Ever feel like you’re hovering just behind a character’s shoulder, privy to their experiences without being them? That’s the magic of third-person perspective, which is one of the most commonly used point of views.
Writing in third person means using pronouns like “he,” “she,” “it,” and “they” to tell your story, observing the characters from an outside vantage point.
This article explores the different types of third-person narration, provides practical tips for effective use, and illustrates these techniques with examples from literature.
What Is Writing in Third Person?
He stood up. She shouted. They argued. His heart pounded. These sentences allow you to experience what is happening in the scene over the character’s shoulder or from a perspective outside of the characters.
Before writing, you should choose a point of view strategy–one of which is third-person. Third-person uses names or the third-person pronouns to describe what is happening in the story. However, it isn’t just that simple, of course.
There is third person omniscient, limited, and objective, moving from most invasive to the most–well–objective.
Third-Person Omniscient Narration
Third-person omniscient is how many authors wrote in the past. The story is told from a god-like narrator’s point of view who can share with the reader how each of the characters is feeling and what they are thinking. This is one of the more difficult ways to write because it can easily become confusing who is thinking and it is also hard to keep information from the reader without the reader feeling lied to.
Third-Person Limited Narration
Third-person limited is when the reader can only hear the narrator’s thoughts and feelings. The narrator’s voice is usually strong as it imparts the goings-on of the other characters in the story. The narrator could be one of the characters themselves (in the present or future), or they could be completely separate from the story (a scribe, a descendant, or a real person telling a story).
Third-Person Objective Narration
Third-person objective has the most distant voice, as the narrator just describes what is happening without adding any flavor from their own thoughts and feelings. Third-person objective is most useful for nonfiction and very difficult to use in fiction because of the lack of emotion.
These how-to-steps will follow the current most common form of third-person, limited omniscient.
Limited Omniscient, also called close third, means that the narrator can see inside only the point of view character’s head. It is the best of both worlds, as the reader still feels very close to the POV character, but there is still some distance from the author.
How to Write in 3rd Person
Choose Narrative Voice
When you decide whether to write in 1st, 2nd, or 3rd person, consider what experience you want to create for the reader. Also consider genre expectations when it comes to how the story is told.
Third-person allows the author to control more of what the reader knows. The level of immersion can change throughout the story and within scenes.
Choose POV
Choose a single point of view to follow through the scene. The POV of each story arc scene will be from your protagonist’s POV. Stick to your POV strategy without hopping around. What you do in the first act will be what the reader expects for the rest of the novel.
Multiple POV
Choose the character(s) that have the most to lose in the story/scene to be the POV. If you have a multiple POV strategy, stick with one character per scene or chapter, and anchor the scene either with text at the beginning of the chapter and/or making it clear within the first paragraph who is speaking.
Also, use a clear scene break. And try not to choose too many POV characters. The fewer the easier it will be for the reader to connect with them.
Deep POV
Thoughts and feelings will only be from that POV and the reader will be unable to know what the other characters are thinking except for what the POV character thinks they are thinking from their behavior, dialogue, or what the POV character knows about them.
Pronouns
Do not use first or second person pronouns outside of dialogue or thought. Only use the third person pronouns: he, she, it, they, them, his, hers, its, him, her, their, or theirs. Follow character names with the proper pronouns, creating clarity.
Information
Do not reveal information that the POV character doesn’t know. This is how a multiple POV strategy can enhance tension through knowledge gaps between the reader and the protagonist. But you must keep track of who knows what and what the reader knows. Also, the character can see things, but not understand what they mean, whereas the reader might be able to figure out what that thing is going to mean for the character.
Characterization
Use nonverbal communication to show how the characters are thinking and feeling with their gestures, behaviors, facial expressions, choices of clothing or places they go to, etc. Dialogue can reveal emotions, character traits, and the desired goal your character had for the scene.
Examples of Writing in the Third Person
Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone by J.K. Rowling [1997]
In the first book, J.K. Rowling used more of an omniscient view, though she settled into limited omniscient for most of the series.
While you should be careful of head-hopping, the change in point of view character is tastefully done here and necessary, like in a battle, to show what each person is doing to deal with the dangerous situation.
“Harry tried to turn back towards the Gryffindor goalposts: he had half a mind to ask Wood to call a time out – and then he realised that his broom was completely out of control. He couldn’t turn it. He couldn’t direct it at all. It was zigzagging through the air and every now and then making violent swishing movements which almost unseated him.
Lee was still commentating.
