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It’s In Tense
Since I can remember, romance books have been written in third person (character described by narrator) past tense (action already happened):
“Oh, screw you, Burkett.” Reese Colton threw his cards down as the man across the table collected the two paper IOU’s along with a pile of money. Testosterone and laughter filled the fire station kitchen. “You all suck!” Reese said before draining the drink at his elbow.
Every once in awhile I’ve picked up a book where the author wrote in third person present tense (current action):
“Oh, screw you, Burkett.” Reese Colton throws his cards down as the man across the table collects the two paper IOU’s along with a pile of money. Testosterone and laughter fills the fire station kitchen. “You all suck!” Reese says before draining the drink at his elbow.
I’ve actually read a book like this. It was odd at the beginning, but then I got into the story and barely noticed the present tense.
But now, more and more books are being written in first person. One point of view. The whole story told by the main character — usually female. Lots of young adult stories like Stephenie Meyer’s “Twilight” series is written this way as well as EL James’s “50 Shades” series. I even picked up a mystery recently that was in first person.
Some writers do this better than others. Of course it seems to matter less if the story pulls me in and I become totally engrossed. I don’t even notice that it’s a single narrator. But other times …
Yeeeah, there are a lot of books, especially romances, where I miss that other perspective. I love being in the hero’s head … not just the heroine’s interpretation of his actions … but the actual jesus-she-smells-good-and-that-dress-hugs-her-luscious-curves-in-all-the-right-places kind of thought process. Why do I like that? I think because it makes me fall in love with the hero even as he’s falling in love with the heroine. I want to know he’s so hot for her he can’t get her all the way upstairs to the bedroom before he presses her against the kitchen wall and shows her just how much she means to him.
And you know, it’s not always the hero. I love suspense stories. When an author writes well from the villan’s perspective, it helps me as a reader understand why s/he believes they are totally justified in kidnapping and torturing all the clarinet players in their high school marching band from thirty years ago. (No, that’s not a book, but it sure could make a very disturbed villan. LOL!)
But with everything that the masses say is trending — television, phone apps and twitter, it looks like more and more books are being written in first person and readers are not only buying them … they’re buying them in HUGE quantities. It makes me wonder if some of my favorite authors are going to go in that direction.
What do you think? Is this a passing fad or are first person stories going to become the norm for our reading pleasure?
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Not me. One of my earlier editors told me I didn’t write well in the 1st person.
I only prefer to read it when it’s a romantic comedy or chick-lit.
Like you I want to fall in love with the hero as he’s falling in love with the heroine.
Ouch Amber! LOL! I have never tried a first person story, but I’m considering it. But then again … there’s that hero in my head begging to be heard.
It seems to me that first person really started to take off with the growing popularity of the Anita Blake books by Laurell K Hamilton. Those books were hugely popular, in first person. Next time I turned around it seemed that everyone was putting out a first person story.
1st person works for me in urban fantasy, sci fi, fantasy and mystery even if there is a love interest. I don’t care for it in romances. Crossovers its iffy, some I like, others don’t work. Like you, in a romance, I like to peek into the hero’s head and see what he is thinking.
Nicole – Ah, I’ve heard of the Anita Blake series, but haven’t checked them out. (Putting them on my veeeery long book list now.) And yeah, I think it’s definitely genre specific. What’s interesting though, is that romance is crossing genre lines. So even the fantansy and sci-fi I’m reading have a love story intertwined with the heroine. Even there … I miss the hero’s thoughts.
I have a short story written in first person, my first attempt. I do need to edit it, but now I am thinking of incorporating it as a diary type entry in book 5 of my Diaspora world series. It has been an interesting experience.
One of my favorite series, Jim Butcher’s Harry Dresden books, are 1st person. His books never jar me out. Hmmm, might reread!
Melisse – Jim Butcher’s books are on my TBB list. I’ve heard only good things about them. Guess I didn’t realize they were also in first person. Hmmm.
Good luck with your short story. I definitely think writing in first person is a wonderful way for an author to stretch their writing muscles. There’s a story niggling in the back of my brain that’s wanting to be written in first person. (Which is what prompted this post.) I’m just not sure if I’m brave enough to jump in!
I don’t think it’s genre that matters as much as just having a good voice. I’m in the process of editing my YA GLTB romance novel and when I started writing it, it was 3rd person past tense and something just didn’t feel right. It didn’t feel authentic enough and I really wanted to be in the character’s head. I wanted the reader to come to terms (so to speak) with situations as my character did.
I started over and changed things to 1st person present tense (the tense was more difficult to stick with!) and the story really started to flow.
I don’t think it works for every story but I’ve seen some stories done really well.
MB – It does seem lots of YA is first person present tense. As a reader it’s the hardest for me to “get into”. But written well, the character just sucks me into their journey. Good luck with your new story!
I’m glad I’m not the only one noticing this trend. At first I thought YA books were picking up with this, “The Hunger Games” is written in first person present tense. But I thought it’s because young readers to simplify it. However, it didn’t work for me, I had a hard time getting into the story. I felt like I was reading a picture book for toddlers. Not sure if I’m just too used to reading in past tense or what, but I find it odd. I hope this is passing fad and doesn’t stick.
