As a novice writer i'll like to ask a few questions : Is it considered bad writing to change the POV in the same page or after a few paragraphs ? When should certain POV's be used? what is your favourite and why? Benefits of using one POV over another?
Posted by Jeraliey (Member # 2147) on :
As to your first question, it really depends on what's going on in the page/paragraphs, and how long your story is. Keep in mind that POV shifts can be very jarring, so you should do as much as you possibly can to smooth them over in your writing.
Second question: You should use whatever POV best tells your story. I know that's kind of a useless answer, but perhaps some of the other folks here could explain it better than I could. (I'm thinking Christine could probably do a better job than I ever could.)
My favorites are 1st person limited because it feels the most personal to me, and 3rd person limited because it's the easiest way for me to stay close to the characters but still see things through a wider focus.
I'm going to defer again to more knowledgeable people for the last question.
Hope that helps at all!
Posted by Spaceman (Member # 9240) on :
Here is my short take:
quote:Is it considered bad writing to change the POV in the same page or after a few paragraphs ?
Almost certainly, unless you happen to be a grand master or have multiple Hugos onyour trophy shelf. I doubt you could justify it very often.
quote:When should certain POV's be used?
Use the POV that works best for the story. As the author, you are the final authority of your work. That means you get to decide.
quote:what is your favourite and why?
The one that fits the needs of the story and allows me to tell the story with the most impact. That's why it's important to practice in various forms. If you don't practice a certain POV, you ensure you will never be good at it, an you won't have the tools you need when you need them.
quote:Benefits of using one POV over another?
Each has bonuses and penalties.
[This message has been edited by Spaceman (edited June 27, 2006).]
Posted by Kathleen Dalton Woodbury (Member # 59) on :
Have you read OSC's CHARACTER AND VIEWPOINT?
Read it first, and if you still have questions then, let us know.
Posted by Kadri (Member # 3402) on :
If you're writing a novel using 3rd person with more than one POV, a good rule is to change POV no more than once/chapter and to start a new chapter for each POV switch.
It's not an inviolable rule, but it's a good starting point.
Posted by pantros (Member # 3237) on :
Rapid changes of PoV are sometime necessary to set up a suspenseful situation--one where the reader sees everything coming, but the characters we care about do not.
But, make sure to spend enough time in the PoV of the Main Characters so that we can immerse/empathize with the character.
An example of when not to rapidly change PoVs is introducing characters. I've seen it done, but rarely well.
The minimum break for a change of PoV is a section break, though using a chapter break is the one I'd recommend.
Posted by Elan (Member # 2442) on :
One of my favorite books is "Dune" by Frank Herbert. I recently re-read it, and was stunned to see Herbert had a regular practice of switching POV, sometimes within the same paragraph. I never noticed it before, nor did it seem particularly jarring to me. I also ran into the same thing with another of my favorite books, "Mists of Avalon" by Marion Zimmer Bradley. It makes me wonder at times how stringent the "one POV per scene" rule really is with publishers.
Posted by pantros (Member # 3237) on :
The standards for new novelests today are more strict than they were in the time when those books were published, but they do show that if you write well enough, you can break the rules.
Posted by wbriggs (Member # 2267) on :
What Kathleen said. It's an easy read, and it's detailed, and I couldn't add a thing to it.
Posted by Robert Nowall (Member # 2764) on :
Well, I disliked Herbert's specific habit of changing POV running the thoughts of his characters---all of them---in a single scene. I remember noticing it, and not liking it, years before I decided to become a writer or even knew what POV was. Probably as a direct result, I waited years before buying any other Dune books.
Posted by discipuli (Member # 3395) on :
thanks guys , i plan to open my novel with both a 3rd person and omniscient pov .. i also have another question.. the first chapter is like this : Heated Dialogue 3-4 paragraphs Explanation of setting , 8 paragraphs More dialogue , action , ending ..
The heated dialogue could be better placed AFTER the setting , to help build up to a climax with the action.. but wanted to grab the reader from line one.. any advice?