How would I portray a character differently through someone else's point of view?

[Naruzeldamaster]

What I mean to say is, I would like to (attempt to) have how these two characters see eachother be 'different' from how they normally are, when the narration is not within their Point of view.

Basically, I want both characters to essentially be an unreliable narrator for how they perceive eachother, if that makes sense?
Like, Character A's point of view focuses on their more positive things of Character A, but character B's Negative traits are what she focuses on the most. And the reverse for Character B when they are comparing themselves to Character A. I kind of want the reader to be the one to put together the bigger 'whole' picture for both characters.

Their personalities are designed to be like water and oil (they start off on a hell of a wrong foot, but slowly grow to like eachother as they impress eachother with how they use their skills) so it's natural that they'd clash at first. The biggest hurdle is that he's a traditionalist, and she's very much not. So a lot of 'little' things either one does better than the other really gets under their skin. For a good while they're too fixated on their 'envy/hatred' for the other to realize that they're actually in love.

I've seen this done in a lot of movies, but I haven't quite figured out the trick to it.

 

[A. E. Lowan]

The trick is 3rd person limited. Basically, your POV character is like a movie camera. When in their POV, the reader only sees what they see, experiences things as they experience them. Say your character thinks your other character is a big jerk. Whether they are or not isn't the point. It's how your POV character feels about things. And when you switch POV characters, it can all change. Perspective is everything.

 

[Naruzeldamaster]

The trick is 3rd person limited. Basically, your POV character is like a movie camera. When in their POV, the reader only sees what they see, experiences things as they experience them. Say your character thinks your other character is a big jerk. Whether they are or not isn't the point. It's how your POV character feels about things. And when you switch POV characters, it can all change. Perspective is everything.

Hmm, third person limited is how I typically write. Unless I'm writing one where the narrator is one of the characters in the story. (in which case it's from the narrator's perspective throughout) Is it weird that I'm intentionally designing these characters to HATE eachother at first? Not so much in a 'you killed my brother' way but like, an 'opposites attract/rom com' way. They're supposed to see eachothers flaws more than their own at the start.

It's meant to be one of those instances where everyone around these two can see what's 'going on' with them, but the two main characters are oblivious to it.

 

[A. E. Lowan]

Hmm, third person limited is how I typically write. Unless I'm writing one where the narrator is one of the characters in the story. (in which case it's from the narrator's perspective throughout) Is it weird that I'm intentionally designing these characters to HATE eachother at first? Not so much in a 'you killed my brother' way but like, an 'opposites attract/rom com' way. They're supposed to see eachothers flaws more than their own at the start.

It's meant to be one of those instances where everyone around these two can see what's 'going on' with them, but the two main characters are oblivious to it.

Not weird at all. It's actually pretty realistic and a tried and true trope in many genres, including Fantasy and Romance, sometimes both.

 

[Naruzeldamaster]

Not weird at all. It's actually pretty realistic and a tried and true trope in many genres, including Fantasy and Romance, sometimes both.

Yeah, it's a rom com at heart (also kind of a buddy cop movie, but it's two master thieves instead) and I know it's a pretty basic plot device, but I like it because it's simple. These characters can do a lot of crazy things but there's no 'ultimate evil' for them to fight, An eldritch horror does arrive as a 'threat' they have to stop near the end of the story. But that's about the only 'conflict' other than them constantly wanting to wring eachother's neck lol

 

[ThinkerX]

I have something like this in my 'Empire' series. 'Empire' is told via a 'one chapter/one POV character' format.

There are four principle POV characters - Tia, a wealthy young upper middle-class lady, Peter, a destitute knight, Kyle, a peasant turned military magician turned carriage driver, and Rebecca, Tia's maidservant and bard.

Tia acknowledges that Kyle has magic - but thinks of him fairly consistently as the 'Oaf' (he's really big, and his manners are, well, 'peasantish.') She is continually threatening to dismiss him for incompetence - despite his saving her life more than once.

Kyle, for his part, see's Tia as a stuck up snob, though he acknowledges her intellect and education.

Peter, for his part, dang near puts Tia on a pedestal - defending her is his life's purpose. To him, Kyle is just another former member of the legions, set apart only by his knack for magic.

 

[Prince of Spires]

There are a few tricks to use. A big one as A. E. Lowan mentions is simply showing how the character thinks about the other character when you're in their head. But also, show how both characters think about a certain event that happenend and how they have different views on it.

