efforts, her son Bailey is set on going to Florida.

This story can be read in the preview of  A Good Man is Hard to Find and Other Stories . (Kindle preview)

“There Will Come Soft Rains” by  Ray Bradbury

At 7 AM an automated house rings the alarm clock and prepares breakfast. It gives some practical reminders and says it’s time to go to school and work. Otherwise, the house is strangely silent. ( Summary & Themes )

This story can be read in the preview of  The Stories of Ray Bradbury.  (93% in)

“Harrison Bergeron” by  Kurt Vonnegut

All Americans are equal—no one is allowed to be better than anyone else in any way. An exceptional fourteen-year-old, Harrison, is taken away from his parents by the government.

This is the first story in the preview of  Welcome to the Monkey House: Stories .

“Thank You, Ma’am” by Langston Hughes

Mrs. Luella Jones, a large woman with a large purse, is walking home late at night in Harlem. A boy rushes up behind her and tries to grab her purse, but the strap breaks and he falls down. Mrs. Jones grabs the boy and brings him to her apartment. ( Summary & Analysis )

Read  “Thank You, Ma’am”

“The Necklace” by  Guy De Maupassant

Mathilde is married to a minor government official. They’re of modest means, but Mathilde has expensive tastes. When they get invited to a party, she borrows a necklace from a rich friend.

Read “The Necklace”

Third Person Point of View Short Stories, Cont’d

“The Chaser” by  John Collier

Alan Austen enters an out-of-the-way shop. It’s tiny with little furniture. The merchant, an old man, only has about a dozen jars and bottles for sale. He talks about one of his offerings which is very expensive. Alan is looking for a love potion. He’s concerned about the price of such a valuable mixture. ( Summary & Analysis )

Read “The Chaser”

“A Continuity of Parks” by Julio Cortázar

A man returns to a novel he has been reading for a few days. At his estate, in his study, he sits in his favorite chair and starts the last few chapters. The story comes back to him easily, and he becomes immersed in the narrative again. ( Summary & Analysis )

Read  “A Continuity of Parks”

“The Sniper” by Liam O’Flaherty

At night a sniper waits on a rooftop. He risks lighting a cigarette which alerts a nearby sniper of his presence. They exchange some fire. The sniper feels trapped, but he knows he has to get off the roof before enemy forces converge on him. ( Summary & Analysis )

“An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge” by  Ambrose Bierce

A man is on a bridge in Alabama, his hands bound and a rope around his neck. He’s a civilian, a confederate sympathizer, and is being held by Federal soldiers. He’s been sentenced to hang from Owl Creek Bridge during the American civil war.

Read  “An Occurrence . . .”  (Includes Analysis)

“To Build a Fire” by  Jack London

A man is traveling on foot in the Yukon with a husky. He’s headed for a camp where there’ll be companions, fire and hot food. It’s –75 degrees and even though he’s careful, he breaks through some ice and soaks his boots. There’s a limited amount of time for him to get a fire going.

Read “To Build a Fire”  (Includes Summary & Analysis)

“Paul’s Case” by  Willa Cather

Paul gets suspended from his Pittsburgh High School. His father wants him to be a responsible wage-earning family man when he grows up, but Paul is drawn to a life of wealth and glamour, so he decides to go to New York.

Read “Paul’s Case”  (PDF)

“Dead Men’s Path” by Chinua Achebe

The new headmaster of an African school wants to modernize it and rid the locals of their superstitious beliefs. He blocks off part of the school grounds, even though that means blocking a path with great religious significance for the locals. ( Summary & Analysis )

“Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” by Joyce Carol Oates

A rebellious fifteen-year-old girl encounters an older man in a parking lot. He later shows up at her place when she’s home alone to ask her to go for a ride with him.

Read “Where Are You Going . . .” (PDF)

“The Open Window” by  Saki

A man is visiting the country for some relaxation. While waiting to be introduced to all the members of the household, a young girl tells him the story of their tragic family history. ( Summary & Analysis )

Read “The Open Window”

“Cemetery Path” by Leonard Q. Ross

Ivan is known in his village as a timid, fearful man. When he walks home at night he goes the long way around the cemetery, even though it’s cold. One night he is challenged to cross the cemetery. ( Summary & Analysis )

Read “Cemetery Path”

“The Treasure of Lemon Brown” by Walter Dean Myers

Greg Ridley is a fourteen-year-old student in danger of failing math. His father tells him he can’t play basketball anymore. While out walking one night, Greg takes refuge in an abandoned tenement building. He finds a local homeless man there, Lemon Brown. ( Summary & Analysis )

Read  “The Treasure of Lemon Brown”

“One of These Days” by Gabriel Garcia Marquez

A corrupt mayor needs treatment for an abscessed tooth. He goes to an unlicensed dentist. The dentist doesn’t want to help, and they exchange some words. ( Summary & Analysis )

“The Snows of Kilimanjaro” by Ernest Hemingway

On the African savannah, a man’s leg is rotting with gangrene. His wife tries to comfort and encourage him. As he waits for death, he thinks about his life.

This is the third story in the preview of  The Complete Short Stories of Ernest Hemingway .  (62% into the preview)

“Yours” by Mary Robison

Allison and her husband, Clark, who is much older than she, spend an evening carving pumpkins until early the next morning.

“The Escape” by J. B. Stamper

Boris is being led down a long hallway to the solitary confinement cell. He was caught in an escape attempt. He’s terrified of his punishment and begs to be spared. He promises he’ll never do anything wrong again.

Read “The Escape”

“The Veldt” by Ray Bradbury

A family lives in a futuristic house that automatically meets all their needs, including a nursery for the children that can create any scene they want. The parents are thinking about reducing their reliance on technology by taking a break from the nursery and all the automation, but the children are against the idea.

Read “The Veldt”

“Clean Sweep Ignatius” by  Jeffrey Archer

When Ignatius Agarbi is appointed Nigeria’s Minister of Finance no one notices. No previous minister had lasted long or accomplished much. Ignatius vows to root out corruption, even among the highest levels of authority. After catching several offenders, General Otobi gives Ignatius a special assignment. ( Summary )

Read “Clean Sweep Ignatius”  (Page 9)

“The Masque of the Red Death” by  Edgar Allan Poe

Prince Prospero and his nobles have retreated to an abbey. The doors are sealed. Outside, a plague is killing everyone. Death is painful and swift. The Prince decides to throw a party.

