JoHoTo #6 Point of View
I probably should have addressed this earlier, but most of the time, a writer already knows the Point of View (PoV) he or she wishes to use.
This post is for those who might be unsure of what works best for their novel.
Quite simply, PoV is the narrator's involvement in the story, as well as his/her knowledge of the main characters and their innermost thoughts
and feelings.
There are two main types of PoV:
1. Third person (the narrator speaks of the main character as "he" or "she" and tells the story as an observer; rarely do they
provide personal opinion on the character's actions)
2. First person (the narrator IS the main character, using "I", and tells the story as an active participant, adding personal
opinions and thoughts to color the text)
There is a rarely RARELY used form of PoV known as second person, where the narrator speaks to the audience directly ("You glance around the room...")
This is usually reserved for interactive picture books and choose-your-own-adventures.
In other words, don't use it.
I should also mention that third person PoV has subsets.
They are:
-Third person subjective limited (the narrator relates everything that just one character experiences, including thoughts and feelings)
-Third person subjective omniscient (the narrator can be everywhere, relating what multiple characters experience, including thoughts
and feelings)
-Third person objective (the narrator relates what they see one or multiple characters doing but cannot relate thoughts and feelings).
As with second person, third person objective is rarely used in fiction, usually reserved for non-fiction and film novelizations.
So...how do you know which PoV is right for your story?
If you're telling a story that follows the journeys (metaphorical or literal) of multiple main characters, your best bet is third person omniscient.
If you're following one person's adventure, packed with action and intrigue, but you don't want the narrator's voice to strongly interfere, you're best
off using third person limited (versus first person).
If you're telling a story filled with raw emotion and very personal subject matter (eg, drinking problem), it's better relayed in first person, so we
understand how things are affecting the main character through their eyes. UNLESS the material is too traumatic that it's better to be distanced from it.
Finally (and this is my personal opinion), if you're going for funny, make it first person. Mortifying disasters are ALWAYS better when you're not
distanced from the main character. You want to be up close and personal for the accidental nudity and other social faux pas.
Move on to JoHoTo #7!
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