16 Must Do’s When Writing In Third Person
🧠 Mastering Third-Person Writing: 16 Essential Tips for 2025
Writing in third person offers a versatile and immersive way to tell your story. Whether you’re crafting a gripping thriller or a heartfelt romance, mastering this point of view can elevate your narrative. Let’s dive into 16 essential tips to enhance your third-person writing.
1. Choose the Right Third-Person Perspective
Third-person writing isn’t one-size-fits-all. Decide between:alyssamatesic.com+1CT Mitchell Books+1LiveAbout+4MasterClass+4Tutors+4
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Third-Person Limited: Focuses on one character’s thoughts and experiences.YouTube+14alyssamatesic.com+14Relay Recruitment+14
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Third-Person Omniscient: Offers an all-knowing narrator with insights into all characters.ProWritingAid+3MasterClass+3wordtune.com+3
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Third-Person Objective: Presents only observable actions and dialogue, without delving into characters’ internal thoughts.ProWritingAid+1MasterClass+1
Each perspective shapes your story differently. Choose the one that best serves your narrative. NowNovel+4campfirewriting.com+4Words like trees+4MasterClass
2. Maintain Consistent Pronouns
Stick to third-person pronouns like “he,” “she,” “they,” and “it.” Inconsistent pronoun use can confuse readers and disrupt the narrative flow. ProWritingAid+3wordtune.com+3MasterClass+3
3. Avoid Head-Hopping
Switching between characters’ perspectives within the same scene can disorient readers. If you need to change perspectives, do so at clear scene or chapter breaks. Relay Recruitment+1MasterClass+1MasterClass+1alyssamatesic.com+1
4. Show, Don’t Tell
Instead of stating emotions, describe actions and reactions that convey feelings. For example, instead of “He was nervous,” you might write, “His hands trembled as he reached for the door.” Jane Friedman+2wordtune.com+2MasterClass+2
5. Use Deep Third-Person for Intimacy
Deep third-person allows readers to experience the story closely through a character’s perspective. Incorporate sensory details and internal monologue to enrich this experience. Tutors+3Jane Friedman+3alyssamatesic.com+3
6. Be Mindful of Character Knowledge
Your narrator should only know what the viewpoint character knows, unless you’re using omniscient narration. Avoid revealing information that the character hasn’t experienced or learned. ProWritingAid+5MasterClass+5Jane Friedman+5alyssamatesic.com
7. Use Names Strategically
In third-person writing, using character names can clarify who’s doing what, especially in scenes with multiple characters. However, avoid overuse, as it can become repetitive.
8. Maintain Narrative Distance
Decide how close you want your narrator to be to the characters. A more distant narrator can provide a broader perspective, while a closer narrator offers deeper insight into a character’s thoughts and feelings. MasterClass
9. Use Dialogue Effectively
Dialogue reveals character traits and advances the plot. Ensure that each character’s voice is distinct and consistent with their background and personality. Relay RecruitmentMasterClass
10. Avoid Over-Explaining
Trust your readers to understand context. Over-explaining can slow down the narrative and make it feel unnatural. Relay Recruitment
11. Stay True to Character Voice
Each character should have a unique way of thinking and speaking. Their internal monologue and dialogue should reflect their personality and experiences.
12. Use Sensory Details
Engage readers by describing what characters see, hear, smell, taste, and touch. Sensory details make scenes more vivid and immersive. wordtune.com
13. Be Consistent with Tense
Choose a narrative tense (past or present) and stick with it throughout your story. Shifting tenses can confuse readers and disrupt the narrative flow. MasterClasswordtune.com
14. Use Internal Monologue Sparingly
Internal monologue can provide insight into a character’s thoughts, but overuse can slow down the pacing. Use it strategically to reveal key information or emotions. Mel the Literacy Coach+2Relay Recruitment+2MasterClass+2
15. Edit for Clarity
After writing, review your work to ensure that the narrative perspective remains consistent and clear. Look for any instances where the point of view may have shifted unintentionally. Relay Recruitment+2MasterClass+2wordtune.com+2
16. Practice Regularly
The more you write in third person, the more natural it will become. Regular practice helps you internalize the nuances of this perspective and improves your writing skills. Relay Recruitment+1MasterClass+1wordtune.com
Ready to dive deeper into the world of writing? Grab a free book from CT Mitchell Books today and fuel your passion for storytelling.
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