Perspective and Tense in Writing

I recently read a post in the writing community that I am a part of that was about the fact that first person present tense perspective is not well regarded and he argued that it is just as valid as others.  He got a lot of flack from others for saying that. I completely agree with his post. I love reading first person present and enjoy writing that style too. I’m partial to all first person pov’s and I don’t understand why it gets such short shrift.

I remember a writing group/class I was a part of for a long while and the leader/teacher was constantly trying to get me to stop writing in first person and shift to third. 

I tried and at that time it felt quite unnatural. Now, having written a couple of novel drafts in third, it’s not as unnatural, but I certainly prefer first person. I wrote a series of short stories, many of which are third, and I think they’re fine as they are. The novel draft I wrote last year, was it called Western Perspectives? Or Rocky Perspectives? It was in third person. 

70K words in third person makes something seem less unnatural I suppose. Regardless, I don’t know why so many people have a hang up about first person perspective, whether or not it’s in the present tense. Personally, I’m a fan of writing whatever the heck you want, and let the chips fall where they may. There are probably many cats out there who love that tense and are yearning for more. 

I am writing my novel Sunset Perfect in first person. All of my novels have been in first person. The authors I most enjoy reading are first person writers. Dick Francis, Janet Evanovich, even the Travis McGee novel I’m reading now is first person. Then there is Lawrence Sanders, my all time fave, and when I go back and re-read some of his older novels, there are some in first person, others in third. I love them both but I search out those that are in first person. 

It’s like burgers and hotdogs, right? Some folks like burgers, others like hotdogs. No rationale behind it, just a preference. Do it well, have a fresh idea and characters, no matter the POV or tense, and you’ll have a book people want to read.