Section 8 Agency

I have recently had a few people ask me what the different points of view are for writing. I am going to just give definitions here so each of you can quickly identify the different types and use this as a reference guide. I used to use this early on and found it incredibly useful so I hope you do too. I added the pronouns, but these are reflective of what the writer is using and not the characters themselves who will have whatever pronoun they are. I could also at a later date add the different subgenres for each section, but I chose to keep it simple for this post. Happy Writings!

Third Person Omniscient Point of View (She/He, Hers/His, They/Them)

The third-person omniscient point of view is the most open and flexible Point of View (POV) available to writers. As the name implies, an omniscient narrator is all-seeing and all-knowing. While the narration is outside of any one character, the narrator may occasionally access the consciousness of a few or many different characters. This POV is used most often in writing.

First Person Point of View (I, Me, My)

The first person POV is a story being told from the perspective of the narrator. It really is that simple.

Second Person Point of View (You, Your)

The second person POV is a story being told to the audience from the first person POV. This narrator involves the audience in the story and expects feedback. This narration is rare but it is out there as an option.

Unreliable Narrator (pronouns depend on the POV)

Some narrators just can’t be trusted and they are referred to as Unreliable Narrators. The POV of this narrator is biased, clouded by their own, possibly flawed judgment, and cannot be trusted as the guide in the story. The story, the character descriptions, the setting, everything can be questioned. This POV narration can be fun for writers.

Limited Third Person Point of View (She/He, Hers/His, They/Them)

Similar to the Third Person Point of View BUT unlike the Omniscient Narration, this one is limited to what the narrator knows. This POV can also be fun and challenging.