As I've been trying to wade through the ginormous mess that is my WIP, I did a thing last week: I read through the entire 97 k thing so I could attempt to figure out where the heck I've been going wrong in every attempt at editing I've tries thus far.
And I learned something.
I wrote a blog post last December about Writing from Multiple Perspectives, in which I explicitly state that if you're going to have more than one (major) character narrator, then you need to make sure they each have a story to tell that's theirs and their own. There's also this quote from this awesome article, Tips When Writing Multiple POV Novels, in which the author points out that each perspective "compliments two or more story arcs."
What does this have to do with my re-reading adventure?
I'm writing from two points of views. I came to realize that one of the perspectives had a far stronger voice and journey than the other. I also came to realize that one of the perspectives was relying on the other heavily instead of telling its own story. I spent the weekend thinking about this epiphany and wondered if this happened because I wrote both POVs at the same time (basically: I'd write one scene/chapter in one POV, then write the next in the other, and progress the story that way).
If anything, this little adventure of mine has reminded me how important it is that each perspective - and each character - has their own distinct story to tell. While they might interact with the same environment as another, they have their own unique experience that exists at a distance, an experience that doesn't depend on another (or, at least, shouldn't).
In my experience, if one character's POV is too heavily dependent on another: then what's the point of having two POVs in the first place? Yet something I've been positive about from the very beginning is that both of these stories need to be told on their own.
So my next step has been to divide the POVs of my WIP into two different documents. I'm going to attempt to rewrite the narrators' stories from there, one at a time, from beginning to end. By writing their stories separately, I'm hoping to maybe capture their stories and their motivations without the frame of another POV on the next page. By focusing on one at a time, maybe I'll have better luck pinning them down and discovering what they're really after.
Because, to be honest, right now it feels like a competition between the two voices and stories, both of them trying to one-up the other with their adventures. That's not really conducive to my writerly mind, though.
If I'm being honest, I'm experimenting. I'm going back to an early draft of this WIP - the most recent, finished draft that I've actually been happy with - and I'm hoping that something comes out of it because, like I mentioned, it's kind of a mess right now. But these characters' stories need to be told.
So if I wind up needing stitches because I've banged my head into the wall a few too many times, you'll know the reason why.
If you're writing from multiple POVs, maybe you'll consider writing out each story separately, as well. What's your strategy?
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Blogger @Rae_Slater talks her biggest challenge in revising her WIP: ensuring her two narrators have their own story (Click to Tweet)
When writing multiple POVs, make sure the narratives aren't overly dependent on each other (Click to Tweet)
Showing posts with label point of view. Show all posts
Showing posts with label point of view. Show all posts
Monday, April 6, 2015
Monday, March 9, 2015
Writer Beware: Omniscience
I feel like I talk about point of view a lot, but it's fascinating, and today's subject is something that I feel is extremely important when choosing to write from an omniscient point of view.
Back in December, I wrote a post about writing from multiple perspectives, and based on a few books I've read recently (not naming names), there's something that I really want to reiterate, both as a reader who enjoys books told from multiple points of view and a writer who enjoys writing from multiple points of view:
If you choose to write from an omniscient point of view, make sure every character you choose as a perspective as a point of view that's pertinent to moving your story along.
Omniscience the the all-knowing. It's when you give yourself the freedom to jump into the head of any and every character in your book, even if it's just once. It gives you a lot of freedom as an author: you can tell the reader things that many of the other characters won't know until later. A really great example of this is what I've seen in Maureen Johnson's series, THE SHADES OF LONDON. There are small chapters told from an outside point of view of the main character, and these are points of view that we only see once: most of them tell the reader that there's a ghost involved in whatever crime is being investigated.
What's the effect of this? The world of the novel believes these crimes to be committed by a human, while the reader knows it was a ghost. It's dramatic irony in its finest.
It's a really compelling idea to occasionally jump into another mind and tell the story from there for a few pages; when done right, as I mentioned above, it can have a great effect in the reader's experience, upping the suspense.
However, it's also a really dangerous move if you're not paying careful attention to whose mind you're choosing to jump into, and what information they have to give.
