What do we think of POV writing?

[pmmg]

Maybe I should find myself another 330 posts...

You have to dream big!

 

[Finchbearer]

I guess, thing is, there is craft and there is art. Craft just makes sure its sturdy and can hold up, but Art is what makes it special. If you are crafting a work of art, it does appear seamless, but no one ever see the amount of work that really went into it. They just appreciate the art. If they art you want to make means doing something unconventional, such as hopping between heads, just do it artfully, and make it appear seamless. Hide the craft under the experience.

The more I’m learning and consciously applying craft to the structure of my writing, the more inseparable I think they are. The more I appreciate really well written novels. It’s turned me into a snob. I cannot now read a book that’s shoddily written anymore. I’ll make excuses for some books but only for nostalgic reasons.

 

[The Dark One]

The more I’m learning and consciously applying craft to the structure of my writing, the more inseparable I think they are. The more I appreciate really well written novels. It’s turned me into a snob. I cannot now read a book that’s shoddily written anymore. I’ll make excuses for some books but only for nostalgic reasons.

Yes, it's certainly a process, but life is too short to waste on bad literature.

 

[skip.knox]

Not about hiring at editor, Finchbearer -- I was interested your own thoughts on this:
>Reading an article on why limiting POV to one character, say, per chapter, lacks the reader space and freedom.

>I cannot now read a book that’s shoddily written anymore.
Yeah, this applies to most any art. I once took a course in audio engineering. The teacher said at the outset, once you learn this stuff, you aren't going to listen to music in the same way any more. That was an exaggeration, but he wasn't wrong.

 

[xena]

Staying firmly in one POV per scene is not limiting.

 

[Prince of Spires]

Yeah, this applies to most any art. I once took a course in audio engineering. The teacher said at the outset, once you learn this stuff, you aren't going to listen to music in the same way any more. That was an exaggeration, but he wasn't wrong.

It's not even just art. I work with websites for my day job, and once you do that, you realize how many bad websites are out there, and you start getting annoyed at all the small things people tend to not notice.

The reverse is also true. I can appreciate a well done website (or book for that matter) a lot, precisely because I know how much work and thought has gone into something.

 

[Finchbearer]

Not about hiring at editor, Finchbearer -- I was interested your own thoughts on this:
>Reading an article on why limiting POV to one character, say, per chapter, lacks the reader space and freedom.

I’d say that it provoked me to think about it. Or think critically about it.

 

[Fant@syaspiringauthor14]

Reading an article on why limiting POV to one character, say, per chapter, lacks the reader space and freedom. I’m currently writing between two POV’s - not strictly alternating, but firmly within one single POV for any given scene. Now I’m questioning everything.

I'm also doing this, but with every main character or side characters that have a main role so basically my protagonist, protagonist's friend/ally, antagonist, protagonist's twin sister and protagonist's love interest.

 

[LittleOwlbear]

While I'm writing, I only think about the character and what they think and feel, not about any reader. So it doesn't come to my mind how different POVs could affect the reader. I just stick to a POV as long as it changes.

Mostly it's 40 % my protagonist, 40 % my male lead (they are changing every 3-4 chapters), 20 % other characters for book 1, if I had to put it down into numbers.

 

[DanGreen]

We write Deep 3rd Person with 7 to 9 POV's or more. Their internal narrative serves as the reader's keyhole into the world. There are a lot of people who would argue that we absolutely cannot head hop inside a chapter with this much investment in one perspective.

I say hold my hurley.

Head hopping is just one tool in our vast and varied toolboxes. I use it. It's standard operating procedure for Romance. It all depends on your execution as to if you can pull it off. Clarity is key, here.

