Advice for writing multiple first person

[MG Silverstein]

After working on my current YA Urban Fantasy WIP for close to a year, I realize that I need to add another POV. My story needs to be in multiple first person point of view. I have several reasons for this, but they are beside the point. My question is, how do I do this well?

I'm going to the library to check out a few books that do it well. (YA Sci-Fi Across The Universe, Faulkner classic As I Lay Dying, my childhood favorite Animorphs, and the vampire classic Dracula) I've also scoured the internet, but other than praise for the books that do it, and success stories from authors who have written like this, I haven't found much in terms of technique.

Ways I'm thinking of tackling this:

1. I want to change characters when I change chapters, but I don't want to label the chapters. I think this is super overdone in YA, and it really isn't needed if their voices are distinct. (Not too distinct.)

2. I want to focus on one of my characters more in the first book, and the other in the second. Both of their perspectives are needed dearly, and so is the intimacy of first person perspective.

3. The characters will be apart most of the book, but living in the same house (starting in Act 2) and dealing with the same people. I really want to play on the difference in perspective. They see the same people so differently, and one is immersed in this secret world, while the other is on the outskirts trying to get in.

Tips?

 

[OGone]

I find quickly making it obvious which character you're following when in first person really hard, you can read the first few paragraphs without gathering which character it is sometimes... You could write a brief omniscient or third person limited paragraph at the opening of each chapter to set the scene and make it clear?

I think you can achieve a similar level of intimacy with third person and it's a lot less limited, you can always use interior monologue in third person whereas you can't suddenly burst out of the character's body when you're using first if you're need to. This is purely personal preference, though. If you like writing in first person go ahead.

Without knowing the exact personalities of your characters it's hard to give tips, are the characters quite radically different? It purely comes down to writing skill to create two new unique voices but if they perceive people differently it should be fairly easy.

It's quite a wide question, I think, but if you're struggling to create an individual voice then consider your own diction - does one see things more vividly, use more poetic language and description and perhaps consider syntax e.g briefer, snappier sentences for the other character. Draw from the characters origins and make sure you focus on things they would notice - a warrior character would focus on the battlements of the city etc, a farmer would focus on the range vegetables available in the market stalls.

Here's a good activity by Brandon Sanderson which might help a little!
(not everybody on here likes him, I do )

Sorry I couldn't offer much in the way of tips, hope what I had to say helps though.

 

[BWFoster78]

I want to change characters when I change chapters, but I don't want to label the chapters. I think this is super overdone in YA, and it really isn't needed if their voices are distinct. (Not too distinct.)

IMO, it is of the utmost importance that the reader be informed as to who the viewpoint character is as quickly as possible. For 3rd person, that's easy - you simply write something like, "Joe woke up." Since he's the first person mentioned, the expectation is that Joe is the viewpoint character.

It's harder for first person because the author refers to the character as "I" instead of "Joe."

The reason that labeling the chapters is "overdone" is that it's the easiest way to handle the situation. Title the chapter "Joe," and everyone knows that Joe is the viewpoint character.

If you don't use this device, you have to create a different one.

Unless the voice is super distinct, I don't think that's enough. IMO, better to risk running too much with the crowd than have a reader throw down your book because of confusion.

 

[AWrighton]

In my experience/training, the use of multiple viewpoints is tricky, but manageable if that is what you wish to do creatively with your story.

I know that both before me have said this but here's my cheat-sheet:

1. Have clearly discernible identities. If the characters are so alike that distinction is hard, so will using multiple 1st POVs.

2. Have some device that indicates the POV Focus. Chapters, titles, certain phrases, etc. No matter how you do it, a device is going to make it clear and I wouldn't do it without one.

3. Pavlovian training of your reader. If your characters are distinct and discernible from each other - you can, with strong writing, train your readers to instinctively KNOW who is speaking/telling the narrative.

I will add the addendum that successfully writing multiple 1st person POVs is extremely hard and can be quite challenging. If you trust in your wordsmithing - go for it!

Another good recommendation for multiple viewpoint references would be some of R.A. Salvatore's works.

 

[MG Silverstein]

I will use a device to make it clear who is who. That is a great idea. The two characters voices are very distinct. Not only that, but their experiences are so different. One lives in a magical world, and sees everything through that lense. The other character lives in our world, and assumes that the mundane is reality. Even when talking to the same person, and living in the same house, they see and experience things so differently.

That might be enough, but I will also use a simple device. Not the chapter labels though, thats too simple..almost demeaning to my reader. I like the advice that your readers are only as smart as you allow them to be.

My story is begging to be told this way. If I deny my inner muse, then I deny the story ever being told.

Is it okay to give one character more chapters than the other?

 

[MG Silverstein]

Another good recommendation for multiple viewpoint references would be some of R.A. Salvatore's works.

Does he write in multiple first person?

 

[Zak9]

I've seen many a time a fancy line separating paragraphs, and underneath it the POV changes. Perhaps you could also label the name underneath?

 

[wordwalker]

I've seen many a time a fancy line separating paragraphs, and underneath it the POV changes. Perhaps you could also label the name underneath?

I don't think I've ever seen the marker with a name, when it wasn't the start of a new chapter.

But remember, if you do change scenes or especially characters within a chapter, don't leave out that line of asterisks. I've seen tales where the "empty line" got to the top or bottom of a page, and readers had no idea what had happened to the scene.