Thread:Danatblair/@comment-4740494-20131113031753/@comment-6761334-20131114090900

I personally prefer the first person. I feel that it allows the reader to become the protagonist. However, there are some things that are overdone with first person narratives.

In horror movies and it is common for a character to take unwise actions or panick. I hate doing that when I write. If the character's mistake really do fit the narrative, it is not bad. But, how many movies have you seen where the zobie surviors all get wiped out because one person freaks and gets them all killed. I hate that.

Also, try to limit information given to what the character could reasonably know or surmise. Your monster might have a detailed backstory, but your main character has to find out somehow.

Whenever possible, I don't give my protagonists a gender. there is nothing wrong with giving an idenity to your protagonist, however I prefer it when any reader can possibly see themselves as the main character. If you look at a lot of pastas, women have a tendancy to be victims, physco killers, and girlfriends or relatives of the lead. It is okay to put a woman in a role like this on occasion, and it is possible to tell good stories using these tropes. However, I don't want women who read my stories to feel like I am exluding them from taking on the role of the lead. I think I may have only given my lead a known gender once.

Same thing goes for ethnicity, sexual orientation, body idenity. Instead of saying boyfirend or girlfriend the word partner works. Unly specify what group a person belongs too when the story dictates it. Flaky wrote a good pasta in the second person where I honestly felt like the lead could have been anyone. Check out Just a "Nightmare"

Keep in mind that their are multiple approaches and exceptions to every piece of advice. For some examples of my approach here are:

Es Fließt Frei

It Has a Rather Lovely Ending

Every Night I Fall