How to choose a narrator
The choice of narration will impact every page of your story, so it’s not a decision to be taken lightly. The identity of the narrator and the information he or she has access to will be critical to your plot and to the theme of the novel. Each option will give you some advantages, but it will also require you to make some sacrifices. Here are some tips on how to choose a narrator.
1) When you choose a narrator: know the differences
It is essential to know the existing types of narrators in order to be able to choose the one that most favors the story we want to tell and the way we want to tell it, and of course to be faithful and consistent with the choice we make:
3rd person narrator (external):
- Omniscient: You know everything about the characters; you even know in advance what is going to happen.
- Observer: Only counts the observable facts, at no time does it enter the mind or feelings of the characters.
Narrators in the 1st person (Internal):
- Main Narrator: it is the protagonist of the work and he or she tells what it perceives from their point of view
- Witness-narrator: this would be someone who appears in the play as a secondary character who witnesses the events related to it.
2) Mind the genre
Finally, the genre of the story can influence the number of narrators. It is not uncommon to have two point-of-view characters in romance and more in epic fantasy.
3) When you choose a narrator: be honest
Whatever you choose, you feel comfortable. There is no question of forcing yourself to write in the first person if it doesn’t suit you, or locking yourself into a voice that you can’t control. The reader would feel it and your style would run out of steam very quickly.
4) Manage your info
The more the narrator knows about the characters, the greater the reader’s ability to identify with them. Indeed, the reader will feel part of the adventure with the information you give about the actions but also about the feelings of the characters, etc.
Choosing a narrator is crucial to your plot because your point of view will influence the quantity and quality of information you distill into the story and share with your reader.