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Three point of view examples including third person point of view, first person point of view, second person point of view, and third person omniscient point of view
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Point of View Examples: A Quick Reference Guide

Mahsuda Snaith. Writing coach at The Novelry.
Mahsuda Snaith
March 10, 2024
Mahsuda Snaith
Writing Coach

Mahsuda Snaith’s debut novel, The Things We Thought We Knew, was published in 2017. She was named an Observer New Face of Fiction and the book was later selected as a World Book Night title. Her second novel, How to Find Home, was a BBC Radio 4 Book at Bedtime. Mahsuda won the SI Leeds Literary Prize and the Bristol Short Story Prize and was a finalist for the Mslexia Novel Competition. She has performed at literary festivals and featured in anthologies by The Asian Writer, Words with Jam and Closure: Contemporary Black British Stories. Mahsuda’s short story ‘The Panther’s Tale’ was published in the Virago Press anthology Hag: Forgotten Folktales Retold. Mahsuda has been a judge for the Costa Book Awards and led creative writing workshops in hospitals, homeless hostels, and at De Montfort University.

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March 10, 2024

What is point of view?

Point of view (often abbreviated to ‘POV’ or sometimes called ‘narrative perspective’) is a fundamental concept in storytelling that refers to the perspective from which a story is told. It determines who is narrating the story and how much information the reader receives. The choice of POV can significantly influence the reader’s experience, shaping their connection with the characters and the narrative.

There are several types of POV, each with its unique characteristics:

  • First person: The story is narrated by a character within the story, using first-person pronouns like ‘I.’ This POV offers an intimate glimpse with direct access to the narrator’s thoughts and feelings. This technique is often used in autobiographical stories and literary fiction, due to its ability to foster the rich inner life of just one character.
  • Second person: The narrator addresses the reader directly using the pronoun ‘you.’ Though less common, this POV creates a sense of immediacy and involvement, making the reader feel like a participant in the story, but it can also create more distance from the main character. Jay McInerney’s Bright Lights, Big City uses second-person narration to immerse the reader in the protagonist’s experiences, making them feel like an active participant in the story.
  • Third person: This technique can be classified into types such as omniscient, limited, and objective, each shaping the narrative experience differently. Third-person pronouns are ‘she,’ ‘he’ and ‘they.’
    • In third-person limited (sometimes called ‘close third’), the narrator provides a window into the inner thoughts and feelings of a single character, creating a focused and intimate narrative. For example, in J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series, the narrator primarily focuses on Harry’s experiences, allowing readers to connect deeply with him while still providing information about other characters.
    • In third-person omniscient, the all-knowing, God-like narrator describes the thoughts and feelings of multiple characters, offering a broader perspective on the narrative. Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice is a classic example, where the omniscient narrator provides insights into the minds of various characters, enriching the story with multiple viewpoints and commentary.
    • In third-person limited with multiple perspectives, the narrative switches between different characters’ perspectives, such as in George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire series. This approach creates a complex and nuanced narrative, allowing readers to see the story from various angles.
  • Fourth person: Though less common, fourth-person POV involves a collective consciousness (frequently using ‘we’ pronouns), exploring the thoughts and feelings of a group rather than an individual. James Joyce’s Ulysses employs this technique to delve into the collective experiences and consciousness of its characters, creating a rich tapestry of interconnected lives.

Understanding the basic concept of POV and its importance in storytelling

Understanding these different types of POV is crucial for writers. It allows us to choose the most suitable perspective for the story, enhancing the narrative’s impact and engaging the reader effectively. Experimenting with the point of view for your novel will have a huge effect on how your story is told. Ask yourself the following questions:

  • Do you want the reader to walk in the shoes of your central character, privy to their thoughts, learning what they do at the precise moment they learn it?
  • Or do you want to observe your protagonist from the outside (and certainly outside of their head)?
  • Do you want to create intimacy or more distance?
  • Is your narrator in the story or outside of it?
  • Is your protagonist the person writing the story we’re reading?
  • Do you perhaps have two characters or even multiple narrators? Is their perspective limited or omniscient?

Writing is mainly about making decisions. Point of view is a key element of presenting a story to your reader and will affect the style in which you tell your story—and, because of the limitations of certain points of view, how you reveal plot points and vital information.

As our editor Francine Toon states in this article on Narrative Perspective, ‘the narrative perspective is the lens through which we view the facts of the story.’ Hit the link for insights from editors at major publishing houses, including whether they hold a preference for first-person perspective over third-person point of view.