Another trick you can use when in 3rd limited is to have what a character is thinking not match up with what is actually being described. That might sound a bit vague, but it's not really. For instance, with your thieves, say character A is nice to a streetkid, gives him something to eat. From the POV of character A the reader knows that he remembers how he was such a kid himself, and he helps them because he knows how hard that life is. But then when you're in character B's head, you can have character B think all kinds of selfish things about this kind act. Maybe he thinks A's only doing it so he can take advantage of the kid later, maybe use the kids gratitude to distract a guard. Or maybe to build a streetgang. Or whatever. You can do this with everything. Have A think B is simply lucky when he opens a lock or succeeds in distracting a guard at the right time. The list goes on.

Doing this will show both how the characters feel about each other, but also about how they are actually wrong about what they're thinking.

 

[pmmg]

I dont think there is really a 'trick' to this. Just be true to the characters who's giving the POV. They dont have to be accurate in their observations, but they what they perceive should be true to who they are. If the POV and character is understood, this should just fall into place.

In a scene I recently wrote, one character is chasing another.

Character 1, thinks Character 2 is not themselves and needs to prevent them from hurting themselves.

Character 2, who is under the influence of a drug) thinks character 1 is an enemy chasing after them.

Both character see the scene a different way. One is pursuing hard to catch up, the other is running hard to not let them catch up. I switch between POV's fairly rapidly, but I have clear indicators the POV's have switched, and there are clear clues as to the internal thinking of each character.

One runs through water in a creek, and thinks it made too much noise, and when the other runs through it, they think 'crap, they are getting too close.'. While the other hears the water splash and thinks they are not far, and now I know where to go, and I better get their quick before anything else finds them.

The POV's are different, the internal thoughts of the characters are different, the scene is the same for both, just perceived very differently. But both characters are true to themselves and act according to how they think the events are unfolding. I dont think a reader would be confused as to the what, how or why of any of it.

 

[Finchbearer]

To me, as others pointed out, this is just true to life. How people perceive others may not align to how people see themselves. As A E Lowan said, 3rd person limited. Perhaps write each chapter from the alternating perpective, keep the reader on their toes..

 

[Naruzeldamaster]

To me, as others pointed out, this is just true to life. How people perceive others may not align to how people see themselves. As A E Lowan said, 3rd person limited. Perhaps write each chapter from the alternating perpective, keep the reader on their toes..

I was thinking of switching perspectives between the two main characters every other chapter.
My main goal is to reveal a similarity between the two (hopefully sneakily, but in a way an invested reader could catch it) that kind of hints that they actually really like eachother, but aren't aware as to why. It's very much a 'characters have strong/clashing opinions on stuff and it causes a misunderstanding/rivalry' situation. Since at first they do sort of get along.

 

[pmmg]

I was thinking of switching perspectives between the two main characters every other chapter.
My main goal is to reveal a similarity between the two (hopefully sneakily, but in a way an invested reader could catch it) that kind of hints that they actually really like eachother, but aren't aware as to why. It's very much a 'characters have strong/clashing opinions on stuff and it causes a misunderstanding/rivalry' situation. Since at first they do sort of get along.

That is certainly one way to do it.

I did something similar to that in my first book, but it was not a romance.

This sounds pretty much like a rom-com. What is holding you back?

 

[Naruzeldamaster]

That is certainly one way to do it.

I did something similar to that in my first book, but it was not a romance.

This sounds pretty much like a rom-com. What is holding you back?

At it's core it's a rom com (also kind of a ride-along cop movie, but it's two master thieves instead of the 'rookie' cop and 'veteran' cop) I'm not too big a big fan of pure romance stories. Romantic comedies though are a bit of a guilty pleasure. I wanted to do a 'simple' project for once and this idea has been taunting me for many years. I am currently writing the second draft of the first chapter and wanted to work out a way to portray the two MC's differently from different perspectives.

I was sure of what I wanted to accomplish, but not the exact method to accomplish it with, if that makes sense.
A lot of times I'll ask a question and often kind of 'solve' the question describing it, but half of the time I don't know the actual steps or technique to do it. That's more due to how my brain works when I don't know how to do something though.

 

[pmmg]

Well...I think you are going to need to have multiple POV's. One per chapters is a formula. But I bet, once you get into writing it, it will start to fall into shape as you go. Once you get going you will start to pick up the skill, and the inner voice will start telling you what the next scene is.

