descriptive essay third person

7 Essential Tips for Writing in the Third Person

Table of contents

Alana Chase

Whether you’re a student, business professional, or writer, knowing how to write well in the third person is an essential skill.

But you may not be sure of all the rules or how to make your third-person writing shine.

As an editor and writing coach of 11 years, I’ve taught students and writers at all levels how to master the third-person point of view (POV). All you need to get started is a good understanding of third-person pronouns and a bit of practice for consistency. 

By the end of this article, you’ll know when and how to use third-person perspective. You'll also find helpful tips for taking your third-person writing to the next level.

Key takeaways 

• In the third-person perspective, the narrator is separate from the story. 
• Third-person perspective uses he/him/his, she/her/hers, and they/them/their pronouns. 
• Consistency is key: Don’t switch between perspectives in a single document.
• Practicing third-person writing and editing your work is vital to improving your skills.

What is third-person point of view (POV)?

In writing, there are three ways to tell a story: first-person, second-person, or third-person POV. 

First-person POV is from the narrator’s perspective: 

“ I saw the bird steal my sandwich, and I ran after it.”

Second-person POV is from the reader’s perspective: 

“ You saw the bird steal your sandwich, and you ran after it.”

Third-person POV, however, separates the narrator from the story and uses third-person pronouns (like he/him, she/her, and they/them) to describe events, actions, thoughts, and emotions. Characters are referred to by name or one of these pronouns: 

“ Alex saw the bird steal his/her/their sandwich, and he/she/they ran after it.”

Third-person POV is used in all kinds of writing — from novels to research papers, journalistic articles, copywriting materials, and more. Check out some examples below.

Examples of third-person perspective

• In a novel: “Robb and Jon sat tall and still on their horses, with Bran between them on his pony, trying to seem older than seven, trying to pretend that he’d seen all this before.” (From A Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin)
• In a news article : “This weekend, Iceland experienced nearly 2,000 earthquakes within 48 hours. And they’ve kept coming since then – in swarms.” (From “Thousands of earthquakes have scientists watching for a volcanic eruption in Iceland” on NPR’s website )
• In copywriting : “Balm Dotcom’s formula has antioxidants and natural emollients to nourish dry lips.” (Website copy describing Glossier’s Balm Dotcom lip product )

7 tips for writing in the third person

Just like the first and second person, you’ve probably already written in the third person before. But to do it well , you’ll need some key tips and tricks in your writing toolkit. 

Let’s dive into the seven essentials for third-person writing.

Tip 1: Use third-person determiners and pronouns 

In grammar, determiners introduce and modify nouns. They’re used to specify what a noun refers to (like “ my laptop”) or the quantity of it (like “ many sandwiches”). 

Meanwhile, pronouns are substitutes for nouns, referring to people, places, or things. For example, “Caroline [noun] is a skilled musician, and she [pronoun] especially loves playing the piano.”

When you write in the third person, use only third-person determiners and pronouns. Let’s take a look at the different types of pronouns. 

Tip 2: Use names for clarity

In third-person writing, using names is crucial for clarity, especially when multiple people/characters share similar pronouns. Strategically incorporate names into your writing to help readers keep track of who’s who. 

For example:

‍ “She submitted the script draft to her, and she made suggestions for changes.”

‍ “Mira submitted the script draft to Lynn, and Lynn made suggestions for changes.”

Tip: Use a character or person’s name when introducing them in your writing. Then, alternate between using pronouns and their name to prevent confusion.

Tip 3: Keep the narration neutral

When you write in the third person, your narrator is an uninvolved observer. They have no opinions on the people, places, things, or events they describe. Their words and tone should be neutral (but not boring).

To achieve this in your writing:

• Think of your narrator as a reporter. Their job is to detail what’s happening, when and why it’s occurring, who’s involved, and any background information that can give context. They don’t offer a personal interpretation of events. Instead, they provide facts and supporting details.
• Save the judgment for characters. Rather than having your narrator share their critique of events or individuals, have a character offer their opinion — either through dialogue, actions, or reactions. For instance, instead of writing, “Dr. Shaw was a courageous woman,” let a character convey admiration by telling Dr. Shaw, “I’ve always admired your fearlessness.”
• Be objective with your descriptions. Avoid subjective adjectives and focus on observable features. For example, instead of describing a landscape as “breathtaking,” write that it’s “marked with snow-capped mountains and patches of tall pine trees.” 

Tip 4: Use descriptive language

Showing — and not just telling — is essential when writing in the third person. Instead of stating emotions and experiences outright, immerse your reader in your character’s reality. Create vivid descriptions of their thoughts, feelings, and surroundings. Use language that engages the senses: sight, sound, smell, touch, and taste. 

For example: 

“Aisha was nervous.”

‍ “Aisha’s hands trembled, and her tongue felt dry against the roof of her mouth. The spotlight above the stage shone white-hot, causing beads of sweat to form along Aisha’s hairline.”

Tip 5: Be consistent

Once you establish a third-person POV, stick to it . Avoid switching from the third person to the first or second person. Otherwise, you’ll confuse the reader and disrupt the flow of your writing.

“Hannah felt a surge of excitement when her telephone rang, anticipating good news about her mortgage application. I felt my heart rate quicken as I answered.” (Switches from the third person to the first person)

“Hannah felt a surge of excitement when her telephone rang, anticipating good news about her mortgage application. She felt her heart rate quicken as she answered.” (Remains in the third person)

Tip 6: Practice

Writing in the third person might feel strange at first, especially if you’re used to using the first or second person. However, it’ll come more naturally to you with practice.

Here are two writing exercises you can try right now:

Writing Exercise #1

Take an excerpt from an article or book written in the first or second person and rewrite it in the third person. Below is an example using The Catcher in the Rye , whose main character is named Holden.

Before: “The other reason I wasn’t down at the game was because I was on my way to say good-by to old Spencer, my history teacher.”

After: “The other reason Holden wasn’t down at the game was because he was on his way to say good-by to old Spencer, his history teacher.”

Writing Exercise #2

Turn on a movie or television show, mute the sound, and closely observe two characters. Give them each a name. Using third-person pronouns and their names, describe the characters’ actions and what you believe they’re thinking and feeling. 

Above all, write in the third person as often as possible , following the tips in this guide. Remember, your writing skills are like muscles: The more you exercise them, the stronger they become. 

Tip 7: Carefully revise 

After you’ve written something in the third person, carefully review and revise your work. 

Check that your writing :

• Uses third-person determiners and pronouns accurately and consistently
• Incorporates names where pronouns may cause confusion
• Maintains a neutral tone, where your narrator doesn’t offer personal opinions or interpretations
• Doesn’t shift to the first or second person

Make changes where necessary, then read through your work a final time.

AI tip: Wordtune can help you self-edit and help improve your writing overall.

Paste your work into Wordtune’s Editor, or write in it directly, and use the features to shorten or expand your sentences, make your tone more casual or formal, and more. Wordtune will also automatically flag spelling and grammar errors and suggest ways to improve concision, clarity, and flow.

Get Wordtune for free > Get Wordtune for free >

Bonus tip (advanced): Learn the different types of third-person POV

Did you know there are three types of third-person POV? Getting familiar with them can help you make your writing even more impactful.

• Third-person objective , where the narrator is “a fly on the wall”: They provide an objective account of events without exploring people/characters’ emotions or thoughts.
• Third-person omniscient , where the narrator has unlimited knowledge of all events and characters’ thoughts and feelings. 
• Third-person limited , also called “close third,” where the narrator has access to just one character’s emotions, thoughts, and experiences. 

With this knowledge, you can choose the right perspective for your writing depending on its purpose, tone, and goals. 

For instance, use third-person omniscient to show readers what’s happening with everyone in your novel. Or, you could go for third-person objective in an academic paper where you must present facts without sharing your interpretation of them.

Writing well in the third person takes thought and effort. You must use third-person determiners and pronouns, weave in descriptive language, and keep your narration neutral. You also need to be consistent with your POV, ensuring you don’t accidentally switch to the first or second person. Finally, review and revise your work to make sure it’s clear and error-free. 

Using this guide — and Wordtune’s tools to polish your writing — you’ll get the hang of the third-person perspective in no time.

To continue sharpening your writing skills, read our articles on mastering tone of voice and writing concisely (with help from AI). Then, check out our proofreading guide to keep your work flawless . 

What is a third-person word example?

Third-person words are pronouns like “he,” “her,” “they,” “it,” “hers,” and “theirs.”

Should I write in the first or third person?

It depends on the closeness you want to create with your audience. The first person allows for a personal connection between the narrator and the reader, while the third person creates distance between the narrator and the audience.

What are the disadvantages of writing in the third person?

Third-person writing can lead to a lack of intimacy with the reader. This can be a disadvantage for some writers but an advantage for others, like those in academic and professional settings.

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• Citation Styles

How to write in third-person

Although there are three narratives you can use in any form of writing when it comes to your papers and anything academic you produce, it’s best to choose the third-person. It’s pretty simple with a bit of practice, but if you’re completely new to this writing style, here’s what you need to know about how to write in third-person.

What does writing in third-person mean?

Writing in third-person is one of the three styles you can use when describing a point of view. Even though you might not know it, chances are you’ve used first, second and third person in writing projects throughout your education.

It’s a narrative where you’re totally independent of the subject you’re analyzing and writing about. You don’t take sides. You don’t try to influence what readers feel. It’s a completely unbiased, objective way of writing that tells a story or dissects a topic right down the middle.

There’s a lot of information out there about how you can differentiate between the three in roundabout ways, making it unnecessarily complicated. Here’s a quick breakdown to understand the differences for when you write your following paper:

First-person

This is from the I/we perspective. It’s where we talk about us , ourselves, and our opinions. If we go down the first-person route, writing will include pronouns like I , me , myself, and mine .

Second-person

This point of view belongs to the person you’re addressing — so its a you perspective. In your writing, you’d use second-person pronouns such as you , your, and yourselves .

Third-person

The third-person point of view is aimed at the person or people being talked about, which is the type of writing you’d find in stories. In this perspective, you’d use pronouns like he , she , him , her , his , hers , himself , herself , it , them , their, and themselves . Or, you’d use a name. But that tends to happen more in stories than research papers.

Notice the difference between the three?

When to write in third-person

The third-person point of view tells the reader a story and it’s often the go-to when you’re taking an authoritative stance in your papers, which is why it’s so common in academic writing.

