In a 3rd person story…

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  • #9467
    Ivy Rose
    @ivy-rose
      • Rank: Loyal Sidekick
      • Total Posts: 102

      In a 3rd person story, how should the narrator address the MC’s parents? As Mr. and Mrs? As they would be to the MC…Mom and Dad? Or her mom and her dad?

      If I’m not making sense (many apologies), I can provide some snippets.

      #9469
      Daeus
      @daeus
        • Rank: Chosen One
        • Total Posts: 4238

        Personally, I favor a backstage narrator voice, but if done well, it can have good effect. If you have a front stage narrator voice, you should go with Mr. and Mrs. or call them by their first names, or say “MC’s mom/dad”.

        🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢

        #9471
        Hope Ann
        @hope
          • Rank: Eccentric Mentor
          • Total Posts: 1092

          That’s been a hard on for me. I tend to stick with Mother or Father, or Mom and Dad…basically whatever the MC uses. If it was a separate scene with just the parents, I normally use their first names.

          INTJ - Inhumane. No-feelings. Terrible. Judgment and doom on everyone.

          #9472
          Rosey Mucklestone
          @writefury
            • Rank: Knight in Shining Armor
            • Total Posts: 467

            It all depends. Are you going 3rd person omniscient or 3rd person limited? Omniscient is more removed, so I’d go with Mr. and Mrs. on that one, whereas 3rd person limited is… well… limited. A close cousin of 1st person. So Mom and Dad if that one.

            #9477
            David B. Hunter
            @dbhgodreigns
              • Rank: Wise Jester
              • Total Posts: 89

              I’d say whatever the main character would say.

              #9482
              BlueJay
              @bluejay
                • Rank: Eccentric Mentor
                • Total Posts: 1622

                Is the 3rd person talking to the reader or the the MC? @ivy-rose

                #9520
                Ivy Rose
                @ivy-rose
                  • Rank: Loyal Sidekick
                  • Total Posts: 102

                  @writefury I feel silly but I didn’t know there was a difference. 🙂 I think I’m doing 3rd person limited…I’m writing in Deep Point Of View if you are familiar with that.
                  (Totally off subject….I wanted to let you know that I will be at the Christian Heritage conference and I’d love to meet you! If you want to send me an email through my website we can figure out a place to meet. http://www.LakesidePublications.com. I looked on your blog for a contact form but I didn’t see one.)


                  @bluejay
                  I’m not sure I understand your question. So sorry! (My brain is not functioning properly right now…I put honey in my coffee this morning on accident.) :-/

                  #9521
                  BlueJay
                  @bluejay
                    • Rank: Eccentric Mentor
                    • Total Posts: 1622

                    @ivy-rose In my story Princess Tess and the Perfect Story my narrator talks to Tess. She refers to Tess’s parent by the King and Queen. But if the narrator was talking to you as you read the book I would probably say something like this. “Then Tess’s parents looked out the window. I probably wouldn’t use their proper names. I don’t know if this in any use to you. 🙂
                    Oh no! I can’t say I know what that is like, (I don’t drink coffee) but in the ranger’s book Halt thinks honey in coffee is YUK! But Will and Horace and, I think Gillan, all do it.

                    • This reply was modified 8 years, 8 months ago by BlueJay.
                    #9551
                    Rosey Mucklestone
                    @writefury
                      • Rank: Knight in Shining Armor
                      • Total Posts: 467

                      @ivy-rose This might help as far as determining for you: http://thestorymonger.com/writing/characters/four-ways-to-take-advantage-of-the-power-of-a-3rd-person-limited-pov/
                      He shows the difference pretty well between Omnicient and Limited. 🙂
                      Awesome! We’re running a booth, so I’ll let you know as soon as I know *cough* where it is… 😛

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