And what is life without guilty pleasures. Nothing wrong with Rom-Coms.

 

[Naruzeldamaster]

Well...I think you are going to need to have multiple POV's. One per chapters is a formula. But I bet, once you get into writing it, it will start to fall into shape as you go. Once you get going you will start to pick up the skill, and the inner voice will start telling you what the next scene is.

And what is life without guilty pleasures. Nothing wrong with Rom-Coms.

Yeah, the first draft my two main characters got along INSTANTLY which, wasn't what I wanted from the pairing. I did want them to get along eventually, but I wanted them to actively struggle to find good footing with eachother. So I took a closer look at their personalities and re-engineered them a little. The whole thing of the male lead being a traditionalist due to his upbringing and the female lead being well, NOT that, also due to how she was raised (Granted she's a Kitsune who's several hundred years old but still, as far as Kitsune are concerned she's roughly her physical age mentally) is going to be a juicy source for conflict. I threw together some more minor traits that will cause them to clash, but that's going to be the big monkey wrench.

 

[Demesnedenoir]

I do this sort of stuff a lot, with crossover chapters to show differences in how characters view each other and the same places and situations. It's good fun.

 

[Arielcat]

There are a few tricks to use. A big one as A. E. Lowan mentions is simply showing how the character thinks about the other character when you're in their head. But also, show how both characters think about a certain event that happenend and how they have different views on it.

Another trick you can use when in 3rd limited is to have what a character is thinking not match up with what is actually being described. That might sound a bit vague, but it's not really. For instance, with your thieves, say character A is nice to a streetkid, gives him something to eat. From the POV of character A the reader knows that he remembers how he was such a kid himself, and he helps them because he knows how hard that life is. But then when you're in character B's head, you can have character B think all kinds of selfish things about this kind act. Maybe he thinks A's only doing it so he can take advantage of the kid later, maybe use the kids gratitude to distract a guard. Or maybe to build a streetgang. Or whatever. You can do this with everything. Have A think B is simply lucky when he opens a lock or succeeds in distracting a guard at the right time. The list goes on.

Doing this will show both how the characters feel about each other, but also about how they are actually wrong about what they're thinking.

What's harder to show is when they finally get to be right instead of wrong.
Which in the case of the original poster's characters, I assume is what happens eventually.

 

[Arielcat]

To me, as others pointed out, this is just true to life. How people perceive others may not align to how people see themselves. As A E Lowan said, 3rd person limited. Perhaps write each chapter from the alternating perpective, keep the reader on their toes..

And how people see themselves, isn't always accurate either.
That happens all the time in real life too.

At it's core it's a rom com (also kind of a ride-along cop movie, but it's two master thieves instead of the 'rookie' cop and 'veteran' cop) I'm not too big a big fan of pure romance stories. Romantic comedies though are a bit of a guilty pleasure. I wanted to do a 'simple' project for once and this idea has been taunting me for many years. I am currently writing the second draft of the first chapter and wanted to work out a way to portray the two MC's differently from different perspectives.

I was sure of what I wanted to accomplish, but not the exact method to accomplish it with, if that makes sense.
A lot of times I'll ask a question and often kind of 'solve' the question describing it, but half of the time I don't know the actual steps or technique to do it. That's more due to how my brain works when I don't know how to do something though.

It doesn't really sound that simple, but it's not that complex either, I guess is what you're thinking.
Kind of in between maybe.

 

[Naruzeldamaster]

And how people see themselves, isn't always accurate either.
That happens all the time in real life too.

It doesn't really sound that simple, but it's not that complex either, I guess is what you're thinking.
Kind of in between maybe.

Eh the plot itself is simple, as in the premise, literally just two rival thieves fall in love. It is kinda hard to describe how they like eachother though.
It's absolutely one of those 'oh they like eachother, now they hate eachother, now they like eachother, oops one did something stupid and now they're mad at eachother again' kinda pairing. At least for a little while until they finally find common ground to stand on.

 

[Arielcat]

I know what that's like, actually.
(In real life, too, sort of.)
(Real online life, anyway.)

 

[pmmg]

Eh the plot itself is simple, as in the premise, literally just two rival thieves fall in love. It is kinda hard to describe how they like eachother though.
It's absolutely one of those 'oh they like eachother, now they hate eachother, now they like eachother, oops one did something stupid and now they're mad at eachother again' kinda pairing. At least for a little while until they finally find common ground to stand on.

Isnt that the best way?