Read  “The Masque of the Red Death”

I hope you found some great third person short stories.

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Third Person Omniscient Point of View: The All-Knowing Narrator

by Alex Cabal

Learning how to write in third person omniscient PoV lets you do many things with your story that you wouldn’t normally be able to do were you to use a limited, multiple or other points of view . Third person omniscient PoV lets you move freely through time and space, gives more information in a smaller amount of time, and yes, even shows what multiple people are thinking within a scene.

This guide will explore what third person point of view omniscient is and how to write in third person omniscient PoV. This article will provide a definition, explore the nuance of third person omniscient PoV vs. other points of view, and discuss writing tips and common errors that can help a writer successfully use omniscient PoV to craft and tell their story.

What is third person omniscient point of view?

Third-person omniscient point of view is a narrative point of view in which the narrator is all-knowing: they can see into the thoughts, feelings, and memories of every character on the page. This allows the reader to see a broader picture of the story and know details about each character that the other characters don’t.

Writing from an omniscient third person perspective allows a writer to switch between one character’s point of view to another using the narrator’s persona and voice as a vehicle to deliver essential information to the reader. This allows the writer to show an interpretation of events that occur within the story for each unique character. The omniscient pov will require the writer to create a distinct voice for the narrator’s omniscient perspective that differs and is distinguishable from the character’s voices to assist the reader and avoid any confusion.

Crafting language and story

Writing in third person omniscient should include the use of characters’ name and pronouns. Third person omniscient words may include pronouns such as he, she, they, it, as well as character names to indicate which character’s actions, thoughts, and feelings are being described. If the writer so chooses, they can also address the reader directly within a 3rd person omniscient point of view by using the narrator’s crafted voice.

An example of addressing the reader and audience may include “breaking the fourth wall”. This may be crafted either by addressing the audience with a direct approach:

Dear reader, this sad tale tells the outcome of poor choices made between star-crossed lovers, Dave and his faithful companion Betty.

Or a less direct approach where the narrator doesn’t necessarily “inform” the reader that they are being addressed, but provides information as an aside:

Dave’s choices caused the calamity but fear not, he will make it in the end, though unfortunately, the same can’t be said for his faithful companion Betty.

A distinct advantage of learning how to write in third person omniscient PoV is the opportunity to share knowledge and details of the plot and story that the characters may not be aware of, through the use of the omniscient third-person narrator’s voice. This lets the writer give the reader insights that may foster tension or foreshadowing in the story without the characters’ direct knowledge.

A deeper understanding of the nuances of third person omniscient PoV

Learning how to write in third person omniscient PoV includes making a few choices for how you want to position the narrator, craft the omniscient narrator voice, and move the story by sharing scope and details with the reader. Consider the following details to learn more about omniscient objective pov, omniscient subjective PoV, as well the difference between third-person limited and third-person omniscient.

Objective vs. Subjective Omniscient

The omniscient PoV is typically divided into two categories: objective (also known as the “dramatic” PoV or “fly on the wall” PoV), and subjective.

An objective omniscient PoV is when the narrator doesn’t have a “voice”. The narrator is present, but they’re “invisible”; they don’t have a personality. The narrator relates the events as they happen, but doesn’t offer any opinions on the events.

The objective omniscient PoV is like a camera following the characters around, showing actions and dialogue, and not entering into the internal thoughts of the characters.

Since objective PoV can only show actions and dialogue, but never internal thoughts, it’s almost entirely “show” (as opposed to “tell”), except for some occasional exposition. Instead of describing how any of the characters felt, characters would have to “show” it by their actions.

When writing in the objective PoV, you should avoid all verbs that convey emotional behavior internally, such as “felt”, “assumed”, and any adjectives and adverbs that relate to emotions (sad, happy, angry, etc.). The reason for this is that it tells people in the narrative what the characters are feeling or thinking. Remember, think of the objective PoV like a camera. It can only show what the characters are doing , and can’t enter directly into their minds.

That said, it’s perfectly okay to say something along the lines of:

“Hurray!” Little Annie said, smiling happily as she skipped down the road.

The use of the word “happily” in the sentence above is perfectly acceptable in objective PoV, as the narrator is commenting on her body language instead of how she feels internally.

An incorrect way of writing about emotions in the objective omniscient PoV would be something like this:

“Hurray!” Little Annie said, feeling a warm happiness overtake her at the thought of having dinner at the neighbor’s house.

In this second example, the narrator is commenting on what Annie feels internally rather than what she expresses externally . Note the use of the “don’t use” word: “feeling”.

It wouldn’t be completely incorrect to use the word “thought” in the context of the above example. However, it should be inferred by her body language or tone or voice that Annie is thinking it, as opposed to actually stating to the reader what she’s feeling at that moment in time.

Consider this other example of writing objective PoV:

Jerry stood at the edge of the bridge and stared down at the icy waters below. He took out his wallet and glanced at his business card. He tore it in two and whispered, “Twenty years of my life wasted.” Tears streamed down his face as he stepped into the air and plunged a hundred feet to his doom. The skyscraper where his company used to be situated loomed in the distance. Inside, there was only silence. In this objective PoV example, we don’t enter into Jerry’s thoughts, and we don’t directly know his emotions, although we can tell what they are by his actions—ripping his business card and saying “Twenty years of my life waste” out loud and describing the tears streaming down his face. Now let’s compare that with an incorrect version of objective PoV: Jerry stood at the edge of the bridge, staring down at the icy waters below. It had been a week since the market crash, since his company went bust. Twenty years of my life are gone, Jerry thought. He looked up at the skyscraper in the distance, where his company used to be situated. He felt a rumbling in his chest and tears streamed down his face. In the water, he saw his salvation. His only escape.

This is an incorrect way to write an omniscient objective PoV because the narrator tells us what Jerry is feeling and delves into Jerry’s thoughts, rather than showing his thoughts and feelings with character dialogue and actions. This example would be considered a subjective omniscient PoV.

A subjective omniscient PoV is one where there’s a narrator with a strong voice who can show the internal thoughts of the characters within the scene.

Some say that subjective omniscient PoV can only follow a single character the entire time. This is not the case. It can certainly focus on a single character at a time—such as in Frank Herbert’s Dune —but that doesn’t always have to happen.

