Writing stories in the first person is it better

I know some of you have read some of the stories I’ve posted here and I know that two of my earliest stories are ones that would, even for me, seem like BS if I didn’t know them to be fact.
I’m also pretty sure that some of you have figured these stories of mine revolve around ME and my experiences at sea.
My story writing, which in fact truly “began” here at ATS aside from the few poems I wrote years earlier such as “Boats Of Wood, Men Of Iron” and is a true telling. (You can’t get much closer to losing a 100 foot boat and eleven men during that day and night then day again yet manage to make it back to the dock largely intact except for maybe some shattered nerves.)

My question is this, would my stories be better if I write them in the first person?

My gut tells me doing so would give me the ability to paint more and better pictures with my words than I do now.
Another question and please, please, please answer these questions honestly, I really would and do appreciate peoples true thoughts and opinions, even the most negative ones.

If you have read my stories from the beginning is the writing of them getting better?

YES, I know I have much to learn and a long way to go, I have so much to improve.
I get that, hook line and sinker, I really do.

I’ll give you a tid-bit of info then one last question if I may.
I was born with mild cerebral palsy on my left side and I had to wear a brace until age 7. I was mercilessly teased by other kids but I overcame it.
The day I took it off and threw it over the fence into Buttonwood Park pond so I could go play baseball only to turn around to find my mother sitting there in her car across the street with a look of horror on her face I’ll never forget. That brace was expensive back in 1963 and my mom was single and struggling.
The required swim to retrieve it it wasn’t so bad but later at home………phew!
For YEARS AND YEARS everyone has told me over and over I need to write books.
I have neighbors and friends of mine who bring their friends as well as my family who also bring friends, to meet me and sit down on the porch to ask me questions about “my adventures”, their words and hear my stories.

What are anyones thoughts on the writings of my experiences being done in a sort of series? Like a series of books you might read or a series you might watch on Netflix maybe.

Should I try to write up a short and simple list of some of the crazy and/or trying times as well as some good times starting when I was young then out to, I don’t know, some point in the future, maybe as I entered manhood to help give people enough info to answer this last question? IDK.

As some of my early writing I’ve already posted here does suggest there is no shortage of material for me to use, and I mean true events.

So, have and do any of you truly enjoyed my writing, has it gotten better, should I write in the first person and can any of you see this being put together as a series?

I’m not looking for packs on the back here, I’m honestly looking for real thoughts and opinions, as I stated, even the most negative as well.

I would love and I hope to get many replies!!!!!

Thank You ALL in advance and may God bless you and yours!

Da Pirate…………😎

Phil












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a reply to: PiratesCut

In my humble opinion, your stories have always been interesting because they are in the first person. It's what makes them even more remarkable. Third person narrating is perfectly fine if you want to portray your personal experiences from an observers perspective in those cases where you don't mind it becoming more of a fictional story, or where you embellish it beyond the whole truth.

I think you've improved, you are more succinct and you don't dilly dally as much as in your earliest tales.

As for a series, I think more along the lines of a diary... memoirs. Even an ode style, like The Rime of the Ancient Mariner.

Whatever you choose, never stop writing and passing on your knowledge... it can't be bought and many people long to know what people experience, which they can't do themselves.



ETA: I hope you're preparing something for the Short Story Writers Contest!

Thank You!
I’d like to acknowledge the many fine replies I received on stories as I’ve posted them.
I hope I have not diminished them or insulted anyone in any way with this OP!

I’m processing if you will, trying to learn and working hard to improve.

When I began Scalloping I can think back and remember the scallop boats that were not made of wood and out of the hundreds I can count the steel ones on one hand.
My career spanned the end of an era. Each and of every one of the “Wooden Horses” I rode are now gone and as the last of us who worked them are quickly leaving this world their stories will be lost forever if the stories don’t get told.

Only a glimpse of the fantastic and fun life I have lived has been presented here so far, the stories I have yet to tell are beyond imagination and more than a few have nothing to do with fishing.

Your reply has helped me greatly already and I thank you for it!

I’m not trying to become famous or rich, I don’t care if anyone knows who I am.
I’ve been blessed with a wonderful wife (we just celebrated our 40th wedding anniversary) and children.

As you said, people dream of the kind kind of life I’ve lived and marvel at it.

My wife and me were talking just last night about the future and I told her this.

Why struggle to hold on to all this?
If one day we end up in just a small apartment with few things but we have each other, we are warm and have food, won’t that be enough?! Spreading my arms and pointing around, what does all this really matter do we really need any of it?

