The narrative voice is the voice (or voices) with which a story is told. The narrative voice comes from the perspective of the person (or people) telling the story.
The narrative voice is an essential tool and component in stories for an author. Offering different narrative voices and perspectives in a story will change how readers view and perceive the overall story.
Some authors present an unreliable narrator with an inconsistent narrative voice to add more depth to a story. Unfortunately, unreliable narrators in texts force readers to question whether they are telling the truth or fabricating parts of the stories that they’re recounting.
A story can be told from the first, second, or third-person perspective.
What are the Different Types of Narrative Voice?
Below are the different types of narrative voices you will come across, with examples.
First-person
The first-person perspective is created when someone within the story, such as the protagonist, tells the narrative.
The pronouns ‘I,’ ‘my,’ and ‘we’ are standard features of the first-person narrative voice.
‘I kicked the football with all my might, aiming at the goal. I felt anxious as I watched it arc toward the net. Then, I felt my heart stop as the goalie dived and missed! The crowd erupted in applause.’
Second-person
Stories written in the second-person perspective use the pronouns ‘you’ and ‘your.’ However, authors do not commonly use it in storytelling.
‘You kick the football with all your might, aiming at the goal. You feel anxious as you watch it arc toward the net. Then, you feel your heart stop as the goalie dives and misses! The crowd erupts in applause.’
Third-person
The third-person perspective relies on the narrative told by someone outside of the story being told.
They tell the story as an observer.
Pronouns include ‘he,’ ‘she,’ and ‘they.’
‘Max kicked the football with all his might, aiming at the goal. He felt anxious as he watched it arc toward the net. Then, Max felt his heart stop as the goalie dived and missed! The crowd erupted in applause.’
Third-person omniscient
An omniscient (all-seeing and all-knowing) narrator is aware of things that the characters in the story are not.
In these narratives, facts can be provided about other characters and events outside the story to help develop a broader picture.
‘Max kicked the football with all his might, aiming at the goal. He felt anxious as he watched it arc toward the net. Years later, the man who stood behind the goal would describe it to his grandchildren as one of the best kicks he had ever witnessed.’