When the subjective omniscient narrator is telling the story of a particular character, the narrator can still get the insights and internalizations of characters other than the main character. Whether or not the omniscient narrator follows a single character makes no difference; it’ll work more or less the same.

The most important thing when it comes to subjective omniscient PoV is that the narrator has a strong “voice” and that all emotions in the story are filtered through the narrator’s words, not the characters’. Otherwise, you’ll find yourself head-hopping.

Third Person Limited vs. Omniscient PoV

The omniscient PoV can seem indistinguishable from third person limited, or even third person multiple at times, particularly when it comes to describing actions undertaken by the characters and scenes where there’s heavy dialogue. Take a look at this example, where omniscient and third-person limited/multiple are indistinguishable from each other:

The house was ablaze, so Jack and Jill hurried up the hill to fetch a few pails of water. Jack filled one up and handed it to Jill. “Hurry up and put out the fire,” Jack said. Jill nodded and dashed down the hill, the water sloshing in the bucket. Jack filled another bucket with well water before he dashed after her.

This scene walks through the actions of the characters and their dialogue, and as such, could be from either an omniscient narrator’s PoV or by Jack’s third-person PoV.

To firmly decide what PoV this story is written in, we’d need more of the story to provide context. In extreme cases, it can take multiple chapters to finally know whether or not the story is written in third person omniscient or a third person limited/multiple.

For example, there are stories where the PoV character changes with each scene, but each scene only shows a single PoV character. This would mean the story is in the third person multiple. But every so often a scene would pop up where there are two PoV characters or the narrator telling the reader what the characters in the scene are thinking—and that’s when we’d call it the omniscient point of view.

Omniscient vs. Limited Omniscient PoV

The omniscient PoV has many advantages over third-person limited. Perhaps the greatest advantage between third-person limited and omniscient, is that omniscient PoV allows the author to give more information to the reader in a shorter length of time. In third-person limited, we’d need to be “shown” what the characters are like, as opposed to third-person omniscient PoV, where the narrator can simply “tell” us. Omniscient PoV benefits from a larger scope than limited and allows the author to say more things about the characters’ situations than the limited PoV can.

Consider this example, where the reader can grasp the entire situation in just three paragraphs:

Jonathan—a weak but honest man—entered the restaurant, and found Margie waiting at a back table. He notified the waiter and sat down next to Margie, playing with his tie to keep down his nerves. Margie was a harsh woman, and it was impossible for Jonathan to predict how she would react to his news. The company Margie was heavily invested in had been struggling for a while. If it collapsed, she would lose nearly a hundred million dollars. She noticed Jonathan’s nervousness and frowned. Unfortunately for her, the worst-case scenario had come true. Jonathan was merely the messenger.

If this same information were to be conveyed in a third-person limited PoV, it’d take many more words to relay the information from a single character’s PoV. For example, instead of saying “Jonathan was a weak but honest man”, either Margie would have to describe him as such and allude to things that had happened with him in the past, or Jonathan would have to “show” his personality with his internalizations and/or dialogue as he sits down for the meeting.

Another advantage omniscient PoV has is that it allows the author to take the reader anywhere—or any time—with the snap of the finger, and to explain everything that’s going on without using a character as an intermediary.

The limited PoV restricts the point of view to a single character at a time within a single scene, greatly narrowing the tools the author can use to tell the story. Considering that omniscient PoV is much more flexible than limited, one might expect that omniscient would be the predominant PoV in fiction. Who wouldn’t want to use godlike powers to tell a story?

But it turns out that most fiction written in the past century—novels, in particular— is written in third person limited PoV. Though omniscient PoV can do more with less, limited is more common because omniscient sacrifices one of the most important things in fiction: it doesn’t allow the reader to get close to and sympathize with the characters and the situations they find themselves in. This is because of the distance created by seeing the story from the omniscient narrator’s point of view instead of the character’s direct perspective.

In the example above, Margie is described as “a harsh woman”. This is worded from the narrator’s point of view, as it’s unlikely Margie would portray herself that way (should the passage have been rewritten from her point of view). If we were writing in third person limited it’d take a few paragraphs of showing her character (with her actions and/or internalizations) to get the point across, instead of having the narrator tell the reader outright. In the process of forming their own conclusions about characters, readers will form strong attachments.

Common third person omniscient PoV mistakes to avoid

There are a lot of advantages to Third Person Omniscient PoV, but if you look at fiction novels written in the 20th century, most are written in Third Person Limited. Why is that?

Part of the reason is that third-person omniscient PoV is considered one of the hardest PoVs to master because there are a lot of ways you can easily go wrong and make the text confusing.

First, many new writers trying to use third-person omniscient PoV make the mistake of “head-hopping”. This often happens because a writer wants to show what many or all of the characters within a scene are thinking, and then simply writes it down as if it were third-person multiple instead of omniscient PoV. This will come out as a jumbled and confusing pile of perspectives mixed together and all presented at once.

Second, many don’t quite grasp the differences between an objective perspective and a subjective perspective, and how to use them to their advantage.

Third, third-person limited (or multiple) can be indistinguishable at times from third-person omniscient PoV, which can make things very confusing.

Then comes the big drawbacks of using third person omniscient—the distance between the characters and the reader that’s inherent in the use of an omniscient narrator. This is something that many writers struggle to overcome.

So now that we’ve laid down the pitfalls that many writers fall into when learning how to write in third-person omniscient PoV, let’s explore the common problems with advice on how to avoid them.

Head-hopping and consistency

Often when writers attempt to write a story from the omniscient PoV, they instead end up with something called “head-hopping”.

