Narrator Personality

[Heijan Xavier]

My first novel is written in 3rd person for two different MCs POV. While awaiting beta feedback for this book, I have begun the next book. It is written in a new character's first person POV and the writing it just flowing at a much faster clip.

I want to go back now, and establish this new first POV character as the narrator of the first book, having periodic first-person interludes. I have already started this, and I just feel like it justifies everything, thus bringing me closer to the story and the characters. This narrator knows all of the information because of extensive research, and will be delivering the narrative for a specific in-universe purpose.

I feel really excited about the next draft of the first book, and about the next book(s) now. Like a big psychological variable has been eliminated.

Is this sort of narrator identity done though? Is it maybe too gimicky?

 

[HareBrain]

The Chathrand Voyage series, by Robert V S Redick, does just this. It's a third-person narrative where the narrator is a minor character. I think it also contains a few first-person interludes. So it has been done, and in that case works fine IMO.

 

[Heijan Xavier]

The Chathrand Voyage series, by Robert V S Redick, does just this. It's a third-person narrative where the narrator is a minor character. I think it also contains a few first-person interludes. So it has been done, and in that case works fine IMO.

Reassuring thank you.

 

[Brian G Turner]

I've read multiple examples of a novel where the POV changed between different types according to the characters involved, especially between first person with third person in different chapters. Best-selling thriller writer James Patterson does this in at least some of his books.