Third Person Narration: Strengths and Weaknesses

Third-person narration is by far the most common perspective found in contemporary fiction. There are a range of benefits to writing in a third-person narrative style. These benefits are distinct from those found when writing in the first person or second person, of course, but the status of third-person writing as the standard has more to do with industry norms (if you want an overview of POV in fiction, you can find it here). This status comes with a certain degree of respectability that the other main perspectives are not always afforded.

For this reason, many writers assume that writing from a third-person POV is the best way to impress agents and publishers or at least that failing to do so will make it harder for them. This can be true, of course, but it is not always the case.

What is Third-Person Narration?

To put it simply, third-person narratives are those which tell the story as if the narrator is watching the characters. Telling a story in third-person means using "he/she" or "they" as opposed to "I", "We", or "you". This viewpoint is versatile and flexible, making it one of the easiest POV's to use for complex, multi-storyline, multi-character plots.

Some examples of different styles of third-person writing include:

The Blade Itself by Joe Abercrombie:

"Logen opened his eyes a crack. Light, blurry bright through. This was death? Then why did it hurt so much? His whole left side was throbbing. He tried to take a proper breath, choked, coughed up water, spat out mud."

We, The Drowned by Carsten Jensen:

"Many years ago there lived a man called Laurids Madsen, who went up to heaven and came down again thanks to his boots. He didn't soar as high as the tip of the mast on a full-rigged ship; in fact, he got no further than the main."

So, as you can see, third-person narration can be applied in more than one way. This versatile point of view allows you to bring the reader nose to nose with your characters or hold them far above the details to give a wide view of the story. This versatility is what appeals to so many writers.

The Strengths of Third-Person Narration

All perspectives and points of view have some benefits, but third-person writing is often considered to have more benefits (and more important benefits) than second and first-person narration do. The main benefits of choosing to write a story in third person are:

Flexibility

When you write in third-person, you get access to a certain level of flexibility which the first and second-person styles don't offer. When you write in third-person, you can bring the reader in close and then quickly pull them back to give a macro view of the story and the world. You can give insights into the interior life of one character or show a whole group interacting - what's more, you can switch between these things in the same story with minimal disruption to the flow of the narrative.

Breadth of View

While a first-person narrative allows an unprecidented view of the interior life of a character and second-person writing allows for a unique connection between the story and the reader, third-person writing allows for a completion of sorts. When you write in third-person, you can make the reader party to more than just individual threads and stories - they get to see the whole tapestry, so to speak, and this is particularly useful for complex, lengthy stories in genres like fantasy and sci-fi.

Unpredictability

While it is easier to build an unreliable narrator in first-person POV (arguably), third-person narration offers a very specific benefit; the ability to hide things about your main character from the reader. This small thing can do wonders for a surprise twist in the tail of your story, and makes it easier to avoid a predictable storyline or climax.

Versatility

Third-person narration comes in many forms from third-person limited to third-person omniscient, there are a wealth of options on the table which make it easy to write a story of any scope. It's also possible to use a variety of different styles, from short, sharp minimalism to a style which is reminiscent of oral storytelling, third-person narration is somewhat of a blank slate and can be used in many ways.

The Weaknesses of Third-Person Narration

The limitations of third-person narration are few, but they are worth considering. It is important to note, however, that many of the more pressing weaknesses with this style can be overcome with skill and experience. The main limitations of third-person narration are:

Distance From Main Character

Even when you use a relatively close or limited version of third-person writing, there is an undeniable gap between the reader and the character. This can be overcome with a strong character voice and thorough development, but you will not be able to build the same intimacy between your character and the reader as you would if you used a first-person POV.

Difficulty in Creating Mystery

While third-person makes it easier to hide details about your main character from the reader, it makes it much harder to hide details about the wider world and plot from them without limiting the scope of your story. After all, if a character you usually write about heavily suddenly drops away, readers will suspect they are up to something.

Complexity Can be Overwhelming

This is true for both the writer and the reader. Because third-person narration offers an incredibly wide scope inexperienced authors may be tempted to overshare world details and commit to too many plotlines. This can lead to a book which is cumbersome or even confused. Even if a complex book is written well, however, it can feel overwhelming for readers who prefer to get to the point in a more or less straight line. Learning how to keep the roots of your story from spreading too far is key.

Learning to write in any perspective is tough, but with practise and time you will find ways to make the strengths work for you and while mitigating the weaknesses.