I've been thinking a lot about the narrator this past year. And I think I've realized that he or she is a lot more central to the narrative than I'd previously believed. Not that I didn't think that they are important before. I just don't think I realized HOW important they are. The the reader and to the author. I think I've come to the conclusion that I, personally, need the narrator to be a character. One that exists in the world with the rest of the characters. Even if not one that's named. I need that character to have a distinct point of view.

I have no issue with the omniscient POV. I just don't think that I'm particularly good at using it. I started writing years and years ago in the first person—almost as monologues—and at some point, somehow, I got it into my head that first person was a shortcut. A crutch I was using. That I should be able to tell a story cleanly, without a flawed perspective getting in the way. That the narrative and its mechanics should be strong enough to work all on their own. Years and years of frustration later, I'm coming around to the feeling that that is the wrong attitude. For me. Not for everyone. But for me. For whatever reason, as a writer, I need to connect to the story through a person. Even if that's just an unnamed person telling the story. Not every writer has to do that, but I think I do.

All this to say: It's only now dawning on me how vital a choice this is. So, I really appreciate getting to hear another writer's thoughts on this. I don't think it's talked about enough. This is useful to me.