When to use 3rd person and when to use 1st person

When we use the 3rd person in a story, it is usually when we need to illustrate the story from an omniscient view, such as a story where u need to know the thoughts and actions of each of the characters at different points in the story.

However, the 1st person point of view is usually used when the perspective, or point of view is not needed, or that the writer wants to limit it to that character only. This can very effectively help to create suspense and foreboding in the story.

For example, in the series of Sherlock Holmes, Holmes has an assistant by the name of John Watson. Most of the stories are told from the point of Watson. It has to be this way, for the fact that Sir Arthur Conan Doyle wants to create suspense; he does not want put it in 1st person point of view, as it would reveal all that was going on in the story, and the story would lose its suspense.

Also, it cannot be from Sherlock Holmes point of view. If we were to write from the point of view of Sherlock Holmes, all that goes on in his head will be revealed to us. This removes the suspense and foreboding from the story.

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's decision was undoubtedly a brilliant move and is part of what has made the Sherlock Holmes series so successfull.