‘Slytherin in possession – Flint with the Quaffle – passes Spinnet – passes Bell – hit hard in the face by a Bludger, hope it broke his nose – only joking, Professor – Slytherin score – oh no…’
The Slytherins were cheering…
…Hermione had fought her way across to the stand where Snape stood and was now racing along the row behind him; she didn’t even stop to say sorry as she knocked Professor Quirrell headfirst into the row in front. Reaching Snape, she crouched down, pulled out her wand and whispered a few, well chosen words. Bright blue flames shot from her wand on to the hem of Snape’s robes.”
Hallowe’en Party by Agatha Christie [1969]
This excerpt shows how to use both first-person in dialogue and show inner thoughts in third-person.
“Mrs. Oliver rose from the settee apologetically. “I haven’t been making myself useful. I’ve just been sitting here saying silly things about pumpkins and vegetable marrows”-And resting my feet, she thought, with a slight pang of conscience, but without sufficient feeling of guilt to say it aloud.”
Elantris by Brandon Sanderson [2005]
Memories are one way to make it clear who the point of view character is when writing limited omniscient.
“The planting was well under way. Galladon oversaw the work with a careful eye, his gruff tongue quick to point out any errors. However, there was a peace about the Dula. Some men were farmers because they had no other choice, but Galladon seemed to find true enjoyment in the activity.
Raoden remembered clearly that first day, when he had tempted Galladon with a bit of dried meat. His friend’s pain had barely been under control back then-Raoden had been scared of the Dula several times during those first days. Now none of that remained. Raoden could see it in Gallodon’s eyes and in his bearing: He had found the “secret,” as Kahar had put it. Galladon was in control again. Now the only one Raoden had to fear was himself.”
Bridgerton: The Duke & I by Julia Quinn [2019]
The author used a return line to separate point of views within a chapter, but each section is clearly either from Daphne’s point of view or Simon’s.
“Daphne nodded. “I believe that was my cue to take my leave.” She turned to Anthony with a beseeching look. “If he comes looking for me-”
“I’ll take care of it,” he said gently. “Don’t worry.”
“Thank you.” And then, with a smile to her brothers, she slipped out of the ballroom.
As Simon walked quietly through the halls of Lady Danbury’s London home, it occurred to him that he was in a singularly good mood. This, he thought with a chuckle, was truly remarkable, considering the fact that he was about to attend a society ball and thus subject himself to all the horrors Anthony Bridgerton had laid out before him earlier that afternoon.”
The Cursor’s Fury by Jim Butcher [2023]
Leaving the word “thought” out can take the reader deep into the character’s POV while still staying in third-person, like Jim Butcher does in the Codex Alera books.
“Tavi liked the Varg, in his own way. The former ambassador had been consistently honest, at least when dealing with Tavi, and the Cane held to an obscure but rigid sense of honor. Since their first meeting, Varg had treated Tavi with an amused respect. In his matches with Varg, Tavi had assumed that getting to know one another would eventually lead to some kind of friendship.
Varg disagreed.
For Tavi, it was a sobering thought for perhaps five seconds. Then it became bloody frightening. The Cane was what he was. A killer.”
The Three Body Problem by Cixin Liu translated by Ken Liu [2008]
Third-person is great for world building in fantasy and science fiction stories.
“Ye felt a light itch on her face. She knew that an enormous electric field had appeared. She lifted her face and gazed in the direction the antenna was pointing and saw a cloud in the night sky glow with a dim blue light, so dim that at first she thought it an illusion. But as the cloud drifted away, the glow disappeared. Another cloud that drifted into position began to give off the same glow.
From the main control room, she heard more shouts.”
Tips For Writing in Third Person
- Third-person creates a certain amount of distance from the characters, even your point of view characters. It doesn’t have the same intimacy of first-person.
- Third-person allows you to jump from person to person easier, but beware of head hopping, or changing point of view, within the scene.
- Third-person Omniscient allows the author to dip in and out of different characters’ thoughts, but it is much more difficult to do it well to keep the reader from becoming confused. This is also considered a more old-fashioned form of writing encompassing books like Dune to Pride and Prejudice.
- Third-person allows a separation between the author and the character. So, if the character is extreme in behaviors or thoughts, they are disconnected from the author.
- Third-person allows for the development of more characters, so works better for multiple POV or a large cast, like a group protagonist.
- Third-person also creates a flexibility that doesn’t exist with first or second. The author can be everywhere, allowing the reader to see everything.
- Third-person is particularly helpful when writing literary fiction about complex themes and ideas.
- Third-person is also perfect for fantasy or science fiction novels, so that the reader can “see” and experience more of the world around the characters. It is also easier to write battles, political machinations, and show the magic of the world.
- Read novels that use the third-person narrative voice you wish to use.