How to Write Using Multiple Points of View
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- čas přidán 30. 06. 2024
- Planning to embark on your own epic or large scale book or series? A multiple-POV style might be right for your book, so here are some of the qualities, struggles, and tips for success when using this technique.
TIMESTAMPS:
0:00 - Intro
1:06 - Creating distinct voices
3:49 - Do you need all these POVs?
6:29 - Dealing with scope
7:28 - Cause and effect
8:59 - What effect do you want?
10:04 - Clarity: keeping track of POVs
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I wrote my first story with multiple POVs. The trick for me was making sure each POV sounded differently. I constantly had to check with my beta that everyone was distinct.
Thanks for this video. POV is my Achilles heel and this video helped me a great deal!
Its my Achilles heel too!
This is so helpful! I’ve been having this issue with my new novel, trying to balance two main characters and trying to also give insight into many other characters’ minds, as well.
How's the novel?
Really excellent intermediate-level instruction on multiple points of view. As an editor, I get a lot of books from first-time writers who don't understand point of view. I will definitely link to this video in my pov tutorial!
Susan Edwards, the editor.
I'm planning 12 characters for a little project, but my main focus is the first 4 girls I started with. My plan is to just divide them up to develop their stories further. I have set this as my 2020-21 project, and hopefully I actually get to write, lol.
The best part of multiple points of view is the characterization.
By going into everyone's shoes, you can see how they see the world. You can comprehend his arc along with himself. Generally, use points of view to keep the mystery going. If the point of view character knows something important, change the perspective to a more caring character and have him make the first character spill his beans or build up the mystery more with what the character already know. Don't keep your characters together all the times. Have them separate and face situations that will develop them into what you want them to be. In the best of both worlds, pick one point of view per chapter. And remember, you are the mind of that character. He's a smarmy douche? Have him criticize other's clothes. He's a crazy barbarian? Have him dwelling in anger for anyone who looks at him wrong. He's a genius? Let him observe into every detail. She's a pre-teen girl? Have her show some enthusiasm towards the people she care about. The ideas are endless.
My favorite change of POV was in Gone with the Wind. First, Margaret explored her usual view through Scarett. Then, halfway through the chapter Margaret switches and declares: That sawmill! She tells the story through the eyes of Frank Kennedy. This takes a skilled storyteller. (But I loved it!)
6:41 speaking of scope, the movie Dunkirk, (I know this is a book channel) but Dunkirk has great scope, the thing is, director Christopher Nolan intentionally makes the characters blank slates, in fact I don’t even think we know the main character’s name, but this is how they show multiple perspectives throughout the film, to a solder, a fighter pilots, it is good at creating scope, arcane does that too only with compelling characters
That was so helpful! I was going to add the villian's pov for two very important scenes and the story does impact the villain a lot so I think I will keep his pov in my novel. Thanks again, Shawlyn.
I always find your advice useful. Thank you!
Thanks so much for your explanation on Multiple Points of View. I also watched your video on "Second Person Point-of-View", which was excellent, and you broke it down so well that you've encouraged me (with all of the proper pros and cons) to tackle a short story in the Second Person POV. Thanks for that and keep up good work!!
I'm writing a short story, a thriller, that has two third-person limited POVs -- one for the protagonist, and the other for what the reader assumes will be revealed as the antagonist. Tension builds by replaying key scenes through the eyes of the second, creepy, POV. At the climax, though, the story abruptly reveals that the reader had assigned the second POV's 'voice' to the wrong character. This has been fun, but challenging, and requires careful attention to the intersection of the POVs. Mostly, I need to establish a pattern with the second POV, so that, at the climax, the reader's expectations can be upended.
Thank you for this video. Quite well thought out and informative. Great job!
Awesome video! Your channel deserves so many more suscribers!
i learned a lot in this video, ty, @Reedsy !!!
Your the best, you have pinpointed many of the problems I am facing with a large cast and multiple locals creating plot holes. I'm having to back track and justify when people stopped having access to information and how impending changes will evetually catch up with them.
These videos are so helpful!
This is really deep and informative, I enjoyed this one sooo much, thank you 🙏🙏🤍🤍🤍
This is such a helpful video! Thank you!
Very helpful. Thanks 🙏🏾
Omg yaaasss! Thank you for this!
excellent really clear thank you Shaelin. I am plotting my first book and it is like walking in fog!!
Good luck! The first book is hard but you've got this!
Thank you for your very helpful 😊 xx
Great tips, great video! Thank you! :-)
I have four points of view because four characters have an arc. A really dramatic shift. I think it could be told from one person but a lot of things and plot twists won’t be fleshed out enough to have emotional impact. Is that a good reason to have multiple povs? Thanks for a great video!!
I’m struggling with POV because I want my novel told mainly from the point of my MC but I want the reader to feel for my side characters. Is it okay to show flashbacks of their PST from their point of view?
I am struggling with the same thing!
I am writing my novel in 3rd person omniscient. So does this apply there too because my goal is to let the readers now what the characters’ past is not the other main character (Manahill) because she already knows their past. But, there is actually one character Manahill does not know the past of and when that character comes in scene, he tells her his story. Could I just simply change chapters for that?
