Story Point of View

[Legionsynch]

So how do you go about deciding what tense your story should be set in.  Up until now, I've never really given it much thought, just writing the story however the story wanted to be told.  But in getting to the end of my current WIP, I realized that I should have probably written it in first person, instead of a third limited.  At the time I started, I made the conscious decision not to go with first person.  But now, I realize that that's one thing the story's missing.

What about you guys?  Do you always know your tense when you start off, or do you change it a few times along the way?

[Chelc]

well let's see...
at age 12, my story was in 3rd person
13-first person
14-took a break from writing because, well, because 14 was a bad year
15-switched between 1st and 3rd persons every other sentence
16-realized that 3rd person just felt right to me.
and that's where I am now!
...
...

wait...I forgot! I'm 17!
(seriously? )

[Legionsynch]

Verb tenses, point of view.  I was thinking of it more in my head like French class.  First person, second person familiar, third person, etc.

But yes, point of view would be more accurate.

[kaybounds]

I am having issues with this one myself. Every time I switch between mc's ( I have two) I find myself starting in third character and then ending in first. It's very confusing. I don't know if I should stay in one tense or the other. Sorry Legi I'm no help.

[gypsygurl]

I really think you need to try first person for at least the first 10 pages, just to see.  It'll help you get inside of your character's head and let him really let loose with what he's going through...might expand your MS a few pages in the long run, but I think it'll pull your readers in and make them really feel for him. 

[justwrite]

My first book (the mothballed one) I started in third, but then thought it needed an edgier voice so I changed it to first. My second book, the one I am pitching, started in first person with two POVs. At one point I tried it in third at a critmate's urging, but we both agreed it sucked. However it was originally written in present tense. I kept the first person, but put it in past tense and that worked pretty well. My WIP started in first person, but I switched to third and that's where it will stay, because it just works better that way. Dunno why.

So in answer to you question, Lege, yeah..I switch a lot. But not as much as I change my titles!

[kaybounds]

Have a question: My mc I am writing in the tense as myself: reference, me I : wrong or right? all other characters: he, she: wrong or right?

[DaveKuzminski]

I've found that POV is or can be determined by what kind of information is passed along to the reader. A first person point of view is excellent for detective stories because the main character tends to learn things at the same time as the reader. For other stories, third person is generally better, though there are always exceptions for all POVs.