They say you never forget your first – and in this case, my first first. I am talking about the first story I have written in the first person.
Normally I’m a third kind of girl… that is to say all my books are written in the third person and from multiple viewpoints.
But I have now had my first first person story published – and it’s all the cat’s fault.
For those who are not writers – first person means to write the story with the protagonists voice… Last night I dreamed I went to Manderley again. (Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier).
Third person narrative is telling the story – from one or more characters’ viewpoint, but not AS them…
Dr Iannis had enjoyed a satisfactory day in which none of his patients had died or got any worse. (Captain Corelli’s Mandolin by Louis de Bernieres)
It’s a case of I versus He/she.
Many great books have been written in both styles – and the first vs third debate comes up almost every time two or more writers get together to talk about their craft. Most writers have their own preference.
Readers too have preferences. I have heard readers say they will not read a book in the first person.
As a reader, I swing both ways – a good book is a good book, whatever viewpoint. But as a writer, I have always been somewhat less flexible.
My writer friends who love the first person always claim it allows them to get ever deeper inside their character. To know that character even better and thus tell their story with more empathy. More emotion and understanding.
My problem was that as soon as I type I … I am back in my own head, not the character’s head.
But all that changed a few weeks ago.
I set out to write a short story for a magazine, as promo for my new novel. The magazine is My Cat – so the story had to include a cat in a key role. That, I decided, would not be too hard. I share my office with an ancient ginger cat and I love him dearly. He would be my inspiration.
My lovely boy is getting old, and spends a lot of time gazing into space. I think it’s because he is just getting a bit vague, but a friend once suggested that when cats do that, it’s because they are talking to ghosts.
I had recently been chatting to a French acquaintance… and it was as if these disparate parts suddenly went click inside my head.
I was transported to a French farmhouse, with my cat. I wrote the first lines of the story.
‘Your Puss. He talks to a ghost.’
I looked up from my work. What was the woman talking about?
The story just flowed. I had it written in about an hour. It was a cat story, a ghost story and a love story – and it was written in the first person.
The story has now been published – and the magazine has given me lovely artwork – with a cat and a ghost. I read it back today and while I know it is mine, the writing voice is a little different to my normal voice. I wonder if that’s because it’s in the first person?
If you want to read the story, go out and grab a copy of Your Cat Magazine. It’s the July 2016 issue with the big dark grey cat on the front cover. There’s a chance to win a copy of one of my books. My name is on the front cover too – well, almost my name. As so many people do, the magazine editor spelled by name wrong – calling me Glover instead of Gover. They spelled it wrong inside as well.
But that’s not worrying me too much – I’m too busy now wondering if I should try writing something else in the first person. This might be the start of something….