So, always choose the third-person stance when writing academic copy, such as essays and research papers.

The reason for this is it’ll make your papers less personal and more objective, meaning the objectivity will make you come across as more credible and less biased. Ultimately, this will help your grades as the third-person view keeps you focused on evidence and facts instead of your opinion.

You can break third-person perspectives into three other types, including omniscient, limited, and objective. Although they’re more associated with creative writing than academic work and essays, your writing is likely to fall under the third-person objective point of view.

A third-person objective point of view is about being neutral and presenting your findings and research in an observational way, rather than influencing the reader with your opinions.

How to use the third-person point of view

Rule number one: Never refer to yourself in your essay in the third-person. That’s a no-no.

For instance, here’s how you shouldn’t write a sentence in your essay if you’re writing about virtual learning as an example.

“I feel like students perform better at home because they have more freedom and are more comfortable.”

It’s a simple sentence, but there’s a lot wrong with it when you’re talking about research papers and adopting a third-person narrative. Why? Because you’re using first-person pronouns and, as it sounds like an opinion, you can’t back up your claims with a stat or any credible research. There’s no substance to it whatsoever.

Also, it isn’t very assertive. The person marking your work won’t be impressed by “I feel like,” because it shows no authority and highlights that it came from your brain and not anywhere of note.

By including terms like “I think” or “I feel” like in the example above, you’re already off to a bad start.

But when you switch that example to the third-person point of view, you can cite your sources , which is precisely what you need to do in your essays and research papers to achieve higher grades.

Let’s switch that sentence up and expand it using the third-person point of view:

“A psychological study from Karrie Goodwin shows that students thrive in virtual classrooms as it offers flexibility. They can make their own hours and take regular breaks. Another study from high school teacher, Ashlee Trip, highlighted that children enjoy freedom, the ability to work at their own pace and decide what their day will look like.”

With a third-person narrative, you can present evidence to the reader and back up the claims you make. So, it not only shows what you know, but it also shows you took the time to research and strengthen your paper with credible resources and facts — not just opinions.

6 tips for writing in third-person

1. understand your voice won’t always shine in your essays.

Every single piece of writing tends to have a voice or point of view as if you’re speaking to the reader directly. However, that can’t always happen in academic writing as it’s objective compared to a novel, for example. Don’t try to ‘fluff’ up your piece to try and cram your personality in, as your academic work doesn’t need it.

2. Don’t focus on yourself or the reader — focus on the text

An academic piece of work always has a formal tone as it’s objective. When you write your next paper, focus on the writing itself rather than the writer or the reader.

3. Coach yourself out of using first-person pronouns

This is easier said than done if all you’ve ever done is first- or second-person writing. When you write your next paper, scan through it to see if you’ve written anything in first-person and replace it with the third-person narrative.

Here are a few regular offenders that pop up in academic papers — along with how you can switch the statements to third-person:

• I argue should be this essay argues
• I found that should be it was found that
• We researched should be the group researched
• I will also analyze should be topic X will also be analyzed

The same applies to second-person, as there are plenty of cases where it tends to slip through in academic writing. Again, it’s pretty straightforward to switch the more you practice. For instance:

• Your paper will be marked higher if you use a citation tool should be the use of a citation tool will improve one’s grades

4. Be as specific as possible

This is where things can get a little bit confusing. Writing in third-person is all about including pronouns like he, she, it, and they. However, using them towards the beginning of sentences can be pretty vague and might even confuse the reader — this is the last thing you want from your essay or paper.

Instead, try using nouns towards the beginning of sentences. For example, use the actual subject, such as the interviewer or the writer, rather than he, she, or they when you begin the sentence.

The same applies to terms like it. Start the sentence with the ‘it’ is that you’re describing. If it’s a citation tool, begin the sentence by referencing what you’re discussing, so you aren’t vague. Clarity is key.

5. Write in the present tense when using third-person

In any form of academic writing, you need to write your reports, essays, and research papers in the present tense, especially when introducing different subjects or findings.

So, rather than saying “This paper analyzed” (which does seem correct as technically that part was in the past and the writing is in the present), you should write “This report analyzes” — as if you’re analyzing right here and now.

However, the difference is when you highlight how you did the research, that should be in the past tense. This means you’d use third-person phrases like “The equipment that was used” or “The results were analyzed by”, for instance.

6. Avoid adding your own thoughts

If your report is on a subject that’s close to your heart, it can be super tempting to sprinkle in your own thoughts. It’s a challenge, but you need to coach yourself out of it.

In academic writing, you aren’t a commentator. You’re a reporter. You need to let readers draw their conclusions without over-analyzing them or making the reader lean one way or another.

The easiest way to get to grips with writing your academic papers in the third-person is to be consistent and practice often. Criticize your work and analyze it until it becomes the norm. Yes, it can be a little complex in the early days, but before you know it, you’d have mastered the technique, helping you take your papers and reports up a level.

Frequently Asked Questions about writing in third-person

In third-person, you’d use pronouns like he , she , him , her , his , hers , himself , herself , it , them , their, and themselves . Or, you’d use a name.

You is used in second person and is therefore not used in third person. The second person is used for the person that is being addressed.

The third-person point of view is aimed at the person or people being talked about, which is the type of writing you’d find in stories. When writing in third-person view, make sure to write in the present tense and avoid adding your own thoughts.

When writing in third person, you should actually always write in the present tense since you are mostly presenting results in this view.

The second person point of view belongs to the person you’re addressing — so its a you perspective. In your writing, you’d use second-person pronouns such as you , your, and yourselves .

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How to Write in Third Person

Last Updated: May 10, 2024 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Alicia Cook . Alicia Cook is a Professional Writer based in Newark, New Jersey. With over 12 years of experience, Alicia specializes in poetry and uses her platform to advocate for families affected by addiction and to fight for breaking the stigma against addiction and mental illness. She holds a BA in English and Journalism from Georgian Court University and an MBA from Saint Peter’s University. Alicia is a bestselling poet with Andrews McMeel Publishing and her work has been featured in numerous media outlets including the NY Post, CNN, USA Today, the HuffPost, the LA Times, American Songwriter Magazine, and Bustle. She was named by Teen Vogue as one of the 10 social media poets to know and her poetry mixtape, “Stuff I’ve Been Feeling Lately” was a finalist in the 2016 Goodreads Choice Awards. There are 7 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 1,139,300 times.

Writing in third person can be a simple task, with a little practice. For academic purposes, third person writing means that the writer must avoid using subjective pronouns like “I” or “you.” For creative writing purposes, there are differences between third person omniscient, limited, objective, and episodically limited points of view. Choose which one fits your writing project.

Writing Third Person Point of View

The third-person point of view discusses the person or people being talked about in academic or creative writing. In this perspective, you’d shift focus from subject to subject. Use pronouns like he/him, she/her, they/them, or it/itself.

Writing in Third Person Academically

• Third person helps the writing stay focused on facts and evidence instead of personal opinion.

• Third person pronouns include: he, she, it; his, her, its; him, her, it; himself, herself, itself; they; them; their; themselves.
• Names of other people are also considered appropriate for third person use.
• Example: “ Smith believes differently. According to his research, earlier claims on the subject are incorrect.”

• First person pronouns include: I, me, my, mine, myself, we, us, our, ours, ourselves. [3] X Research source
• The problem with first person is that, academically speaking, it sounds too personalized and too subjective. In other words, it may be difficult to convince the reader that the views and ideas being expressed are unbiased and untainted by personal feelings. Many times, when using first person in academic writing, people use phrases like "I think," "I believe," or "in my opinion."
• Incorrect example: “Even though Smith thinks this way, I think his argument is incorrect.”
• Correct example: “Even though Smith thinks this way, others in the field disagree.”

• Second person pronouns include: you, your, yours, yourself. [4] X Research source
• One main problem with second person is that it can sound accusatory. It runs to risk of placing too much responsibility on the shoulders of the reader specifically and presently reading the work.
• Incorrect example: “If you still disagree nowadays, then you must be ignorant of the facts.”
• Correct example: “Someone who still disagrees nowadays must be ignorant of the facts.”

• Indefinite third person nouns common to academic writing include: the writer, the reader, individuals, students, a student, an instructor, people, a person, a woman, a man, a child, researchers, scientists, writers, experts.
• Example: “In spite of the challenges involved, researchers still persist in their claims.”
• Indefinite third person pronouns include: one, anyone, everyone, someone, no one, another, any, each, either, everybody, neither, nobody, other, anybody, somebody, everything, someone.
• Incorrect example: "You might be tempted to agree without all the facts."
• Correct example: “ One might be tempted to agree without all the facts.”
• This is usually done in an attempt to avoid the gender-specific “he” and “she” pronouns. The mistake here would be to use the “they” pronoun with singular conjugation. [5] X Research source
• Incorrect example: “The witness wanted to offer anonymous testimony. They was afraid of getting hurt if their name was spread.”
• Correct example: “The witness wanted to offer anonymous testimony. They were afraid of getting hurt if their name was spread.”

Writing in Third Person Omniscient

• For instance, a story may include four major characters: William, Bob, Erika, and Samantha. At various points throughout the story, the thoughts and actions of each character should be portrayed. These thoughts can occur within the same chapter or block of narration.
• Writers of omniscient narratives should be conscious of “head-hopping” — that is, shifting character perspectives within a scene. While this does not technically break the rules of Third Person Omniscience, it is widely considered a hallmark of narrative laziness.

• In a sense, the writer of a third person omniscient story is somewhat like the “god” of that story. The writer can observe the external actions of any character at any time, but unlike a limited human observer, the writer can also peek into the inner workings of that character at will, as well.
• Know when to hold back. Even though a writer can reveal any information they choose to reveal, it may be more beneficial to reveal some things gradually. For instance, if one character is supposed to have a mysterious aura, it would be wise to limit access to that character's inner feelings for a while before revealing his or her true motives.

• Do not use first person and second person points of view in the narrative or descriptive portions of the text.
• Correct example: Bob said to Erika, “I think this is creepy. What do you think?”
• Incorrect example: I thought this was creepy, and Bob and Erika thought so, too. What do you think?

