Point of View
POV (Point of View): Point of view in literature is probably the biggest single area of novel writing that aspiring writers have problems with. More specifically, they often can’t decide whether to use first person or third person point of view. This can be the single most important decision a writer makes about their novel and if it is not handled correctly it can guarantee a novel’s failure.
First person: the “I” voice; all narration written as if the narrator were speaking directly to the readers. The narrator is one of the characters, not the author as in omniscient p.o.v.
Third person: the “s/he” voice; a mix of the other two, a compromise between first person and omniscient p.o.v.
Third Person Limited(limited to one person): This is probably the best bet for beginning writers. Here, the narration refers to all the characters by third-person pronouns (he, she, it), each self-contained scene follows the viewpoint of one specific character.
Third person multiple: your viewpoint is limited to more than one character. You’ll need at least one other viewpoint if you include scenes in which your protagonist is not present. But always confine yourself to one point of view per scene. Don’t switch viewpoint unless you’re starting a new scene.
Omniscient: a point of view not written from “inside” anyone’s head; unseen narrator knows what all the characters are thinking. Janet Burroughway describes, in WRITING FICTION, the total omniscient author as “God.
You can freely switch viewpoint characters when you change scenes, but it’s a little tricky to switch in a short story. You have to make sure you are not confusing the reader. Using a blank line helps. In novels you can shift at the end of a chapter, or with a blank line within a chapter.
0 Comments
Trackbacks/Pingbacks