Spencer Lanoue
Writing a story in third person can be a rewarding endeavor that allows you to explore multiple perspectives and develop a rich, immersive world for your readers. Unlike first-person narratives, where you're confined to a single character's thoughts and experiences, third-person storytelling opens up a wider lens on the action, characters, and settings. In this guide, we'll explore how to craft a compelling third-person narrative, offering practical advice and examples along the way.
Choosing Your Third-Person Perspective
When you decide to write in third person, you have a couple of choices regarding the narrative perspective: third-person limited and third-person omniscient. Each comes with its own set of advantages and challenges.
Third-Person Limited
This perspective closely follows one character, providing insight into their thoughts and feelings while observing other characters from the outside. It's a bit like being perched on the protagonist's shoulder, seeing the world as they do, but without the "I" of first person. Here's an example:
John walked through the bustling market, the noise of vendors shouting their wares filling his ears. He felt a pang of nostalgia as he passed the fruit stand, recalling the summer days spent there with his grandfather.
Notice how we're privy to John's feelings and memories, but we don't delve into the minds of other characters. This approach can create a deep connection with the main character while maintaining narrative flexibility.
Third-Person Omniscient
The omniscient perspective offers a god-like view of the story, allowing you to dip into the thoughts and emotions of multiple characters. This can be particularly useful in complex stories with intertwining plot lines. Here's how it might look:
John walked through the bustling market, the noise of vendors shouting their wares filling his ears. He felt a pang of nostalgia as he passed the fruit stand, recalling the summer days spent there with his grandfather. Across the street, Mary watched him, wondering if he remembered her at all.
This method provides a broader view of the narrative, which can enrich the story but requires careful handling to avoid overwhelming your readers with too much information.
Finding Your Narrative Voice
Your narrative voice is the distinct personality you bring to the story. It can vary widely depending on the tone you wish to convey. Whether it's witty and humorous or solemn and reflective, your voice should be consistent and resonate with the story's themes.
Developing a Consistent Voice
A consistent narrative voice helps maintain a seamless reading experience. Imagine your story is a piece of music; the voice is the melody that ties all the notes together. If your tone is lighthearted, a sudden shift to a dark, brooding style can jar the reader. Here’s an example of consistent voice:
The sun peeked over the horizon, casting a warm glow that promised another perfect day. Sarah skipped down the path, her heart light and her mind filled with dreams of adventure. Little did she know, a surprise awaited her just around the bend.
In this snippet, the cheerful and optimistic tone is consistent throughout, enhancing the reader's engagement with Sarah’s journey.
Adapting Voice to Character and Setting
Your narrative voice can also adapt slightly to fit different characters or settings within your story, especially if you're writing in third-person omniscient. However, these adaptations should still feel like variations on the same theme. For instance, a scene in a bustling city might have a brisk, energetic voice, whereas a moment of introspection for a character might slow down and become more contemplative.
Crafting Engaging Characters
Characters are the heart of your story, and writing in third person gives you the opportunity to flesh them out in unique ways. Whether your perspective is limited or omniscient, your characters should feel real and relatable.
Building Believable Backstories
Every character comes with a backstory that influences their actions and decisions. In third person, you can weave these details into the narrative seamlessly. For instance:
As Emily watched the rain pour down the window, she remembered the stormy night she left home at sixteen. The argument with her mother, the decision to leave, and the freedom she found on the open road.
Here, Emily's history is hinted at through her thoughts, adding depth and context to her current actions.
Developing Distinctive Voices
Even in third person, each character's dialogue should reflect their personality and background. A well-educated professor might speak differently than a street-smart teenager. Consider this dialogue:
Professor Higgins adjusted his spectacles and said, "The implications of this discovery are profound."
"Yeah, it's like, totally mind-blowing," replied Jake, nodding enthusiastically.
The differences in word choice and sentence structure help distinguish the characters and enrich the narrative.
Balancing Description and Action
A vivid setting can transport your readers into your story's world, but balancing description with action is key to maintaining momentum. Third-person narratives allow you to paint a detailed picture while keeping the plot moving.
Using Sensory Details
Sensory details can bring scenes to life, making them more immersive. Consider this passage:
The forest was alive with sound. Birds chirped overhead while the earthy scent of damp leaves filled the air. As Anna walked, the crunch of twigs underfoot echoed through the trees, a reminder of her solitude.
Here, the use of sound, smell, and touch creates a rich sensory experience for the reader, grounding them in the scene.
Keeping the Plot Moving
While description is important, too much can slow the story down. Action should punctuate your narrative to keep the reader engaged. For instance:
Anna glanced around the forest, noting the dense canopy above. Suddenly, a rustling in the bushes caught her attention. She crouched low, her heart pounding as she waited to see what would emerge.
This passage balances description with action, maintaining tension and reader interest.
Mastering Dialogue
Dialogue breathes life into your characters and moves the story forward. Writing dialogue in third person allows you to intersperse action and description, providing context and enhancing the narrative.
Writing Natural Conversations
Natural dialogue mimics real speech but is more structured and purposeful. Avoid overly formal language unless it suits the character. Here's an example:
"Where were you last night?" Emma asked, her voice tense.
