What’s your point of view?
I have a question for readers today. What’s your view on point of view?
I’m talking about characters. Do you like reading a book that only tells the story from one characters mind? You only experience their senses, feel what they feel, see what they see, hear what they hear, or do you like multiple points of view? Do you like getting into a few different character’s heads?
What about omniscient? This is when the story is told from a narrator’s point of view.
Have you heard of head hopping? For example in one scene you will jump from one characters mind to the other, and you can see several points of view for one particular scene, like a kiss or a conversation, or some intense action?
The main reason I ask this, is because these days most of us are writing with only one characters point of view per scene, and omniscient is rarely used. It came about in my mind from reading Julie Garwood’s latest book, Shadow Music.
She head hopped from one person’s point of view to another, and told from a narrator’s voice, and I LOVED it! I loved the foreshadowing, I loved seeing all the characters feelings and thoughts in one scene. I think it takes a lot of talent to write that way so the reader doesn’t become confused, and I would like to practice this.
So, what is your view on point of view? Does it matter to you, or do you prefer it a certain way?
Also if you missed my blog last week, Are You In the Know-Writer’s Lingo, check it out!
As a READER, I do not mind head hopping, as long as it’s done smoothly and doesn’t jar me. I’m a greedy reader…I like to know what everyone is thinking.
Great blog!
Now that I know what POV is, I can see some of my favorite writers head-hopping like crazy, and I love it. They change from one character to the next from one paragraph to the next, and the story flows wonderfully.
I have been told not to head-hop–it confuses the reader. It probably does, if it’s done badly. Maybe that’s why they tell us newbies not to head-hop.
Of course, these writers are multi-published, and they can get away with stuff I can’t. And it must take a lot of skill to head-hop and create a great story. I hope I’m that good one day.
Hi Meagan and Linda! Thanks for your comments.
I totally agree. I love being able to see into everyone’s heads. I’m a greedy reader too!
You are right Linda, I’ve only seen it done very well with the multi-published NY Times bestselling authores…I hope one day with A LOT of practice, I can try it out and be that good too!
I prefer multiple POV in a book, though not necessarily paragraph by paragraph. It’s more like half a scene in one person’s POV and then switch to the other person’s POV for the rest of the scene (usually a reaction to what the first person said).
I don’t mind if it’s done paragraph by paragraph as long as it’s done well. Some writers can do that without losing any emotional connection with the reader but other writers can’t. And sometimes it’s just a matter of the reader really knowing the character before that kind of switching starts. If it’s really early in the book, it might not work as well as it does later on when the reader knows the characters well.
One thing I really dislike is the double line space before switching POV. That pulls me right out of a story. I expect it when the scene is switching to another place or time, but if it’s just the POV switching and the same people are still in the same scene, I really don’t like it.
I’m with Stephie, on using the multiple POV throughout a book. The place I love head hopping when done with efficiency is during high tension scenes, whether in the heat of an argument or during sex. Those are the times I love, love, love getting into the heads of both the H & H.
Renee
Eliza,
I am more of a stickler about POV since I began writing. It’s hard for me to read too much head hopping LOL. I’d like to say that if it’s done well, it doesn’t jar me, but…it does. So, as for me, I prefer one POV per scene (or short section), or 1st person all the way through.
Hugs,
Renee
http://www.reneeknowles.com
I’m with Renee on this one. Now that I write and know what head-hopping is, it drives me nuts when I read it. Also like Stephanie, that extra space in there bothers me. I like just one or two pov’s per scene. And when you make that change, buddy it better be smooth or I’ll pick up on it!
POV is a very specific tool. I don’t think people think of it as a tool enough. The POV a story is written in, changes the character and purpose of the story. In Romance, I like to have both my hero and my heroine thinking, and I do like to get nice and deep in their heads. Deep POV creates an emotional connection and a physical experience when reading.
First person is like sitting down for a chat with your friend. It creates a closeness with that character, but to me it always feels like you’re separated from them, sitting across a table at a cafe instead of in their brain.
And I like Omniscient in Fantasy novels. The narrator can get sweeping world building across much more efficiently than the characters can.
Jess