Understanding the Basics of Narrative Voice

“Narrative” refers to how a story is told. A “narrative voice,” is a voice that tells a story. This voice is mainly used by authors. Therefore, it is important for authors to understand the basics! In this blog, we’re looking at key aspects of narrative voice.

What is Narrative Voice?

Narration is the use of a written or spoken commentary to convey a story to an audience. It is conveyed by a narrator: a specific person or unspecified literary voice, developed by the creator of the story, to deliver information to the audience, particularly about the plot (the series of events). Narration is a required element of all written stories (novels, short stories, poems, memoirs, etc.), with the function of conveying the story in its entirety. However, narration is merely optional in most other storytelling formats, such as films, plays, television shows, and video games, in which the story can be conveyed through other means, like dialogue between characters or visual action.

Different Types of Narrative Voice

One key element of narrative voice is point of view. This is reflected in the grammatical person used. In most narrative writing, this will either be first person or third person:

First Person

First-person narration tells a story from the point of view of the narrator (i.e., using “I” or “we” pronouns). This will often be the main character in the story, but it could also be someone else recalling what they witnessed or a story they heard.

Third Person

In third-person narration, the narrator isn’t the main focus of the story. They may be part of the story, such as an onlooker giving their version of events. But a third-person narrator may also be the disembodied voice of the “author” telling the story. Either way, they refer to characters with third-person pronouns such as “he,” “she,” and “they,” but not “I” or “we.”

While not impossible, it is unusual to use the second person in narration. This is because it involves addressing the reader directly, as if you were telling a story about the person reading it!

Narrative Reliability

An important element of narration is how trustworthy the narrative voice is. A reliable narrator provides a straightforward, credible account of events. An unreliable narrator, on the other hand, tells a story that should not be taken at face value. This may be because the narrator is lying, misinformed, or even insane. The point of this is to:

• Make the reader question what they are being told
• Show the reader something about the narrator

Conclusion

Try experimenting with telling your story in different ways. The key is finding a voice that works for you. To work out what type of narration to use:

1. Think about what you want to reader to feel and think as they read
2. Consider how you want the reader to relate to the narrator
3. Work out what type of voice will let you achieve this

Whatever you choose to do, though, remember that narrative voice is an essential part of storytelling.