Tom shrugged. "Just out. Why do you care?"
"Because you promised you'd be here," she replied, her eyes narrowing.
This exchange feels authentic and reveals tension between the characters without unnecessary exposition.
Using Dialogue Tags and Action Beats
Dialogue tags like "he said" or "she asked" clarify who is speaking, but they can become repetitive. Action beats—short descriptions of what the characters are doing as they speak—can add variety. For example:
"Where were you last night?" Emma's voice was tense as she crossed her arms.
Tom shrugged, not meeting her gaze. "Just out. Why do you care?"
"Because you promised you'd be here." Her eyes narrowed, frustration evident in her stance.
Action beats provide context and help the reader visualize the scene, enhancing the dialogue.
Creating a Compelling Plot
A well-structured plot is the backbone of any good story. Even in third-person narratives, where you have more freedom to explore different characters and subplots, a clear plot keeps your story focused and engaging.
Establishing Your Story Arc
The classic story arc involves an introduction, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution. In third person, each stage can be explored from different angles, adding depth to the narrative. For example:
Introduction: The villagers of Eldenwood are living in fear of a mysterious beast.
Rising Action: John, a local hunter, decides to track the creature, uncovering clues along the way.
Climax: John confronts the beast, discovering it's a misunderstood guardian of the forest.
Falling Action: John works to convince the villagers of the creature's true nature.
Resolution: Peace is restored, and the beast becomes a protector of Eldenwood.
This structure provides a framework for your story, allowing you to explore different perspectives within each stage.
Using Subplots to Enrich the Story
Subplots can add complexity and interest to your narrative. They often involve secondary characters and themes that complement the main plot. Here's an example:
Main Plot: John tracks the mysterious beast.
Subplot: John's estranged relationship with his brother, who disapproves of his quest.
As John hunts the beast, he also grapples with repairing his relationship with his brother.
The subplot adds emotional depth and provides opportunities for character development, enriching the overall story.
Managing the Pacing
Pacing is crucial in maintaining your reader's interest. Too slow, and they might lose engagement. Too fast, and they could miss important details. Third-person narratives allow for flexibility in pacing, letting you adjust the tempo as needed.
Varying Sentence Length
Short sentences can create urgency and tension, while longer sentences allow for reflection and description. Consider this passage:
Anna ran through the forest, her breath coming in sharp gasps. Branches whipped past her face, stinging her skin. She couldn't stop. Not now.
The short, punchy sentences convey Anna's desperation, increasing the scene's tension.
Balancing Action with Reflection
Action scenes should be balanced with moments of reflection, allowing characters and readers to process events. For example:
After the battle, John sat on a fallen log, staring at the horizon. The fight had been brutal, and he couldn't shake the memory of the beast's eyes, filled with fear and pain. He needed to understand its story.
This reflective moment provides insight into John's thoughts, adding depth to the narrative.
Editing and Revising Your Story
Once you've finished your draft, the real work begins. Editing and revising help refine your story, ensuring it's clear, cohesive, and engaging. In third person, pay attention to consistency in perspective and voice.
Checking for Consistency
Ensure your narrative perspective remains consistent throughout the story. Jumping between limited and omniscient perspectives can confuse readers. Consistency in voice and tone is also crucial for a seamless reading experience.
For instance, if you start in third-person limited from John's perspective, don't suddenly switch to Mary's thoughts without clear intention or transition. Instead, maintain the focus or clearly indicate a shift.
Polishing Dialogue and Description
Review your dialogue for naturalness and purpose. Each line should serve the story, revealing character or advancing the plot. Description should be vivid but concise, avoiding unnecessary detail that can bog down the narrative.
As you edit, consider using tools like Spell for quick revisions. With its AI-powered features, Spell can help you refine your writing, offering suggestions for clarity, grammar, and style, all while you collaborate in real-time.
Sharing Your Story
Once you're satisfied with your story, it's time to share it with the world. Whether you're submitting to a publisher, posting online, or sharing with friends, presenting a polished piece is key.
Formatting and Presentation
Ensure your story is formatted correctly, with consistent font, spacing, and margins. This attention to detail demonstrates professionalism and respect for your readers.
Consider creating a cover page or including an author bio if you're submitting to a publication. These elements can provide context and enhance your story's presentation.
Gathering Feedback
Feedback is invaluable for growth as a writer. Share your story with trusted friends, writing groups, or beta reviewers to gain insights and perspectives you might have missed.
Be open to constructive criticism, and use it to refine your work further. Remember, every piece of feedback is an opportunity to improve your craft.
For those looking for a more collaborative experience, Spell offers real-time collaboration features, allowing you to share documents and receive feedback instantly. This seamless integration of AI and collaboration tools can make the revision process smoother and more efficient.
Final Thoughts
Writing a story in third person offers a great deal of narrative flexibility, allowing you to explore multiple characters and perspectives. Whether you choose a limited or omniscient viewpoint, the key is to maintain a consistent voice and engage your readers with compelling characters and plot. For those looking to streamline the writing and editing process, Spell can be a valuable tool, helping you create polished, professional documents quickly and efficiently.