Note that I bolded that. Because it's important.
If your narrative is going to occasionally dip into another, minor character, then you, as the author, have to be very certain that their perspective has something to offer the story. They need to have information, an observation, an action that relates directly to the plot; otherwise, when you're reader reads it, they're going to sit there and wonder why the heck you took a deviation from the main characters or the main plot line. If there isn't anything pertinent, you run the risk of losing a level of respect from the person who's spending a good few hours of their life devoted to your books.
Don't waste your reader's time by doing that. It's not fair to either of you.
What do you think? Do you like omniscience as a point of view choice? When do you like it more, and when do you like it less? Let's have a conversation, shall we?
Tweet It:
Writer Beware: if you choose to write with omniscience, make sure the character has info worth sharing (Click to Tweet)
Blogger @Rae_Slater thinks omniscience is a great way to build suspense, but be sure to not waste your reader's time (Click to Tweet)
Back in December, I wrote a post about writing from multiple perspectives, and based on a few books I've read recently (not naming names), there's something that I really want to reiterate, both as a reader who enjoys books told from multiple points of view and a writer who enjoys writing from multiple points of view:
If you choose to write from an omniscient point of view, make sure every character you choose as a perspective as a point of view that's pertinent to moving your story along.
Omniscience the the all-knowing. It's when you give yourself the freedom to jump into the head of any and every character in your book, even if it's just once. It gives you a lot of freedom as an author: you can tell the reader things that many of the other characters won't know until later. A really great example of this is what I've seen in Maureen Johnson's series, THE SHADES OF LONDON. There are small chapters told from an outside point of view of the main character, and these are points of view that we only see once: most of them tell the reader that there's a ghost involved in whatever crime is being investigated.
What's the effect of this? The world of the novel believes these crimes to be committed by a human, while the reader knows it was a ghost. It's dramatic irony in its finest.
It's a really compelling idea to occasionally jump into another mind and tell the story from there for a few pages; when done right, as I mentioned above, it can have a great effect in the reader's experience, upping the suspense.
However, it's also a really dangerous move if you're not paying careful attention to whose mind you're choosing to jump into, and what information they have to give.
Note that I bolded that. Because it's important.
If your narrative is going to occasionally dip into another, minor character, then you, as the author, have to be very certain that their perspective has something to offer the story. They need to have information, an observation, an action that relates directly to the plot; otherwise, when you're reader reads it, they're going to sit there and wonder why the heck you took a deviation from the main characters or the main plot line. If there isn't anything pertinent, you run the risk of losing a level of respect from the person who's spending a good few hours of their life devoted to your books.
Don't waste your reader's time by doing that. It's not fair to either of you.
What do you think? Do you like omniscience as a point of view choice? When do you like it more, and when do you like it less? Let's have a conversation, shall we?
Tweet It:
Writer Beware: if you choose to write with omniscience, make sure the character has info worth sharing (Click to Tweet)
Blogger @Rae_Slater thinks omniscience is a great way to build suspense, but be sure to not waste your reader's time (Click to Tweet)
Monday, December 8, 2014
Writing from Multiple Perspectives
More specifically: should your novel be written in two or more POVs?
(Apologies in advance: due to my possible overuse of examples, this is a bit of a long post...)
(Apologies in advance: due to my possible overuse of examples, this is a bit of a long post...)
Back in July I wrote about choosing which POV to write in for your novel. Now, I want to tackle the fact that maybe you've figured out whether it should be first or third, and you've probably even known from the beginning which character to write from (this is a basic detail).
But then you realize: you think this book should be told from two perspectives. Or more. Not just one.
I'm not only a sucker for books told in multiple points of view, but much of my own works-in-progress tend to be told from the perspectives of two different characters. Some of my favorite published books are also told from multiple perspectives, including Beth Revis' ACROSS THE UNIVERSE series, Maggie Stiefvater's THE RAVEN BOYS, and Marissa Meyers' THE LUNAR CHRONICLES. It's not only extremely possible, but, personally, I think it makes a fantastic novel.
