'Tis a matter of opinion...

[Dysole]

I find I write more in third person but first person can prove interesting. I think it's as mentioned before that the type of story you want to tell should inform which method you pick. If you want to get into the heads of a lot of characters, go third person limited omniscient. If you want to show a lot of events but leave it a mystery what people are thinking go third person. If you want to get into the head of one person and make the audience really empathize and feel this person go first person. Again, story should determine format not audience.

~Dysole, apparently in the minority of really liking the ending to the Hunger Games Trilogy

[TGRF]

Very interesting thoughts, all. I'm glad this inspired some conversation.

@Maklar/El T. I'll be reading them all. The whole reason I started was to read them before I saw the movies, so I can't really just stop with the first one. (And Maklar, I'm sorry, but it. Is. Awesome. )

@ JS. So... you originally meant to hit the 'third person' button, but now you've decided you like first person better? Not sure which one you're going for here.

@Bigga/JS. I agree with much of what you both said. The third person opens up the author's freedom, allowing him to talk to the reader and show things that the protagonist cannot see. Take the Curse of Feylund for example. In the very first chapter, I tell the reader that an unstoppable army is coming. However, I don't want Dilmir to know that until later. I couldn't have done that if I were writing in the first person.
Then again, the first person is basically a character development shortcut. It's like you said, Bigga:

Originally Posted by BiggaBullfrog

I realized that putting the story in first person would make it a lot more personal, and the reader would become a lot more emotionally invested in my protagonist.

It is for this reason that I think it's a good idea for new authors to start out writing in the first person. It limits them, so they'll learn how to weave a story to their will, and it also takes a large part of the character development difficulties off of their plate. (Unless, of course, the protagonist is someone you can't sympathize with. That's the main thing.) Once they have the basics down, they can move into the freer style of the third person, and then decide which one they want to work with.
As far as writing goes, I think it comes down to your story in the end. If the story is like the Curse of Feylund, with events that the protagonist absolutely cannot know of or relate, then the story is going to have to be in the third person. If the protagonist is everywhere that matters, then put it in the first person for the added character development bonus.
As for reading though, it would seem that most prefer both or just the third person.
~TGRF, with his lengthy opinions.

[Aldin]

Third. Not a fan of being stuck in someone else's head.

~Aldin, trying to remember if he's ever read a first person perspective book he liked - maybe a couple of short stories...

[Crixus33]

Originally Posted by Aldin

Third. Not a fan of being stuck in someone else's head.

~Aldin, trying to remember if he's ever read a first person perspective book he liked - maybe a couple of short stories...

Goal, write a first person story Aldin will like.
I put both because when reading I have no preferance. When writing on the other hand I tend to write in third with a focus on one character. It gives the personal feel I desire, yet the freedom to go somewhere else and yet sort of makes me feel compelled to stay on the one character. Just my

[Lazy Orang]

I tend to enjoy both of them, however, I should note that, even when written in third person, I prefer the writing to be from a specific character's perspective - it allows you to get inside the character's mind and otherwise I feel it could be a little too abstract. One of the positives of third person is that the character focused on can change from scene to scene, whereas for first person you can only focus on one character throughout the story, though you get more of an investment into that character. It just depends on the type of story you're writing, really.
Generally, I write in the third person from a character's perspective - it allows me to have a broader outlook while getting inside a character's mind.

[Elven Lord]

Originally Posted by The Grim Reaper's Friend

An interesting opinion, Bro-man. Everything that I've read warns heavily against switching between first and third person. It usually serves only to confuse the reader, but I agree. If one could do it in such a way as to make it sound good, it could be amazing.

Hahaha lol. Everything you've read? Not mocking you, mocking what you've read. In high school this is the crap I got.

1) Never use first person

2) never give personal opinions

3) Never use pronouns

Strictly for the birds people. However, I do make one admonition. It is not usually a good idea to switch between perspectives unless you are writing a review. For fiction it is often better to keep one point of view. However, this is not always the case. I've read a number of great stories which resulted from dynamism in the perspective. Like a narrator switching between his experiences, your future or past experiences, and the opinions or possible actions of a third party. This doesn't work so well in writing, but it gaming it often works superbly well. Try playing Dear Esther, great storytelling.

@William099 I would have agreed with you about a year ago, but now, having written in the first person, I'm not so sure. I'm beginning to read like a writer, and while that probably clouds my judgment, I can see how useful the first person is. It's limited though, because you can't tell the reader what is going on unless the protagonist knows it too.

Thanks for your opinions!

~TGRF.

Why on Earth would a broader perspective cloud your judgment?

[TGRF]

Originally Posted by Elven Lord

Hahaha lol. Everything you've read? Not mocking you, mocking what you've read. In high school this is the crap I got.

1) Never use first person

2) never give personal opinions

3) Never use pronouns

Strictly for the birds people. However, I do make one admonition. It is not usually a good idea to switch between perspectives unless you are writing a review. For fiction it is often better to keep one point of view. However, this is not always the case. I've read a number of great stories which resulted from dynamism in the perspective. Like a narrator switching between his experiences, your future or past experiences, and the opinions or possible actions of a third party. This doesn't work so well in writing, but it gaming it often works superbly well. Try playing Dear Esther, great storytelling.

I had not considered those options, but yes, switching between persons could be useful there.
@ The High School rules - You've got to be kidding me. I feel like I could write a whole composition against every one of those 'rules.' I don't even get the pronouns one. How on earth are you supposed to write without them?

Originally Posted by Elven Lord

Why on Earth would a broader perspective cloud your judgment?

It means I'm biased because I now know how useful writing in the first person is to the writer. That's not the point of this poll. The point is to see what the readers like to read. Hence, it might cloud my judgement.

[Aldin]

Originally Posted by Crixus33

Goal, write a first person story Aldin will like.

Someone pointed out to me that one of the series I'm enjoying immensely right now is first person, The Kingkiller Chronicles by Rothfuss. It cheats, being told to a scribe as a fake autobiography. Still, it makes me wonder if it isn't so much that I don't like first person perspective books as that I've read so many bad ones.

~Aldin, illiterately