First person? Third person? Multiple POVs?
HOW DO YOU CHOOSE?! 😂
Welcome back to Day 21 of Preptober 2026! 🎃✍️
Yesterday, we finished mapping out the major story beats of our novels. We’ve figured out our beginnings, middles, and endings!
But before we start outlining individual chapters, there’s one important decision I want you to think about.
POINT OF VIEW!
And trust me, you guys.
As someone who’s rewritten an entire 100,000-word manuscript from third person to first person, I’ve got experience with this one. 😂
Today, we’re exploring how to choose the POV that best serves YOUR story.
1. First Person POV: Getting Inside Your Character’s Head
First-person POV tells the story using I, me, and my.
For example:
I pushed open the door, my heart racing. Someone had been inside my apartment.
First person lets readers experience events directly through the narrator’s perspective.
It’s especially useful when you want readers to feel deeply connected to a character’s thoughts, emotions, and experiences.
But there’s a catch!
Your readers generally only know what your narrator knows.
Which can be wonderful for creating tension, unreliable narrators, and unexpected revelations!
Ask yourself: Would my story benefit from readers experiencing everything directly through my protagonist?
2. Third Person POV: A Different Perspective
Third-person POV uses he, she, or they.
For example:
She pushed open the door, her heart racing. Someone had been inside her apartment.
Third person gives you several storytelling options.
Third-person limited follows one character’s perspective at a time, keeping readers close to their experiences.
Third-person omniscient uses a narrator who can reveal information beyond any single character’s knowledge.
Depending on your approach, you can create a narrative that feels incredibly intimate or offers a broader view of the story.
Ask yourself: Would my story benefit from a narrator who isn’t one of the characters?
3. Multiple POVs: More Than One Perspective
Sometimes, one character’s perspective simply isn’t enough!
Maybe you’re writing a romance where readers need to understand both characters’ emotional journeys.
Maybe you’re writing an epic fantasy with important events unfolding in different locations.
Or maybe your story includes several characters whose decisions shape the central conflict.
Multiple POVs allow you to explore those perspectives.
And here’s something important:
Multiple POV doesn’t automatically mean third person!
You can write a dual-POV romance in first person, for example.
Just make sure each viewpoint character contributes something meaningful to the story.
Ask yourself: What does each additional POV reveal that readers couldn’t experience through my protagonist alone?
4. Learn From My Mistake! 😂
Okay, you guys.
Here’s where my personal experience comes in.
When I originally wrote Project Ember, I drafted approximately 100,000 words in third person.
And then?
I decided the story would work better in first person.
Which meant rewriting the manuscript!
Was it a lot of work?
ABSOLUTELY. 😂
But it taught me something important.
POV changes how readers experience your entire story.
It shapes what they learn, how closely they connect with your characters, and how you present key moments.
That’s why I recommend experimenting with different perspectives BEFORE committing to an entire draft.
And remember, there’s no universally correct POV.
There’s only the perspective that works best for the story YOU want to tell.
✍️ Today’s Preptober E-Guide Exercise
Grab your FREE Preptober E-Guide and turn to page 20: Point of View!
Today, try something simple.
Step 1: Choose a scene from your novel.
Step 2: Write a short paragraph in first person.
Step 3: Rewrite that same paragraph in third person.
Step 4: Compare the two versions.
Ask yourself:
- Which version feels more natural?
- Which creates the emotional connection I want?
- What information can readers access in each version?
- Would adding another viewpoint improve my story?
You don’t have to write an entire chapter!
Even a few paragraphs can help you discover which perspective feels right.
And if you’re still undecided?
That’s okay!
Keep experimenting as you develop your outline.
Your POV Should Serve Your Story!
Here’s what I want you to remember today.
Don’t choose a POV simply because it’s popular in your genre.
Think about the experience you want readers to have.
Do you want them deeply immersed in one character’s thoughts?
Do you want them to understand several characters’ motivations?
Do you need to reveal events happening outside your protagonist’s awareness?
Let those answers guide your decision.
And don’t be afraid to change your mind if you discover a better approach!
🎥 Follow Along With Preptober 2026!
I’m spending all 31 days of October helping writers prepare for Novel November through my FREE Preptober E-Guide and daily YouTube series!
And it’s never too late to join us! 💕
Coming Tomorrow: Day 22 — Turn Story Beats Into Chapters! 📖
Tomorrow, we’re taking those major story beats we’ve developed and turning them into a chapter-by-chapter outline!
And don’t worry.
We’re keeping things SIMPLE!
Now I want to hear from YOU!
Are you writing your novel in first person, third person, or multiple POVs?
And have you EVER changed your manuscript’s POV halfway through writing? 😂
Let me know in the comments!
We’ve got a novel to plan. 🎃✍️