Yet there's two things that I think are vital to keep in mind when you decide to write multiple POVs:
-Each character should have a story to tell. Look at it critically: does each character have a story to tell that's crucial to the story? Do they each have a different perspective to offer, a different interaction with the setting and plot, access to important characters, and are their motivations unique?
For example: CINDER (Marissa Meyer) flips between the POV of Cinder and Prince Kai. For the purpose of this post, let's say that Cinder's role is arguably the more action-filled and plot-driving of the two; however Prince Kai gives the reader access to what's happening on a larger scale: he has access to the rest of the global leaders and government intelligence, as well as access to the antagonist and villain: Queen Levana. There is absolutely no way for Cinder to get this information, and, without it, the reader would lose a sense of urgency, as well as not quite see the larger scale of things. In her later books (SCARLET and CRESS), more perspectives are introduced, which is why I find these books so great to use as a resource: each perspective has their own unique story, skills, and information to offer.
In ACROSS THE UNIVERSE, the difference in POVs comes out more in terms of perspective: Amy is the "freak" of the Godspeed, and it's only through her 21st-century eyes that the reader sees how terribly wrong the social order on the ship is. Also: she's trying to figure out how to reunite herself with her parents. Elder, on the other hand, was born on the ship and is being bred for leadership, giving him access to different information (much like Prince Kai) and a different motivation (keeping the people on the ship safe).
However, if you have a second character whose only motivation is to help the first, and they cannot give you any extra information that the first cannot get: consider cutting it down to a single POV, because that kind of motivation is something that can be portrayed through somebody else's eyes.
For example: CINDER (Marissa Meyer) flips between the POV of Cinder and Prince Kai. For the purpose of this post, let's say that Cinder's role is arguably the more action-filled and plot-driving of the two; however Prince Kai gives the reader access to what's happening on a larger scale: he has access to the rest of the global leaders and government intelligence, as well as access to the antagonist and villain: Queen Levana. There is absolutely no way for Cinder to get this information, and, without it, the reader would lose a sense of urgency, as well as not quite see the larger scale of things. In her later books (SCARLET and CRESS), more perspectives are introduced, which is why I find these books so great to use as a resource: each perspective has their own unique story, skills, and information to offer.
In ACROSS THE UNIVERSE, the difference in POVs comes out more in terms of perspective: Amy is the "freak" of the Godspeed, and it's only through her 21st-century eyes that the reader sees how terribly wrong the social order on the ship is. Also: she's trying to figure out how to reunite herself with her parents. Elder, on the other hand, was born on the ship and is being bred for leadership, giving him access to different information (much like Prince Kai) and a different motivation (keeping the people on the ship safe).
However, if you have a second character whose only motivation is to help the first, and they cannot give you any extra information that the first cannot get: consider cutting it down to a single POV, because that kind of motivation is something that can be portrayed through somebody else's eyes.
-Each character needs their own voice. This is really important. Whether you're in first person POV or third, every character (perspective) has a voice. Think about AtU, again: Amy sees everything through the eyes of a girl born on Earth hundreds of years prior, and Elder sees everything through the eyes of a person who was born into his society. Their words are different, their descriptions are different, different things catch their eyes, and they have different priorities. Each of these show through the narrative.
If you need another example, try THE RAVEN BOYS: the perspectives shift from Blue, Gansey, Adam, Ronan, Blue's mother (occasionally), and any unnamed antagonist. Part of the reason I think Stiefvater handles so many perspectives so well is that they each have their own voices: Blue is sassy and sarcastic, Gansey is a bit childlike in his quest and naive, Ronan's violent and vulgar, Blue's mother is a bit spacey, and Adam has a struggle between his personal pride and his friendships. They have a unique way of speaking, so it's typically fairly easy to tell based on their different vocabularies and surroundings whose perspective the reader has shifted into. each of their unique problems also shimmy's its way into their narratives, since their problems give them each a different way of looking at what's happening around them.
Writing from different POVs can also be extremely dangerous when writing in the first person, because it's much easier for the characters' voices to blend together and sound exactly the same. If they sound the same, that's kind of a bad thing. Of course, that's not to say that multiple voices in the third POV can't sound the same, too, but I've always found that the first person is harder to change once you're into a particular character's head (although, it might just be my own personal struggle with writing the first person that's making me say that).