Zrinka – It took me a couple of chapters to get “into” Hunger Games. I totally forgot it was first person present tense. Personally, I think it’s more difficult to read because it’s so different from text books and even talking. (*whispers* I hope it’s just a passing trend as well*)
Nina,
First person is not a new thing, it comes and goes in popularity. The first, first person narrative I ever read began with “Call me Ishmael.”
In the mid-twentieth century first person was popular with mystery and gothic writers.
Some people like it, some don’t.
However, I don’t think third person will ever leave us, it just steps back for a while and when the limelight’s glare becomes too much for first person third person steps back to center stage.
Carolyn – I knew first person wasn’t new, but I don’t think it’s been this popular in my lifetime, but I could be wrong. I’d hate to see the loss of third person, so I hope you’re right that it will never completely go away.
I honestly have to say I can’t take it. It drives me nuts in such a way that I will put down a perfectly good book just because of the 1st person narrative. No matter how good the book seems, I miss both points of views and I feel more like I’m reading a diary rather than a book when reading in first person. Everyone has their preferences and this new trend (along with writing books in serial form) have made me turn away from authors I used to love. I will read a serial books AFTER all the parts have released, but not one part at a time over a period of time. Some of the latest trends have really ruined some of my reading enjoyment but it has given me a chance to branch out and find new authors too.
Christy – I don’t completely walk away from a first person book, but it does have to grab me within the first chapter and I mean *grab* me or I won’t continue.
Interesting what you’re saying about series. Just so you know, those choices aren’t always the authors. Publishers now are often looking for a series concept before they’ll sign an author. In many instances it guarantees readers.
That’s another trend that is becoming very popular as well. (Hmmm, another blog idea?)
Nice article. I’ve written one book in first person. It is harder to do because you can only have that one perspective. But, you know, sometimes that’s what the character dictates. I haven’t read any present tense books. Now that would be a challenge to write, I think. Thanks, Nina.
Jennifer – First person is a little more difficult to write because the character is always “on stage”. It’s a challenge to get all the necessary story out to the reader when you can’t keep anything secret from the lead character.
Yeeeeeah, I’m sure I couldn’t stay in present tense through a whole novel. I’m sure I won’t even give that a try!
As an avid reader, I truly hate 1st person. That’s not to say I don’t read it, if it’s a really, really good story. You referenced The Twilight series and 50 shades both of which I loved. I especially adored 50 shades and would have given anything to have that one written in 3rd person! I truly, truly yearned to know what was in Christian’s head, not just Ana’s. Another series I can think of is the Sookie Stackhouse books. I got really tired of being in her head all the time. And though the TV show, True Blood deviates wildly from the books, I like it because we see things going on outside of Sookie’s “eye view”. I think even the best writer does the reader a disservice when using 1st person because it’s so limiting. Unless it’s just a particular story that’s so tightly focused on one person, I really don’t understand why it would be preferred. As a reader, I feel I’m left in the dark too much by being tied to the one character and only seeing and hearing exactly what that character sees and hears. There are always many things going on all around that affect the story that the one character doesn’t have access to that enrich the reader’s experience. That’s just one reader’s opinion!
Cheryl – Well said. It’s exactly how I feel as a reader. As a writer, I have a hard time just focusing on one character. I tend to have multiple points of view to give the reader insight to information the hero and heroine don’t have. I think it makes a richer reading experience.
See now, the first book I published is told from a couple different character view points (3rd person), each person’s POV was separated by chapter breaks to make it easier on the reader to follow, yet I was told by a couple people that I should have focused on just one of the characters to make it less confusing. I don’t know…it was a clear beak each time and most people weren’t confused sooo I don’t know.
Dammed if I do? Dammed if I don’t?
I definitely do it on a by story basis because some need that additional character point of view. This one I just wrote doesn’t. Then again, I could also add bonus chapters from the love interest’s POV just for fun!
MB – Every reader is different in their tastes and the way they would like a story told. There’s no pleasing everyone. The best we can do is tell the story the way it makes sense to us and the character’s story.
As a reader, it takes me a while to adjust to first person. As an editor, it’s not my fave… I think it takes real work to pull it off successfully!
That said, I can understand why some readers feel it lends more intimacy, immediacy. As with many aspects of our culture, I believe this trend is driven by a younger generation (and thus why it’s common in YA). OTOH, the phenomenon is not dissimilar from the way our language has evolved across years and lives!
Vicki – It will just be interesting to see if we’ve reached the peak (with popularity) or if this trend will continue to grow across more genres.
Great post, Nina. I’m not a huge fan of romance in first person unless it’s written very well, and I’ve read very few. I especially do not like vivid sex scenes in first person. I’m not one to shy away from them. It’s just kind of voyeuristic and icky when the main character is telling you what’s happening to them at the time.
Debra – Hmmm, in reality, I’m not sure reading an intimate scene in first person is any different than in third. The point-of-view character always talks about the physical aspect and how it makes them feel. What I enjoy about romance is actually experiencing the physical and emotional love between characters through the author’s descriptions.