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WRITING GLOSSARY

What is Third Person Limited?

Third-person limited narration stays inside one character's perspective at a time.

Definition

Third-person limited narration stays inside one character's perspective at a time. The narrator can report that character's thoughts and perceptions but does not freely enter other minds in the same scene.

Example

Mara heard the gate click and wondered who would come this late keeps the camera with Mara; we do not know the visitor's thoughts yet.

Related terms

Common mistakes

  • Revealing what another character is thinking while still in limited POV.
  • Head-hopping between characters in the same scene without a clear break.
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