Comments on: Fiction Writing: What’s Your Point of View? http://menwithpens.ca/fiction-writing-whats-your-point-of-view/ Wed, 23 May 2012 07:42:37 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: 100 Resources for Writers | Suess's Pieces http://menwithpens.ca/fiction-writing-whats-your-point-of-view/#comment-48721 100 Resources for Writers | Suess's Pieces Tue, 13 Sep 2011 22:39:14 +0000 http://menwithpens.ca/?p=927#comment-48721 [...] What’s Your Point of View: First person? Third person omniscient? What does it all mean? Exploring and discussing points of view in literature. [...] [...] What’s Your Point of View: First person? Third person omniscient? What does it all mean? Exploring and discussing points of view in literature. [...]

]]> By: Victoria http://menwithpens.ca/fiction-writing-whats-your-point-of-view/#comment-46963 Victoria Fri, 29 Apr 2011 22:23:41 +0000 http://menwithpens.ca/?p=927#comment-46963 Yay, James! Finally, someone else who does that, too!! My editors, I'm convinced, are just not that into me. They want me to stick with one POV per chapter, always asking myself who is most affected by the action taking place. I always come up with the same answer. It's not one person's perspective at a time that interests me. Rather, I'm in stupid love with group dynamics (absolutely ass-over-applecart about the mess that is human interaction) . I always have a vision of myself as one of the ghosts in A Christmas Carol, holding the reader by the hand as we float above the action. That's what I see in my head when I write, and that's the viewpoint I'd like the reader to have. Now, being omniscient ghosts, we have the power to jump in and out of the heads of anyone in the room. I love this POV! It works for he said/she said and for inner/outer dialogue really well. In the story I'm working on now, there is one scene where I pop in and out of three characters' heads for the duration of the action. Two characters have a conversation and one character eavesdrops. So, the reader gets all three perspectives on the action. It's tricky sometimes, but it's rewarding. Yes, it can overload the reader at times. Still, I think it creates an intimacy with the story because it yanks the reader along and demands that they keep up. So far, I've had positive responses from readers and negative responses from editors. So far, my readers aren't lost. They love it. I think readers aren't as easily confused as traditional editors believe they are. Has anyone read any good fiction lately where the perspective shifts within the chapter, going back and forth between the characters involved in the action (usually 2-3 characters at a time)? If so, I would love some feedback about this technique. Good? Bad? Ugly? Yay, James! Finally, someone else who does that, too!!

My editors, I’m convinced, are just not that into me. They want me to stick with one POV per chapter, always asking myself who is most affected by the action taking place. I always come up with the same answer. It’s not one person’s perspective at a time that interests me. Rather, I’m in stupid love with group dynamics (absolutely ass-over-applecart about the mess that is human interaction) .

I always have a vision of myself as one of the ghosts in A Christmas Carol, holding the reader by the hand as we float above the action. That’s what I see in my head when I write, and that’s the viewpoint I’d like the reader to have. Now, being omniscient ghosts, we have the power to jump in and out of the heads of anyone in the room. I love this POV!

It works for he said/she said and for inner/outer dialogue really well. In the story I’m working on now, there is one scene where I pop in and out of three characters’ heads for the duration of the action. Two characters have a conversation and one character eavesdrops. So, the reader gets all three perspectives on the action.

It’s tricky sometimes, but it’s rewarding. Yes, it can overload the reader at times. Still, I think it creates an intimacy with the story because it yanks the reader along and demands that they keep up.

So far, I’ve had positive responses from readers and negative responses from editors. So far, my readers aren’t lost. They love it. I think readers aren’t as easily confused as traditional editors believe they are.

Has anyone read any good fiction lately where the perspective shifts within the chapter, going back and forth between the characters involved in the action (usually 2-3 characters at a time)? If so, I would love some feedback about this technique. Good? Bad? Ugly?

]]> By: POV: What it is and how it matters http://menwithpens.ca/fiction-writing-whats-your-point-of-view/#comment-36192 POV: What it is and how it matters Mon, 13 Sep 2010 17:01:54 +0000 http://menwithpens.ca/?p=927#comment-36192 [...] things first: POV means Point of View. It’s a fiction writing element, and it matters in your [...] [...] things first: POV means Point of View. It’s a fiction writing element, and it matters in your [...]

]]> By: Working on that story? More things to consider. « Creativewriting201’s Weblog http://menwithpens.ca/fiction-writing-whats-your-point-of-view/#comment-29566 Working on that story? More things to consider. « Creativewriting201’s Weblog Tue, 20 Oct 2009 12:01:19 +0000 http://menwithpens.ca/?p=927#comment-29566 [...] Here is a delightful and highly recommended (by me) blog about writing called “Men With Pens”. The entry on point of view is very well-presented and informative, and you may find the comments interesting and helpful as well: http://menwithpens.ca/fiction-writing-whats-your-point-of-view [...] [...] Here is a delightful and highly recommended (by me) blog about writing called “Men With Pens”. The entry on point of view is very well-presented and informative, and you may find the comments interesting and helpful as well: http://menwithpens.ca/fiction-writing-whats-your-point-of-view [...]

