How do I change a novel from first person to limited third person?

Question

For various reasons (increased clarity, and an interested agent), I'm rewriting what was once two first-person POVs into a third person limited POV. Other answers have previously established the differences between first and third person, but what I'm asking about specifically are things I should be looking out for when changing the POV for an entire, completed novel. I don't want to change the storyline or characters, I simply want to change the POV.What traps should I be wary of, and what kind of elements should I be playing up or downplaying as a result of the shift?*Note: Please don't say 'Change all the 'I's to 'he's and 'she's - the two forms are very different stylistically and I can confirm (...possibly from experience...) that it does not work very well.*

Answer 1

Hello! The main thing you need to watch out for is the fact that the reader cannot know anything that your main character does not. There should be no omniscient narration and the reader cannot be aware of any actions that other characters are taking if the main character is not also aware of them. Limited third-person is very similar to first-person in this context. You are looking through one lens that cannot see the whole picture, just as if you were in the mind of one person. Because of this, I think it should not be too difficult to switch from first-person to third-person, as you already have a limited point of view. Just make sure that any information the reader has is explained through the character and not through an omniscient narrator who knows all. If you have any questions about specific passages, feel free to respond and I will be happy to take a look.