{"id":8359,"date":"2025-04-28T13:50:12","date_gmt":"2025-04-28T12:50:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.novlr.org\/the-reading-room\/?p=8359"},"modified":"2025-04-29T17:44:54","modified_gmt":"2025-04-29T16:44:54","slug":"how-do-you-write-an-unreliable-narrator","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.novlr.org\/the-reading-room\/how-do-you-write-an-unreliable-narrator\/","title":{"rendered":"How do you write an unreliable narrator?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-pullquote has-text-color has-background has-link-color wp-elements-88e96454a2d70ecff3b5f4521054f5d6\" style=\"color:#212638;background-color:#dbeeff\"><blockquote><p>&#8220;<em>How do you write an unreliable narrator in a way that actually feels clever and not just confusing or annoying? I want readers to realize something\u2019s off without hitting them over the head with it, and still keep them hooked enough to want to figure it out.<\/em>&#8220;<\/p><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>I\u2019m an absolute sucker for an unreliable narrator. I find them completely frustrating and endlessly entertaining. When you read a book, and you just know that something doesn\u2019t quite add up, and you start to question the nature of the reality of the story you\u2019re reading? Mwah. Chef\u2019s kiss.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sometimes unreliable narrators are obvious. Other times there are just hints. It could be a detail that contradicts an earlier scene. A character who reacts oddly to what should be normal. And then, slowly, you realise you can&#8217;t trust the very person telling you the story. An unreliable narrator transforms readers from passive observers into active participants, forcing them to become detectives in their own reading experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What is an unreliable narrator?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>An unreliable narrator is <a href=\"https:\/\/www.novlr.org\/the-reading-room\/choosing-your-narrative-voice-which-option-is-right-for-you\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">the voice of your story<\/a> whose credibility has been compromised. They might be lying deliberately to conceal a truth, or completely unintentionally. What makes them fascinating is that they are telling their version of a truth or attempting to create one, even if that truth doesn&#8217;t match reality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Unlike traditional narrators who serve as trusted guides through a story, unreliable narrators force readers to question everything they&#8217;re told. This means that the real story often lives in the gaps between what the narrator says and what the reader comes to understand is actually true.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s like a friend telling you their breakup story; their version of events might be completely honest from their perspective, but you know you&#8217;re only getting one side of the story. Unreliable narrators remind us that truth is often subjective, and that everyone is the hero of their own story.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Types of unreliable narrators<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>There is no definitive type of unreliable narrator, so the first step is to understand their role in the story and what you want their version of the truth to mean. Here are some common types:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The <strong>deliberate liar<\/strong> consciously misleads readers.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The <strong>self-deceiver<\/strong> believes their own false narrative.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The <strong>mentally compromised<\/strong> has their perception affected by illness, injury, or trauma.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The <strong>na\u00efve observer<\/strong> lacks the experience to understand what they&#8217;re seeing.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The<strong> morally ambiguous<\/strong> has values that skew their interpretation of events.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Each of these types of unreliable narrator serves a different purpose and will change the tone of your narrative. For example, a deliberate liar is often used in thriller and mystery stories where readers must untangle truth from deception, while a na\u00efve observer might be used for dramatic irony. A mentally compromised narrator might lead readers through a haunting exploration of perception, reality, and the self, whereas a self-deceiver might highlight wider social issues in their story world as their illusions gradually crumble.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignfull novlr-cta has-text-color has-background is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\" style=\"color:#000000;background-color:#f8f9fc\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"778\" height=\"194\" data-src=\"http:\/\/wp.novlr.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/combined-1-1.png\" alt=\"Novlr logo\" class=\"wp-image-5163 lazyload\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 778px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 778\/194;width:150px\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.novlr.org\/the-reading-room\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/combined-1-1.png 778w, https:\/\/www.novlr.org\/the-reading-room\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/combined-1-1-300x75.png 300w, https:\/\/www.novlr.org\/the-reading-room\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/combined-1-1-768x192.png 768w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 778px) 100vw, 778px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\" id=\"schedule-a-visit\" style=\"font-size:22px;font-style:normal;font-weight:400;line-height:1.15\"><strong>Write more, write better, and achieve your goals with Novlr!<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-horizontal is-content-justification-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-buttons-is-layout-499968f5 wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button has-custom-width wp-block-button__width-25\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-text-color has-background has-custom-font-size wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/novlr.org\/signup\" style=\"border-radius:50px;color:#ffffff;background-color:#212638;font-size:15px\">Sign up. It&#8217;s free!<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">So, how do you actually write an unreliable narrator?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Writing an unreliable narrator is a delicate balancing act. You need to give your readers enough truth to keep them invested, enough lies to make them question everything, and enough clues that they can piece together what&#8217;s really happening. The trick isn&#8217;t just about deceiving your reader, but about making that deception meaningful (and entertaining).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Let&#8217;s look at some of the more universal techniques:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Build credibility before breaking it<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Start by establishing your narrator&#8217;s voice as trustworthy. Let readers settle into believing what they&#8217;re told. This makes the eventual revelation of unreliability more impactful. Show your narrator being accurate about small details or making reasonable observations before introducing elements that challenge their reliability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Leave breadcrumbs<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Plant subtle inconsistencies throughout your narrative. These should be small enough that readers might miss them on first reading, but obvious enough to create that satisfying &#8220;aha&#8221; moment when the truth is revealed,, like contradictions in the narrator\u2019s version of events, other characters reacting to the narrator\u2019s version of reality, or something that runs counter to the reality of the reader.