]]> By: J.Morgan http://menwithpens.ca/fiction-writing-whats-your-point-of-view/#comment-27582 J.Morgan Fri, 03 Jul 2009 16:40:03 +0000 http://menwithpens.ca/?p=927#comment-27582 You know when I first started to write this was my biggest problem. I was cluttered and I jumped from one to the other. Now I think that I do preferr third person limited. It's much better for me to be able to give the reader the information he or she needs but at the same time keep it flowing perfectly. It does get difficult since my story has two main characters and about ten side characters that come in and out of the scenes at different intervals so I decided to stick with the two main and not clutter the story up with everyone's pov. .-= J.Morgan´s last blog ..Transformers (The fallen) =-. You know when I first started to write this was my biggest problem. I was cluttered and I jumped from one to the other. Now I think that I do preferr third person limited. It’s much better for me to be able to give the reader the information he or she needs but at the same time keep it flowing perfectly. It does get difficult since my story has two main characters and about ten side characters that come in and out of the scenes at different intervals so I decided to stick with the two main and not clutter the story up with everyone’s pov.
.-= J.Morgan´s last blog ..Transformers (The fallen) =-.

]]> By: Brad’s Reader » Blog Archive » Friday Link Love 5/16 http://menwithpens.ca/fiction-writing-whats-your-point-of-view/#comment-26569 Brad’s Reader » Blog Archive » Friday Link Love 5/16 Sun, 17 May 2009 21:18:51 +0000 http://menwithpens.ca/?p=927#comment-26569 [...] Fiction writing: What’s your point of viewWriting a story in first person or third person can make a big difference in how the story is experienced by the reader, and how it is written. Here’s a handy guide to help you decide. [...] [...] Fiction writing: What’s your point of viewWriting a story in first person or third person can make a big difference in how the story is experienced by the reader, and how it is written. Here’s a handy guide to help you decide. [...]

]]> By: Kelly http://menwithpens.ca/fiction-writing-whats-your-point-of-view/#comment-8730 Kelly Fri, 09 May 2008 23:28:37 +0000 http://menwithpens.ca/?p=927#comment-8730 Harry, I'd start with Even Cowgirls Get the Blues or Jitterbug Perfume if you've never read Tom Robbins. He is so incredible. His books are instant addictions. Until later, Kelly <em>Kelly's last blog post..Inspiration Points: No Regrets!</em> Harry,

I’d start with Even Cowgirls Get the Blues or Jitterbug Perfume if you’ve never read Tom Robbins. He is so incredible. His books are instant addictions.

Until later,

Kelly

Kelly’s last blog post..Inspiration Points: No Regrets!

]]> By: Rob in Denver http://menwithpens.ca/fiction-writing-whats-your-point-of-view/#comment-8729 Rob in Denver Fri, 09 May 2008 23:10:03 +0000 http://menwithpens.ca/?p=927#comment-8729 @Harry: While you may not have read Lehane, you may be familiar with his work if you've seen the movies MYSTIC RIVER and GONE BABY GONE. He wrote the novels on which those movies are based. Robbins is a little out there. If you like SF/F, Robbins might be worth a looksee. I'm positive he eats a lot of peyote before he sits down to write. He was writing magical realism before anyone knew what magical realism was. Not everything he does is in second person, though. @Janice: You're welcome. ;) <em>Rob in Denver's last blog post..It’s safe to say I’m stoked</em> @Harry: While you may not have read Lehane, you may be familiar with his work if you’ve seen the movies MYSTIC RIVER and GONE BABY GONE. He wrote the novels on which those movies are based.

Robbins is a little out there. If you like SF/F, Robbins might be worth a looksee. I’m positive he eats a lot of peyote before he sits down to write. He was writing magical realism before anyone knew what magical realism was. Not everything he does is in second person, though.

@Janice: You’re welcome. ;)

Rob in Denver’s last blog post..It’s safe to say I’m stoked

]]> By: Janice C Cartier http://menwithpens.ca/fiction-writing-whats-your-point-of-view/#comment-8726 Janice C Cartier Fri, 09 May 2008 20:40:35 +0000 http://menwithpens.ca/?p=927#comment-8726 Rob- I like Lehane and Robbins. But hadn't seen the ones mentioned. So I read excerpt from Half Asleep. Wow. Thanks for that. <em>Janice C Cartier's last blog post..<a href='http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/cartier/paintings/~3/286893123/long-shots.html' rel="nofollow">Long Shots</a></em> Rob- I like Lehane and Robbins. But hadn’t seen the ones mentioned. So I read excerpt from Half Asleep. Wow. Thanks for that.

Janice C Cartier’s last blog post..Long Shots

]]> By: Harry http://menwithpens.ca/fiction-writing-whats-your-point-of-view/#comment-8725 Harry Fri, 09 May 2008 20:28:07 +0000 http://menwithpens.ca/?p=927#comment-8725 @Nicole: I used to do that on the game boards when I introduced a new scene. I had a main character I would use and for a change of pace I'd write him in first person. I've seen it work in novels too, where at the beginning or end of a chapter, or as an interlude in between chapters the writer would switch to first person. The one that sticks out in my mind is Mists of Avalon. Between the parts of the book, Bradley would switch to Morgain's POV. @Tei: I agree with you, first person is a lot harder to maintain over a long period of time. @Rob: I haven't read any of those authors. Now that I think about it, the only time I've seen a novel written in second person is in the adventure books James mentioned (yes, James, they're still around). @Nicole: I used to do that on the game boards when I introduced a new scene. I had a main character I would use and for a change of pace I’d write him in first person. I’ve seen it work in novels too, where at the beginning or end of a chapter, or as an interlude in between chapters the writer would switch to first person. The one that sticks out in my mind is Mists of Avalon. Between the parts of the book, Bradley would switch to Morgain’s POV.

@Tei: I agree with you, first person is a lot harder to maintain over a long period of time.

@Rob: I haven’t read any of those authors. Now that I think about it, the only time I’ve seen a novel written in second person is in the adventure books James mentioned (yes, James, they’re still around).

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