Head-hopping is a mistake that writers usually make because they want to be able to show what each character within a scene is thinking. The omniscient narrator can indeed do that, but should do so with the narrator’s words, not the character’s. Let’s take a look at this third-person omniscient sentence example:

Dave sat up on his surfboard and looked towards the shore. Two people, John and Brian, were paddling up to the line up. “Nice day,” Dave said. Dave looked out to the shoulder, a look of worry on his face. John was afraid of the shallow reef in the impact zone, and tended to avoid the peak in these situations. However, at this particular spot, even though the waves were smaller out in the shoulder, the reef out there was much shallower, and Dave worried about John wiping out after a take off. However, Dave didn’t need to worry, as John had decided to brave the peak. Brian arrived at the line up and sat on his board, as they waited for the lull of the waves to be over. Behind him, John slipped into the water, and pulled on Brian’s leash from beneath him, making Brian lose balance and fall into the water. “What the hell?” Brian said, as he floated back to the surface. John chuckled, and Dave grinned. A large wave began to form in the water, moving towards them. Dave gave John a taunting wink as he asked, “you gonna take the first wave of the set?” In this example, we can read what the characters in the scene are thinking. However, we never completely enter into their PoV. Their thoughts are always filtered through the subjective omniscient narrator. The next example will show an incorrect head-hoping version of the same scene: Dave sat up on his surfboard and looked down towards the shore. Two people, John and Brian, were paddling up to the line up. “Nice day,” Dave said. He wondered if John was going to stay out on the shoulder instead of the peak. Dave knew he was afraid of the shallow reef in the impact zone. Although the wave was smaller out in the shoulder, the reef was much shallower, and Dave worried about John wiping out after trying to take off. However, Dave didn’t need to worry as John had decided to brave the peak. I’ll have to watch him, Dave thought. “No need to watch out for me, I’ll be fine,” John said. Brian realized there was a lull in the waves, and sat on his board. Bored on my board, he thought. John slipped quietly into the water behind him, and pulled on Brian’s leash, making him lose balance and fall into the water. “What the hell?” Brian said as he floated back to the surface. John chuckled, and Dave grinned. They could see a large wave forming in the water, moving towards them. Dave gave John a taunting wink as he asked, “you gonna take the first wave of the set?”

Here we have two mistakes. The first mistake is head-hopping: we move between Dave’s, John’s, and Brian’s PoV within the scene. While this is technically considered a form of omniscient PoV, head-hopping is a less-than-ideal way of doing it. As the example shows, this technique can be confusing for the reader.

In this second example, we know what both of the characters are thinking and doing, but the scene is written from Dave’s, John’s, and Brian’s perspectives, not the omniscient narrator’s.

The second mistake is a common problem a writer may encounter when writing in omniscient PoV: the characters have the information they shouldn’t know—unless they’re psychic. An example of this is when John tells Dave that he didn’t need to watch out for him.

When writing omniscient pov, a writer must be very careful not to give characters information that the narrator knows but that the character couldn’t know. This may come off as jarring to the reader as well as disrupt the flow of the story because characters somehow “know” something they shouldn’t be able to.

To write a scene where we know the thoughts and actions of most—if not all—of the characters generally requires the omniscient narrator to have a strong voice so the narrative doesn’t descend into head-hopping in indistinguishable multiple third-person perspectives.

Narrative distance from characters

Third-person omniscient PoV naturally distances the reader from the characters and the situations within the plot because there’s an “otherworldly” voice telling the story. The voice knows everything that’s going on, as well as —in the case of subjective narrators— the fact that the omniscient narrator can sometimes comment on the events in the story. As previously mentioned, an omniscient narrator can even address a reader directly, such as the “dear reader” comments made in Charles Dickens and Jane Austen novels, for example.

Distance from characters in a story isn’t necessarily bad. It’s for precisely this reason that so much fiction in the humor genre is written in an omniscient voice—because it provides the distance from the character required for comedic effect.

For example, in the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy , Douglas Adams often puts the characters in situations where reactions would have been horrific instead of humorous, should the situations have been written in a closer character perspective.

The following examples show how the distance from the characters works for comedic effect:

Little Allison had stood in the corner of the room, staring at the wall for hours on end. This was her punishment for stealing cookies from the cookie jar. The length of it took a grave toll on her stubby 4-year-old legs, making them shake with both exhaustion, and excitement. The harshest of tyrants and the cruelest of criminals would have deemed the penalty inflicted upon this young child an indecent abuse, and certainly not equal to the crime of stealing a cookie. Finally, after all that time standing, little Allison gave out a whimper as a tear fell down her face. She could no longer bear it. “Allison, your 15 minute time out is up,” her mother said.

In this example, you can see that because of the narrator’s comments and the distance the story has from the characters, the story turns out to be a humorous piece.

Should we have gone deeper into Allison’s PoV, the story would have most likely had a very different tone. You may have had a stronger sense of Allison’s whining and impatience, instead of the narrator’s darker look on the situation. You might also notice that in this example the narrator is unreliable (Allison had not been forced to stand for hours). This use of an unreliable narrator is something made possible by the use of an omniscient PoV.

The main reason why there is distance between the reader and the character when a story is written in subjective omniscient PoV is that the characters are being judged by the narrator, not by the reader. The subjective omniscient narrator often comes across in the guise of a friend gossiping with the reader about the characters as they journey through the story.

The art of overcoming narrative distance with Omniscient PoV

Sometimes authors writing in subjective omniscient PoV will try to make the readers connect with the narrator instead of with the characters. When this happens, the way the story is told becomes just as important as the story itself.

The distance between the reader and the characters when a story is written with an objective narrator is even greater than with a subjective narrator. In an objective omniscient perspective, the narrator doesn’t “judge” the characters for the reader. However, since the reader only sees what the characters say and do and not what they think, it becomes like watching a film. You can see the characters on screen, you can see who they are and what they’re doing, but the screen is always between you and the characters. You can never step into their shoes and see the story from their vantage point, or understand what they’re thinking at any given moment.

It isn’t impossible to overcome the distance between reader and character when writing in omniscient PoV. That’s most obvious when reading traditional fairy tales, which are usually written from an omniscient point of view. But readers will most often sympathize with the theme, characters, and the situations as concepts, rather than connecting with the characters as people.

For instance, in the story Little Red Riding Hood, the main character is a little girl. She represents innocence and helplessness. The obstacle is a predatory wolf who’s stalking her. Readers will immediately sympathize with the main character not because of who she is (as a person), but what she is (an innocent little girl), and the situation that she’s been put in (a wolf is hunting her).

In short, getting the reader to sympathize with the characters in the story is part of the art of the omniscient perspective. Sometimes it can require creative solutions, but don’t be discouraged if you run into trouble. It takes both practice and a strong understanding of the relationship between the narrator, the characters, and the reader.

