How to Choose a Narrator
Choosing a narrator is one of the most important steps in writing a story. To do so, you have to think about whose point of view you really want the reader to hear. Everything that a reader knows is relayed to them from the narrator, so who you choose to tell the story will decide how the story itself is understood and perceived. Through the narrator, an author can make their audience side with the “good guy” or empathize with an evil character, depending on how they let the reader see what happens.
Of course, there are no rules about who a narrator can and cannot be. These are just some guidelines!
If you use a narrator who is a character in the story…
- Your story will be told in the first person
- He/she should usually be either the person who the story is about (the protagonist), or someone very close to that person
- He/she typically supports and empathizes with the protagonist
- He/she is usually personally involved or has some kind of stake in what goes on
- The reader should be able to witness some of that persons thoughts, feelings, opinions and reactions about what goes on
- Your story may be somewhat vague, exaggerated, or one-sided, since you only hear one person’s perspective
If you use a narrator who is outside of the story…
- Your story will be told in the third person
- He/she essentially anonymous, though the reader can find out more about him/her from how the story is told
- He/she can tell the story either subjectively or objectively (may or may not express opinion)
- He/she may share the points of view of several characters
- He/she may have access to the thoughts of several characters, which they share with the audience
- The narration may be limited to what happens to several characters, or it may be all knowing (omniscient)
When to use Which Narrator
First and foremost, works of fiction always require a carefully chosen narrator. You should carefully and thoughtfully choose the point of view for your piece because it will determine everything about how the story is told. Most of the time, you will use either a first person or third person narrator. Here are some suggestions for when to use which type of narration:
You should use a first person narrator when…
- You want the reader to have an intimate experience
- You want to share the personal thoughts and feelings of someone who is part of the story
- You only want one, firsthand experience-based point of view
- You want to create some ambiguity in terms of the reliability of the story—first person only gives a personal, subjective perspective
You should use a third person narrator when…
- You want more flexibility for how the story is told
- You want the reader to witness what is happening from an outside perspective, either objectively or subjectively
- You want to show the thoughts and point of view of multiple characters
- You want the reader to get an accurate account of the story, perhaps told from all angles or from one reliable narrator
- You want your narrator to be anonymous