*
Those are just two things I've come across recently when reading that I felt were important to bring up. They're also things that I question in regards to my own work every time I sit down to write: make each of my perspectives sound a little bit different (voice) and make sure (make really sure) that this novel cannot be told in only one perspective. Because, sometimes, I've come across novels told in multiple POVs, when it could have gone much better in only a single. It happens.
So ask yourself a few of those critical questions. It'll not only help you plan out your novel as a whole, but it'll help you make sure your narrative, itself, is doing its job in telling the story.
What's your opinion on writing/reading novels in multiple perspectives? What do you think about when considering POV?
Tweet It:
Should your novel be told from multiple perspectives? Blogger @Rae_Slater has a checklist of things to think about (Click to Tweet)
Voice, motivation, information. Things to think about when considering writing from multiple POVs via @Rae_Slater (Click to Tweet)
If you need another example, try THE RAVEN BOYS: the perspectives shift from Blue, Gansey, Adam, Ronan, Blue's mother (occasionally), and any unnamed antagonist. Part of the reason I think Stiefvater handles so many perspectives so well is that they each have their own voices: Blue is sassy and sarcastic, Gansey is a bit childlike in his quest and naive, Ronan's violent and vulgar, Blue's mother is a bit spacey, and Adam has a struggle between his personal pride and his friendships. They have a unique way of speaking, so it's typically fairly easy to tell based on their different vocabularies and surroundings whose perspective the reader has shifted into. each of their unique problems also shimmy's its way into their narratives, since their problems give them each a different way of looking at what's happening around them.
Writing from different POVs can also be extremely dangerous when writing in the first person, because it's much easier for the characters' voices to blend together and sound exactly the same. If they sound the same, that's kind of a bad thing. Of course, that's not to say that multiple voices in the third POV can't sound the same, too, but I've always found that the first person is harder to change once you're into a particular character's head (although, it might just be my own personal struggle with writing the first person that's making me say that).
*
Those are just two things I've come across recently when reading that I felt were important to bring up. They're also things that I question in regards to my own work every time I sit down to write: make each of my perspectives sound a little bit different (voice) and make sure (make really sure) that this novel cannot be told in only one perspective. Because, sometimes, I've come across novels told in multiple POVs, when it could have gone much better in only a single. It happens.
So ask yourself a few of those critical questions. It'll not only help you plan out your novel as a whole, but it'll help you make sure your narrative, itself, is doing its job in telling the story.
What's your opinion on writing/reading novels in multiple perspectives? What do you think about when considering POV?
Tweet It:
Should your novel be told from multiple perspectives? Blogger @Rae_Slater has a checklist of things to think about (Click to Tweet)
Voice, motivation, information. Things to think about when considering writing from multiple POVs via @Rae_Slater (Click to Tweet)
Monday, July 21, 2014
Choosing Point of View
If you read my book reviews, you'll have noticed that I begin my "Narrative" section by describing the point of view of the book, and whose perspective we see it from. This detail of writing is probably one of my most important (as far as the technical aspects of it go) because it influences the voice of the words; it can pull a reader in or shut them out.
Guess which one you want to do?
Kisa Whipkey, the Editorial Director at Reuts, wrote an excellent post on her blog that outlines the different kinds of POV; read it here. Since she's already done an excellent run-down of it all, I'll save my own descriptions and get to the real meat of what I'm going to talk about: how to narrow down which POV is the best one for your novel.
You know the basics: the main POVs that're used in fiction include first ("I") and third ("he/she"), and third can be broken down to omniscient (the reader knows everything) and limited (the reader knows only what a limited number of characters know). The lesser-used POV is that of second person ("you").
As the author, you get to decide how you tell your story. The problem that many people can run into when they begin a new WIP is that they don't know which option would be the best way to tell their story.
Sometimes, it comes to you right away. I have the tendency to narrate a few ideas in a my head when I'm beginning, to try out different voices using my own imagination before getting words down on a page. So, sometimes, I know right away which is the best; it's whichever POV comes with the idea.
