What is the difference between third-person omniscient and third-person limited points of view?

Answer 1

In the third person POV, the narrator is always removed from the story (not one of the characters). They refer to the characters using third person pronouns (he, she, they, etc.)

A limited narrator does not know the thoughts or emotions of the characters. Think of them like an invisible person observing what happens and what the characters say.

An omniscient (all knowing) narrator knows the thoughts and emotions of all the characters. Think of them as a spirit or something supernatural that can understand everything that happens in the story, including the emotions, thoughts, and motives of each character.

Answer 2

The word omniscient means "all knowing" - this point of view allows the reader to know what all the characters are thinking and feeling.

Limited point of view is the opposite of this, in that the readers are only shown one or perhaps two characters' thoughts and feelings.

Answer 3

In third-person omniscient point of view, the narrator knows the thoughts and feelings of all characters, while in third-person limited point of view, the narrator only knows the thoughts and feelings of one character. Third-person limited allows for a more focused perspective, while third-person omniscient provides a broader view of the story.