posted
I'm working on a novel written with two different POV characters, and I'm having trouble giving them both (roughly) equal word count. I fixed part of the problem by adding in new subplots for one character, but she still doesn't have equal screen time with the other character (who, in my mind, is the protagonist and catalyst for the novel, so at least that's good).
SO, I guess my question is how to write with multiple POV characters? Do you work hard to give them equal screen time, or let the novel unfold as it will? Does it drive you crazy when there's a clear discrepancy between how much you're getting from one character versus the other? Any thoughts on this (or related multiple POV stuff) would be appreciated...
posted
I certainly wouldn't force the novel into an artificial mold by counting how many words or pages each character gets. Let the story dictate that.
Unless there's some specific reason that you really want both to have equal weight, I'd expect the protagonist's story to take more of the book. I'd treat the other as a subplot, myself.
posted
Yeah, I wouldn't force it either. All though, truth be told, I do it all the time. I use Ywriter for my novels and it can break down the percentage of scenes and word count per character and such. Very addictive. But watch forcing a scene. My suggestion, if you have an idea for other scenes, try them, sometimes you suprise yourself and they work, but other times, well, they feel forced.
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From analyzing stories with multiple point of view characters, I've noted several features they have in common. Auxilliary point of view characters directly influence a focal character's struggles and progresses. An auxilliary character's backstory provides context for those affects upon a focal character. Broader stories with larger casts depict a wider view of a milieu from auxilliary characters' perspectives (as in Lord of the Rings), sweeping panoramic views versus narrow pictorial views. When a milieu is pictorially depicted through one focal character's perspective (as in Harry Potter), villains' perspectives are routinely portrayed from auxilliary points of view.
Character oriented stories are generally narrow pictorial depictions. Milieu oriented stories are generally sweeping panoramic depictions. Event oriented stories are generally dramatic depictions of focal actions. Idea oriented stories are generally time- and character-spanning depictions. One noteable distinction for a story's primary orientation is who or what's most changed from the beginning to the ending.
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