K.E Hills

Threads is a social media application i have come to appreciate. Rather than the chase for likes and followers, it’s a community; support, conversations and advise.

As an avid reader, and an indie writer, a lot of what i engage with are other of the same ilk. And one of the hot topics at the moment is the question of whether first person or third person point of view (POV) is more readable and relateable.

So much so that authors are questioning their works in progress.

Let me show you an example:

I should have known Vesta had people keeping an eye on me. Taking a commercial flight from Taipei to New York, I had hoped to arrive anonymously. Slipping past her watchful eyes and have a couple of weeks to myself before facing the old dragon.

or

She should have known Vesta had people keeping an eye on her. Taking a commercial flight from Taipei to New York, she had hoped to arrive anonymously. Slipping past her watchful eyes and have a couple of weeks to herself before facing the old dragon.

Does it really make that much difference? If the POV is what makes you put down a book or give it a low rating, then I would assume the actual story is the issue, and not the POV. If my story is not enough to captivate your mind beyond musings on whether or not it’s told in first or third person, then i don’t think changing the POV will help.