Pros and cons of writing in third person omniscient PoV

Consider the following pros and cons of using third-person omniscient PoV to tell a story.

Pros of using Omniscient PoV

The narrator has godlike knowledge, allowing the reader to know everything going on at any time.

It doesn’t limit the author to a single PoV character in a scene.

It allows the author to provide information in a more natural way.

It can provide a smoother transition into action.

Cons of using Omniscient PoV

It’s more presentational, resulting in distance from the characters.

Emotions are harder to convey to the reader.

It tends to be more “tell” than “show” , which can lead to massive info-dumps if you aren’t careful.

The narrator’s godlike knowledge means that tension can evaporate, resulting in a story that feels dull.

Tips for writing in third person omniscient point of view

Writing in third person omniscient PoV allows the writer to craft a distinct and authoritative voice that serves as an all-knowing guide for the reader—sharing details and moving the story in a potentially cinematic way.While typically books written in the third person omniscient may distance characters from the reader, the reader may connect more deeply with the narrator and the theme of the story at large.

Here are some tips for how to write in third person omniscient PoV:

The narrator should have a voice distinct from the characters, either by objectively telling the story in a cinematic way, or subjectively providing judgment on the occurrences within the plot. In doing so, the writer should take care not to outrightly identify or characterize the narrator with details such as a name or a backstory.

Avoid supplying information to a character that the character otherwise shouldn’t know. An example may include a character having direct insight into another character’s personal thoughts or feelings. All information that characters can gather or know should be given from a source within the plot of the story.

Use the narrator to share information with the reader that the characters within the story do know. This can assist in building tension and dramatic irony within the story, but be mindful not to overshare with hints and foreshadowing that removes plot tension.

When using a third person omniscient narrator, avoid overusing elements like flashbacks, long asides, or lectures in the narrator’s voice that may pull the reader away from connecting with the story.

Ensure that consistent dialogue tags and character names are used to avoid any confusion, and avoid head-hopping within scenes.

Craft signals and transitions within or between scenes to show the reader which character the third person omniscient PoV narrator is describing. This may also include having a character take an action, and the narrator describing the thoughts and feelings of that character.

Remain consistent in your choice to write in the third person omniscient and consider the balance of how different character experiences are being represented within the story.

Don’t forget to follow the golden rule of creative writing—show, don’t tell. The third-person omniscient narrator can easily tell a reader what is happening with a character, but excellent writing should show character development and details through narration.

Is third person omniscient best for your story?

So now that we’ve discussed the common pitfalls and how to deal with them, is third-person omniscient the best PoV for your story?

Take a look at your story. If it’s character-driven, then omniscient PoV might not be the best bet. Since the story stands mostly on the shoulders of the characters and requires the reader to make a strong connection with them, third person limited or first person might be a better choice.

If your story is plot-driven and wide in scope, then narrating with an omniscient PoV might be an attractive option. That’s because you need to get the points across quicker, and can move across time and space to bring out just how wide the story’s scope is.

Another thing to think about is your grasp on the omniscient PoV. If you aren’t confident in your ability in using it, then you should get some practice first. It’d be best if you wrote a few short stories to gauge your ability.

Whatever PoV you end up choosing, it must ultimately allow the reader to be able to sit down and engage with the story without getting confused or lost.

Examples to learn from

While practicing writing omniscient PoV in short stories is helpful to understand the nuance of how to write in third person omniscient PoV, another way to become more familiar with this PoV is to read other works that have successfully employed this perspective. We’ve already shown you a few omniscient point of view examples, but consider this additional list of stories written in third person omniscient PoV:

Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice .

Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women .

Nathaniel Hawthorne’s Scarlet Letter .

George Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four .

William Golding’s Lord of the Flies .

Arnold Lobel’s Frog and Toad series.

Ursula Le Guin’s A Wizard of Earthsea .

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Related articles

What is Third-Person Limited Point of View? Definition and Examples

What Is Objective Point of View? Plus Tips on How to Write It

How to Write in Third Person Multiple Point of View + Examples

What is 4th Person Point of View?

How to Write in the Second Person Point of View + Examples

Writing First Person Point of View: Definition & Examples

Writing in third person: Examples & tips

In contrast to the writing in first person , the third person narrator is one of the most commonly used narrative modes. Here the narrator describes what is happening to the characters in the story. The characters are referred by their names or as “he” or “she” or even “they.”

Third Person Narration: Truths

• The third person narrator is normally not a character in the story.
• The third person narrator provides an-outside-looking-in view of the story.
• Depending on the type of third person narrator (See table below), the narrator can narrate anything that happens to any or all of the characters. Most of the time there is no restriction on what the narrator knows and that includes occurrences that will take place in the future.

Third person narrators are used widely and across all story forms. Biographies have to employ the third person narrator.

Some Famous 3 rd Person Accounts

• The Harry Potter Series by J. K. Rowling
• Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
• A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens
• The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy
• Inheritance of Loss by Kiran Desai
• When We Were Orphans by Kazuo Ishiguro
• A Suitable Boy by Vikram Seth
• Swami and Friends by R.K. Narayan

Advantages of Using Third Person Point of View

1. Flexibility As a writer you have complete flexibility to get into the minds of your characters. You can show thought and intentions and motivations of the entire cast of characters. John Gardner author of the acclaimed book of writing craft The Art of Fiction advocates the use of 3 rd person narrators, especially the omniscient narrator. He writes, “In the authorial omniscient, the writer speaks as, in effect, God. He sees into all his characters’ hearts and minds, presents all positions with justice and detachment, and occasionally dips into the third person subjective to give the reader an immediate sense of why the character feels as he does, but reserves to himself the right to judge.” 2. Larger the Story… When you need different characters to convey the story When you have a rather large story cooking in your head which requires multiple voices for you to do justice to, it is advantageous to use the 3 rd person point of view. Else you could end up restricting its natural flow constantly having to battle questions about how a first person voice is privy to key dramatic events happening to other characters. For instance you can switch to the antagonist, and show the reader what he is doing to create obstacles for the protagonist, and this is something the protagonist doesn’t know but you, the reader, knows. 3. Objectivity (See Box Below) A third person narrator can say things as they are without bias and without getting emotional. This works wonders in action scenes. Imagine you have to write about a car blowing up. A third person narrator can describe the scene right down to the decibel level of the explosion but if you are writing in first person you have to tackle the issue of the character’s horror or panic for having been witness to such a scene. This might hamper the action scene.

