Basically what the title says. What are the pros and cons of a first person perspective compared to a third person perspective, do people have a preferred perspective and, if so, what one and why?

 

First person is a more character driven story. You will see their ideas, thoughts, quirks and everything that makes the character tick. I prefer this style, as I like a well developed character driven story. However, if you don't like, or can't connect with the character, the story is going to suck.

Third person gives a better perspective on the story. So, if you have a lot of different opinions and factions you want to get across, I would say third person is a far better medium than first person. Of course, this won't be as character driven as first person, simply because you have to build the character with dialogue and you won't be able to see how every character reacts to certain situations.

I feel that first person draws me in and immerses me in the story, keeping me turning pages. Which is generally why I prefer first person over third person. Plus, I like to know a character inside and out, what really makes him tick.

 

Too lazy to find right now, but Butcher wrote an excellent essay on the topic on his *wince* livejournal.

 

Here you go: http://jimbutcher.livejournal.com/1262.html

 

Since we have this thread, I might as well ask: Are there any benefits to writing in a second person perspective?

 

Sesc pretty much covered the pros and cons of 1st and 3rd person. Myself, I prefer 1st person, but I can manage in both. I prefer reading in the 1st person as well, actually. It's a lot more immersive and personal on both sides of the computer screen (or pen), I think.

I've written one piece in 2nd person perspective, and it's... strange. I may be the only one this is the case for, but it provides a sort of dream-like quality to things. Or maybe a disconnect. I can't really put it into words, but it isn't necessarily a bad thing. Just depends on the tone of what it is you're writing, I think.

 

The only stories I've ever read in 2nd person perspective are Bungle in the Jungle and its successor by jbern, and I have to agree that it is rather strange. I haven't seen anyone else trying it out in any of the stories I've opened in three years, and probably for a good reason.

I'm good with both 1st and 3rd person perspective to read, but I find it a lot easier to write in the latter.

Sometimes getting into the right moodset for the character I want to write just doesn't come through as well while trying it in the 1st person POV - but on the other hand, it also doesn't seem to immerse as well and feels too much like tell and not show when doing the 3rd person POV.

I think a writer that really gets this done right while still managing to deliver personal aspects via italic injunctions is Robert Jordan, in the Wheel of Time series of books. He uses multiple 3rd person POV's between chapters, but still gives insight into their character by having their opinion on the current paragraph subject cut in - Kind of like this, I think, - and it really does work well.

 

For original question - look what Sesc wrote. Very spot-on and not much to add.

As for the second person, I did speculate a thing or two when I was wrting tToM.
Theoretically it is the PoV of the game-master. And here, you are putting the reader into the shoses of the hero. 'An lo, a dragon is flying at you, it's flames lighting the night. Duck!'
This might work or not - some people dislike being put into this kind of narriation, as it kind of requires a person to want to have an adventure. If you just want to relax, third person is usually the most usual one () and you can let your mind wander. With first, and by extention, second person PoVs, you are more invested in the situation - first person is someone telling a story directly to you, up close, and second, is you being IN the story. Thus the rare, yet existant dislike for first person and more often found dislike of the second one.

Still, in my opinion, works with some rarer pieces, as a fun little project/experment, or a choose your adventure book.

Might be easier to write if you had been a pnp rpg GM, but them again, not a rule of thumb. Probably a lot harder to get it right too. (Players (or readers) don't like to be told what they choose to do without their input)


So, use second person like you would smoke near a gass station - carefully, and if you see that the owner doesn't like it, stop.

 

Second person is used for role-playing. So any made up greentext stories are often written this way. So are 'waifu romances'.

A second person viewpoint is very polarizing. You might accept the story better if you want to be the character, so less effort is required on the author's part (see waifu romances). However, it works the other way too - if you don't really want to be the character, the flaws might irk you more so than normal.

 

Second-person is for sex stories for women, where the female reader reads "You are overwhelmed by his giant cock" and the whole story is like that.

That's literally the only time you'll ever see it used.

 

Personally, I prefer the third person perspective, and I think it's the safer option. I find first person POV stories difficult to get into at first, especially if I don't relate to the narrator, or find him/her irritating.

I haven't read many second person stories, but one fic I have read and thought made wonderful use of the POV is Agent Loki: International Man of Mayhem.