So, having done a lot of research on point of view in fiction, I've realized that there are certain misconceptions about it all. I'm going to attempt to clear up one of them today, since this is a topic I've been asked about several times.

Why use third person?

For those of you who aren't too sure of what third person is, here's the overview.

Third person is typically used for stories with multiple perspectives, or in other instances where an author may prefer it.

There are two main types: third person omniscient (where your story's outside narrator knows everything about all the characters) and third person close (wherein the narrator focuses primarily on a single character, without being in their head during the entire story).

Third person is undoubtedly more distant than first person, which (depending on your style) can make it more or less appealing. Some readers and writers aren't a fan of the distance this provides, and agree that it makes characters harder to connect with.

That poses an interesting question for us writers.

Does third person make it more difficult to connect with characters?

I think this depends. I believe that, if you're a skilled enough writer, it shouldn't matter. I'm able to both read and write in third person, and if the story is thought out carefully, I can proceed through it without feeling too disconnected from the characters and scenes. While I am mainly a first person type of girl, I have a much better understanding of why we sometimes have a need for a more distant point of view.

One common misconception that I've been asked about is thought. There's a belief that, if you write in third person, you can't show the characters' thoughts the way you would in first person.

So, this is my experience with the matter.

Can you show what your characters are thinking in third person point of view?

The answer to this is a resounding yes. The issue? You have to understand how to do it.

The best way to figure this out is through research, learning which style best suits you. You can use tags to denote a thought (he thought/she thought) or find more creative ways to sneak in a character's thought process.

What does this look like?

The concept of including thoughts in third person has been carried out by several famous authors, so I've decided to give you some examples that may illustrate the idea in a more concrete way.

"She sometimes wondered if any of them could actually play an instrument."
(City of Bones)

This one is an example of directly mentioning what the main character is thinking about. It's likely the easiest way to reveal thoughts in this narrative style, and will, for the most part, be the clearest for readers to spot.

However, if you want to learn how to present third person thoughts in a more obscure manner, check out the example below.

"But the only thing Harry felt he was really good at was Quidditch. In the end, he chose the same new subjects as Ron, feeling that if he was lousy at them, at least he'd have someone friendly to help him."
(Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets)

In this example, readers are able to understand what the character is thinking, though the tactic is more obscure. We don't explicitly see the he thought tag in this one, as the thoughts are presented in the form of Harry's feeling of inadequacy. We can infer that this is what he's thinking about, even though we aren't told so directly.

This is a more difficult strategy to figure out, because you have to be creative in how you present things. You can't always present thoughts in the same manner, or this could get boring for readers. In my opinion, a combination of both examples makes for a more diverse third person narrative. Show thoughts directly sometimes, then mix it up by disguising thoughts as feelings, memories, or other indirect recollections.

That brings me to the last point.

Can you edit your own storyline, so that it's written in third person instead of first?

Yes, if it's the right type of story. Some novels are better suited to one style or the other, and you have to make sure that yours is compatible with the change.

For this example, I'm going to use a section from one of my own stories, giving you an example of how I might change the narrative.

"If someone has to die, it should always be the oldest in a group. That sounds selfish, too, I suppose. I don't really care any more."
(2050: The Beginning of the End)

On the spot, this is my third person revision for that quote.

"If someone has to die, she imagines, it should always be the oldest in a group. That sounds selfish, too, Lili realizes. Still, at this point, she doesn't really care any more."

So, there you have it. If you've got multiple perspectives, and you want to transition from first to third person, it's possible. In fact, it might be just what your story needs to cross the line from decent to impressive.

If you found this useful, feel free to leave a comment down below, and let me know what you thought of this installment.