Writing in Third Person Limited

• The thoughts and feelings of other characters remain an unknown for the writer throughout the duration of the text. There should be no switching back and forth between characters for this specific type of narrative viewpoint.
• Unlike first person, where the narrator and protagonist are the same, third person limited puts a critical sliver of distance between protagonist and narrator. The writer has the choice to describe one main character’s nasty habit — something they wouldn’t readily reveal if the narration were left entirely to them.

• In other words, do not use first person pronouns like “I,” “me,” “my,” “we,” or “our” outside of dialog. The main character's thoughts and feelings are transparent to the writer, but that character should not double as a narrator.
• Correct example: “Tiffany felt awful after the argument with her boyfriend.”
• Correct example: “Tiffany thought, “I feel awful after that argument with my boyfriend.”
• Incorrect example: “I felt awful after the argument with my boyfriend.”

• Note that the writer can offer insight or guesses regarding the thoughts of other characters, but those guesses must be presented through the perspective of the main character.
• Correct example: “Tiffany felt awful, but judging by the expression on Carl's face, she imagined that he felt just as bad if not worse.”
• Incorrect example: “Tiffany felt awful. What she didn't know was that Carl felt even worse.”

• Correct example: “Tiffany watched from the window as Carl walked up to her house and rang the doorbell.”
• Incorrect example: “As soon as Tiffany left the room, Carl let out a sigh of relief.”

Writing in Episodically Limited Third Person

• Limit the amount of pov characters you include. You don't want to have too many characters that confuse your reader or serve no purpose. Each pov character should have a specific purpose for having a unique point of view. Ask yourself what each pov character contributes to the story.
• For instance, in a romance story following two main characters, Kevin and Felicia, the writer may opt to explain the inner workings of both characters at different moments in the story.
• One character may receive more attention than any other, but all main characters being followed should receive attention at some point in the story.

• Multiple perspectives should not appear within the same narrative space. When one character's perspective ends, another character's can begin. The two perspectives should not be intermixed within the same space.
• Incorrect example: “Kevin felt completely enamored of Felicia from the moment he met her. Felicia, on the other hand, had difficulty trusting Kevin.”

• In a novel-length work, a good time to switch perspective is at the start of a new chapter or at a chapter break.
• The writer should also identify the character whose perspective is being followed at the start of the section, preferably in the first sentence. Otherwise, the reader may waste too much energy guessing.
• Correct example: “Felicia hated to admit it, but the roses Kevin left on her doorstep were a pleasant surprise.”
• Incorrect example: “The roses left on the doorstep seemed like a nice touch.”

• For instance, if Kevin had a talk with Felicia's best friend about Felicia's feelings for him, Felicia herself would have no way of knowing what was said unless she witnessed the conversation or heard about it from either Kevin or her friend.

Writing in Third Person Objective

• There does not need to be a single main character to focus on. The writer can switch between characters, following different characters throughout the course of the narrative, as often as needed.
• Stay away from first person terms like “I” and second person terms like “you” in the narrative, though. Only use first and second person within dialog.

• Imagine that you are an invisible bystander observing the actions and dialog of the characters in your story. You are not omniscient, so you do not have access to any character's inner thoughts and feelings. You only have access to each character's actions.
• Correct example: “After class, Graham hurriedly left the room and rushed back to his dorm room.”
• Incorrect example: “After class, Graham raced from the room and rushed back to his dorm room. The lecture had made him so angry that he felt as though he might snap at the next person he met.”

• Correct example: “When no one else was watching her, Isabelle began to cry.”
• Incorrect example: “Isabelle was too prideful to cry in front of other people, but she felt completely broken-hearted and began crying once she was alone.”

• Let the reader draw his or her own conclusions. Present the actions of the character without analyzing them or explaining how those actions should be viewed.
• Correct example: “Yolanda looked over her shoulder three times before sitting down.”
• Incorrect example: “It might seem like a strange action, but Yolanda looked over her shoulder three times before sitting down. This compulsive habit is an indication of her paranoid state of mind.”

Examples of Third Person POV

Expert Q&A

You Might Also Like

• ↑ https://stlcc.edu/student-support/academic-success-and-tutoring/writing-center/writing-resources/point-of-view-in-academic-writing.aspx
• ↑ http://studysupportresources.port.ac.uk/Writing%20in%20the%20third%20peson.pdf
• ↑ http://www.grammar-monster.com/glossary/third_person.htm
• ↑ https://www.grammarly.com/blog/use-the-singular-they/
• ↑ Alicia Cook. Professional Writer. Expert Interview. 11 December 2020.
• ↑ https://www.merriam-webster.com/words-at-play/point-of-view-first-second-third-person-difference
• ↑ https://ojs.library.dal.ca/YAHS/article/viewFile/7236/6278

About This Article

To write in third person, refer to people or characters by name or use third person pronouns like he, she, it; his, her, its; him, her, it; himself, herself, itself; they; them; their; and themselves. Avoid first and second person pronouns completely. For academic writing, focus on a general viewpoint rather than a specific person's to keep things in third person. In other types of writing, you can write in third person by shifting your focus from character to character or by focusing on a single character. To learn more from our Literary Studies Ph.D., like the differences between third person omniscient and third person limited writing, keep reading the article! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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Descriptive Essays

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What is a descriptive essay?

The descriptive essay is a genre of essay that asks the student to describe something—object, person, place, experience, emotion, situation, etc. This genre encourages the student’s ability to create a written account of a particular experience. What is more, this genre allows for a great deal of artistic freedom (the goal of which is to paint an image that is vivid and moving in the mind of the reader).

One might benefit from keeping in mind this simple maxim: If the reader is unable to clearly form an impression of the thing that you are describing, try, try again!

Here are some guidelines for writing a descriptive essay.

• Take time to brainstorm

If your instructor asks you to describe your favorite food, make sure that you jot down some ideas before you begin describing it. For instance, if you choose pizza, you might start by writing down a few words: sauce, cheese, crust, pepperoni, sausage, spices, hot, melted, etc. Once you have written down some words, you can begin by compiling descriptive lists for each one.

• Use clear and concise language.

This means that words are chosen carefully, particularly for their relevancy in relation to that which you are intending to describe.

• Choose vivid language.

Why use horse when you can choose stallion ? Why not use tempestuous instead of violent ? Or why not miserly in place of cheap ? Such choices form a firmer image in the mind of the reader and often times offer nuanced meanings that serve better one’s purpose.

• Use your senses!

Remember, if you are describing something, you need to be appealing to the senses of the reader. Explain how the thing smelled, felt, sounded, tasted, or looked. Embellish the moment with senses.

• What were you thinking?!

If you can describe emotions or feelings related to your topic, you will connect with the reader on a deeper level. Many have felt crushing loss in their lives, or ecstatic joy, or mild complacency. Tap into this emotional reservoir in order to achieve your full descriptive potential.

• Leave the reader with a clear impression.

One of your goals is to evoke a strong sense of familiarity and appreciation in the reader. If your reader can walk away from the essay craving the very pizza you just described, you are on your way to writing effective descriptive essays.

• Be organized!

It is easy to fall into an incoherent rambling of emotions and senses when writing a descriptive essay. However, you must strive to present an organized and logical description if the reader is to come away from the essay with a cogent sense of what it is you are attempting to describe.

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How to Write in Third Person Point of View

Sarah Oakley

Whether you’re going to write a short story, a novella, or a novel, one of the most important decisions you’ll need to make is which point of view (POV) to use.

Third person is the most popular POV for fiction writers to use. It gives the reader a chance to experience the narrative from a perspective above, or on the shoulder of, the characters.

In this article, we’ll learn what the third person POV is, how it compares to other points of view, and how to write in third person point of view.

What Is Third Person Point of View?

Third person pov meaning, how to write in third person, third person pov examples, conclusion on how to write in third person pov.

Third person POV is when the narrator exists outside of the story. This narrator relates the actions of the characters by using their name or third person pronouns such as “she,” “he,” and “they.”

There are three types of third person POV that you can choose from. Each POV provides a different reader experience as they reveal different amounts of information about the narrative, characters, and setting.

To decide on a POV, think about the type of story you are telling and whether your readers need to be aware of certain details at each point in the plot.

1. Third Person Objective Point of View

The third person objective POV is a way to tell your story by giving the reader all the details within the scenes without including what is going on in the characters’ minds.

To write in the third person objective POV, you will need to create an unbiased narrator who doesn’t tell the reader the thoughts and feelings of the characters. Instead, your narrator will simply relay the actions and dialogue of the story in an objective, impartial telling of the events.

This is great for keeping distance between the reader and the characters. It’s like looking through the window of a stranger’s house and trying to figure out why everything is happening.

2. Third Person Omniscient Point of View

When writing in the third person omniscient POV, you give your reader an all-access pass to the thoughts and feelings of any character in each scene of your story. You can give as much detail about the scene as you can in the third person objective POV, but this time you can also include information from the characters’ perspectives.

The narrator you create to speak in the third person omniscient POV will need to relay the thoughts and feelings of all the relevant characters in the scene. You can do this by switching perspectives. This is sometimes called “head hopping.”

You can use head hopping to show conflict in the story. For example, one paragraph is from the main character’s perspective, as they give some important information to another character. Then, the next paragraph is from the perspective of the person who received the information, which shows their reaction to what the main character just said.

Third person omniscient is perfect for sharing all the little details about the world you have created and allows the reader to pick up clues that some characters might not have noticed. Some writers refer to the third person omniscient POV as an all-seeing being who likes to give their thoughts on the plot.

3. Third Person Limited Point of View

This narrator sits on the shoulder of your main character and tells the story from their perspective. It’s close to being first person, but the reader isn’t solely within the character’s mind and this narrator still uses third person pronouns and verbs.

Sometimes, the third person limited POV narrator sticks to a different character each chapter instead of one character throughout the entire story. We refer to this as a viewpoint character, as we are seeing the world from their perspective.

You are controlling the amount of information given to the reader by focusing on one character’s awareness, rather than all characters’.

First Person vs Third Person

First person POV gives readers full access to the thoughts and feelings of the main character, as they are the one telling the story. There isn’t a narrator getting between the reader and the character.

Another key part of writing in the first person POV is that the character uses first person pronouns to tell the story. They use “I,” “me,” “my,” and “myself” as they are talking about actions and experiences.

Remember : not all main characters notice everything going on around them. It can break the reader’s immersion if they are wondering how the main character knew they were about to die, but there were no clues it was about to happen. Not all characters are psychic!

If you’re aiming to stick to one character’s thoughts and feelings, but you also want to add in some extra details that are in the character’s peripheral vision, try the third person limited perspective.