I can’t tell you how deeply these words come from my soul.

I have so much to tell that sometimes as I write I have to stop because a thousand memories flood my brain.
Memories of life and fishing that most can’t begin to fathom. Not in their wildest imagination.

Oh, and yes, I am writing for the “Spring” contest and this time I’ll be finished before the cut off day unlike my first try.
It’s once again real and I’m working very hard on the telling.
Time will tell what people think of it, I like it and improve it daily.

Cheers……..

PS, I did finish “A Lonely Climb” and in my opinion it came out wonderful. The ending is, hair raising to use a term.
One day I will post it here in it’s entirety.

Thanks again!! 😎

Da Pirate





a reply to: Encia22

I can't add much to what Encia22 said, other than I truly enjoy your stories! Your stories have a 'Huckleberry Fin' type essence to them, and are told through the eyes of someone who truly knew how to capture every single moment of life in its entirety- good, bad and indifferent.

The fact that people gather on your porch to listen to your life stories means you know how to spin a yarn; it would be such a shame for them to be lost to posterity. The more you do a task, the easier it becomes and the better you get. Until we have to start buying your books from the Best Seller list, we'll consider ourselves fortunate to have you sharing them with us on ATS.

a reply to: PiratesCut

It doesn't matter. Just get the story told. 1st, 2n, 3rd person, stream of consciousness Clean it up in the edit if need be.

No rules, No limits....imo

I was hoping to hear from you. You’ve already helped me more than you know.

Thank You!!!!

At some point, down the road maybe, I’d be honored if we could begin communicating on another level.
I believe I have a bit of growing to do first. I want to have real stuff to offer first. I’m trying hard.
Here’s to hope………

Cheers! 😎




a reply to: olaru12

Nugget, your kind and encouraging words not only warm my heart but inspire me further, truly.

Thank You!






a reply to: nugget1

a reply to: PiratesCut

I think your stories have been great from the start.

Fishing and the sea have always involved storytelling, both fact and fiction. The stories bring people like me back to my roots and others, maybe who have never seen the sea, it brings a whole world to.

Whatever you do keep the stories flowing. As was already said, just write. It'll improve, it will change, and you'll reflect on your own work as time goes on. Have fun with it.

With fishing communities shrinking and working waterfronts giving way to condos there's a need for these stories. Maybe you could start a "liar's club" of old-timers and record those stories as well. A worthy cultural project that others might also like to share with you. Do you have a local historical society? They might be interested in these stories and preserving them as well.

a reply to: PiratesCut

The three most difficult tasks in first person writing is avoiding I said she said he said, tense of past present and future as timeline, and not revealing anything to anyone as it moves forwards other than what the first person experiences then and there.

So to avoid a script like narrative it is best to think autobiography... my advice would be start a detailed diary and a note recorder note the wall paper peeling that little scum forming around the toothpaste cap... why no blue or red toothpaste tubes when the white paste and white tubes hide such a thing.

Third person is supposed to be sort of a blur those little intricacies that first person point of view sees where third person doesn't. The inner ramblings so to speak so the perspective isn't lost it has to come out so diary those... once you get good at diary try moment to moment narration watch TV muted and imagine words going into their mouths without any interjection watch the peoples eyes their postures so you can start framing the narrative as a first person would see it... he eyes fell to her blouse she caught him with a slight smirk on her face so and so repeats the question to see if he was looking there or mindlessly thinking there on what was being said then break the wall with the observer or first person when such a thing is timely to do so.

It is not in any way shape or form easy to write a good first person inclusive story... that's my suggestion for practice it's possible to write a first person fly on the wall or third party objective view like mention with the two and the blouse and inject your thoughts about them they cannot hear... often mistaken as first person but it isn't it's a third person after the fact that sort of reverses the story to see what was occuring like a sherlock holmes taking watson through the crime scene moment by moment as if he were there and using close up first person details to present what must have happened based on profiling the people's character traits and expected personal and social and societal norms.

Save writing what you know or are passionate about for public speaking... no script required just ques to stay on track and not ramble like it's first class 101 all the way to Phd level. For novels etc. pick a big giant broad area you are interested in know a little about that frames all the characters in it as you research it dragging them all along as your dear diary. Think Indiana Jones as an example. Authors used to do that all the time SPACE!!! The Devil Moon of Pluto! AMAZONS like in big screaming capitals of what the diary was about.