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Writing POVs

Antaus

Minstrel
As I try to improve my writing, I've also tried different writing methods to see what works best for me. This question is about writing from more than one POV, and specifically if it's needed. I'll explain a little more in detail what I mean with the example below.

Chapter 1: Bob - Plot A
Chapter 2: Joe - Plot B
Chapter 3: Bob - Plot A
Chapter 4: Joe - Plot B
Chapter 5: Bob & Joe - Plot A & B
Chapter 6: Bob & Joe - Plot A & B
Chapter 7: Bob & Joe - Plot A & B

Is it considered unprofessional to have the book from start to finish in just the POV of Bob? Of course Joe and Plot B with still be there, but instead of switching between the two chapter by chapter, it's all from Bob's POV.
 

Penpilot

Staff
Article Team
Short answer is no. It's not unprofessional. If you can make Plot B work by telling it from Bob's perspective, there's nothing wrong with that.
 

skip.knox

toujours gai, archie
Moderator
Of course multiple POVs is fine. Just look at Game of Thrones. Or LoTR. As long as you write it well ... ah, there's the rub.
 

Demesnedenoir

Myth Weaver
Yeah, I think the answer is whatever works, works. Single POV is probably considered less risky than multi-POV. The more POV's the more risky.
 

Russ

Istar
POV choice is very important for a book. There is nothing inherently wrong with using first, or single close third (i.e. all Bob all the time) but the decision needs to be made in the context of what the book is about and what information you need to get to the reader when.

Some plots lend themselves very well to Bob all the time. Some make it almost impossible.

So if you need the reader to know a bunch of stuff about Joe and plot B, you need to ask yourself, how am I going to get that information to the Bob (your sole point of view) without it being a dull bunch of info dumps or seeming forced (i.e. "As you know Bob...").

The fact that you are thinking deeply about the right POV for your work is very good sign.
 

Gurkhal

Auror
As others have said there's nothing wrong with the approach suggested in the OP. In my opinion the more POVs the better it is but getting on more POVs than the author can material and ideas for would be worse than fewer POVs.
 

T.Allen.Smith

Staff
Moderator
As Russ said, POV choice is crucial to your storytelling. Take some time to consider which POVs add the most to your story. It may be that more than 1 POV detracts from your tale because a single POV will make your story feel more intimate for the reader. Perhaps 2 or more POVs are necessary because the story spans distance or time where 1 POV couldn't possibly relay all the information your reader needs.

Generally, for newer writers, I'd recommend as few POVs as possible. Adding POVs, even if necessary, adds complexity. That can be a good thing for the story, but a bad thing for the writer if your chops aren't ready to execute that vision. Happened to me. One of my early novel attempts had 5 POVs. I just didn't have the skill at the time to weave all the storylines together.

Another consideration beyond concepts like distance and time, when choosing your POV is, "Who makes the best POV?". This is important because it can add power to your work, or leave the story feeling lackluster. When choosing your cast members and deciding which will be a POV character, the #1 consideration in my opinion is EMOTION. Who's point of view has the greatest emotional impact?

If a character's connection to the story is deeply emotional, more so than other cast members, chances are they're your best choice for POV. However, that emotion must be in line with the type of story you want to tell.

Think of it this way. Let's assume you're writing a story centered on a medieval battlefield. Telling the story from the POV of a knight who's a veteran of multiple battles and famed for his heroism and courage relays a very different tale than if you told the story from the POV of a young squire setting his feet on a battlefield for the first time. It's still the same battle, but the POV changes everything because of the way combat, living conditions, the fog of war, and anything else is perceived.

Now, before you make your selection, go deeper. At first glance, I'd lean toward the squire because fear and inexperience, in my opinion, feels like a stronger emotional connection...but maybe it isn't. Remember, it all depends on the type of story I'm trying to tell. Maybe my knight shows the world something entirely different on the surface than what lies beneath. Maybe he's at a point in his life where he just can't stomach killing another person because he's had a religious awakening. Everyone leans on him because he's supposed to be the mighty warrior. Yet, inside, he's terrified because his feeling are in conflict with what the world expects. Maybe his lord asks something of him he no longer believes he can do. Maybe he has to kill to save his young squire. Lots of potential for emotion and conflict there.

Take your time and consider POV from many angles. The choice is an important one.
 
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Eric Hawke

Dreamer
If you can transfer some of Joe's plot over to Bob, so that it's actually Bob it happens to instead of Joe, it would probably work. That is of course, a big if.
 

Ruru

Troubadour
This reminded me of the Bartimaeus series by Jonathan Stroud. It has two MCs whose plot lines intertwined considerably. The first was first person POV, the second (correct me if you know, still learning!) was third person limited. Worked very well there, I thought, so definitely seems to come down to how well its written.
 
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