This POV can be used to great effect in thrillers where you want to stay close to the main character, so the reader connects with them.

Meanwhile, you can also give clues about things that are about to happen that the character is unaware of. Let us watch in horror as the character falls down a hole we all saw coming, but could do nothing to stop them.

Second Person vs Third Person

Second person POV puts you, the reader, in the driving seat as the main character. The narrator breaks the fourth wall and speaks to you directly.

This perspective uses second person pronouns such as “you,” “your,” and “yourself” to bring the reader into the narrative. The narrator uses third person pronouns to refer to other characters.

Second person works well in stories where you want full immersion for the reader. Some people love the feeling of being dropped onto the rollercoaster of drama in a good story. This is why second person is used in video games and Choose Your Own Adventure stories.

However, it is one of the least used POV types by fiction writers. One reason for this is that it takes a lot of skill to write about the reader in a way that feels natural to them while also giving away the right amount of information for the story. You don’t want your reader to lose interest because they don’t agree with something the narrator has said.

Third person objective would be a better option if you don’t want to write as though your story is about the person reading it. The third person POV allows the reader to focus more on the narrative and everything else that’s going on around the characters.

So far, we’ve discussed what the third person POV is, but what does the “third person” part of that mean?

Third person is a grammatical style of writing that uses pronouns such as “she,” “he,” “they,” and “it.” It also uses proper nouns and names when referring to specific individuals and objects.

1. Decide If Third Person Provides the Right Reader Experience

Do you want to tell the story from within the mind of your main character? Do you want to make the reader the main character of the story? If the answer is no to both questions, it’s time to look at your options for writing in the third person.

2. Pick the Type of Third Person Narrator

Go over the details of your story and your characters. You will need to establish whether third person limited, third person objective, or third person omniscient is the best POV for your story.

3. Read Examples of Writing in Third Person

It’s important to take the time to analyze what works and what doesn’t work in third person narration. The best way to do this is by reading other works that use third person points of view.

Focus on the information they are sharing. Did it work? Would you have used a different type of narrator for that story?

4. Use a Consistent POV

Switching POVs is a habit that a lot of writers do if they’re writing in a POV they’re not used to. Don’t worry, it happens. However, being aware that this is something to avoid before you get 200 pages into your novel and realize you switched POVs back on page 90 can help you be more observant of your writing habits.

5. Use the Correct Pronouns—ProWritingAid Can Help!

The third person POV means using third person pronouns when your narrator is speaking. Remembering this is one of the best ways to catch yourself from slipping into different points of view.

You can stop yourself from using the wrong pronouns by using ProWritingAid’s pronoun report. It’ll highlight all the examples of pronouns in your text, so you can easily work through your story and change them back into the third person if you’ve made any mistakes.

6. Create a Trustworthy Third Person Narrator

Your third person narrator is the voice of your narrative. How do they tell the story? Do we believe them?

Readers need to feel like your narrator has the authority to tell these events in a way that satisfies them. If you want to share the thoughts and feelings of the characters, the narrator needs to sound like they are confident in the details they are sharing.

Third Person Objective Example

If you’re wondering how to show conflict when writing in the third person objective POV, we would recommend reading Hills Like White Elephants by Ernest Hemingway.

Let’s look at an excerpt from the story:

The woman brought two glasses of beer and two felt pads. She put the felt pads and the beer glasses on the table and looked at the man and the girl. The girl was looking off at the line of hills. They were white in the sun and the country was brown and dry. “They look like white elephants,” she said. “I’ve never seen one.” The man drank his beer. “No, you wouldn’t have.” “I might have,” the man said. “Just because you say I wouldn’t have doesn’t prove anything.” The girl looked at the bead curtain. “They’ve painted something on it,” she said. “What does it say?” “Anis del Toro. It’s a drink.”

As you can see from this extract, the third person objective narrator is relaying the information about the scene without being biased to either of the characters. They do not quote the characters’ thoughts or feelings; they simply give details about their actions and words.

As a reader, you can still imagine what the characters are thinking and feeling, as the conflict is laid out bare for you to witness.

Third Person Omniscient Example

Readers of the third person omniscient POV expect the narrator to be all-seeing and all-knowing, so it makes sense that the narrator in Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett is “God” or the “Almighty.”

Here’s an extract from the novel:

“Er. Okay,” he said. “I’ll, er, be off then. Shall I? Get it over with. Not that I want to get it over with,” he added hurriedly, aware of the things that could happen if Hastur turned in an unfavourable report. “But you know me. Keen. So I’ll be popping along,” Cowley babbled. “See you guys... see you. Er. Great. Fine. Ciao.” As the Bentley skipped off into the darkness Ligur said, “Wossat mean?” “It’s Italian,” said Hastur. “I think it means food .” “Funny thing to say, then.” Ligur stared at the retreating tail-lights. “You trust him?” he said. “No,” said Hastur. “Right,” said Ligur. It’d be a funny old world, he reflected, if demons went round trusting one another.

This example shows how the third person omniscient narrator pops into the heads of several characters in one passage. At the beginning, we’re in Cowley’s mind, which is shown by the phrase “aware of things that could happen if Hastur turned in an unfavourable report.” However, within a few lines, we pop into Ligur’s mind, which is apparent in the sentence, “It’d be a funny old world, he reflected, if demons went round trusting one another.”

Third Person Limited Example

If you’re looking for examples of third person limited narrators that tell the story from one character’s perspective, we would recommend reading Happily Ever After by Harriet Evans.

Let’s check out a section of the novel:

She knew his face so well, knew him so well, how he drummed his fingers on any spare surface, how he looked vague when trying to get out of things, how his mouth curled to the side when he was making a joke. But she’d never sat this close to him before, because he was her boss. It didn’t feel like that tonight. It was as if they were different people. It was nice. Rory was nice, but then, she’d always known that.

Romance writers like writing first person POV, but third person limited also works well in this genre, like in this extract. The narrator is giving us a direct connection to the mind of the main character (Elle). They do this by describing everything Elle’s noticed about the man she’s attracted to.

Elle realizes her boss has always been nice and we get the impression she’s always secretly wanted to date him. The narrator shows us this by giving us Elle’s perspective on what’s happening in the scene. It’s as close as the narrator can be without Elle telling the story herself.

As you can see, writing in the third person isn’t hard when you follow the step-by-step process. It’s a lot of fun to experiment with the different types of third person POV. Which one do you prefer?

Don’t forget, if you’re worried about slipping into different POVs within your writing, you can always use the ProWritingAid pronoun report to keep you in check!

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##About Sarah is a romance writer with a passion for studying human connections and psychology. She lives with her fiancé and two cats in Gloucester, UK. When she’s not writing, Sarah enjoys visiting theme parks, singing along to rock songs, and planning her next vacation. ##Writing Experience Sarah is an aspiring screenwriter who hopes to see her name in the credits of a romance film one day. She has also written short stories and has had many ideas for novels in a variety of genres. ##Education Sarah has been studying the art of writing and film from the age of 16 and she holds a BA in Creative Writing.

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Writing in Third Person – Examples & Worksheet

| Candace Osmond

Candace Osmond

Candace Osmond studied Advanced Writing & Editing Essentials at MHC. She’s been an International and USA TODAY Bestselling Author for over a decade. And she’s worked as an Editor for several mid-sized publications. Candace has a keen eye for content editing and a high degree of expertise in Fiction.

The third-person narrative is often employed in narrative writing because it zooms in and out of character perspectives to describe actions, feelings, emotions, and thoughts. If you’re unsure how to use the 3rd person perspective in writing, here are some tips and examples.

What is Third Person Narrative?

The third person is one of three perspectives employed in speaking and writing. It’s used to describe the point of view of a third party and uses a variety of pronouns derived from he, her, and it. Books written in third person are often more popular, as well, for their ease of reading.

I often write in first-person narrative, but when I’m writing a complex story from the point of view of multiple characters, I use third person to make things more rounded and streamlined for the reader.

Using Third Person

Third person is a perspective used based on whoever the story or writing in question is about. The subject pronoun is outside of the narrator themself. Third-person texts do not include the perspective of the narrator/writer, nor does it address the reader directly. It also uses certain personal pronouns and possessive pronouns.

Example of a third person sentence:

Jeremy knew it was destined to be. He placed the dog in the backseat of his car and drove away. All he wanted at that time was to ensure the animal got the loving home he deserved.

Third Person Possessive Adjectives in Third Person

So, instead of using me, mine, ours, etc., you would use hers, his, theirs when writing in third person.

Does “You” Belong in 3rd Person Writing?

Third-person writing requires using third-person pronouns, including he, she, it, him, her, them, themselves, himself, herself, or a name. Using “you” means you’re switching to the second person.

How to Introduce Yourself in the Third Person

People typically use the first-person point of view when talking about themselves and their experiences. It would be odd to talk about oneself in the third person all the time, but you might use it occasionally for the sake of humorous effect or attract the attention of another person.

The third person introduces a third party to the person you’re speaking with. If you are a narrator, it’s best to introduce yourself in the first person and start narrating the events in the third person.

How to Start a Story in Third Person

In a story, narrators use the third person if they are not part of the story themselves. Third-person narratives show us a person’s actions, feelings, and thoughts.

Example of how to write in third person:

Nadia dreamt about being a gymnast her entire life. Ever since she can remember, she’s worked hard, sacrificed a lot, and hoped someone would notice all her efforts. She was never the smartest kid in school, but she believed in herself enough to never give up on that spot on the podium.

What Are the 3 Types of 3rd Person?

In writing, there are three ways to approach third-person writing.

Third-Person Omniscient

The story’s narrator is all-knowing and can see into the past, present, and future. This narrator can assume other people’s perspectives, jumping around in time and providing the reader with their thoughts and observations.

Third-Person Limited Omniscient

In this point of view, the author focuses on one persona and never switches to another. In a novel, the narrator may use this technique throughout the work or employ it in alternating chapters or sections.

The author can regulate the reader’s knowledge and experience by writing from a limited point of view. Used effectively, it can create a palpable sense of anticipation and excitement.

Third-Person Objective

The narrator of a story told from the third-person objective perspective is unbiased and does not share the viewpoint of the character’s emotional reactions. The story is told in an objective, third-person style.

How to Write In Third Person About Yourself

The easiest way to approach this problem is to create a character. You can also use your actual name to write from the third-person perspective.

