Omniscient Third-person Point of View

Use omniscient third-person point of view if:

• readers must know your main character's inner thoughts or feelings in order for the plot to advance
• using the first-person point of view will prevent you showing the main character's weaknesses
• your message will be most effective when readers learn how all characters feel
• you can best further the plot by showing all character's thoughts
  

Using Limited Third-person Point of View

Use limited third-person point of view if:

• using the first-person point of view prevents you showing the main character’s weaknesses
  
• the character is best revealed by permitting readers to observe only what your character does and says
  
• suspense builds most effectively because an objective narrator reports what happens
  
• your main character’s actions are more important that his or her thoughts

Using Third-person Point of View

Use third-person point of view if:

• using the first-person point of view prevents your showing the main character’s weaknesses
  
• your message will be clearer with a narrator who is slightly removed from the scene, reporting your main character’s thoughts and actions
  
• the objectivity of a narrator will add strength to either the character or your message
  
• you can best establish the conflict by sharing only your main character’s thoughts

Which Point of View?

The point of view you use will determine what you can and cannot accomplish in a short story. Consider the sets of guidelines I will post over the next few days to help you choose the point of view most appropriate for meeting all of your short story conditions.

Use first-person point of view if:

• readers must know your main character’s inner thoughts and feelings in order for the plot to advance
• your main character is best revealed by your telling the story from his or her vantage point
• you can best establish the conflict by sharing only your main character’s thoughts

Second-person point of view, Third-person Omniscient and limited

Limited Third-Person point of view is similar to third-person point of view in that it uses he, she, they and them, but different in that this third-person narrator is not part of the story and cannot read any character’s minds.

Omniscient Third-Person point of view: This all-knowing, all-seeing point of view is almost always that of the author-narrator. Only the author knows all, sees all, and understands all. Only he or she can tell what each character thinks, knows, and feels.

Second-Person point of view – which uses the pronoun you - is not used often. It’s difficult to sustain for any length of time and makes for difficult reading. However, it is a great point of view for the right piece.