Third person is another more common perspective, alongside first person.
This means using the pronouns 'he', 'she', 'they', etc.
So why write in the third person?
It is definitely the broadest perspective as it allows for multiple main characters.
For example, the novel I have just finished reading, Whistle in the Dark, is written in the third person. It focuses mostly on the mother as the main character, but as she is referred to as 'Jen' or 'she', there doesn't seem to be such a character privilege or bias. Each character holds the same importance by name; either referred to by their first name or pronoun.
Using the third person allows you to characterise effectively as well: we avoid the problems with describing the main character that arose in the first and second person.
Is the third person perspective right for my story?
I think that the third person perspective works really well in mysteries. Because we are not in the head of the character, they can keep secrets from us. Generally speaking the third person perspective is more personal than, say, a film - we don't just get what is going on on the outside such as dialogue and action, but we also get to know what they are thinking. But with the third person you can be more selective with this: you don't have to tell us everything!
I actually prefer writing in the third person, this is what feels right for most of my writing, and the perspective I instinctively write from. It allows you to pick up on more things - things that the first person narrator might not be aware of.
It also allows your reader not to get too attached to one character. You don't just have one main character who is in some sort of first-person-narrative bubble where nothing bad can happen to them. It allows you to experiment more - kill off characters or lose them along the way.
But the third person isn't perfect.
You have to make sure that if you are using multiple characters it doesn't get confusing and your audience doesn't feel too distanced. One thing that can happen is the use of 'he' or 'she' can get muddled and although it's obvious to you as the writer, your audience might lose track of who 'he' or 'she' is in a scene with multiple characters of the same gender.
You also need to make sure that all of your characters still have a strong, independent voice. Don't forget, we might still hear some of their thoughts. This should be made easier through thorough characterisation - if you know where your character is from and their experiences, they are much more likely to come across independently.
Hopefully, you now have enough information on each perspective to make a decision for your next piece of writing!
I would advise playing around with all of the different perspectives to see which one suits your style best, as well as which one suits your narrative best.
Happy writing!
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