What POV Works Best for Your Story?

Published 14 Apr 2025

When telling a story, POV (point of view) matters more than many people think. It influences how the reader experiences the story, controls the flow of information, and sets the emotional tone between characters and audience. The question is: how do you choose the right POV for your story?

When I started working on my debut novel many years ago, I thought I had to use first person POV. I was reading a lot of YA fantasy at that time and that’s how most of them were written, so I complied.

I hadn’t given it much thought before beginning the first draft of Forget Me Not (then titled The Hunt), and quickly found myself stuck. My problem was that the POV was limited to my main character’s perspective and she couldn’t be everywhere at once. I’m not saying that you can’t use first person POV. I’m saying that I wasn’t a skilled enough storyteller to write the story within the limits of a single character’s perspective.

That’s why it took six years to finish and publish Forget Me Not. Read this, take notes, and don’t repeat my mistake. I got stuck at chapter ten and gave up. It took me way too long to realize that I needed to change perspective to get unstuck.

To add depth, I rewrote the story in the third person, but sometimes used other characters’ perspectives to reveal more information. If you’re struggling with your chosen point of view, try a different one. Depending on how far you’ve made it into the story, it may require more work than you care for. But it’s still better than being stuck. The way I see it, POV is as much a tool as it is a choice. So here’s what you need to know before making your choice.

First-Person POV: The Immersive Lens

When using a first person POV, you tell the story through your protagonist’s eyes. When done well, this creates a very immersive experience for the reader.

Advantages

  • Intimacy and Connection First-person creates an immediate emotional bond. The reader experiences the protagonist’s thoughts, emotions, and reactions as if they were their own. This can make for a deeply personal and engaging narrative. Example: Suzanne Collins’ The Hunger Games uses first-person present tense to thrust readers into Katniss Everdeen’s traumatic, high-stakes world. Her internal struggles and resilience become intensely relatable.
  • Distinct Voice This POV allows for unique narrative voices. Quirks, biases, and perspectives make the storytelling dynamic and personal, bringing the narrator’s character to life.
  • Subjectivity Adds Depth A first-person narrator isn’t objective. Their perspective is inherently biased, which can create tension, mystery, or complexity. What the narrator notices — or misses — can shape the story in compelling ways.

Disadvantages

  • Limited Scope The story is confined to what the narrator knows, sees, or experiences. If they don’t witness a critical event, it can’t directly appear in the narrative. When I wrote my debut novel Forget Me Not, I initially chose first-person POV, but I quickly ran into this limitation. By the 10th chapter, I was stuck. Keep in mind that I had very little first-hand experience with creative writing at that point. My protagonist couldn’t witness everything I needed to tell the story. I ended up rewriting the book in third-person POV, which was a daunting but ultimately liberating shift.
  • Reliance on the Protagonist If your narrator isn’t compelling, relatable, or nuanced, the story can fall flat. Readers spend the entire journey in their head — so that had better be worth the trip.
  • Overuse of “I” Repeatedly starting sentences with I can make the prose feel monotonous. To counter this, you’ll need varied sentence structures and strong descriptive language.

Third-Person POV: The Versatile Tool

Third-person POV uses pronouns like he, she, and they. It comes in two main flavors: limited (focusing on one character’s perspective) and omniscient (narrating from an all-knowing vantage).

Advantages

  • Flexibility Third-person allows you to shift perspectives between characters or maintain a wide view of the story’s world. This is especially useful for complex narratives with multiple subplots.
  • Narrative Control The author can share information the characters don’t know, subtly guide the reader’s interpretation, or comment on events from an impartial standpoint. Example: J. R. R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings uses omniscient narration to weave together multiple storylines while providing a broader view of Middle-earth.
  • Broader Scope You can include events and knowledge beyond a single character’s experience, offering a more comprehensive narrative.

Disadvantages

  • Distance Third-person can create an emotional barrier between the reader and the characters. If not handled carefully, it might lack the intimacy that makes readers deeply invested in the story.
  • Complexity Balancing multiple perspectives can be tricky. Without clear transitions or purpose, it risks confusing readers or diluting the emotional impact.

What to Consider When Choosing a POV

1. The Story’s Scope

Ask yourself: how much of the world do you need to show?

  • If your story revolves around one character’s deeply personal journey, first-person might be ideal.
  • If your narrative spans multiple characters or locations, third-person offers more flexibility.

2. Emotional Impact

Think about the connection you want to build with readers. Do you want them to live inside the protagonist’s mind, feeling every triumph and failure as their own? Or do you want to maintain a bit of distance, allowing readers to see the bigger picture?

3. Narrative Tension

First-person can create tension through the narrator’s subjectivity and potential unreliability. Readers must question what’s true versus what’s colored by the narrator’s biases. In contrast, third-person omniscient can build tension by showing readers what characters don’t know — such as looming threats or misunderstandings.

4. Your Comfort Level

Be honest about your skills and experience. First-person may seem easier because it mirrors personal storytelling, but it’s deceptively tricky to execute well. Third-person, though potentially more complex, often provides more room for error, especially for beginners.

5. Genre Expectations

While there are no hard rules, some genres tend to favor certain POVs:

  • Romance: Often third-person limited for dual perspectives or first-person for a more intimate connection.
  • Mystery/Thriller: First-person for unreliable narrators or third-person to build suspense.
  • Fantasy/Science Fiction: Often third-person to navigate complex worlds and multiple characters.

The Hunger Games: A Case Study

Collins’ choice of first-person present tense in The Hunger Games emphasizes the importance of POV. The story centers on Katniss’ inner turmoil: grief, trauma, and the psychological impact of being controlled by a dystopian government. This POV immerses readers in her pain and resilience, making it intensely personal.

Nevertheless, using first-person perspective comes with difficulties. Some readers fail to grasp Katniss’ true motivations, instead attributing their own feelings to her actions. The film adaptation shifted the perspective to third-person, emphasizing the broader themes of authoritarianism and propaganda. This choice made the narrative more cinematic but sacrificed some of the raw emotional depth of the novels.

Final Thoughts

What makes a POV "better" isn't ease or preference, it's how well it supports the storyline.What makes a POV "better" isn't ease or preference, it's how well it supports the storyline. First-person offers intimacy and a unique voice but demands a compelling narrator and careful handling of limitations. Third-person provides flexibility and narrative control but requires skill to balance perspectives and maintain emotional engagement.

Remember: POV is a tool. Start with what feels natural, but don’t be afraid to experiment. My debut novel only found its voice after I rewrote it in third-person — a daunting process, but one that ultimately made the story stronger.

Most importantly, concentrate on the emotional experience you aim to evoke. Regardless of whether you want readers to experience your protagonist’s perspective intimately or from a distance, your POV choice must enrich their reading experience.

The perspective of your story is what makes it alive. Choose it wisely.