One character or all the characters? You might write an external narrator or one character’s perspective in first person POV
Our writing coaches work with you to make decisions on your novel, including point of view

Tips for choosing your point of view

Keep in mind the following points as you decide which perspective is best for you:

1. Your point of view is not set in stone

You can always change your perspective in later drafts, as Katie Khan has described doing in the article Close Encounters. That’s not to say it isn’t hard work, but if you needed to write your novel in first person to get that initial draft done but then realize it works better in third-person objective, then the many tweaks you have to make still saved you time because at least you got the idea out rather than looking at a blank screen, unsure of how to move forward.

2. Allow for flexibility and experimentation

Just because you’ve always written in one point of view before doesn’t mean you should automatically write in that narrative style for all your work. Each novel is different, as are you by the time you write it. Allow flexibility and experiment to see what’s right for this particular story.

Having said that, don’t feel you need to experiment for the sake of experimentation; there’s a reason why second-person narratives and first-person plural are not used as often in novels, as they are very hard to execute successfully. That doesn’t mean you can’t ever use them, but pay close attention to how other writers have done this (see the list of example books below) and assess if this viewpoint really is the best way for you to tell your story. 

3. Look for what flows

I often advise writers to write in the narrative perspective that feels most natural to them and to be aware of when the writing flows. There are enough challenges when writing a novel; if you can limit them, the writing process will be easier and far more enjoyable. Take a look at the choices below and, if you’re still unsure of which way to go, experiment with a page of your novel in a few different viewpoints. Put your central character in the next room as you tell the story from an external narrator, speak directly to the reader in a second-person narration, and let your people talk from different points of view! See what the pros and cons are for each result, but also be aware of how it feels to write in that style. If the writing feels good, you’ll be far more likely to finish your draft.

Fourth-person and second-person point of view are less common and offer different points of perspective.
We take a close look at brilliant story choices using our Hero Book method at The Novelry

Point of view: a quick reference guide

Below is a list of the most commonly used points of view, as well as the subcategories within them (e.g., first-person plural, close third person, third-person narrator) along with examples of novels that use each point of view, and some opening lines so you can see how they work on the page.

This will help you explore the many possibilities and decide which viewpoint might be right for your story.

First-person point of view examples

First-person singular—using ‘I’

  • The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood
  • Really Good, Actually by Monica Heisey
  • The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
  • Happy Place by Emily Henry
  • My Sister, the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite
When I wake up, the other side of the bed is cold. My fingers stretch out, seeking Prim’s warmth but finding only the rough canvas cover of the mattress.
—Suzanne Collins, The Hunger Games
My marriage ended because I was cruel. Or because I ate in bed. Or because he liked electronic music and difficult films about men in nature. Or because I did not.
—Monica Heisey, Really Good, Actually

First-person plural—using ‘we’

  • The Virgin Suicides by Jeffrey Eugenides
  • Then We Came to the End by Joshua Ferris
  • The Buddha in the Attic by Julie Otsuka
  • We the Animals by Justin Torres
We were fractious and overpaid. Our mornings lacked promise. At least those of us who smoked had something to look forward to at ten-fifteen.
—Joshua Ferris, Then We Came to the End
On the boat we were mostly virgins. We had long black hair and flat wide feet and we were not very tall.
—Julie Otsuka, The Buddha in the Attic

First-person epistolary—using letters or diary entries

  • The Color Purple by Alice Walker
  • The Appeal by Janice Hallett
  • Dracula by Bram Stoker
  • The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
  • The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole aged 13 3/4 by Sue Townsend
  • On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong
  • The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga
Dear friend, I am writing to you because she said you listen and understand and didn’t try to sleep with that person at that party even though you could have.
—Stephen Chbosky, The Perks of Being a Wallflower
Jonathan Harker’s Journal (kept in shorthand.)
3 May. Bistritz. Left Munich at 8:35 P.M., on 1st May, arriving at Vienna early next morning; should have arrived at 6:46, but train was an hour late. Buda-Pesth seems a wonderful place, from the glimpse which I got of it from the train and the little I could walk through the streets.
—Bram Stoker, Dracula

Dual or multiple first person—alternating between first-person viewpoints

  • An American Marriage by Tayari Jones
  • The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver
  • Small Island by Andrea Levy
  • The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
  • The Island of Missing Trees by Elif Shafak
ROY: There are two types of people in the world, those who leave home, and those that don’t. I’m a proud member of the first category.
CELESTIAL: Memory is a queer creature, an eccentric curator. I still look back at that night, but not as often as I once did.
—Tayari Jones, An American Marriage
CLARE: It’s hard being left behind. I wait for Henry, not knowing where he is, wondering if he’s okay. It’s hard to be the one who stays.
HENRY: How does it feel? How does it feel?
—Audrey Niffenegger, The Time Traveler’s Wife

Third-person point of view examples

Third-person limited point of view

  • Missing, Presumed by Susie Steiner
  • Harry Potter and the Sorceror’s [Philosopher’s] Stone by J.K. Rowling
  • One Day by David Nicholls
  • Girls Made of Snow and Glass by Melissa Bashardoust
  • The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store by James McBride
  • A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness
  • The Talented Mr. Ripley by Patricia Highsmith
She can feel hope ebbing, like the Christmas lights on fade in Pound Saver. Manon tells herself to focus on the man opposite, whose name might be Brian but could equally be Keith...
—Susie Steiner, Missing, Presumed
The monster turned up just after midnight. As they do. Conor was awake when it came. He’d had a nightmare. Well, not a nightmare. The nightmare. The one he’d been having a lot lately.
Patrick Ness, A Monster Calls

Distant/objective third person

Using ‘he/she/they,’ keeping a distance from the character’s thoughts and feelings.

  • Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell
  • The Most Fun We Ever Had by Claire Lombardo
  • The Explorer by Katherine Rundell
  • Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie
Like a man-made magic wish, the aeroplane began to rise. The boy sitting in the cockpit gripped his seat and held his breath as the plane climbed into the arms of the sky.
Katherine Rundell, The Explorer
It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen. Winston Smith, his chin nuzzled into his breast in an effort to escape the vile wind, slipped quickly through the glass doors of Victory Mansions...
George Orwell, 1984

Third-person omniscient point of view

  • Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
  • Leave the World Behind by Rumaan Alam
  • Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
  • Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng
  • Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng
  • Gods of Jade and Shadow by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
  • The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis
Lydia is dead. But they don’t know this yet. 1977, May 3, six thirty in the morning, no one knows anything but this innocuous fact: Lydia is late for breakfast.
—Celeste Ng, Everything I Never Told You
Well, the sun was shining. They felt that boded wellpeople turn any old thing into an omen. It was all just to say no clouds were to be seen. The sun where the sun always was. The sun persistent and indifferent.
Rumaan Alam, Leave the World Behind

Third-person limited with multiple perspectives

  • The God of the Woods by Liz Moore
  • A Song of Ice and Fire by George R.R. Martin
  • Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas
  • Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter

Second-person point of view examples

Second person—the ‘you’ is narrating the story

  • Bright Lights, Big City by Jay McInerney
  • Open Water by Caleb Azumah Nelson
  • Montpelier Parade by Karl Geary
  • The Light We Lost by Jill Santopolo
The first night you met, a night you both negate as too brief an encounter, you pull your friend Samuel to the side.
Caleb Azumah Nelson, Open Water

Second person—the ‘you’ is another character, and this style usually includes a first-person narrator too

  • The Reluctant Fundamentalist by Mohsin Hamid
  • You by Caroline Kepnes
Excuse me, sir, but may I be of assistance? Ah, I see I have alarmed you. Do not be frightened by my beard: I am a lover of America. I noticed that you were looking for something...
—Mohsin Hamid, The Reluctant Fundamentalist

Second person—the ‘you’ is the reader, and this style usually includes a first-person narrator too

  • The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
  • The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
If you really want to hear about it, the first thing you’ll probably want to know is where I was born, and what my lousy childhood was like, and how my parents were occupied and all before they had me, and all that David Copperfield kind of crap, but I don’t feel like going into it, if you want to know the truth.
—J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye

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When it comes to selecting your point of view, the choice is all yours

In conclusion, point of view is a fundamental concept in storytelling that influences the reader’s experience and interpretation of the narrative. By understanding the different types of point of view and how they are used in literary works, we can choose the most suitable POV for the story and effectively engage our readers.

I hope this quick reference guide is something you can come back to whenever you are deciding which point of view to use. Though you may feel swayed by what is currently selling well in the market, or want to try something experimental because you believe it’s innovative, make sure you also have some solid reasons for why this viewpoint is the right one for this book.

When you have these reasons to back up your choice, you’ll feel far more secure about your writing as you work through the drafts of your novel. And remember, just like choosing pick-and-mix at the cinema, the choice is ultimately yours.

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Mahsuda Snaith. Writing coach at The Novelry.

Mahsuda Snaith

Writing Coach

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Years experience

Mahsuda Snaith’s debut novel, The Things We Thought We Knew, was published in 2017. She was named an Observer New Face of Fiction and the book was later selected as a World Book Night title. Her second novel, How to Find Home, was a BBC Radio 4 Book at Bedtime. Mahsuda won the SI Leeds Literary Prize and the Bristol Short Story Prize and was a finalist for the Mslexia Novel Competition. She has performed at literary festivals and featured in anthologies by The Asian Writer, Words with Jam and Closure: Contemporary Black British Stories. Mahsuda’s short story ‘The Panther’s Tale’ was published in the Virago Press anthology Hag: Forgotten Folktales Retold. Mahsuda has been a judge for the Costa Book Awards and led creative writing workshops in hospitals, homeless hostels, and at De Montfort University.

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