How to Write in the Third Person Omniscient Perspective
Tips and Techniques for Authors
Once upon a time, as the story goes, more or less all narrative perspectives were omniscient perspectives. Pride and Prejudice? Omniscient. A Tale of Two Cities? Omniscient. Tess of the D’Urbervilles? You guessed it. Even a first person narration like David Copperfield is quasi-omniscient in nature, in that it’s being told from a point in the novel’s “future” so the narrator already knows how events will play out as he’s telling the story.
These days, third person omniscient is much less common, having been overtaken by the closeness of a third person limited perspective, but we’ll get to that.
The third person omniscient narrative point of view is a storytelling technique where the narrator possesses an all-knowing perspective. They are, literally, omniscient. This means the narrator has access into the thoughts, feelings, and motivations of every character within the story. It also means, generally, that the narrator has no dog in the narrative race, so to speak, and can therefore offer an objective viewpoint that can include commentary and analysis. Ever read one of Sir Terry Pratchett’s famous footnotes? That’s the sort of commentary and analysis we’re talking about here, though it’s not usually as overt as that in-text.
Okay, buckle up. We’re about to take a deep dive into the key characteristics of third person omniscient; techniques for using it effectively; its advantages and disadvantages; common pitfalls to avoid; and have a look at some literary examples that illustrate how this tricksy POV can make a piece of writing shine.
Understanding Third Person Omniscient Point of View
First off, the biggie: what makes third person omniscient (3PO) different from third person limited (3PL)? It’s… nuanced. And it’s also not nuanced at all. Bear with me.
In the omniscient point of view, the narrator — and therefore also the reader—has an all-knowing overview of everything and everyone in the narrative. In third person limited, the narrator—and therefore also the reader—has access only to one character at a time.
We’ll look at 3PL in more detail in a separate article, but for now it might be helpful to think of 3PO as a wide-angle shot in a movie, and 3PL as a close-up. They’re used for different things and they give the reader a different relationship with the information presented on the screen or the page.
Third Person Omniscient Perspective:
- The narrator knows everything about every character
- Offers commentary and analysis
- Can switch between characters’ viewpoints and locations seamlessly
- Builds tension by revealing to the reader information unknown to the characters (this technique is known as dramatic irony)
“Mr Bennet was among the earliest of those who waited on Mr Bingley. He had always intended to visit him, though to the last always assuring his wife that he should not go; and till the evening after the visit was paid, she had no knowledge of it.”
— Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice
Third Person Limited Perspective:
- Focuses on one character’s thoughts and experiences at a time.
- Provides a narrower but closer viewpoint.
- The reader’s knowledge is restricted to what that one character knows
“It was a pleasure to burn. It was a special pleasure to see things eaten, to see things blackened and changed. With the brass nozzle in his fists, with this great python spitting its venomous kerosene upon the world, the blood pounded in his head, and his hands were the hands of some amazing conductor playing all the symphonies of blazing and burning to bring down the tatters and charcoal ruins of history.”
— Ray Bradbury, Fahrenheit 451
Key Characteristics and Writing Techniques for Omniscient Narration
The Role of the Narrator in Conveying Insights and Emotions
“It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.” Thus reads one of the most famous opening lines in literary history, and it works thanks to the capacity of 3PO for serious snark.
An omniscient narrator holds the metaphorical keys to the narrative kingdom. Thanks to their all-seeing overview, they are able to draw together various characters’ motivations, thoughts, desires, anxieties, and use them to make a wider commentary on the world in which these characters operate. This rich tapestry of emotion and insight offers the reader a detailed, comprehensive understanding unique to omniscient narration.
In 3PO, the narrator can offer up:
- Inner Thoughts: Share intimate reflections and internal conflicts.
- Emotions: Convey varying emotional states across different situations.
- Motivations: Reveal underlying reasons behind characters’ actions.
When done well, this depth of understanding actively enhances reader engagement.
“The difficulty with 3PO in a 3PL world is that we are used to engaging at a much closer level with a single character at a time.”
Developing a Unique Voice for the Narrator
The operative clause here being “when done well.”
The difficulty with 3PO in a 3PL world is that we are used to engaging at a much closer level with a single character at a time. We’re used to walking through a narrative world in a single character’s shoes, and 3PO — with its necessary distance and separation from the characters as people — can feel a little dispassionate and unengaged if you’re not careful.
For this reason, it’s helpful to “create” your omniscient narrator in the same way you would create a character in the story. The narrator must have a distinct — and distinctive — voice of their own. This not only guides the wider story but also adds personality to a perspective that might otherwise be in danger of feeling disjointed or patchy. Consider these elements:
- Tone: Decide if your narrator is formal, casual, humorous, or somber.
- Language: Choose vocabulary that aligns with the narrator’s personality.
- Commentary: Include personal observations or judgments to deepen engagement.
Let’s go to the master himself (GNU, Sir Terry) to see how this can work:
“Lady Ramkin drawing herself up haughtily was not a sight to forget, although you could try. It was like watching continental drift in reverse as various subcontinents and islands pulled themselves together to form one massive, angry protowoman.”
