Tips For Writing In First-person Novels & Stories

What about the protagonist's inevitable lack of self-awareness? That's a tricky one to write convincingly. They might not understand their own motivations, but the reader should sense the truth bubbling underneath.

You have to plant clues in their actions and emotional reactions that contradict their stated thoughts. They say they're over their ex, but they notice the exact shade of blue of a stranger's jacket because it matches his eyes. That dissonance between internal narrative and subconscious truth is where complex characters are built.

If the narrator is too psychologically astute about themselves from page one, there's little room for internal growth. Let them be blind in spots, and let the reader enjoy the process of seeing them gain sight.

Showing thoughts in first-person writing is all about letting the inner voice shine through naturally. I love how novels like 'The Catcher in the Rye' or 'Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine' do this—Holden’s rambling sarcasm or Eleanor’s blunt observations feel so raw because they’re unfiltered. To achieve that, I try to write as if I’m confessing to a friend, not performing for an audience. Tangents, half-formed ideas, and even contradictions can make thoughts feel alive. For example, instead of just saying 'I was nervous,' I might write, 'My hands kept fiddling with my sleeves—stupid, really, since no one was even looking at me. Or were they? Ugh, stop it.'

Another trick is to use sensory details to anchor thoughts. If a character’s overwhelmed, don’t just say it; show their mind jumping between the clock ticking too loud and the itch of their sweater tag. Video games like 'Disco Elysium' master this—the protagonist’s inner monologue is a chaotic blend of memories, regrets, and bizarre tangents. I borrow that energy by jotting down messy streams of consciousness first, then refining them later. The key is to trust that readers will connect with the vulnerability of unpolished thoughts more than perfectly structured ones.