First or Third?

A new YA manuscript has been monopolizing my life for the past three days. I'm in the planning phase, which can take a little while because I like to plan just about everything before I start drafting. The plot is coming together. My MC has introduced herself to me... finally. She took her sweet time telling me her name. She seemed to want to tell me everything else about herself before she remembered to fill me in on what to call her. But that's okay. I forgive her--mostly because she's got a wicked power that scares me.

So now I'm left with figuring out how best to tell her story. I naturally lean toward first person. I love becoming a character so fully that I can just write as if I'm them. Inside their thoughts, using their words, experiencing their feelings... well, you get the picture. But while I was planning yesterday, I got this weird feeling that I might have to use a close third person for this story. It literally stopped me in my planning. I mean, sure I use third person all the time in my short stories, but this is a novel. I'm wondering if it's the nature of the story that's making me think it would be better told at a slight difference or if it's the potential scariness of the story that's making me want to distance myself from the action. Am I scared to become this character? Yes. I think I am. Should I let that stop me from becoming her? I don't know.

I think this is a case where I'm going to have to try both first and third person to see which works best for my MC and her story. Because in the end, it isn't about me. It's about what's best for the manuscript.

How do you decide whether to use first or third person. Do you experiment to see what works best, or is it something you just know?