The singular “they” has a long history, but nonbinary pronouns are increasingly visible in contemporary fiction, making this an exciting, inclusive moment for novelists. As writers, we ought to rise to the occasion by giving nonbinary characters the same thoughtful construction we give every other character in our stories. The practical work begins with a question about the novel. Who is telling this story, and what can that narrator reasonably know about the character? Answer that before polishing dialogue, because pronoun decisions belong inside the storytelling.

Point of View Changes the Job

Suppose Morgan is nonbinary and uses they/them pronouns throughout the novel. If Morgan narrates in first person, readers ordinarily encounter “I” in Morgan’s account, while “they” appears when another character refers to Morgan. But suppose the story belongs to Morgan’s roommate, who remembers the evening Morgan left for an audition. The roommate might say, “Morgan picked up their bag before I could ask about the audition.” In that version, the narrator introduces Morgan’s pronouns without stepping outside the scene to deliver an explanation.

Third-person narration asks the author to make that same decision from another angle. A close third-person narrator follows one character’s understanding, while an omniscient narrator can enter Morgan’s thoughts whenever the novel calls for it. In either case, establish Morgan’s pronouns early through ordinary references that make sense within the chosen perspective. That standard applies whether your narrator knows everything or almost nothing. The reader should always know whom the sentence is talking about.

When One “They” Meets Another

Now here is a sentence I would ask every novelist to examine: “Jordan watched the actors as they crossed the stage during rehearsal.” Jordan uses they/them pronouns, but the actors form a group, so “they” could describe either subject. The ambiguity is grammatical, which puts the solution in the writer’s hands.

If Jordan moves, write, “Jordan crossed the stage while the actors watched from their seats.” If the group moves, write, “The actors crossed the stage while Jordan watched from a nearby chair.” Both sentences preserve the scene while giving the reader a definite picture of what happens. When singular and plural “they” appear close together, repeating a name can make the writing sound more natural than asking a pronoun to carry two meanings.

Let the Character Remain a Character

An author should also consider what a narrator’s word choices reveal about that narrator. If Morgan’s roommate uses an incorrect pronoun, that moment must make sense within the fictional relationship and have a reason to occur. Morgan’s response should follow the personality already established throughout the novel, including whether the character would address the remark at all. The writer should keep such moments grounded in that particular relationship.

During revision, inspect every crowded paragraph containing multiple possible references to “they.” As you read aloud, identify each subject immediately so you can revise sentences where the reader might have to guess. That is the standard worth applying to every viewpoint in contemporary fiction, since pronouns should help the reader follow the characters as the story moves forward.