1st Person Point of View

[landbeforetimelover]

I've been wondering for quite some time about this.  Of course, the movies of LBT are always in the third person omniscient point of view which makes it rather difficult to write a good modern story.  Modern stories focus on the first person point of view rather the third person omniscient point of view that is the much older style.  I can write very good stories that are in first person however I'm not very good at writing stories with the third person omniscient point of view.  I know I could write the story in the first person except I'm faced with a dilemma.  The reader needs to have an adequate amount of information about what's going on with ALL of the characters and also needs to have a good description of the setting and surrounding area.  I'd have to choose one of the gang to be the person who is addressed as "I" in the story.  I could just add another temporary character however this just turns it into a story with a third person omniscient point of view inside of a story with a first person point of view.  I think this is why a lot of LBT fanfictions aren't very good (no offense to anyone here.  I've only read stories off of FF.net).  Is there anyone here who's written an LBT story before in a first person point of view?

[Mumbling]

I haven't written one myself, but it must be possible. Adding another character to be the 'I' could solve the problem. Or be littlefoot, somehow he is seen as the 'main character'. Probably because you only follow him at the very first movie's start. I think it's possible to write a story like this.. I would, if I didn't gave up all the stories I started. Bt useless..

Anyway, if you're going to do it. Would be very cool

[Spike_of_the_Valley]

A few random thoughts - think of them what you will.  

1.  The Land Before Time VI and VII both used a narrator who was also a character (Grandpa in VI, Petrie in VII, if I remember correctly).  

2.  In the sequels, the narrator's role is minimal, and is really just to familiarise outsiders with the setting.  Most people would probably think this to be unnecessary in a fanfic.  

At any rate, it should be possible to do a first-person LBT fanfic, but I think it would suffer from the same basic problem that plagues many first-person works - all the other problems get bigger as the story gets longer.  In my opinion, first-person works better for short stories than for long ones.  Perhaps you should consider trying a short first-person fanfic before moving on to longer stuff.

[Kor]

Besides those 2 viewpoints, there is also the third person limited.  That is very close to first person, but you only hear the thoughts and feelings of 1 person.  It is very similar to first person.  

Technically most movies are done in third person cinematic, that is a seldom used term, but it means we see only what a camera sees, never dipping into anyone's mind.  In books third person omniscent would have the thoughts of everyone.  Dipping into one person's mind for a paragraph or so, then into another.  

There are multiple ways to introduce information.  One way is through dialog, one is through a narration, and other ways.  Some of these choices can be difficult on the writer.  That is one of the problems writers face and have to decide for themselves.  

First person does allow one to get to know the one viewpoint character very well.

Good luck on your writing.

[Amaranthine]

I think it can. I know none of the LBT movies really are like that. And I know my fanfiction isn't like that either, but I think it's possible

[Malte279]

I think I once saw an LBT shortstory from Petrie's point of view which I think was written in 1st person (not a hundred percent certain).
I'm sure it is possible, though in some ways more tricky than the omniscient 3rd person point of view.

[Amaranthine]

I think I once saw an LBT shortstory from Petrie's point of view which I think was written in 1st person (not a hundred percent certain).
 

Yes, there was actually!

Look here----->http://www.fanfiction.net/s/156588/1/Pteradactyl_Pondering

[Malte279]

Yes, that's the story I meant. I was obviously mistaken about it being written in first person, but either way I like it. One of the few true to LBT stories existing, however short it may be.

[Kor]

Doing it in first person should not be any harder then any other viewpoints, if the person has a gift for writing in first person, some do more then others.

[Cancerian Tiger]

Yeah, I believe it is possible .  If ya begin the intro as though the character is yourself(i.e. "My name is Cera Threehorn, and I am an inhabitant of the Great Valley), or something to that effect .  It is much easier than it sounds or looks.

BTW, there is a first-person one-shot fanfic on FF.net regarding Cera.  It is called "Cera's Musings."  I think she should've talked about one family member per chapter and included her friends as opposed to a one-shot, but that's off-topic.  Check it out and see for yourself.  Perhaps you'll get some idea on how it's done  B).