Hello! I'm having a distant third narrator with multiple POVs. Is it okay for a distant third narrator (who has some access to the thoughts of the characters) to have similar voices?? What I'm doing is that I change a little bit the things from the surroundings that call the character's attention, I change the metaphors I use and sometimes the language or some phrases. Do you think it is enough? Because I sometimes feel they sound really similar.
My mum loves you. She said you are beautiful both inside and out. X
Its funny, ive "finished" ie finished my 4th revision of my 1st novel and what I'm struggling with in my ensemble novel (according to my critiques/reviews) isn't clarity. Nor is it timeline, unique voice between characters, not story or plot. In fact im praised for those things. I'm struggling with simply the amount of POVs. But they aren't random, they all serve a major purpose. Its 8 book series and there are characters and "things" that must be established in the first book in order for the Major reveal in later books. It was good to hear the GOT reference, confirmation that i am not restricted to writing a series with only 3 POVs.
Writing multiple POVs can truly be a labour of love. Good luck wth your book!
I am doing a multiple POV novel with 5 POV but am cutting to 2 or 3. Two of them are related...mother and son. Should be less confusing than what I ended up with before I had my novel dev edited.
I have a question: To give a character their own introduction, should I write a brief prolonged?
A prologue isn't necessary to introduce characters. It is one option, but there are probably more organic ways, like simply introducing the characters in their first chapters.
I really like multiple points of view ansamble
Only use multiple point of views if it's necessary! As a writer's perspective yeah it can be fun to write. But from a reader's it's too many POVs to keep the track of.
I'm writing my story in multiple point of views and have only 3 characters to do that. Mind what character you let to express themselves. They need to add value to the story or as she said show something that it can't be shown only from one's POV!
Hi and thank you for this video. I am writing a book in first person POV but I absolutely need to have 6-7 scenes where the narrator is not present. Can I switch to third person limited for those scenes? (I still want the readers to feel more connected to the main protagonist) Is it acceptable? I know some might say just go ahead and break the rules, but I just really want to know if the rules allow this
I think if you ask a writing sub reddit someone will have the rules Im not sure
Is Bonfire of the Vanities a multiple POV book?
Hey there! Just wanted to let you know that somehow this video was flagged as "adult" by Bing. I had to turn off my filter in order to watch it.
Can you do a video on writing dystopian fiction please. Love the genre, but it's difficult to write.
Is writing in 1st and 3rd POV in the same novel a problem?
It can be difficult to pull off so it's worth a careful consideration, but it can be done well if done with the right purpose.
@@Reedsy Thanks for the advice! Will do
My story is just two POVs and I am trying to get some information on how to do it well.
Abbie Emmons has a video, "How to Write Dual POVS."
This is why I write only in third person. Multiple points of view can confuse me. :)
A Song of Ice and Fire taught me that it's never that simple 🤣
Third person omnipotent can have multiple points of view with the use of internal dialog and the narrator limiting much of the focus on how a specific characters feelings and understanding of a situation, like a close up in a film.
Is this kind of how game of thrones is written? If not what would that style be called
Just another quick question, is there a limit to how many POV's you can have in a story? I have seven...
I'm reading a book where 95% of the chapters are from the MC's point of view.
The other 5% of the chapters are from other characters.
It will have one chapter with each POV character getting a few paragraphs and a short conversation each. Usually (but not always) all different POVs of one big event.
For example, "Sam" is the name of the character who represents the common folk. He'll get a short POV section where him and his mates gossip about the heroes doing hero things. The police chief will get a POV where he's giving orders to the officers. The politician is talking with the PR team about how the Hero's actions will impact elections. The buisness owner is complaining about the impact on sales. etc.
Even when they are all talking about the same incident, and are in the same city, etc. They are giving literally different _Points Of View_ due to holding different priorities, different jobs, different world views. etc.
These 5% of chapters expand the world by offering perspectives other than the MC's perspective. Even though the rest of the story is all from one person's POV.
I write in third person alot.
Game of thrones felts like the same voice for all characters.
Please explain with arabic thanks a lot
She is so beautiful
I have a question : should you love me❤️
Please say "points of view," not "point of views" 😯
Points of view not point of views .... aaarrggghhh sorry but it constantly jarred what was otherwise a good piece.
You lost me at "Game of Thrones."
@@alpha1solace I too wonder why the immensely popular is popular at all. I think of Star Wars and see this franchise has made so many additions, while the original, renamed, remains the most popular, the most enduring part. Then, I think of classics like Hamlet. Hamlet is something close to 500 years old and still one of the most produced plays each year. I think the difference is that Hamlet speaks to what if feels like to be human. Hamlet wrestles with the intersection or relationship between identity and justice, two huge topics. I have not seen any part of Game of Thrones and might not, as I tend to think of the immensely popular as like cotton candy, full of fluff and something sweet like sexiness, but having no real substance. In a slightly tangential area, The Beatles have remained popular longer than many predicted at the time, yet I wonder. How long with people keep buying Star Wars DVDs or Beatles recordings? Will they endure for 500 years, as is the case for Shakespear? Unlikely. Then, I see and truly wonder at a set of very short stories, which were passed from one generation to the next for more than 2000 years before anyone attempted to write them down (They needed 200 years to develop a written form of their language). Amazing. Sure, many conditions have changed, but for 2000 years, these humans found such value in these oral stories that they repeated these stories and made sure their children heard and remembered them. That is literature! Thank you for the reply.