#1st person pov
What is First Person POV?
“The use of I, me, we and other first-person pronouns to relate the thoughts, experiences, and observations of a narrator in a work of fiction (a short story or novel) or nonfiction (an essay, memoir, or autobiography).” (Richard Nordquist)
What is Third Person Limited POV?
“A method… in which the narrator knows only the thoughts and feelings of a single character, while other characters are presented only externally. Third person limited grants a writer more freedom than first person, but less than third person.” (Ginny Wiehardt)
1) Use character’s interests/surroundings for similes and metaphors
What things interest (or don’t interest) your character? What are they surrounded by in their everyday life? If you use these things in your similes, metaphors, and description, it will allow your reader to get a glimpse at their inner life and how they see the world.
“The metaphors a narrator chooses are just as revelatory of the narrator as they are of the character described. So there’s a kind of double characterization. In the two examples you mentioned, you’re not just getting a description of Mr. and Mrs. Barbour but also getting a peek into Theo’s mind: a boy who is interested in stargazing, who has stars pasted on his bedroom ceiling (Mrs. Barbour and Alpha Centauri) but who also likes American History (Mr. Barbour and the Continental Congress). So these are the metaphors that occur to Theo — you learn a little about him, and the way he sees the world, from the metaphors he uses here. If a different character had been speaking of the Barbours, I would have chosen different metaphors.” (Donna Tartt)
2) Your character’s biases
Consider your character’s biases. How would their views affect the way they describe a person or event versus another character? What aspects of a person or event would they focus on?
3) Vocabulary
If you want your character to have a certain air about them, consider the vocabulary they use. For example, the word ‘tummy’ has more childish connotations than the word ‘stomach’. If you want to show that your character is from a certain region or background, research the jargon and syntax that are used in those settings.
