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[thecollector]

I've had a plot idea for a while now that I'd like to put down on paper. However, I'm very much undecided whether I should write it in first or third person. See, I'd like to try my hand at first person, but there are parts of the novel that would use dramatic irony where the protagonist doesn't know some things. I was wondering if it was possible to use mainly first person, but use third on chapters that don't incorporate the protagonist at all. I'm not sure if that makes a lot of sense, though?

[Bowie20049]

That's what I do, but I'm not quite sure how that's working out for me. ^^;

[thecollector]

Okay. I was just unsure about switching from first to third person.

The plot would be about terrorists potentially coming to the US. However, the chapters where there would be meetings and such wouldn't ever have the main character present. I think I might just go with third person, though, now that I think about it. It would be a lot easier, I think.

[Zombified]

If there's gonna be jumping around, you should stick with Third Person.

[Majyk]

I'm in almost the same situation. I just started a novel that so far has both third and first person. Usually I just stick with third, but the plot kind of demands first for one of the characters (I tried switching to third, but it didn't make sense). So I'm not sure I was any help as I'm still trying to figure out what to do with my own story. But I would say go for it if you're still thinking about it, and if it doesn't work you can always switch it back.

[Iridescence]

Have you ever read the Pendragon series, Will? The protagonist, Bobby, mostly tells the story from first person POV -- however, the story is interspersed with third person chapters that follow his friends in our world, who are reading of his adventures in another dimension. Vastly different from your plot, but switching between first and third can and has been done successfully. Go for it. ;)

[Majyk]

The Bartimaeus Trilogy by Jonathan Stroud uses alternating first and third person, too. Half the story is told by a twelve-year-old magician in third person, and the rest is told through the demon Bartimaeus in first.

[thecollector]

Thank you, all, for you thoughts. Last night, I tried the Preface in third person. It wasn't bad, actually. I'm think ing I'll stick to third because it's a lot of jumping around. Like Zombified said, it's better to just leave it with third so the reader doesn't get confused. See, it jumps countries and terrorist groups, and then it heads back to the FBI and CIA. I think this needs to be in third. Thanks, though, for all your thoughts. :)

[Shaun]

Collector: You definitely can do this. It's not unusual, but it is hard to pull off. Typically writers stay in one POV format, but I did read a really interesting book called Angel of Death from Angry Robot Books (UK publisher; books coming to the U.S. soon) which did a fantastic job of using various styles of POV. It can be done and there's nothing wrong with doing it; just make sure that there are significant differences between the two beyond the fact that one uses "I" and the other uses "he/she."

[thecollector]

Thank you, Shaun. I've been writing it in third person, and later on, if I find that it's not as great, I'll switch what I wrote around to the way I was originally going to write it. However, for now, I'm going to put off on that. Thank you for your advice, though.