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The power of perspective<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Remember that unreliable narration is fundamentally about perspective. Your narrator isn&#8217;t necessarily lying; they&#8217;re telling their truth, even if it doesn&#8217;t align with objective reality. Show how their personal biases, experiences, and limitations colour their interpretation of events.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Build tension through uncertainty<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Use your narrator&#8217;s unreliability to build tension. When readers begin to doubt the narrator, every new piece of information becomes suspect. This creates a self-perpetuating cycle of uncertainty that keeps readers engaged. But make sure you keep it balanced. Give readers enough reason to doubt your narrator without completely destroying their credibility too early.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The art of the reveal<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The trickiest part of writing any unreliable narrator is deciding what the best time to reveal it is. And it does have to be considered carefully. Do you want a dramatic singular reveal, a gradual reveal with an \u201caha\u201d moment, or to never explicitly confirm it, leaving readers to decide?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Remember: the goal isn&#8217;t simply to trick readers, but to explore deeper truths about perception, reality, and human nature. The best unreliable narrators make us question not just the story, but our own assumptions about truth and reliability. So make sure you consider that when you decide whether you need a reveal or not.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Keep your inconsistency consistent<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Even unreliable narrators need to follow internal logic. Their unreliability should make sense within the context of their character and the situations they find themselves in. A narrator with memory issues should consistently show those issues. A deliberate liar should have clear motivations for their deception.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-dots\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p>When done well, an unreliable narrator doesn&#8217;t just tell a story, they create an experience that lingers. An unreliable narrator should make a reader question not just what they&#8217;ve read, but how they interpret their own reality. Keep them real. Keep them flawed. Keep them human. This transforms an unreliable narrator from a plot device into a powerful lens through which readers can examine their own understanding of truth, memory, and perception.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;How do you write an unreliable narrator in a way that actually feels clever and not just confusing or annoying? I want readers to realize something\u2019s off without hitting them over the head with it, and still keep them hooked enough to want to figure it out.&#8220; I\u2019m an absolute sucker for an unreliable narrator. [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":8360,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"off","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"1280","footnotes":""},"categories":[108,24],"tags":[67,28],"class_list":["post-8359","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-ask-novlr","category-writing-tips","tag-character-development","tag-writing-tips","et-has-post-format-content","et_post_format-et-post-format-standard"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>How do you write an unreliable narrator? | The Novlr Reading Room<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Learn how to write an unreliable narrator that will keep readers guessing and give your story additional layers of meaning.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.novlr.org\/the-reading-room\/how-do-you-write-an-unreliable-narrator\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"How do you write an unreliable narrator? | The Novlr Reading Room\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Learn how to write an unreliable narrator that will keep readers guessing and give your story additional layers of meaning.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.novlr.org\/the-reading-room\/how-do-you-write-an-unreliable-narrator\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"The Novlr Reading Room\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/novlr\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-04-28T12:50:12+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-04-29T16:44:54+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.novlr.org\/the-reading-room\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Frame-160-1.webp\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1920\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1260\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Pamela Koehne-Drube\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@novlrtweets\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@novlrtweets\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Pamela Koehne-Drube\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Estimated reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"1 minute\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.novlr.org\\\/the-reading-room\\\/how-do-you-write-an-unreliable-narrator\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.novlr.org\\\/the-reading-room\\\/how-do-you-write-an-unreliable-narrator\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Pamela Koehne-Drube\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.novlr.org\\\/the-reading-room\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/726ed0ac79316fa69373ac67027dd121\"},\"headline\":\"How do you write an unreliable narrator?\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-04-28T12:50:12+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-04-29T16:44:54+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.novlr.org\\\/the-reading-room\\\/how-do-you-write-an-unreliable-narrator\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":1036,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.novlr.org\\\/the-reading-room\\\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.novlr.org\\\/the-reading-room\\\/how-do-you-write-an-unreliable-narrator\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.novlr.org\\\/the-reading-room\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/04\\\/Frame-160-1.webp\",\"keywords\":[\"character development\",\"writing tips\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Ask Novlr\",\"Writing\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.novlr.org\\\/the-reading-room\\\/how-do-you-write-an-unreliable-narrator\\\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.novlr.org\\\/the-reading-room\\\/how-do-you-write-an-unreliable-narrator\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.novlr.org\\\/the-reading-room\\\/how-do-you-write-an-unreliable-narrator\\\/\",\"name\":\"How do you write an unreliable narrator? 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