— Terry Pratchett, Guards! Guards!
This could easily be lifted from the limited perspective of a POV character (if that was how the book was structured) but then it would be that character’s opinion. The omniscient narrator simply observes and comments and, because they have no skin in the game, as it were, we are able to treat this observation as objective “fact” for the purposes of constructing our image of Lady Sibyl (who is and will always be one of my favourite Discworld characters).
A unique narrative voice (like Sir Terry’s) makes the reader’s experience wonderfully immersive and deeply, deeply memorable.
Common Errors to Avoid in Omniscient Writing
The thing about 3PO is that it’s a long way from being the dominant mode of storytelling in our current cultural context. While you’ve probably read at least one novel written from this perspective, it might well be because you were forced to do so for English class. Moreover, with conventions moving towards ever closer reader/character engagement, it might also be that the literature that you love and which has motivated you to write has been exclusively 3PL (or even Deep Point of View). There’s nothing wrong with either of these things by the way; the heart wants what it wants.
But this can lead to a bit of slipperiness when you decide to explore 3PO, so, with that in mind, here’s a few things to watch out for as you write:
Overexplanation
While omniscient narration allows insight into multiple characters’ thoughts and backgrounds, this kind of expository freedom can be a hell of a drug. Too much exposition is not good for a narrative. Try to avoid lengthy backstories or explanations that interrupt the flow of the story.
Inconsistent tone
Jumping between different tones or styles can confuse readers and disrupt their immersion in the story. You’ll want to make sure that you maintain a consistent narrative voice throughout.
Head-hopping
This occurs when the narrator shifts abruptly from one character’s thoughts to another’s within the same scene or paragraph. Because an omniscient narrator, by definition, has access to all characters’ thoughts and inner monologues you can’t really head-hop in 3PO… but you can if you accidentally slip into 3PL. If you’re going to dance between different characters in a scene or sequence, you’ll need to be very careful to maintain that narrative distance between your omniscient narrator and the characters themselves.
“Third person omniscient point of view is is the Goldilocks of narrative perspectives: you can’t get too close, but you also don’t want to be not close enough.”
Lack of focus
With access to all characters’ thoughts, it’s easy to lose focus on the central storyline or main character. Try to make sure that you maintain a clear narrative thread that guides readers through the story and don’t get distracted by commentary for commentary’s sake.
Too much distance
Yes, this is the Goldilocks of narrative perspectives: you can’t get too close, but you also don’t want to be not close enough. While omniscient narrators have the ability to zoom out and provide a broader view, doing so excessively can create emotional distance between readers and characters. Balance is key. Your reader still needs to be able to connect with individual characters on a personal level.
Inconsistent knowledge
An omniscient narrator knows everything about the world and its characters, but revealing too much too soon can spoil suspense or tension. You must be strategic about what information is shared and when. (This, by the way, is a lot of fun to work out as a writer.)
Telling instead of showing
Yes, one of the key benefits of 3PO is that you can just simply tell your reader the thing you need them to know. That’s sometimes really useful, too. But relying too heavily on telling (by explaining what characters feel or think) rather than showing (by demonstrating through actions and dialogue) leads inevitably to a much less engaging narrative. Trust your reader to meet you halfway, just as you would in any other narrative POV.
It’s a bit of a mind-shift, but third person omniscient offers a lot of bang for your buck
I’m making it sound less fun than it is to explore omniscient POV. It’s a lot of fun to explore omniscient POV. But, much like second person POV, the key to working with a (slightly) less-used perspective is to embrace the differences. 3PO falls apart when writers try to make it “3PL but bigger.” It’s not that. By avoiding the pitfalls above, you’ll allow 3PO to work to its fullest extent. And it’s absolutely worth the effort.
Not every narrative will benefit from 3PO. Character-driven drama will almost certainly work more effectively with the narrative intimacy of a limited point of view. Modern Young Adult novels are, these days, almost exclusively written in close third or first person POV and there’s a heavy genre expectation among readers that could make 3PO a risky choice. Stories that rely on readers having only as much information as their characters (and no more) will fall flat with an omniscient narration.
But, while 3PO is less common now than it used to be, it’s still very much an important part of modern fiction. Many epic historical or speculative novels are written entirely in omniscient (it fits these genres particularly well), while even character-driven stories can benefit from the strategic move to 3PO on occasion.
Consider Linda Gillard’s Stargazing, a “poignant tale of love, loss, courage and hope” [source], with its two first-person narrators and an omniscient third to add context and clarity to sequences featuring our blind protagonist, Marianne. Both first person limited and third person omniscient fulfill different, critical functions within the novel, and the story simply wouldn’t work with either perspective missing.
So, that’s an option too. Above all else — and as long as you keep to the rules — 3PO is a perspective that allows flexibility. Flexibility and depth. Give it a go. Write it with confidence, try out different approaches, and release your inner Jane Austen upon the characters of your world.
What’s your favourite novel told in third person omniscient perspective? Let me know in the comments!