In literature, in the third person limited omniscient mode, the reader and writer observe the situation from the outside, standing apart from all characters in the story. It is argued that readers visualize the situation better than any fictional character because, unlike the characters, they have access to all the relevant information existing in the fictional universe.

Furthermore, there is no implied fictional intermediary between the reader and the story, as there would be in the case of a fictional newspaper article with an implied a fictional reporter.

Although first person fictional narratives are popular as well, the third person is seen as the current preferred voice in fiction.