About my horror story(has to do with point of view)?

Question

In your honest opinion, should a horror story taking place in a maximum security prison be in 1st person? Lately I've been struggling between 3rd and 1st(and a bunch of crumpled papers) and would like to know your opinion. Thanks

Nick

thank you persiphone. it will be written in past tense, with the main character is retelling it, so i have more details( i will switch to 3rd for maybe 1 chapter)

Answer 1

First person is very limiting. Remember it limits you to ONLY being able to report on what the narrator sees, hears, knows, thinks, does. If you have some information you need to get out and your narrator isn't present, you cannot report it because he cannot know it. A maximum security prison sounds like a really hard situation to handle in first person. People's movements are limited, therefore it might be hard to get your narrator to the places you need him to be in order to get out necessary information.

You would have a much easier time using third person omniscient which is essentially like being a fly on the wall. You have access to all character's thoughts, knowledge etc.

If you are writing it in the past tense, you actually have information on everything that happens from the beginning to the end of the story. Your narrator is actually retelling it sometime AFTER the events in the story.

That sounds like it might be your way to go. Pax - C

Answer 2

while 1st person can be very limiting, for a horror story, i think it would sell. u want to create a feeling of isolation, of despair. first person format could do it. u only know as a reader what the narrator sees and knows, which can tremendously up the tension and paranoia. about the only problem is that since it's the narrator telling the story, u already know he survives. that little problem can be eliminated by writing in diary format or a voice recording. the person could simply have left it behind. (try reading richard laymon's "the island", or "the traveling vampire show" both are written very well in 1st person). u can use a documentary reporter to tell what happened afterwards to any survivors, if there are any.

Answer 3

You can write it from any point of view you want, it all depends what you are trying to get across to the reader. Writing in 1st person is a difficult task and not many authors are able to successfully pull it off. 3rd person seems to be the preferred style in fiction

Why not try 3rd person omniscient? This method allows the narrator to know the thoughts of all characters and see what's happening through the eyes of any or all of the characters. You will have much more freedom telling your story.

Answer 4

Hi Nick, this answer comes easy, and Ms. Pax C. said it best. You would want to write this in third person, past tense for greater flexibility to answer, tell, question, scare, hide, whatever the developing chapter and character needs.