The "I" Generation

I'm not talking about the alarming rise in narcissism in our culture [thought that's a good topic for another day]. I'm actually wondering about first person POV.

I've been a die hard third person POV writer forever. Except for my blog, I like to write about characters who are OTHER people. I like the idea of being a silent and omnicient observer in the lives of my characters. I like jumping from heroine to hero and seeing through different eyes as I write a scene.

I've always thought third person POV gives readers a better insight into the characters because they can know what everyone is thinking.

However, I've been reading a lot of first person books lately. Namely, Elizabeth Vaughn's War series, all written in first person, Drop Dead Sexy by Tate Halloway, and currently the Stepanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich and I have to say, first person is starting to grow on me.

I always felt that writing first person would actually put me too much into a character. I preferred watching from the outside so that nothing that happened to them would be too personal. It's happening to someone else. Taking on a first person stance, can be daunting. When I write, I will become my character and all her experiences will be first hand.

That could be scary. It's an emotional risk. Can I handle feeling someone else's emotions, rather than feeling my own emotions for someone else?

Right now I'm working on two WIPs. One is an erotic sci-fi in third person with three points of view - Hero, Heroine and a Secondary Character who will play both a Discarded Hero role and somewhat of a Villain role. He's complex and hopefully adds a little bit of unprecedented depth to the story.

And I'm writing a new quirky paranormal that begs to be told in first person. I don't know why. I just feel like I need to be in the heroine's head for this. The stuff she's going to go through - will be a hell of an adventure and I don't want her to go through it alone while I watch from the sidelines taking notes. I want to be there with her and help her through it step by step.

What are your thoughts on first person POV? Do you feel closer to a character if they are controlling the narrative, or do you feel distanced from the secondary characters? Do you prefer to watch a story unfold from the sidelines, where you know everything, even things the characters don't know, or do you prefer to be in the trenches and seeing the story happen from one central location through the eyes of the protagonist?

I'd love to hear your thoughts. Drop me a line!