Why Write in Third-Person?

Fiction writing uses third-person POV quite often. Here are some advantages of employing it as part of your narrative style.

Strong Character Growth Is Emphasized

More characters can be highlighted in a story told from the third-person perspective than in the first- or second-person. These varying perspectives give the reader a complete understanding of the story since they shed light on the plot in ways the other characters cannot.

It Employs Flexible Narrative Possibilities

The advantages of writing in the third person include greater freedom to move around, giving the reader a comprehensive view, and shifting perspectives among multiple characters. You can switch between being completely all-knowing and having only partial or first-person knowledge.

This latter technique allows the reader to experience the world through the eyes of a character, allowing for a more profound understanding of that person and their surroundings.

Makes the Author More Reliable

Third-person narration places the reader in a vantage point far above the action. With the author/narrator not part of the story, they can rise above it, having nothing to lose or gain from certain narrative developments. This makes the story more reliable and lends the story more authority and credibility.

First, Second, and Third Person Pronouns

If you’re confused about the types of pronouns used in each of the three main perspectives, here is a comprehensive list:

• First person pronouns: I, me, mine, myself, we, us, ourselves, ours.
• Second person pronouns: you, your, yours.
• Third person singular pronouns: he, him, his, she, her, it,
• Third person plural pronouns: its, itself, they, them, their, theirs, themselves.

Bottom Line on Third Person

Writing in 3rd person grants the author more credibility and offers a more objective perspective of the characters in the text. Often employed in fictional and academic writing, the third-person point of view makes the text seem more authentic and factually correct.

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Descriptive Essay Writing

Descriptive Essay Examples

Amazing Descriptive Essay Examples for Your Help

Published on: Jun 21, 2023

Last updated on: Mar 1, 2024

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Descriptive Essay: Definition, Tips & Examples

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Descriptive essays are very commonly assigned essays. This type of essay enhances students' writing skills and allows them to think critically. 

A descriptive essay is often referred to as the parent essay type. Other essays like argumentative essays, narrative essays, and expository essays fall into descriptive essays. Also, this essay helps the student enhance their ability to imagine the whole scene in mind by appealing senses.

It is assigned to high school students and all other students at different academic levels. Students make use of the human senses like touch, smell, etc., to make the descriptive essay more engaging for the readers. 

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Examples make it easy for readers to understand things in a better way. Also, in a descriptive essay, different types of descriptions can be discussed. 

Here are some amazing examples of a descriptive essay to make the concept easier for you. 

Descriptive Essay Example 5 Paragraph

5 paragraphs essay writing format is the most common method of composing an essay. This format has 5 paragraphs in total. The sequence of the paragraphs is as follows;

• Introduction
• Body Paragraph 1
• Body Paragraph 2 
• Body Paragraph 3
• Conclusion 

Following is an example of a descriptive essay written using the famous 5 paragraph method. 

5 Paragraph Descriptive Essay

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Descriptive Essay Example About A Person

Descriptive essays are the best option when it comes to describing and writing about a person.  A descriptive essay is written using the five human senses. It helps in creating a vivid image in the reader’s mind and understanding what the writer is trying to convey. 

Here is one of the best descriptive essay examples about a person. Read it thoroughly and try to understand how a good descriptive essay is written on someone’s personality.

Descriptive Essay Example About a Person

Descriptive Essay Example About A Place

If you have visited a good holiday spot or any other place and want to let your friends know about it. A descriptive essay can help you explain every detail and moment you had at that place. 

Here is one of the good descriptive essay examples about a place. Use it as a sample and learn how you can write such an essay. 

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Descriptive Essay Example for Grade 6

Descriptive essays are frequently assigned to school students. This type of essay helps the students enhance their writing skills and helps them see things in a more analytical way.

If you are a 6 grader and looking for a good descriptive essay example, you are in the right place.  

Descriptive Essay Example for Grade 7

Here is one of the best descriptive essay examples for grade 7. 

Descriptive Essay Example for Grade 8

If you are looking for some amazing descriptive essay examples for grade 8, you have already found one. Look at the given example and see what a well-written descriptive essay looks like. 

Descriptive Essay Example for Grade 10

Essay writing is an inevitable part of a student's academic life . No matter your grade, you will get to write some sort of essay at least once. 

Here is an example of a descriptive essay writing for grade10. If you are also a student of this grade, this example might help you to complete your assignment.

Descriptive Essay Example for Grade 12

If you are a senior student and looking for some essay examples, you are exactly where you should be. 

Use the below-mentioned example and learn how to write a good essay according to the instructions given to you. 

Descriptive Essay Example College

Descriptive essays are a great way to teach students how they can become better writers. Writing a descriptive essay encourages them to see the world more analytically.

Below is an example that will help you and make your writing process easy.

College Descriptive Essay Example

Descriptive Essay Example for University

Descriptive essays are assigned to students at all academic levels. University students are also assigned descriptive essay writing assignments. As they are students of higher educational levels, they are often given a bit of difficult and more descriptive topics. 

See the example below and know what a descriptive essay at the university level looks like. 

Short Descriptive Essay Example

Every time a descriptive essay isn't written in detail. It depends on the topic of how long the essay will be.  

For instance, look at one of the short descriptive essay examples given below. See how the writer has conveyed the concept in a composed way. 

Objective Descriptive Essay Example

When writing an objective description essay, you focus on describing the object without conveying your emotions, feelings, or personal reactions. The writer uses sight, sound, or touch for readers' minds to bring life into pictures that were painted by words.

Here is an example that you can use for your help. 

Narrative and Descriptive Essay Example

A narrative descriptive essay can be a great way to share your experiences with others. It is a story that teaches a lesson you have learned. The following is an example of a perfect narrative descriptive essay to help you get started.

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How to Start a Descriptive Essay? - Example

If you don't know how to start your descriptive essay, check this example and create a perfect one. 

How to Start a Descriptive Essay - Example

Subjective Descriptive Essay Example

It is a common concept that a descriptive essay revolves around one subject. Be it a place, person, event, or any other object you can think of. 

Following is one of the subjective descriptive, easy examples. Use it as a guide to writing an effective descriptive essay yourself. 

Writing a descriptive essay is a time-consuming yet tricky task. It needs some very strong writing, analytical, and critical thinking skills. Also, this is a type of essay that a student can not avoid and bypass. 

But if you think wisely, work smart, and stay calm, you can get over it easily. Learn how to write a descriptive essay from a short guide given below. 

How to Write a Descriptive Essay?

A writer writes a descriptive essay from their knowledge and imaginative mind. In this essay, the writer describes what he has seen or experienced, or ever heard from someone. For a descriptive essay, it is important to stay focused on one point. Also, the writer should use figurative language so that the reader can imagine the situation in mind. 

The following are some very basic yet important steps that can help you write an amazing descriptive essay easily. 

• Choose a Topic

For a descriptive essay, you must choose a vast topic to allow you to express yourself freely. Also, make sure that the topic you choose is not overdone. An overdone will not grab the attention of your intended audience. Check out our descriptive essay topics blog for a variety of intriguing topic suggestions.

• Create a Strong Thesis Statement

A thesis statement is the essence of any academic writing. When you select the descriptive essay topic, then you create a strong thesis statement for your essay.  

A thesis statement is a sentence or two that explains the whole idea of your essay to the reader. It is stated in the introductory paragraph of the essay. The word choice for creating the thesis statement must be very expressive, composed, and meaningful. Also, use vivid language for the thesis statement.  

• Collect the Necessary Information

Once you have created the thesis statement and are done writing your essay introduction . Now, it's time to move toward the body paragraphs. 

Collect all necessary information related to your topic. You would be adding this information to your essay to support your thesis statement. Make sure that you collect information from authentic sources. 

To enhance your essay, make use of some adjectives and adverbs. To make your descriptive essay more vivid, try to incorporate sensory details like touch, taste, sight, and smell.

• Create a Descriptive Essay Outline

An outline is yet another necessary element of your college essay. By reading the descriptive essay outline , the reader feels a sense of logic and a guide for the essay. 

In the outline, you need to write an introduction, thesis statement, body paragraphs and end up with a formal conclusion.

Proofreading is a simple procedure in which the writer revises the written essay. This is done in order to rectify the document for any kind of spelling or grammatical mistakes. Thus, proofreading makes high-quality content and gives a professional touch to it. 

You might be uncertain about writing a good enough descriptive essay and impress your teacher. However, it is very common, so you do not need to stress out. 

Hit us up at CollegeEssay.org and get an essay written by our professional descriptive essay writers. Our essay writing service for students aims to help clients in every way possible and ease their stress. Get in touch with our customer support team, and they will take care of all your queries related to your writing. 

You can always enhance your writing skills by leveraging the power of our AI essay writing tools .

Place your order now and let all your stress go away in a blink! 

Barbara P (Literature)

Barbara is a highly educated and qualified author with a Ph.D. in public health from an Ivy League university. She has spent a significant amount of time working in the medical field, conducting a thorough study on a variety of health issues. Her work has been published in several major publications.

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6 Tips for Writing Deep Third-Person Point of View

• February 20, 2024

Table of Contents:

Understand the third-person point of view.

• - Third-person limited
• - Third-person omniscient

Tips to Write a Deep POV:

1. get to know your character deeply, 2. focus on one character at a time, 3. use deep point of view techniques, 4. limit external backstory.

• 5. Employ 'Free Indirect Discourse'
• 6. Avoid the 'Psychic Narrator' Pitfall

 Conclusion:

Getting into the characters’ minds without the intimate “I” might seem like a challenge, but mastering the Third-Person Point of View (POV) can turn your narrative into a multifaceted gem gleaming with depth and perspective.

In the intricate dance of storytelling, a deep Third-Person POV offers a grand stage where a writer can pirouette between the internal and the external, the subjective and the objective, all while maintaining the elegant balance of narrative distance.

In this blog, we’ll explore 6 essential tips for writing deep Third-Person POV that will help you craft vivid characters. Whether you’re writing a thrilling fantasy saga or a nuanced contemporary drama, these strategies will empower you to captivate readers.

The third-person point of view refers to the perspective of a narrator who is not part of the story and uses pronouns like “he,” “she,” and “they” rather than “I.” There are two main types of third-person point of view:

– Third-person limited

The narrator tells the story from the perspective of just one character. We only get access to that particular character’s inner thoughts, feelings, and experiences. The narrator only knows what that character knows.

