We made it through another week! Happy Friday. Thanks for joining me.

On Wednesday, the word we discussed was “waken.”
In fiction writing, we can often have characters who are unaware of something going on around them because of an “unreliable narrator.” At its core, an unreliable narrator is a character whose credibility is compromised. In most books, the reader trusts the “I” of the story to be an honest lens. When that lens is cracked, warped, or intentionally tinted, the reader has to work harder to find the truth.
A good example is in my book, Saddled Hearts.
In this book, my protagonist is Colt Layne who owns and operates a horse ranch and rescue center. Then I have a character, Holden Thorpe, who plays with the reader’s (and the protagonist’s) expectations each time he appears in a scene. On the surface, Holden looks like the ultimate hero. He even springs into action to rescue a child from a cattle stampede—an act so brave it’s impossible to ignore. Yet, he is not what he seems and he has an ulterior motive for everything he does. It is a situation of deception vs. perception.
Sometimes writing an unreliable narrator is essentially a high-stakes balancing act. If you lean too far in one direction, the reader feels cheated. Yet, if you don’t lean far enough, the “twist” feels predictable.
I’d love to hear your thoughts on how you incorporate a unreliable narrator into your stories. It’s another way of bringing something into focus. Let’s talk.
Hi Jan, an interesting post. I don’t believe I’ve ever written from the perspective of an unreliable narrator.
Thanks for your comment, Robbie. In the example I gave above, I never got into Holden Thorpe’s POV, so it was all from Colt’s perspective. I think the deception vs perception fits that scenario.
I love a story with an unreliable narrator. It makes me lean in and try to sort out what’s a lie and what’s the truth while I’m reading. I used an unreliable narrator in “Ernest and the Dust Angel” in my recent collection. I used a character’s iffy sanity as a means for the unreliable narration.
Oh, I remember that story, Priscilla. I definitely had to “lean in” to sort out his character. Fun writing, huh? Thank you for stopping by and leaving a comment!
I think this applies to Winning Maura’s Heart where both the reader and Maura were in the dark about the dying man she rescued. Was he an outlaw or a lawman? No one knew for sure until the end. That book is the first one I’ve ever tried to write as the unreliable narrator. It was very, very challenging. Yes, I remember that Saddled Hearts is a good example of that style. You did a great job of keeping the villain secret.
That definitely applies to Winning Maura’s Heart, sister. You managed to keep the reader in the dark as well as Maura. Thank you so much for weighing in. A great example. Love you!
I love unreliable narrators who ultimately turn out to be heroes or villains. Part of the enjoyment of reading is guessing where the writer is going and figuring out the characters. If everything is predictable and spelled out in the first few pages, the book isn’t as compelling.
That is so true, Pete. It’s like watching a Hallmark movie where you know exactly what’s going to happen from the beginning. I like reading that challenges me. Thanks so much for your comment!
Saddled Hearts sounds fascinating to me, Jan. Happy Friday!
Glad to hear it, Tim! If you pick it up, I hope you enjoy!
😍
I have not tried an unreliable narrator yet. But I had one as a friend once, for a while. LOL
Oh my goodness, Pat. That doesn’t sound like a good friend. Glad you used the word, ‘had’ in your statement. Thanks for stopping by!
Jan, kudos to you for writing from the pov of an unreliable narrator. I do enjoy books from this perspective, never quite sure of the truth! It is a balancing act and not one I’ve tried in my writing – yet! Now I’m tempted to try a shorter piece with one!
I suppose my example was a little mis-leading as I never got into Holden Thorpe’s POV. It was all in Colt’s perspective and more a case of deception vs. perception. Thank you for stopping by and leaving a comment!
Hii jan
I’m Keshav Porwal a 14 year old writer.till now I have already written 6 ebooks. Can you please kindly promote my 7th ebook.
Congratulations, Keshav. That’s quite an accomplishment for a 14-year-old! I seldom promote books I haven’t read, so in order to promote, I would have to see your work.
Ohk
Here is my latest ebook link https://curiofeedblog.wordpress.com/2025/12/08/%f0%9f%93%98-official-launch-dwarka-the-lost-city-of-india-part-1released-on-sunday-7-december-at-12-pm/
Can I mail you
My email is keshavporwal73@gmail.com