3rd POV: Objective, Limited or Omniscient?

Coolguy

Coolguy

New Member
To start, everyone knows how to write 3rd POV but what kind is it? For those that don't know, there are three types:
•Limited-The Narrator knows the protagonist's thoughts.
•Objective- The Narrator does not know the protagonist's thoughts and only focus on what he/she expresses externally.
•Omniscient- The Narrator literally knows Everyone's thoughts.

That should do it, now I'd like to see your own opinion on which is better or what is best for you. If you ask me, I'd go with the Limited type. Because if I go with objective, it would seem to defeat the purpose of why readers bother to read fiction, and if I go with Omniscient, it would ruin the atmosphere and the premise of the story due to no mystery or curiosity involved.
 
Hmmmm interesting. I always assumed it was the narrator knowing everything about the character and story but it seems I am wrong! Good to learn something.

I do write in 3rd person. Hmmm this is a toughie. Mostly I focus on detailed environment. What does the character feel? What is the scenery around them? What are they smelling or hearing? I reiterate others words and actions in my own posts for reference and to help guide my character, and myself. Hmmm. I would say...limited. Gives it more mystery.
 
The narrator is the writer and the writer knows everything.
Its more about how you disclose information to the reader and what the reader knows.

If the reader knows everything he/she tends to get bored.
If the reader has to guess the protagonists character they could percieve it entirely different from the writers intention which might cause the reader to completly disconnect with the character. This is also incredibly tedious to write and read.
If he or she is on the same level as the protagonist he/she is most likely to identify with him. Therefore I prefer this way of storytelling both as reader and as writer.
 
That makes a lot of sense. Thanks...I don't know why I equate myself to reader and writer. In that regard I would say yeah limited is potentially the better of the three options. Gives more mystery to the story overall and hopefully with a good plot, the reader will not put the book down. Though I realize those are hard to come by, especially if you are first starting out. I also got to agree with Cheelm. If you can identify with the character it really helps with wanting to see what happens to the character and stick with the book through the end.
 
I personally limited is the most usable of the three, especially for RP. It helps the reader to sympathize with the protagonist. The other two can also be very powerful I think, but only when utilized in the right context.
 
Third. I've tried first and it's too personal, third tells a story, third omniscient I like to reserve for fan fiction writing.
 
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