So, I’ve been working on a story for some time now, but my MC doesn’t really feel like the main character any more. I tend to like my ally’s past and personality better. Is there a way that, from 1st person POV, I can make it so that my character is telling her own story, not that of her friends and family, without boring my readers to death?
That’s such an interesting question, Natalia. Thanks for asking it.
There are lots of great books told in first-person, so we know it can be done well! Kurt Vonnegut is one of my favorite authors, and most of his books are first-person, told through the protagonist’s eyes.
Why is it that you think your story would be boring? If the story has enough meat on its bones, it shouldn’t really matter what POV you tell it through. Each POV will have its own advantages, but the story should hold up.
I encourage you to check out some of the Arche Year or Novel Matrix classes that we have for members. As you work through your plot structure and your conflicts, is there enough there to support a novel-length story? My concern would be that if the story isn’t compelling as a first-person narrative, POV isn’t the problem, there’s a bigger story problem.
As one other thought, is it possible that you’re just bored with the story? It’s not uncommon for writers to get bored with their own story, and then to start rabbit-trailing off with other characters. If the story is sound and compelling when you look at it analytically, it could just be that you’ve grown tired with your own story. That’s not unreasonable, given the amount of time it can take to write a novel!
Let me know what you think. I’d love to hear your thoughts and a little more insight into the question.