– Third-person omniscient

The narrator has full access to the inner workings of all the characters and provides commentary and background information that the characters do not have. The narrator is like an all-knowing god, not limited to a single perspective.

Here are 6 amazing tips that you should use when you write Deep POV.

To write a deep third-person point of view effectively, you need to comprehensively understand your viewpoint character. Knowing your character inside and out will allow you to convey their perspective convincingly.  Following is a technique our writers at the Book Writing Founders use when writing a character description.

Start by creating an in-depth character profile covering key details like:

• Background – Where are they from? What is their family situation? What major events shaped them?
• Motivations – What drives them? What do they want most in life?
• Goals – What concrete goals are they pursuing in the story? How do these tie into their motivations?
• Fears – What are they afraid of? What would be their worst nightmare?
• Personality – Are they introverted or extroverted? Optimistic or pessimistic? Passionate or logical?
• Relationships – How do they interact with other characters? Who are the important people in their life?
• Flaws – What are their weaknesses? Shortcomings? Bad habits?
• Talents – What are they good at? What unique skills do they have?
• Physical description – Height, weight, hair color, eye color, distinguishing features.

Fleshing out all these details will allow you to embody your viewpoint character fully. You’ll understand how they think, how they see the world, and what lens they view events. This will make writing a deep third-person perspective feel natural.

Spend time getting to know your character inside and out before starting your draft. You can even interview them, envision scenarios, or write journal entries in their voice. The more familiar you are with the intricacies of their personality, the better you’ll be able to convey their distinctive perspective.

When writing a deep third-person point of view, focusing on one character’s perspective per scene or chapter is important rather than jumping randomly between multiple characters. Sticking with a single Deep POV for an extended period allows you to immerse deeply in that character’s emotions, thoughts, senses, and experiences.

Switching POVs too frequently disrupts the reader’s connection with any one character. It also makes the narrative feel disjointed and distances readers from individual characters. Maintaining a consistent Deep POV for a full scene or chapter leads to a much deeper exploration of that character’s inner world.

If you switch POVs between scenes or chapters, make the transitions clear. Use scene breaks, extra line spacing, or explicit cues like “Meanwhile…” to signal that the POV character is changing. Don’t change POVs within the same paragraph or page without some kind of divide.

Adhering to one point of view (POV)—a key among narrative writing elements —enhances story depth and coherence. Resist the urge to jump into a different character’s head just because it feels convenient. Staying in one character’s perspective will lend your story greater focus, depth, and coherence. Your readers will connect more strongly with each viewpoint character.

One of the keys to writing a deep third-person point of view is to fully inhabit the perspective of your viewpoint character. Instead of telling the reader what’s happening from the outside, put them directly into the mind and body of the character.

Describe what the character sees, hears, feels, smells, and tastes. Portray their thoughts, emotions, and visceral reactions using vivid inner monologue. For example:

“ John’s palms began to sweat as he sat across from Amanda at the restaurant table. His heart pounded against his ribs. It felt like a jackhammer trying to break free. She was even more beautiful than he remembered, with those dazzling green eyes that seemed to pierce right through him. Would she notice how nervous he was?”

“Calm down, John told himself, though his thudding heart refused to listen. He wiped his hands on his pants under the table. Come on, say something charming and witty. Compliment her! No, wait. Too obvious. Just relax. Oh god, now the silence is getting awkward. Speak!”

Using descriptive details and inner monologue creates a much more immersive experience for the reader. Instead of telling them John is nervous on a date, you allow them to directly feel those nerves and self-doubt. This drops them straight into John’s perspective.

Use all five senses, convey raw emotions, and amplify anxiety and excitement. Deep POV collapses that narrative distance between the reader and the character.

One of the keys to Deep POV is revealing the backstory organically through the character’s lens rather than via external narration. Avoid explanatory chunks of backstory and description that feel removed from the character’s direct experience as much as possible.

Instead, sprinkle in only details that your point of view character is noticing, feeling, and thinking in the moment. Let their perspectives color how the backstory gets pieced together.

You can reveal glimpses of backstory indirectly through the character’s thoughts, emotions, and perceptions. But limit external explanations that break the immersion.

Use flashbacks sparingly as well. While they can be useful, overdone flashbacks stop the forward momentum and distract from the character’s thoughts and emotions.

The key is ensuring the backstory blends seamlessly into the character’s perspective.

Incorporating these techniques effectively can be a challenge, which is why many authors turn to book writing services . These services offer professional guidance to seamlessly weave backstory into your narrative, ensuring your character’s journey is compelling and immersive.

5. Employ ‘Free Indirect Discourse’

Free indirect discourse is a powerful technique for a deep third-person point of view. This allows fluid shifts between the character’s thoughts and the narrator’s voice without direct attribution, like “she thought” or “he wondered.”

For example:

She glanced at the clock. Five minutes until her interview. “Of course I’m nervous, who wouldn’t be?” But she had prepared, done research, and knew what to expect. “ Don’t mess this up! Just relax. You’ve got this .”  Deep breathing now. Shoulders back, head high. The receptionist called her name with a smile. “ Here we go!”

This moves freely between the character’s thoughts in italics and the narrator’s descriptions. It adds intimacy without constant “she thought” tags, pulling the reader deeper into the character’s perspective. The transitions feel seamless, like we’re overhearing the character’s mental dialogue.

6. Avoid the ‘Psychic Narrator’ Pitfall

One of the biggest mistakes that can pull readers out of deep POV is allowing the narrator to know more than the viewpoint character possibly could. This “psychic narrator” destroys immersion in the character’s experiences and perspective.

For example, imagine a scene where Bob nervously approaches his boss to ask for a raise. The narrator shouldn’t say, “Little did Bob know, but his boss was already planning to promote him that day.” There’s no way the narrator could know the boss’s internal thoughts and plans.

Stick to Bob’s perspective and describe his nervous sweating, rapid breathing, and churning stomach as he agonizes over bringing up the sensitive topic. Only show the boss’s reactions and dialog. Avoid omniscient narrator moments that peer into other characters’ minds or foreshadow unknown future events.

The deep third-person narrator should be limited to the viewpoint character’s experiences, thoughts, emotions, and perceptions. Resist the temptation to let the narrator know more than the character possibly could. This will keep the reader in one consistent perspective for a truly immersive experience.

In this vein, it’s helpful for authors to occasionally employ a book editing services provider who can help you with your creativity and ensure that your perspective is consistent.

A deep third-person point of view offers a unique way to narrate your stories, blending the personal with a broad perspective. With the 6 tips we’ve discussed, you’re now prepared to use this narrative style more effectively.

Remember, this technique is a tool to connect with your readers and bring your characters to life. With these tips, you’re ready to create stories that can truly engage your audience. Now, it’s time to put these tips to use, explore their potential, and let your stories shine with depth and connection.

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Third Person Point Of View Explained (With Examples)

Welcome to our comprehensive guide on the Third Person Point of View in narrative writing.

This article delves deep into what constitutes a narrative point of view, focusing on the third-person perspective. We explore its historical evolution , analyze its different types (limited, omniscient, objective), and discuss its varied applications across different literary genres . Additionally, we compare it with first and second-person narratives to provide a complete understanding of its unique attributes. Whether you're a budding writer or a seasoned author, this article offers invaluable insights into mastering the art of third-person narration.

Table of Contents

What is Narrative Point of View?

What is third person point of view, historical evolution of third-person point of view, different types of third person point of view, genre-specific uses of third-person point of view, flexibility and adaptability of third-person point of view, comparative analysis with first and second person narratives, subjective and objective narrative point of view, omniscient and limited narrative points of view, advantages and disadvantages of third person point of view, comparative view with first and second person povs, frequently asked questions, final thoughts.

When writing a novel, you must choose which narrative viewpoint will work best for you and your book. This choice of narrative point of view is an essential part of any writing journey.

The most common narrative point of view is a third person viewpoint. In third person point of view the narrator refers to all characters with a third person pronouns such as 'he', 'she', or 'they'.

In other words, the narrator is not a story's character but a separate entity.

In this article, you'll learn about third person point of view. You'll discover the best variety of third person point of view and when to apply third person perspective to your writing.

To fully understand third person point of view, we must first look at narrative viewpoint in general.

In fact, we must take one step further back and consider narration as a whole.

Wikipedia describes narration as 'the use of a written or spoken commentary to convey a story to an audience'. [ source ]

In other words, it is the way a story is told to the reader.

Narration is split into three elements:

• Narrative point of view : the grammatical person used by the narrator to refer to the character being narrated.
• Narrative tense : the consistent use of the grammatical tense of either past or present.
• Narrative techniques : methods of conveying the story.

Of these three elements, it is narrative point of view that interests us.

The person who tells a story is known as the narrator; this might be a character in the story, but it might also be a separate 'voice' independent of the other characters.

The narrative point of view is determined by 'who' tells the story and 'how the story is told'.

There are three different types of narrative view point: first person viewpoint , second person viewpoint and third person viewpoint.

This article looks at first person.

If you would like to learn more about the specifics of all different points of view, this extensive article called Mastering Point Of View In Writing: A Comprehensive Guide will prove to be an effective resource.

One way to identify your viewpoint is to look carefully at your pronouns. This pronoun will often tell you a lot about the viewpoint.

In third person point of view, the narrator refers to all characters with third-person pronouns such as 'he', 'she', or 'they'.

So 'they' can be considered a third person pronoun.

Remember, the narrator is not a character in the story and is a separate entity, this means they will refer to characters as separate people and not use a pronoun such as 'I"/.

Third person point of view is, by far, the most common method of storytelling and has been the viewpoint of choice for some of the best-known stories in the English language. Here's the opening from Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice a novel famously written from a third person point of view.

It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife. However little known the feelings or views of such a man may be on his first entering a neighbourhood, this truth is so well fixed in the minds of the surrounding families, that he is considered the rightful property of some one or other of their daughters. "My dear Mr. Bennet," said his lady to him one day, "have you heard that Netherfield Park is let at last?" Mr. Bennet replied that he had not. "But it is," returned she; "for Mrs. Long has just been here, and she told me all about it." Mr. Bennet made no answer. "Do you not want to know who has taken it?" cried his wife impatiently. "You want to tell me, and I have no objection to hearing it." This was invitation enough.

