I'm starting to write a short story. At this moment I've made an outline, and some "research" on the characters. I have four characters in this story, sharing about the same protagonism each. I intend to write the story in 3rd limted and my outline reveals 8/9 "chapters" that would switch the POV between the characters. I expect the story to be 25-30 pages long. (Though this could change as i write).

And now, the dilemma:

Is switching the POV between 4 different characters in a 30 pages-long story a possibility? Or I should just forget about it all...

But I recall several short stories that have multiple POV's... I don't remember feeling disturbed over it; the author did a good job and did it for a reason.

John knew that Mary would be annoyed.

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Mary didn't feel so much annoyed as puzzled ...

As for the POVs--yeah, you'll encounter people who say that short stories should always be from a single point of view. A lot of these people are editors. Slipping in a second POV is not too problematical, if it's really necessary. Four, though, seems hard to justify. Are they in different locations? If they're in the same place, you can almost certainly combine the POVs. If you're splitting it up just for the purpose of providing the reader with information known to the characters, then--well, I sympathize. But there are other ways to do it. My GUESS is that you'd be better with fewer. But YOU know the story. You're the writer. If it's necessary, then do it.

quote:

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To me, seeing numbered or titled sections in a short story indicates the author's a newbie.

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I'm going to have to dispute that one (even if it is a point that doesn't really matter one way or the other.) Was Stephen Crane a newbie when he wrote "The Open Boat?" Was Henry James a newbie when he wrote "The Turn of the Screw" or "The Beast in the Jungle?" Was Dostoyevsky a newbie when he wrote "White Nights?" Was Frank O'Connor a newbie when he wrote "Guests of a Nation?"

First of all, there are no rules. I do think that you can use more than one point of view in a short story and I have occassionally done this, although short stories lend themsleves to one viewpoing for space reasons. I find that I need a better reason for multiple POV's in a short story than in a novel. Well, heck, in a novel I'll go for "Becuase I felt like it." In a short story I need something more.

Even then, when I say multiple POV's are ok in a short story, I'm really saying 2. Each additional POV added to a short story is exponentially more difficult to justify. (I say this as opposed to saying you can't do it because I'm sure you can find a way to make it work somehow.)

Now, I don't know how long your story is because that may factor in. Pages are meaningless to me...I think in terms of word count anymore. When you say pages I find myself asking what font? What font size? Single or double spaced?

It almost sounds, however, like you're talking about a novella or novellette rather than a short story. (WC 7500 +) If so, it might be easier to get away with what you're suggesting.

I do keep waffling here, don't I? The trouble is that without actually reading the thing it is almost impossible to give my opinion. In general, I would suggest trying to find any other way to do it, including making the POV omniscient, making this a novel, making this a truer short story by cutting some aspects, eliminating or combining characters, etc.

Why? Here are the cons associated with so many POV characters in so short a space, as I see them:

1. Poor characterization of any one individual.
2. Disjointed storytelling.
3. Too much going on too quickly.
4. Confusing.
5. No clear protagonist/antagonist.

This happened to me in my Billy Goats Gruff re-write. I thought I was going to end up following each of the "goats" and possibly dipping into the "troll", which would have meant four different POVs in less than 3000 words. I didn't really want to do this and it was funny, as I started writing the story, I began with a goat POV but ended up writing 80% of the story from the troll's perspective.

rickfisher, the thing you said about combining the POV's. I thought about that for a while and it really is true that, in fact, the whole story could be told using only two of them. I suppose that it was so obvious that I couldn't see it without someone telling me so. Still I found something intriguing in using the four of them. I guess using two is the wisest choice.

On the newbie thing. In my case I'm a newbie no matter what. It's got nothing to do with blank lines or numbers,

Robyn, I really thought about doing that. But I don't think that I am capable of using omniscient effectively. Sad but true.

Christine, you're right.
I've estimated that this story should be 6000-9000 words long (excuses for the page count, too ambiguous, I see). One of the things you mentioned I already pondered: should this become somewhat a larger story? I suppose the answer will came naturally when i advance. At this moment, I don't think it is a possibility.
As for asking for help without letting you read the thing, you're right again. I'm working hard to show you part of this story soon, even though it's written in spanish. That's one of the reasons I don't usually post in the fragments section and my questions are always more generic. I guess it makes more difficult for you people to help me, but i can assure you it means a lot to me.

Thanks to all again.

Axi

[This message has been edited by Axi (edited March 18, 2005).]