I’ve always been fond of writing in the first person. I can write in the third, naturally, but the kind of novel that demands this approach never really appeals — because, to me, writing is an act of at times quite extreme involvement. Whilst writing, I like to become my central character — use aspects of myself and my own experience to give it bulk and believability — and the first person fits perfectly with this.
But, if some are to be believed, such an approach can cause problems. There are a number of them, but the one I’d like to set before you for discussion today is this: the writer should not allow his own agenda to become too obvious in the actions and dialogue of his characters.
It makes a kind of sense — especially if, for example, you’re writing a romantic novel and suddenly have your female lead start spouting her (your) neo-con drivel during a particularly passionate love-scene (enough to dampen anyone’s ardour.) That would be jarring and contrary to the novel’s aim. My argument is, however, this; for certain kinds of novel, the writer’s agenda should, with necessary skill, be allowed to stand centre-stage — right alongside the author.
The more obvious examples of this kind of novel are the roman à clef works of Henry Miller, Kerouac, Burroughs and Hunter S. Thompson — to name but a few. Dating back to the 17th century, it typifies and validates, I believe, the point I wish to make, but it’s at the more extreme end of the spectrum, and what I’m more concerned with is the novel that isn’t autobiographical, but which nonetheless clearly promotes the author’s ideas — be they political, theological or merely an expression of his preference for tea over coffee.
Can a novel, with skill but in a cynical age such as ours, successfully present biased opinion in a way that can entertain and challenge, without repelling the reader? I think it can, but I’ll be interested in hearing your views.
Gary William Murning Online 
Gary, you must go with your gut reaction. You have the talent to write in such a way that the reader is captured by your words, so, when putting pen to paper, you should visualise yourself as an actor standing centre stage…..naked…speak to us!!
lol… Well, erm, I’ll give that a go, Gordon — though I think I’ll leave my shorts on, if that’s okay with you 😉
And thank you. Your kind words are always encouraging.
This as always was a great blog. As you can imagine Gary in my job I do nothing but write in the first person. When a new bit works whether it be confessional, biographical or political I always get a great feeling of catharsis. So go for it mate. As far as I’m aware the world has a need for this style of writing.
I’d never thought about that aspect of standup, John, mate. Well, I had — but it hadn’t occurred to me how very similar it is to the way in which I like to work. I even read my work out loud at times, to get the flow of words just right.
I’ll keep doing it “my way”, then 😉
Thanks for that. You’ve helped.
I think in some cases the Authors voice adds dimensions to the understanding of the text. Like a voiceover in a movie it helps you see the action with more clarity you would have missed had it not been placed just so.
I like to feel I’m sitting around campfire, the author telling me the story but also being the story. The author… no, the author-as-narrator interests me as much as the story, in a way. I want his/her opinion, I want to know he/she is affected by the tale being told.
Campfires are fun…pass the marshmallows.
It seems to me that every fiction writer has an agenda or they’d be a journalist (and many of those really should be fiction writers ;-). It doesn’t take first-person to get heavy-handed with your agenda. Just look at Ayn Rand’s The Fountainhead. All the scenes and one-dimensional characters are contrived to allow Roark to preach Rand’s rabid individualism. I would have enjoyed it more as a pamphlet.
Thankfully, I’ve managed to avoid The Fountainhead so far. 🙂
I suppose there are ways of allowing the writer into the work; some right, others wrong. Mine’s the right way, of course 😉