Disadvantages/ Challenges of Using the Third Person Point of View

1. It needs meticulous planning else it can go horribly wrong: Remember you are dealing with a lot of characters. You have to plan their entry and exit and what is going on in each scene, especially what they are thinking and why they are there. Unlike first person accounts where you get to switch back to the “I” character here you have so much choice as to which character’s trajectory you are going to use to convey the story that there is bound to be some confusion, especially for first-time writers. 2. Planning the Unknown Plotting has a lot to do with time of revelation of suspense. It becomes difficult and cumbersome when all character motivations are available for the reader to see. First time writers especially have a tendency to write everything about all characters and then realize that there is no mystery left; readers will know why each character did something. This leads to the common “sagging middle syndrome.” Plotting is harder here when there are so many characters to deal with.

Examples of Third Person Narrative

Note: Degrees of Omniscience and Objectivity are decisions the writer has to make and it can be a combination of both. For instance, 3 rd person omniscient narrators can be either subjective (knowing character’s feelings etc) or objective (restricting their narration to dialogue and action) Either in this post or in our earlier post on first person narrators, if you noticed, we did not recommend which narrator you need to use. That’s because it is a choice you have to make as the author. I was pleasantly surprised to find out that Salman Rushdie’s memoir about his fatwa years titled Joseph Anton is written in third person; he is narrating his story referring to himself as “he” rather than “I.” I found this particularly fascinating so yes, there really are no rules! Are there any more advantages or disadvantages? Do let us know as a comment!

1 thought on “Writing in third person: Examples & tips”

Caution: No such thing as “third person”; the correct term is “omniscient.” No such thing as “third person subjective”; the omniscient narrator is always objective or else the story should have been in First-Person. Bad example: “She walked down a lonely road. There was not a soul in sight. The shops were closed for the day and the streetlights were not working. “God,” she thought, “Please let me make it home safely.” She was terrified. She thought about what she read in the papers about this street and how it was notorious being thronged by armed men after dark.” Should be something like “She walked down a lonely road (Principle: show, don’t tell. See next sentence which renders rather than reports). There was (This reports with empty words; “there” is not a part of speech and “was” is a verb of being, not of action, which fiction is.) Not a soul in sight. The shops were closed for the day, and the streetlights were not working (Better: “streetlights as dark as her fear”). “God,” she thought, “Please let me make it home safely” (unnecessary to put in quotes: better if we’re tight in her mind).” She was terrified. (Render, don’t report.) Put it in an action, maybe something like “a coldness descended on her skin and chilled her bones”). She thought about what she had read in the (Be specific) Messenger this street thronged by armed men after dark. The “better” example is crap. It reports. Get in her mind as tight as possible. Total misunderstanding: “This form [omniscience] allows complete subjectivity.” God is not subjective, as we understand Him; he is all-knowing. Total misunderstanding and a contradiction in terms: “Third-Person Limited Narrator.” The narrator, being God-like, simply knows that the story can be told by getting into only one mind, the mind that is central to the story; called “Central Intelligence Omniscient Narrator.” Partial misunderstanding: “I was pleasantly surprised to find out that Salman Rushdie’s memoir about his fatwa years titled Joseph Anton is written in third person [read, omniscience]; he is narrating his story referring to himself as ‘he’ rather than ‘I.’ I found this particularly fascinating so yes, there really are no rules!” Rushdie understands First-Person Narrators are by nature unreliable; thus, his memoir strives to be objective and not call into question what the narrator tells us. The great Sigrid Undset, among other memoirists/autobiographers, wrote using an omniscient narrator. As for advantage, the Central Intelligence Narrator can do everything the First-Person can–and more.

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If you’re looking to inspire your students’ writing and creativity, turn to these fun and exciting writing prompts. Perfect for overcoming writer’s block or even starting a brand-new short story in a different narrative, creative writing prompts can help students begin a new piece with confidence.

Plus, these story starters can also encourage students to explore different genres while honing their writing skills. There are a lot of ways you can use writing prompts in your classroom. Try: 

Reading a book in a genre, then having students use a story starter in that same genre. 

Starting off class with 10 minutes of writing, using one of the prompts below. If you'd like, you can ask a volunteer to share their story! Students may be surprised by the variety of stories that are written based on the same prompt. 

Using these prompts as an introduction to a creative writing unit. 

Providing fast finishers with a way to stay busy — and have fun. 

Using story starters to encourage students to write at home.

Adventure Story Starters 

Take inspiration from classics like Treasure Island and newer popular series like The Bad Guys to explore how to write thrilling adventure stories. And to encourage students to begin writing their own adventure-focused stories, share these creative story starters: 

You’re part of a pirate crew in search of a long-lost storied treasure trove. What is happening on the ship and where do you find the treasure? 

You get the chance to use a time machine to meet one historical figure of your choice. Who do you go meet, and what will you do to explore that time period?

You receive a fortune in a fortune cookie that changes the course of your life. What does the fortune say, and what happens when it comes true?

Get students excited about adventure stories with these great books: 

Fantasy Story Starters 

Have fans of dragons, unicorns, wizards, and other mythical creatures in class? Encourage them to give fantasy writing a shot. 

You’re on a quest through a hidden underground world that no one else has ever seen. What magical creatures do you come across? What do they look like, and how do they act? 

There is a witch who lives in a nearby legendary haunted house. She puts a hex on you that needed to be broken by the time the clock struck midnight the next night. What kind of hex is it, and how do you break it? 

You stumble into an enchanted forest. How did you find it, and what do you discover in it?

Check out these fun fantasy titles for more inspiration:

Sci-Fi Story Starters 

Kids interested in STEM concepts will love science fiction! Try these prompts to see how your students combine science with their wildest imaginations. 

• You’re the first person to ever set foot on Mars. What is it like? What do you explore first? 
• You and your friend have the same dream in the middle of the night about a prophecy that involves another dimension. What is the prophecy, and what is this other dimension? What do you and your friend have to do to reach and alter this dimension?
• After NASA discovers a whole new world of giants in a nearby nebula, they send a team of scientists through a wormhole to study them. You are one of the scientists on board. What does the journey feel like? What do the giants look like in this world? 

