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What writer doesn't love the intricacies of POV! I’m
being a little facetious here because when I started writing, I found point of
view to be the most challenging aspect of the craft to master. My critique
partners and beta readers still pick me up on it, but I usually have it right
rather than wrong these days. First, here’s a quick look at what POV is.
First person –
indicated by I/me/my. Stories written in first person can create a closeness
between readers and the character telling the story, but it is limited to that
character. The characters must be able to portray themselves as likeable or
sympathetic or risk losing the reader. Think Jayne Eyre, or Ishmael from Herman Melville’s Moby Dick. If it is written well, as by my personal favourite Dick Francis, it can take the reader on a roller coaster ride.
Second person – You/your.
These are often self-help books like The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle or Deepak
Chopra’s books. Or think of any recipe you have ever read. You take 1 cup of sugar
and add it to your flour. I’m sure you get the point. This point of view can
not only surprise the reader but also stretch the writer’s skills because you must
focus on writing it well.
Third person limited - She/he, her/his. The narrator is outside the story, relating the characters' experiences, and various characters can tell the story. I have always liked Maeve Binchy’s books as it was always clear which of her characters' points of
view she was in.
Third person omniscient
– She/he. The narrator tells the story through all the characters by having
access to their thoughts and experiences and often has information that none of
the characters know. Unless done well, this can become messy and confusing to your reader.
Regardless of the character’s point of view you write from, it is best to establish it as early in
your work as possible. Sometimes, it can be from the first line, but it should
be established in the first two paragraphs, giving your reader direction into
your story and a solid framework from which to start.
Because I write historical
and contemporary romance, my favourite point of view to read and write is that of third person
limited. It is a way to broaden the scope of my stories because I can spread
the plot across two or three points of view. If I want to deepen a character’s
point of view, I will write a scene in first person, in longhand, which might
sound laborious but works for me as I think it gives my readers a deeper, more
emotional connection to that character in whatever situation I've landed them.
Now to see what my
fellow bloggers have to say.
Bob
Rich - https://wp.me/p3Xihq-3aE
Connie
Vines http://mizging.blogspot.com/
Diane
Bator https://escapewithawriter.wordpress.com/
Helena
Fairfax http://www.helenafairfax.com/blog
Skye
Taylor http://www.skye-writer.com/blogging_by_the_sea