Then there's those ideas where I can imagine both third and first person. My main character might have such a strong voice that it just makes sense to attempt first person; at the same time, my strength comes with third person. Going back and forth like that, I will honestly start pulling my hair out, and I know of a few friends who occasionally have the same problem.
The question: Which POV should you write your idea in?
The solution: Write them all.
Take a scene from your idea, and write it in every POV you can think of, or every option you're playing with, at least. Then read them all and figure out which one suits it.
The thing is, there is no right way to write your book. There's no POV that's going to be a sure-shot to sell your book. The popular POV is that of first person, but there are many books that're told from third person that are (in my opinion) absolutely fantastic (check out Not a Drop to Drink, by Mindy McGinnis, and Cinder, by Marissa Meyer).
Figure out which POV is the most natural, and run with it. Heck, play with it all you want. The most important job is to figure out the best way to tell your story, and if that means writing five different versions of the same scene, then so be it. Ask yourself whose perspective the story is being told from, then figure out if the reader needs to be directly in their head or if there should be a little bit of distance.
Another great way to study these POVs: read. I already pointed out two good YA books told in third person, and there's a whole slew of books told in first. Pick up one or two or each, read them, and pay special attention to the things the authors can and can't do with each type.
The best you can do is follow your gut. Once you figure out which POV is the right one for your book, it tends to stick with you. Find it, write it. Go forth and create a novel.
Tweet It:
Which POV should you tell your story in? Blogger @Rae_Slater has a simple way to figure it out (Click to Tweet)
Follow your gut and find your voice. @Rae_Slater explains how to decide on a POV to write your novel (Click to Tweet)
Rae
Guess which one you want to do?
Kisa Whipkey, the Editorial Director at Reuts, wrote an excellent post on her blog that outlines the different kinds of POV; read it here. Since she's already done an excellent run-down of it all, I'll save my own descriptions and get to the real meat of what I'm going to talk about: how to narrow down which POV is the best one for your novel.
You know the basics: the main POVs that're used in fiction include first ("I") and third ("he/she"), and third can be broken down to omniscient (the reader knows everything) and limited (the reader knows only what a limited number of characters know). The lesser-used POV is that of second person ("you").
As the author, you get to decide how you tell your story. The problem that many people can run into when they begin a new WIP is that they don't know which option would be the best way to tell their story.
Sometimes, it comes to you right away. I have the tendency to narrate a few ideas in a my head when I'm beginning, to try out different voices using my own imagination before getting words down on a page. So, sometimes, I know right away which is the best; it's whichever POV comes with the idea.
Then there's those ideas where I can imagine both third and first person. My main character might have such a strong voice that it just makes sense to attempt first person; at the same time, my strength comes with third person. Going back and forth like that, I will honestly start pulling my hair out, and I know of a few friends who occasionally have the same problem.
The question: Which POV should you write your idea in?
The solution: Write them all.
Take a scene from your idea, and write it in every POV you can think of, or every option you're playing with, at least. Then read them all and figure out which one suits it.
The thing is, there is no right way to write your book. There's no POV that's going to be a sure-shot to sell your book. The popular POV is that of first person, but there are many books that're told from third person that are (in my opinion) absolutely fantastic (check out Not a Drop to Drink, by Mindy McGinnis, and Cinder, by Marissa Meyer).
Figure out which POV is the most natural, and run with it. Heck, play with it all you want. The most important job is to figure out the best way to tell your story, and if that means writing five different versions of the same scene, then so be it. Ask yourself whose perspective the story is being told from, then figure out if the reader needs to be directly in their head or if there should be a little bit of distance.
Another great way to study these POVs: read. I already pointed out two good YA books told in third person, and there's a whole slew of books told in first. Pick up one or two or each, read them, and pay special attention to the things the authors can and can't do with each type.
The best you can do is follow your gut. Once you figure out which POV is the right one for your book, it tends to stick with you. Find it, write it. Go forth and create a novel.
Tweet It:
Which POV should you tell your story in? Blogger @Rae_Slater has a simple way to figure it out (Click to Tweet)
Follow your gut and find your voice. @Rae_Slater explains how to decide on a POV to write your novel (Click to Tweet)
Rae
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