Plus, find great kid-friendly sci-fi here:

Genre Scrambler Story Starters 

Have some fun with genre studies by combining them! Try these prompts to get started:

• You are on an expedition in the Arctic and discover a new species of animals living in the harsh climate that no one has ever seen before. What kind of species is it, and what characteristics do they have? 
• You’re walking home from school and notice that the front door of a neighbor’s house is wide open, and no one is in sight. The old man who normally lives there is nowhere to be found. Curious, you go into the house and find that everything is fake: the furniture, the food, the technology, etc. In fact, the whole property is made of plastic, even the grass and trees! What happened to the old man who lives here? Why does this house exist, and why is everything fake? 
• You are a child living in the early 1800s in an unnamed country when an asteroid hits, releasing aliens that want to make contact with your leaders. What do these aliens want? How does everyone react?

Shop popular books of all genres that will inspire young writers below! You can find all books and activities at The Teacher Store .

Watch the crazy AI short films and videos created by artists with early access to OpenAI's Sora tool

• OpenAI has released the first third-party videos produced with its unreleased Sora tool .
• The new clips include a bizarre nature documentary and the story of a man with a balloon for a head.
• The AI videos are impressive, but one former Stability AI exec accused OpenAI of "artistwashing."

The first artist-produced videos from OpenAI's Sora are here, and they give a glimpse at what Hollywood or other storytellers could create with the text-to-speech AI tool.

The ChatGPT developer posted on its website several short clips made by content creators with early access to the unreleased generative video tool that caused quite a stir in Hollywood.

It's not the first taste we have of Sora's potential, but past clips were all created in-house at OpenAI. This is the first time seeing what others outside the company managed to produce with early access.

The videos are impressive, but they didn't sit well with everyone. A former Stability AI exec who now runs an AI data-practices nonprofit accused OpenAI of "artistwashing" with the videos.

Meanwhile, OpenAI has reportedly met with Hollywood insiders, Bloomberg reported , pitching Sora as a tool for feature-length productions.

From pigs that can fly to a man with a balloon as a head, here are the latest videos.

A surreal nature documentary

This alternate universe take on a "Planet Earth"-style documentary, featuring everything from an underwater eel-cat to a "girafflamingo," was produced by Don Allen III, a mixed and virtual reality consultant. Allen told OpenAI that Sora's "instant visualization" has helped spur his creativity and allowed him to "focus more of my time and energy in the right places."

A short film called "Air Head"

"Air Head" was produced by shy kids, a three-person multimedia agency based in Toronto. Walter Woodman, the short film's director, said that Sora is exciting for "its ability to make things that are totally surreal."

An underwater fashion show

Josephine Miller, cofounder and creative director of Oraar Studio, commissioned this exercise in "digital fashion." Oraar is a London-based extended reality firm that creates interactive games and social media filters. Miller said working with Sora has challenged her creative process, due to "the ability to rapidly conceptualize at such a high level of quality."

A synthetic, techno-infused music video

A musician and artist, August Kamp's techno-infused video is a rapid succession of computer screens and strange settings, set to her own music . Kamp described the "cinematic visuals" offered by Sora as opening up "categorically new lanes of artistry."

Cityscapes and floating cars from a creative agency

Native Foreign, an AI-driven creative agency, commissioned a video spanning everything from black-and-white film noir to a psychedelic mushroom city. Nik Kleverov, Native Foreign's cofounder and chief creative officer, said on the agency's website that Sora was helping them to explore concepts that had previously been shelved due to budgetary and resource constraints.

Trash-man and Disco-man

Paul Trillo produced an adrenaline-hopped thrill ride through city streets and bookstore shelves, with cutaways to humanoid figures apparently made out of discarded trash and disco ball facets. Trillo, a filmmaker who has been recognized by Vimeo, told OpenAI that Sora is best used in "bringing to life new and impossible ideas we would have otherwise never had the opportunity to see."

Axel Springer, Business Insider's parent company, has a global deal to allow OpenAI to train its models on its media brands' reporting.

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April guide to the arts at the U

By Brittney Bomnin Garcia [email protected] 03-29-2024

Explore a roundup of events this month, including concerts, exhibitions, and undergraduate student presentations during the annual Research, Creativity, and Innovation Forum. Learn more about The U Creates —the University’s digital hub for the arts, culture, and creative expression—and view the full calendar of events .

VIEW ALL: Bill Cosford Cinema | Center for the Humanities | Jerry Herman Ring Theatre | Frost School of Music | Lowe Art Museum | School of Architecture | University Libraries | UM Art Galleries

Saturday, April 6, 7:30 p.m. | in person and streaming, purchase tickets

Frost Music Live!: Schubertiade for Violin and Piano

Frost School of Music’s piano professors will join renowned violinist Charles Castleman to unveil the magic of Franz Schubert. A tradition that began in 1815 honoring the then 18-year-old Schubert, the Schubertiade originated as an unpublicized, informal concert of his music, but quickly spread throughout Europe, and eventually to the United States. Purchase tickets .

Newman Recital Hall, Knight Center for Music Innovation, 5513 San Amaro Dr, Coral Gables, FL 33146

Monday, April 8, 6:30 p.m. | in person, free event

Book Talk: ‘Roman Satire’

With particular attention to authorial and national identity, artistic self-definition, and literary reception, Jennifer Ferriss-Hill, professor of classics and senior associate dean for faculty affairs and college diversity at the College of Arts and Sciences, shows how four ancient Latin poets—Lucilius, Horace, Persius, and Juvenal—asked and answered these questions between the second century BCE and the second century CE as they invented and reinvented the genre of Roman verse Satire. Save your seat .

Books & Books, 265 Aragon Ave., Coral Gables, FL 33134

Tuesday, April 9, noon | virtual, free event

Slow Looking with the Lowe: Highlights from the Campus Art Collection

During this virtual program, Tola Porter, Lowe Art Museum educator for academic and public programs, will lead participants through a 30-minute mindful and interactive session exploring selected artworks from the Lowe’s collection. Sign up now .