One clear distinction of the third person point of view is that the narrator is someone separate from the novel's characters. In fact, the narrator is almost always unidentified. This leads to a third-person narrator often being called an 'anonymous narrator'.

This is very different from a first-person narrator, where the narrator is both identified and a character within the novel.

The origins of the third-person point of view in literature can be traced back to ancient epic tales and classical texts. These early examples often employed a narrative style that was external to the characters, focusing on their actions rather than internal thoughts.

During the Renaissance, the third-person narrative began to evolve, offering deeper character insights. The Romantic and Victorian eras saw further development, with authors like Jane Austen and Charles Dickens using this perspective to explore complex social themes and character psychology. The Modernist movement brought experimental approaches to third-person narration, challenging traditional storytelling methods.

In contemporary literature, the third-person point of view continues to be versatile, adapting to various narrative styles and genres. Recent trends include the blending of third-person with other perspectives and the use of a more intimate, character-focused approach. This evolution reflects the ongoing innovation in storytelling techniques and the diverse ways in which writers engage with their readers.

When learning about third person points of view, the most confusing element for new writers is the distinction between the different types of third-person viewpoints. All third person point of view is written using a detached and anonymous narrator, but the information the narrator possesses about the characters differs significantly between different types of viewpoint.

All third person points of view sit somewhere on an axis between subjective/objective and omniscient/limited.

We look at these in more detail below, but it is essential to understand that all third-person viewpoints will be between subjective and objective and omniscient and limited. In most cases, a viewpoint tends to be either subjective OR objective and omniscient OR limited. This is not always the case. Some narrative stances can move along these axes as the story progresses, but this is uncommon.

Third-Person Limited POV

In the Third-Person Limited POV , the narrator tells the story from the perspective of one character at a time. This approach provides insight into the thoughts and feelings of the focal character, while other characters are presented externally. It's akin to looking over the shoulder of the protagonist, experiencing the world and events through their eyes. This POV is particularly effective in creating a deep connection with the character while maintaining the authorial distance of third-person narration.

Third-Person Omniscient POV

The Third-Person Omniscient POV offers a 'godlike' perspective, where the narrator knows everything happening in the story world. This includes access to the thoughts, feelings, and backgrounds of all characters. It allows for a broad and all-encompassing view of the narrative, making it ideal for complex stories with multiple characters and intricate plots. The omniscient POV can provide a comprehensive understanding of the events and motivations behind characters' actions.

Third-Person Objective POV

The Third-Person Objective POV presents a more detached view. Here, the narrator reports events without delving into the internal thoughts or feelings of any character, akin to a camera recording the unfolding action. This style creates a sense of objectivity and is often used in journalistic writing or stories where the focus is more on events than on characters' internal experiences. It leaves much to the reader's interpretation, as they only witness actions and dialogues without being privy to the characters' internal states.

The third-person point of view offers unique advantages in various literary genres, each employing this perspective to enhance storytelling in distinct ways. From the expansive worlds of fantasy to the intricate character dynamics in romance, this point of view adapts to the needs of different narratives. Let's explore how the third-person POV is tailored to enrich the reader's experience in key genres like Fantasy and Sci-Fi, Mystery and Thriller, and Romance and Historical Fiction.

Fantasy and Sci-Fi

In Fantasy and Sci-Fi genres, the third-person point of view is pivotal for world-building and handling complex plotlines. It allows authors to introduce fantastical elements and expansive universes from a perspective that can encompass vast settings and multiple character arcs. The omniscient viewpoint is particularly useful in these genres, providing a godlike view of invented worlds and the intricate interplay of characters within them. For example, George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series masterfully uses this POV to navigate a complex world with a large cast of characters.

Mystery and Thriller

For Mystery and Thriller novels, the third-person limited POV is often preferred. It allows readers to follow the protagonist's journey closely, unraveling mysteries and encountering surprises alongside them. This POV can also shift between characters, offering varied perspectives on the unfolding plot and enhancing the suspense. An excellent example of this is Gillian Flynn's Gone Girl , where the third-person limited perspective deepens the mystery and complexity of the narrative.

Romance and Historical Fiction

In Romance and Historical Fiction , the third-person limited POV is frequently used to delve deep into characters' emotions and relationships, while also providing historical context. It balances the intimacy of first-person with the broader scope of third-person, allowing for a detailed exploration of the characters' internal and external worlds. The narrative can switch between the perspectives of different characters, offering a comprehensive view of their emotions and the dynamics of their relationships. A notable example is Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice , which uses third-person limited POV to explore the nuances of romantic relationships and social dynamics of the era.

The third-person point of view stands out for its remarkable flexibility and adaptability in storytelling. This versatility allows writers to adjust the narrative's lens as needed, seamlessly shifting from an overarching, all-knowing perspective to a more focused, character-specific view. The third-person POV can provide a broad view of the story world and its various inhabitants or zoom in to offer a detailed, intimate portrayal of a single character's experiences and perceptions.

Its adaptability extends to how it can accommodate shifts in tone, perspective, and narrative depth. Writers can choose to narrate events in a straightforward, objective manner or adopt a more subjective approach, delving into the characters' innermost thoughts and feelings. This flexibility makes the third-person POV an excellent choice for a wide range of literary works, from intricate multi-character epics to deeply personal character studies.

Moreover, the third-person perspective can bridge the gap between the immersive, personal experience of the first-person POV and the broader, more inclusive scope of an omniscient narrator. It allows authors to maintain narrative consistency while still providing the freedom to explore the inner workings of their characters' minds or to step back and present events in a more detached, unbiased manner.

In the realm of narrative writing, choosing the right point of view (POV) is crucial for shaping the reader's experience. This section offers a comparative analysis of the third-person POV against the first and second-person perspectives. Each POV brings its unique flavor to storytelling, influencing the reader's connection with the narrative. Understanding these differences helps writers select the POV that best suits their storytelling goals.

Comparison with First Person

Compared to the first-person POV , where the story is told directly by a character using "I," the third-person POV provides more narrative flexibility. First-person narration offers an intimate, subjective view of the story, deeply immersing readers in the narrator's personal experiences and emotions. In contrast, third-person narration can offer varying degrees of objectivity and omniscience, enabling a wider view of the story world and multiple characters' perspectives.

Comparison with Second Person

The second-person POV , which addresses the reader as "you," creates a unique, direct engagement with the narrative, often placing the reader in the protagonist's shoes. This POV is less common and can offer an intense, immersive experience. The third-person POV, by comparison, provides a more traditional storytelling format, allowing readers to observe the story from a distance, without the direct involvement implied by second-person narration.

Balancing Perspective

Choosing between first, second, and third-person POVs depends on the desired narrative impact. The third-person POV strikes a balance between the intimate connection of first-person and the immersive directive of second-person. It can be tailored to either bring readers closer to the characters' inner worlds or provide a panoramic view of the story, making it a versatile tool for storytellers to achieve their desired narrative effect.

Third person point of view subjective narration involves a narrator with access to one or more character's personal feelings and thoughts. In other words, the narrator understands the thoughts and feelings of, at least, one character.

This is a common type of storytelling. The narrator typically focuses on one character (though not always), who is the main character.

A great example of Third-person subjective narration is Hemingway's The Old Man and the Sea .

He was an old man who fished alone in a skiff in the Gulf Stream and he had gone eighty-four days now without taking a fish. In the first forty days a boy had been with him. But after forty days without a fish the boy's parents had told him that the old man was now definitely and finally salao, which is the worst form of unlucky, and the boy had gone at their orders in another boat which caught three good fish the first week. It made the boy sad to see the old man come in each day with his skiff empty and he always went down to help him carry either the coiled lines or the gaff and harpoon and the sail that was furled around the mast. The sail was patched with flour sacks and, furled, it looked like the flag of permanent defeat.

Third person point of view objective narration sees the narrator not describing the feelings or thoughts of any characters but, rather, just the exact facts of the story.

The narrator tends to be very 'de-humanized' and detached from the story. This approach is often called "fly-on-the-wall" or "camera lens", since the narrator will describe events and actions but provide no explanation or character thoughts.

This type of viewpoint was popular in the 19th century with large, sweeping narratives. It is also occasionally called 'over the shoulder' narration. It sees the focus with one character and the narrator describing only the events perceived and information known by this character.

This approach is very similar to first-person, but produces a narrower and more claustrophobic version of the third person viewpoint.

Perhaps the most famous example of this type of third person viewpoint is Hills Like White Elephants by Ernest Hemingway.

The hills across the valley of the Ebro' were long and white. On this side there was no shade and no trees and the station was between two lines of rails in the sun. Close against the side of the station there was the warm shadow of the building and a curtain, made of strings of bamboo beads, hung across the open door into the bar, to keep out flies. The American and the girl with him sat at a table in the shade, outside the building. It was very hot and the express from Barcelona would come in forty minutes. It stopped at this junction for two minutes and went on to Madrid. "What should we drink?" the girl asked. She had taken off her hat and put it on the table. "It's pretty hot," the man said.

Third person omniscient point of view is an approach that sees the narrator knowing everything that is happening within the story's world, including what each of the characters is thinking and feeling.

This viewpoint stance is very common and is used by some of the most famous writers, including Charles Dickens. It is the approach that works best when looking to produce complicated plots with deep, complex characters. One major drawback is that it is impossible to create an unreliable narrator since the reader has access to events, thoughts, and feelings throughout the world.

Below is the opening to Charles Dickens' A Tale of Two Cities , an example of third person omniscient point of view.

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way – in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only.

Third person limited point of view sees the narrator conveying the knowledge and subjective experience of just one character. In other words, the narrator is focussed on a single character and only knows this character.

This is a very common narrative approach and is, perhaps, the most common storytelling format for popular novels in the Twentieth Century. One of the most successful uses of First-person limited narration is J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series.

The example below is taken from Jack London's To Build a Fire .

"Day had dawned cold and gray when the man turned aside from the main Yukon trail. He climbed the high earth-bank where a little-traveled trail led east through the pine for- est. It was a high bank, and he paused to breathe at the top. He excused the act to himself by looking at his watch. It was nine o'clock in the morning. There was no sun or promise of sun, although there was not a cloud in the sky. It was a clear day. However, there seemed to be an indescribable darkness over the face of things. That was because the sun was absent from the sky. This fact did not worry the man. He was not alarmed by the lack of sun. It had been days since he had seen the sun."