This is a little long, but it's what I'm talking about.

~~~

Jonathan bounced Jeremy’s head once on the thickly carpeted floor and Jeremy saw him frown. He really needed a harder surface to do it right. He laughed at the thought, the sound a little too high. His breath rattled a bit on the inhale.

Jonathan leaned back a little, and Jeremy felt, more than heard, a creaking in his chest. A broken rib, maybe? It wouldn’t be the first time. His father fiddled with the clove cigarette, smoke still rising from the tip like a delicate white exclamation. “Between the sex, the drugs—the blatant stupidity—one lawsuit, one news story, and all I have built will be destroyed.” His father looked down at him, eyes dark with carefully controlled rage. “I am too close, now, to risk you destroying all with your antics. I have worked too hard, for too long...”

Jeremy narrowed his half-mad eyes. Close? “Close to what?”

Jonathan smiled, and it was humorless. “Oh, no, my boy. You’re not in a position to question me.” He tightened his grip on Jeremy’s hair and pressed the side of his face to the carpet. “All I want from you are promises, and apologies.” Jonathan took the little cigarette between his lips. The scent of burning cloves grew stronger as his breath coaxed the ember hotter and brighter. “And this time, you will mean every… single… word.”

Jeremy’s eyes widened with the first blossoming of true fear.

Aodhán heard a scream as he touched the office door and looked behind him to the cube farm. No heads popped up over the fabric walls in fear and curiosity, which was a good thing. Apparently, the boy had angered his father again. He waited patiently until the sound died away and slipped quickly into the office, shutting the door quietly before another scream escaped into the open behind him. No need to frighten the employees on a Friday. He stepped closer and watched Jonathan press the branding tip of a tiny cigarette into his son’s cheek. Jeremy let out another shriek and writhed in pain against his father’s hold, to no avail. Aodhán waited for the noise to dissipate before he cleared his throat. “Excuse me, Jonathan?”

Jonathan shifted his weight to settle it all onto his son’s chest and looked up at Aodhán. “Good morning, Aodhán,” he said pleasantly as Jeremy struggled to breathe beneath him. “How are you today?”

Aodhán thought a moment and gave him a small smile. “Intrigued, actually.”

We write Deep 3rd Person with 7 to 9 POV's or more. Their internal narrative serves as the reader's keyhole into the world. There are a lot of people who would argue that we absolutely cannot head hop inside a chapter with this much investment in one perspective.

I say hold my hurley.

Head hopping is just one tool in our vast and varied toolboxes. I use it. It's standard operating procedure for Romance. It all depends on your execution as to if you can pull it off. Clarity is key, here.

This is a little long, but it's what I'm talking about.

~~~

Jonathan bounced Jeremy’s head once on the thickly carpeted floor and Jeremy saw him frown. He really needed a harder surface to do it right. He laughed at the thought, the sound a little too high. His breath rattled a bit on the inhale.

Jonathan leaned back a little, and Jeremy felt, more than heard, a creaking in his chest. A broken rib, maybe? It wouldn’t be the first time. His father fiddled with the clove cigarette, smoke still rising from the tip like a delicate white exclamation. “Between the sex, the drugs—the blatant stupidity—one lawsuit, one news story, and all I have built will be destroyed.” His father looked down at him, eyes dark with carefully controlled rage. “I am too close, now, to risk you destroying all with your antics. I have worked too hard, for too long...”

Jeremy narrowed his half-mad eyes. Close? “Close to what?”

Jonathan smiled, and it was humorless. “Oh, no, my boy. You’re not in a position to question me.” He tightened his grip on Jeremy’s hair and pressed the side of his face to the carpet. “All I want from you are promises, and apologies.” Jonathan took the little cigarette between his lips. The scent of burning cloves grew stronger as his breath coaxed the ember hotter and brighter. “And this time, you will mean every… single… word.”

Jeremy’s eyes widened with the first blossoming of true fear.

Aodhán heard a scream as he touched the office door and looked behind him to the cube farm. No heads popped up over the fabric walls in fear and curiosity, which was a good thing. Apparently, the boy had angered his father again. He waited patiently until the sound died away and slipped quickly into the office, shutting the door quietly before another scream escaped into the open behind him. No need to frighten the employees on a Friday. He stepped closer and watched Jonathan press the branding tip of a tiny cigarette into his son’s cheek. Jeremy let out another shriek and writhed in pain against his father’s hold, to no avail. Aodhán waited for the noise to dissipate before he cleared his throat. “Excuse me, Jonathan?”

Jonathan shifted his weight to settle it all onto his son’s chest and looked up at Aodhán. “Good morning, Aodhán,” he said pleasantly as Jeremy struggled to breathe beneath him. “How are you today?”

Aodhán thought a moment and gave him a small smile. “Intrigued, actually.”

That was surprisingly smoother and coherent head hopping. I'm impressed.