Lowe Art Museum, 1301 Stanford Drive, Coral Gables, FL 33146

Wednesday, Apr. 10, noon to 4 p.m. | in person, free event

Research, Creativity, and Innovation Forum (RCIF)

The Office of Undergraduate Research and Community Outreach offers students from all disciplines the opportunity to present their research to a wide audience consisting of their peers, faculty and staff members, and the larger University community. In collaboration with the Center for the Humanities, RCIF has added a panel presentation component this year for students and peers to develop their presentation skills and further engage with their research in the humanities. Learn more .

Donna E. Shalala Student Center, 1330 Miller Drive, Miami, FL 33146

Thursday, April 11, 4 p.m. | in person, free event

Edith Bleich Lecture Series: Jennifer V. Evans, professor of history at Carleton University in Canada

In her lecture, “Why We Need Queer Kinship Now More Than Ever,” Evans asks how the queer and trans past has often been drawn upon to make a series of claims about liberal democracy itself, including the place of identity in rights-based discourses of experience, policy, and governance. Register now .

Otto G. Richter Library, Third Floor Conference Room, 1300 Memorial Drive, Coral Gables, FL 33146

Thursday and Friday, April 11–12 | in person, purchase tickets

Smart Cities MIAMI 2024

The School of Architecture, in collaboration with the Frost Institute for Data Science and Computing, will host the 8th Annual Smart Cities Conference . This event will explore the theme of artificial intelligence in design, offering a platform to delve into the cutting-edge advancements shaping the future of architecture. Registration is $50 per person.

Lakeside Village Expo Center, 1280 Stanford Drive, Coral Gables, FL 33146

Saturday, April 13, 6 p.m. | in person, free event

M.F.A. in Creative Writing thesis reading

Graduate students Guillermo Leon, Dorie Spangler, and Swetha Siva, who are pursuing Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing, will share their thesis. This event is open to the public.

Thursday April 17, 6 p.m. | in person, free event

Lowe Connects: Exploring Art, Marine Biology, and Engineering to Address Climate Challenges

U-Link partners from the departments of art and art history, marine biology, and engineering will speak about the connection between scientific research, engineering, and art. Guests will learn about the ways that the University of Miami is catalyzing interdisciplinary collaboration to advance knowledge on the impacts of climate change and other stressors, and the development of practical solutions to meet society’s changing needs. Register now .

Mindfulness programs are offered virtually at 4 p.m. on Wednesdays and in person at 10:30 a.m. on Thursdays at the Otto G. Richter Library.

Friday and Saturday, April 19-20 and Friday and Saturday, April 26-27 | in person, purchase tickets

‘Urinetown, the Musical’

Join the revolt in a dystopian future where water is worth its weight in gold, and one of the most basic human needs is under the control of an evil bureaucracy. Wickedly witty, this Tony Award- winning musical satire pokes fun at politics, social irresponsibility, capitalism, and musical theater itself. University students and staff and faculty members can use code THSUTOWN before selecting their seats to receive a discount. University students can obtain free entry to an 8 p.m. show Thursday, April 25, by presenting a valid ’Cane ID. Purchase tickets .

Jerry Herman Ring Theatre, 1312 Miller Drive, Coral Gables, FL 33146

Saturday, April 20, 6 p.m. | in person, free event

Catherine Kramer: ‘Known/Unknown’

On view from April 5 through April 26, the University community is invited to the opening reception of “Known/Unknown,” an exhibition by Master of Fine Arts candidate Catherine Kramer. Drawing inspiration from Swiss psychiatrist and psychoanalyst Carl Jung and his process of active imagination, Kramer intentionally works with subconsciously produced imagery while creating her artwork. Learn more .

University of Miami Wynwood Gallery, 2750 NW Third Ave., Suite 4, Miami, FL 33127

On view now through Saturday, April 20 | in person

The Annual Juried Exhibition

Organized by the Department of Art and Art History and hosted by the Lowe Art Museum, the exhibition features works of art across various media created by undergraduate and graduate students at the University of Miami. Learn more .

Monday, April 22, 4 p.m. | in person and streaming, free event

Adobe Scholars Reception

Meet and engage with the 2023-2024 Adobe Scholars as they share the results of their projects. This event is free to attend and open to the public. The online component of this hybrid event will be hosted using Zoom software. Sign up to participate .

Monday, April 22, 7:30 p.m. | in person, free event

‘Sing Sing’

Attend a sneak preview of “Sing Sing,” the story of an inmate at the infamous Sing Sing Correctional Facility in Ossining, NY, who forms a theater troupe with his fellow prisoners. Admission is free. Registration is required .

Bill Cosford Cinema, Dooly Memorial 225, 5030 Brunson Drive, Coral Gables, FL 33146

Thursday April 25, 6 p.m. | in person, free event

ArtLab | Miya Ando: Sky Writing lecture and reception

Join the Lowe for a talk and reception featuring artist Miya Ando to celebrate the ArtLab 2024 exhibition, Miya Ando: Sky Writing, on view through Saturday, June 1. This student-curated exhibition features multimedia works by Miya Ando, whose oeuvre explores nature’s ever-changing moods and the fragility of human existence. Register to attend .

Thursday, April 25, 7:30 p.m. | in person and streaming, purchase tickets

Frost Music Live!: Michel Camilo and the Frost Latin Jazz Orchestra

Born in the Dominican Republic and raised in New York, Michel Camilo bridges the genres of jazz, classical, popular and world music with his artistry and virtuosity. The Grammy, Latin Grammy, and Emmy Award-winner joins forces for one night only with the Frost Latin Jazz Orchestra and Cuban drummer Dafnis Prieto. Purchase tickets .

Maurice Gusman Concert Hall, Frost School of Music, 1314 Miller Drive, Coral Gables, FL 33146

Saturday, April 27, 7:30 p.m. | in person and streaming, purchase tickets

Frost Music Live!: Beethoven’s 9th

The Frost Symphony Orchestra season finale presents a symphonic masterwork alongside four American orchestral miniatures by Augusta Reed Thomas, Bernard Rands, Daren Hagan, and Chen Yi. Purchase tickets .

Featured: RCIF Humanities Hub

As part of the Research, Creativity, and Innovation Forum, the Humanities Hub will feature representatives from the University's humanities departments to provide attendees with information about the humanities as well as answers to specific questions about fields of study, research pursuits, and career opportunities. The Humanities Hub aims to create a stronger connection between research and the humanities within the undergraduate student body and also promotes the different ways in which students can get involved in the humanities.

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