Third person point of view offers several advantages and disadvantages to writers that should be considered when choosing the narrative voice for their work. Understanding the benefits and drawbacks of this point of view can help writers make the best decision for their particular story. Here are some of the key advantages and disadvantages of third person point of view:

Advantages:

Multiple perspectives: Third person point of view allows for the narrative to switch between different characters' perspectives, giving the reader a more well-rounded understanding of the events and emotions of the story. This can be particularly useful for complex stories with multiple protagonists or for exploring different sides of a conflict.

Objectivity: Third person point of view creates a more neutral and objective tone, allowing the reader to form their own opinions and judgments about the events and characters in the story. This can be especially important in writing that deals with controversial or sensitive subjects.

Distance: Third person point of view can provide a sense of distance between the narrator and the events of the story, making it easier for the reader to step back and analyze what is happening without being overly emotionally invested. This can be useful for conveying a more detached or analytical perspective.

Disadvantages:

Limited emotional connection: One of the main drawbacks of third person point of view is that it can be more difficult for the reader to form an emotional connection with the characters and events in the story. This can result in a less immersive and impactful reading experience.

Conveying inner thoughts and feelings: Another challenge with third person point of view is conveying the inner thoughts and feelings of the characters. In order to do this, the writer must use indirect methods such as dialogue, actions, and descriptions, which can be less effective than showing the reader directly what the characters are thinking and feeling.

Limited intimacy: Third person point of view can also create a sense of distance between the reader and the story, making it harder for the reader to become fully immersed in the world of the story. This can limit the intimacy and emotional impact of the writing.

In conclusion, third person point of view can be a powerful tool for writers, but it is important to weigh the advantages and disadvantages carefully when making the decision to use it. Understanding the strengths and limitations of third person point of view can help writers make the best choice for their story and create the most effective narrative voice for their work.

For more information on the different types of third person point of view, you can refer to Wikipedia's article on third person point of view .

Understanding the distinctions between first, second, and third-person points of view is essential for writers aiming to choose the best narrative style for their story. This section provides a comparative view, highlighting how each POV uniquely shapes the narrative and influences the reader's experience.

The first-person POV offers a deep, personal insight into the narrator's mind, creating an intimate bond with the reader. The second-person POV , though less common, directly addresses the reader, often creating an immersive, interactive experience. The third-person POV , with its varying degrees of knowledge and objectivity, provides a more flexible and encompassing narrative tool. It allows writers to move seamlessly between the subjective experiences of characters and an objective, broader view of the story world.

Each POV has its strengths and is suited to different types of stories and narrative techniques. The choice depends on the story’s requirements and the experience the writer wishes to convey to the reader.

Below are some frequently asked questions that will provide you more information.

What is an example of a third person point of view?

In third-person point of view, the most common choice for writers, the narrator refers to all characters with third-person pronouns like 'he', 'she', or 'they'.. In other words, the narrator is not a character in a story and is a separate entity. For example, 'Jason used his pocket money to buy himself comic books.'

What is 1st, 2nd, and 3rd person examples?

First person uses the pronouns: I, me, my, mine, myself, we, our, ours, ourselves. Second person uses: You, your, yours, yourself. Third person uses: She, her, hers, herself, he, him, his, himself, they, them, themselves, their, theirs.

What are the 3 types of third person point of view?

• Third-person omniscient point of view.
• Third-person limited omniscient.
• Third-person objective.

These are all outlined in this article.

What is third person point of view in writing?

Third person point of view in writing refers to the narrator describing the events and characters in the story using third-person pronouns such as "he", "she", and "they".

What are the different types of third person point of view?

There are three types of third person point of view: third person limited, third person omniscient, and third person objective.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of using third person point of view in writing?

Advantages of third person point of view in writing include the ability to easily switch between different characters' perspectives, and creating a more neutral and objective tone. Disadvantages include limited emotional connection with the reader and difficulty conveying the inner thoughts and feelings of characters.

The majority of mainstream novels published are written in third person. The chances are that if you have never considered viewpoint when writing your novel, then you are writing in third person point of view.

The biggest choice faced by many writers will be what type of third person point of view to adopt. Here, the most common choice is third-person limited, with a focus on a single character.

Perhaps the most important factor in deciding which narrative viewpoint to adopt is the type of story you are trying to tell. Stories with wide, overarching, and epic storylines tend to suit third person omniscient point of view. However, closer, more personal stories may well be better suited to third-person limited.

Third person point of view is not the only kid on the block. You might also consider writing from first person point of view. This is when the narrator and character are the same person The main advantage of first person point of view is that you are able tell a story in a way that allows the reader to connect fully with the main character. The main disadvantage of first person point of view is that it can sometimes be difficult to pass information to the reader if the main character is unaware of that information. You can read this article to find out more about first person point of view.

If you are looking for professional feedback on your novel, we can provide affordable book editing . Alternatively, our mentoring service allows you to work one-on-one with a professional editor.

Further Reading

• What Is 1st Person 2nd Person 3rd Person With Examples
• What Are The Three Points Of View?
• What Is The Point Of View?
• Mastering The Second Person Viewpoint: A Comprehensive Guide To Engaging Your Readers
• Mastering Point Of View In Writing: A Comprehensive Guide
• First Person Point Of View A Comprehensive Overview For Writers [Including Examples]

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Have you been assigned to write a descriptive essay about a person but don't know how to begin?

Writing a descriptive essay about someone can be an intimidating endeavor. It's hard to know where to start, what details to include, and how to capture the essence of the person in words.

This guide will provide you with the basic guidelines and tips to help you craft an effective, descriptive essay about a person. You'll get sample essays to get inspired by and easy tips to follow.

So let's dive in!

• 1. Writing Tips for Descriptive Essay About a Person
• 2. Descriptive Essay About a Person Examples

Writing Tips for Descriptive Essay About a Person

Descriptive essays can be written on a range of themes. For instance you can write a descriptive essay about a place , food or even nature . It's common to write these essays about people, which paints a vivid picture of their appearance, personality, evoking a clear mental image for the reader.

Now that you've seen what a descriptive essay about a person looks like, you're ready to start crafting your own.

Here are some writing tips to help get you started:

Tips for Pre-Writing Phase

The prewriting phase is a crucial stage of the writing process, where you lay the foundation for a successful essay or document. Here are some tips for this stage:

• Choose Your Subject

Before you start writing, take some time to think carefully about who you want to write about and why. Is it a family member, close friend, celebrity or public figure? What do you want to say about them? Who would be the ideal reader for this essay?

Want to write a descriptive essay on other topics? Check out 100+ descriptive essay topics !

• Brainstorm Ideas

Once you've chosen the subject, take some time to brainstorm ideas. Think about their physical appearance, personality traits, hobbies, likes and dislikes, goals and dreams. Make notes of what comes to mind so that you can refer back to them during the writing process.

• Describe Physical Features

Once you have your ideas in place, start by describing the person's physical features. Give a detailed description of their facial features, body type, clothing style and other elements that make up their overall appearance.

• List Personality Traits

Now, move on to listing the person's character traits. Talk about how they act in different situations and what makes them unique as a person. Describe their different personality traits, how they think and how others perceive them.

• Explore Their Interests

Next, focus on their interests and hobbies. Talk about what they like to do for fun, how they spend their free time, or any other activities that make them unique. Here, you may also include their achievements or other important events in their lives.

Tips for Writing Phase

As you transition from the prewriting phase to the actual writing stage, these tips will help you navigate the writing process more effectively:

• Follow Your Outline

Now that you've brainstormed and outlined your essay, it's time to start writing. Stick to the points that you have listed in your outline or notes. Don't get too distracted with other aspects of the person that are not related to your topic.

Getting started on your essay? Check out this in-depth guide on how to create a descriptive essay outline !

• Be Specific

When writing about a person, it's important to be as specific and concise as possible. Don't use general statements or cliches; instead, focus on giving the reader a vivid image of who this person is by using concrete examples and tangible details.

• Show Don't Tell

Weave stories into your essay to give it more depth and make it come alive. Instead of just saying that the person is generous, tell a story about how they donated their time to help out in a charity event. This helps the reader paint a clearer picture of who this person really is.

• Draw Conclusions

Once you've written the essay, it's time to draw some conclusions . What have you learned about this person from the essay? What makes them special? How would you sum up the overall portrait of this person?

Tips for Editing/Revising Phase

The editing and revising phase is where you refine and polish your work. Here are some tips to help you make your content clearer, more coherent, and error-free:

• Check Your Facts

Before you submit your essay, make sure that all of the details that you have provided are accurate. Double-check any facts or dates to ensure accuracy.

• Check Grammar and Clarity

Make sure to review your essay for any grammar, spelling, or punctuation mistakes. Read through it several times to check for clarity and readability. This will help make sure that your essay is as polished and professional as possible.

• Get a Second Opinion

Getting another opinion on your essay is always a good idea. Ask an expert essay writer to read it over and give you honest feedback. They will be able to point out any mistakes or areas where the essay could use some improvement.

These are just some basic tips to help get you started with writing a descriptive essay about someone. Allow yourself to be creative and write from the heart. With some practice and patience, you'll be able to create an essay that truly captures who this person is.

Descriptive Essay About a Person Examples

A descriptive essay is an essay where you describe something in detail. A descriptive essay relies on facts and information to describe a subject as it is.

A descriptive essay about a person is often written to describe a particular person. It can be about a person you admire , an acquaintance, family member like mother , friend, or even a celebrity.

Here are some examples to give you a better idea. Download and read them for free.

Descriptive Essay About a Person PDF

Descriptive Essay About a Person Example PDF

Descriptive Essay About a Person You Admire

Descriptive Essay About a Person You Love

Descriptive Essay About a Person Who Changed My Life

Descriptive Essay About a Famous Person

Need more examples? Check out these descriptive essay examples on other topics as well!

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• Featured Answers

How do you write an essay in third person?

By putting it in third person, you are able to list sources, and you are encouraged to do so. That's why you're asked to write essays in third person.

This is the way your sentence should be:

School lunches are very bad because according to The New York Times , the 2012 Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act causes children to not like how the food tastes, and so they do not eat it.

By writing in third-person, you are able to present evidence to your reader. So when you write in third person, show what you know, with evidence backing up your points.

It won't be as redundant as saying "I think/believe" or "I feel" when we know/hope you wrote the paper and you hopefully have sources to back up your claims.

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