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Help: Suggestion on the structure and narration mode of my Saga.

Sandor

Dreamer
Hi folks!

Thanks to you and some friends of mine, I've reached a good starting point for my saga and I'm in the process of the 1st Draft (50.000 words - 1/4 of the story).

I've had an idea and I wanted to hear your opinions about it.
Let's say I'm writing in "third-limited'', but with a moltitude of POVs, even "1-shot characters", but still deep and detailed.

Anyway, the thing is: What if I divide chapters by "location" and do some head hopping within a chapter using chapter breaks (I don't like head-hopping in between paragraphs)? That's basically what I do right now: I always describe something starting in a location (or duringa specific travel), but I stick to the character whose the chapter-title is referring to...

The idea is not to present a chapter by "character" (let's say: JAIME or PERRIN), but by location (let's say WINTERFELL or KING'S LANDING) and then write down what happens there using different perspectives, ONLY WHEN REALLY NEEDED (so to say, I'm not going to split chapters in 100 parts just to head-hopp).

What do you think?§
Thanks
M.
 

BWFoster78

Myth Weaver
I have no issue with the use of scene breaks to transition to a new POV character within a chapter. I would caution against having too many POV character and transitioning too often, especially in the first book of the series. Consider shifting focus for the first volume to tell one characters story. The supporting characters then can take a larger role in the sequels. Just my opinion, but I think you're more likely to capture an audience if you can get them deeply invested in a protagonist.
 

Devor

Fiery Keeper of the Hat
Moderator
That sounds like you're going to end up with a lot of POVs. How many locations do you have?
 

Kahle

Minstrel
Something to definitely pay attention to will be timeframe. Is each chapter a specific series of events happening at the same time? I know ASoIaF and Wheel of Time had issues where there would be a focus on one character A or character group for several chapters, but in the next, character B is two months behind in the story. Just something to watch out for with multiple story lines that might intersect.
 

Sandor

Dreamer
At first, thanks for your time guys.

I'll explain the general structure of this first book: I have 4-5 "main" Povs. Their not the most important characters in the world, they're just my characters. :) I tend to create deep and compelling characters, even if they will never manage to get a single Pov-chapter.

I've 4 different plots that will interact one with another and will give life to the sequels: sometimes the interaction is just a consequence of some minor events, sometimes is direct.
There are 4 main locations in which the different stories take place; then, I've some "interlude" POV-chapters in which I show what's happening around those places (i'm writing using the Third Super-Intimate, but some characters are shown in a single chapter or the like.

That sounds like you're going to end up with a lot of POVs. How many locations do you have?

Let's say i've 4/5 main-locations. But in my request, for "location" I don't necessary mean "place". Maybe a chapter could be "On the Road To Sbiribida".

For "location", in other terms, I mean "scene which takes place over a short period of time/small space''.

A couple of practical examples:
- one of my main-povs is an Emperor. It's name is Trygve. In the same city (capital, named Hakon), I have another "main" pov called "Leheren" and another "2-chapters pov" named Aase (emperor's wife).

My question, in practice, is: what if I don't write chapters called "Trygve", but "Hakon" (the city) and I swap mid-chapters between the heads of these 3 povs? In a scene, I've a big party. Instead of describing the angles of it chapter by chapter, why not tryin' to incorporate some "tension" by describing it mid-scene?

- another example: I've a scene, later in the book, in which some characters take a trip together. I manage to divide the trip in 2 chapters.
Now: the charaters are Anja (a 15-years old lady), Marla (her sickened mother) and ser Karl (a kinght).

In terms of my question: what if I name those chapters "To CITY-NAME'' and do some head-hopp between those characters and, why not, some other incidental characters? (maybe a killer that's sneaking, just to build up some tension?)


In the end, I'll have to take a single choice: Once I'll start telling the story with a format, maybe it'll be better if i'll stick to it for the whole saga...


I hope I explained the whole think correctly.
Thanks a lot in advance
M.
 

skip.knox

toujours gai, archie
Moderator
Your last advice to yourself is the best. Start telling the story from one point of view. Stick to it as long as you can. At some point you'll realize you can tell the whole story that way. Or, you'll realize that there is positively, absolutely no way in the world you can get to the end of your story without changing POV. Only then should you start considering other approaches.
 

BWFoster78

Myth Weaver
Sandor,

For the perspective of a reader, it takes me a while to get fully immersed and invested in a book. When the author changes characters, it's an abrupt break that removes me from the story (especially if the author cuts to a new location and to a character who isn't immediately connected to the first character and the established plotline), meaning that I have to start over from the beginning as far as getting immersed.

Once you've grabbed my attention, it's not that big of a deal to make that kind of switch.

My advice is to be careful to make sure you've got your reader fully invested before you make that kind of abrupt transition.
 
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