Different POVs In Each Book?

[authorannie]

Hi there! I need some hel]] with a dilemma I'm facing in my Sherlock Holmes pastiche that has a paranormal/fantasy twist but I'm unsure about the best point of view to use.

Initially, I wrote the story from my main character's first-person perspective in a diary format. However, I'm worried that this limits the action and other important aspects. I'm considering switching to a third-person perspective, but it feels too distant for this work-in-progress.

Should I stick with Watson's point of view for the first book (since my main character is related to Watson), and then switch to my main character's perspective in subsequent books? Or would a third-person perspective be better?

Additionally, I'm curious about how readers would feel if each book in the series had a different point of view, while still being part of the same overarching story. Has anyone gone through a similar experience? Are there any notable books, especially mysteries, that successfully utilize different points of view?

 

[Demesnedenoir]

You can even have 1st and 3rd in the same book if framed right. However, if you do have 1st for an entire book and then the second book in the series switches to 3rd, you will put off some readers. That's just a given. People have expectations, and some will react negatively to this sort of thing, in particular when you might lose some fans of 3rd by starting in 1st and then lose fans of 1st when you switch to 3rd. And of course, many won't care.

 

[Finchbearer]

3rd person with 1st person for letters

 

[K.S. Crooks]

How much of the story is away from your main character can help determine which perspective fits you best. Having many inner thoughts expressed would lend to using first person. If you have two or three main characters you can switch between each of their first-person perspectives. Have a chapter or half-chapter for a person, and it doesn't need to be balanced.

 

[finandanna]

I like the idea of having both! Maybe you can have the journal entries throughout the story which is told in 3rd person. I mostly read stand-alone books so I haven't read any series where they switch perspectives in each book, but I think that it could work well. Another cool way that you could switch perspectives is to have multiple character's journal entries, letters, or anything that shows their perspective in your story

 

[pmmg]

Should I stick with Watson's point of view for the first book (since my main character is related to Watson), and then switch to my main character's perspective in subsequent books? Or would a third-person perspective be better?


I've no way to answer what you should do. Any methods you choose can work or not work, and its mostly on you which way that goes. If a book one features Watson in first, and a book 2 features Holmes in third, I would think the change of perspective would not well match style you choose for the first, but the change of characters, specially with these two well known ones, would not seem jarring. However, if there is good reason, each approach can be successful.


Additionally, I'm curious about how readers would feel if each book in the series had a different point of view, while still being part of the same overarching story. Has anyone gone through a similar experience? Are there any notable books, especially mysteries, that successfully utilize different points of view?

I am not bringing to mind a series that started in first and switched to third. But, maybe I am not versed in enough stories. I think such would be effective with a prolog and then the story, of a way of showing flashback sequences.

Different point of view characters is very common, and probably to be expected. Different style would more like get some asking questions, I would think.