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Because I find myself absolutely incapable of not rambling, I've included a short version, and a long version ;-)
Short version:
Would it be terribly jarring as a follow-up piece, to have the perspective of a story "jump" from one character to another, say, per chapter?
Long version:
One of the concepts I'm already toying with, as an eventual follow-up to the story I've been working on is a retelling of events from another character's perspective.
I'm writing in first person, and I make no secret of my love of internal dialogue. I adore being able to really get inside a character's head and give the reader an insight into what the narrator is thinking of the other characters, as opposed to what they say or do.
With that said, though, I find myself eventually wanting to explore multiple characters' reactions. I can't really think of a good example without spoiling the surprises, so I'll just ask on principle.
Would it be terribly jarring as a follow-up piece, to have the perspective of a story "jump" from one character to another? Not every other sentence, of course. I could never do a proper third-person omniscient without utterly mangling it.
The idea here is that each chapter, or possibly a scene or set of scenes, a different character tells the story, probably based on who has the plot focus at that time.
It's going to be awhile, as I've taken the most dangerous vow a writer can utter: "It's finished when it's finished, and not a moment sooner" to keep myself from trying to rush anything, but I thought I'd throw this thought train out there and see what others think.
~Zoe T.
(Next story idea)
Actually, it has been done by Ane Mccaffrey in her Dragon Rider series of books. Me, I say do it.
May Your Light Forever Shine
May Your Light Forever Shine
Michelangelo, when painting...
...the Sistine Chapel, was hampered by the urgency of the pope, who asked him one day when he would finish that chapel. Michelangelo answered, 'When I can!
She was born for all the wrong reasons but grew up for all the right ones.
Con grande amore e di affetto, Andrea Lena
Love, Andrea Lena
Point of View
Zoe
I've read many stories where the POV changes as often as every paragraph or three. Only thing that is needed (IMO) is to clearly indicate whose POV is currently active, maybe by simply heading the scene with the character's name.
Go for it!
Rosie
Rose
Not quite...
There needs to be a REASON for the POV to change. It CAN be as simple as keeping three or four characters POVs in sync along the time line of the story, but just switching to be switching doesn't hack it. Yes, I've read stories (by professional authors) where the same scene is told from several different character's POV, but it can get hard to follow and requires a LOT more skill to keep the POVs distinct and not become tedious.
I'd say give it a try.
Go ahead and try it out for a bit... Perhaps a few chapters. Ask a few "trusted" readers to react to how you did it. Then decide whether to go on (fixing problems) or scrap the idea.
Multi POV stories are not common, for a few good reason. One is that they are MUCH harder to pull off. Telling the story from different POVs implies the author has to WRITE from inside the head of different people, and we all think differently. It's harder to remember which character you're working with - and how they react to things if you're changing. Another BIG reason is that many readers find stories that SWITCH POV harder to follow. It requires a bit more "work" on the part of readers.
How to do? There are as many approaches as there are people that try them, I think. (maybe more. LOL) Some of the ones I've seen that are most effective are:
1) Write the story once in 3rd person - Then 1st person from character A's POV. Write it again from B, then C, then... And THEN, interleave the stories as you think it needs to be.
2) TEAM write the story - each author takes it from a different POV - when appropriate. "senior" author does final "smooth". Typically done by each author writing a bit, then sending it on to continue.
3) Write it primarily from one character's POV but have brief "interludes" where other characters have the POV.
4) Outline it - deciding which character should have POV in which scene (& which, if any, should be in 3rd person), THEN write the story in order.
Each approach has it's advantage. The Team writing approach has the advantage of making it much EASIER to keep the POVs very distinct, while still having a consistent story. It's also much slower (in general).
I wish you luck.
Annette
Simultaneity
This is the notion underlying Rashomon, a rather famous Japanese film telling the story of a rape and murder mystery from the points of view of the rape victim, the rapist, the murdered man, and a passing witness, but (paradoxically) we begin the story knowing that we're really seeing the story through the eyes of at least one storyteller, but are seduced into serially experiencing multiple stories, all self-serving, and are left wondering what reality is, when presented to us as a story.
One could easily make the case that the entirety of modern politics is an extended Roshomon, in every country in the world.
Cheers,
Puddin'
Roshomon on Wikipedia
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Cheers,
Puddin'
A tender heart is an asset to an editor: it helps us be ruthless in a tactful way.
--- The Chicago Manual of Style
Multiple POV
See Peaches, Shannon's Course, and Sky for three books that are written in first person with the narrator changing with each chapter. Please buy them at Doppler Press if you can afford it, because the proceeds go to Erin to support this site.
Also see Adjustments and Da Doo Ron Ron Ron for two stories that are the same, only told from each spouse's perspective.
It's fun to write this kind of story, but you rob the reader of the enjoyment of guessing what the other characters think. A reader's enjoyment involves wanting to be right about what they think will happen based on what they know. If the author plays with them and inentionally misleads them, they will often abandon the book. The author must keep them in suspense, but must give them a fair chance of knowing where the story will go.
I try to write for young adults. In young adult literature the story should be fairly simple with an obvious ending so the story becomes a journey to be enjoyed.
Angela Rasch (Jill M I)
Angela Rasch (Jill M I)
The Multiple Viewpoint
The Multiple Viewpoint method is difficult to do well, making it a nice challenge. Typically, it finds use in longer stories with a large cast of characters and multiple, interleaving plot-lines. The author will usually pick two or three or four main characters and build a story by following their viewpoints. I've also seen it used in short stories where the author needed to convey what was going on in each characters head.
This is your story. You are the only one who can decide how it should be told. If you feel that multiple viewpoints are necessary to the spirit of the tale, then go for it. I look forward to seeing the finished work.
- vessica b
Peaches by Amelia R & Angela Rasch
Is one FINE example of a story told from different people's points of view.
with love,
Hope
with love,
Hope
Once in a while I bare my soul, more often my soles bear me.
There are many examples of your POV Switching Idea...but
That doesn't mean you can't reuse them. Its important that you not tell everything just from a different position in the room. People see things differently by the emotions they feel when seeing it.
Example:
Man: I totally ripped that window out and put in a new one. Is there any beer left?
Woman: He got saw dust everywhere how am I going to get caulking off the arm of my chair and gawd does he smell after working in the bright sun. And that shirt OMG I should 'lose' it next time its in the laundry... he's such a little boy about his precious OLD CLOTHES. I wish he'd grow up. Well at least he got the new window in.
Yeah the beer is in the fridge where we keep it. Help yourself.
----------------- end of example ------------
Motivation is also different... while one person strives to get to a goal... another may be working with and yet against it trying to move the goal to their destination...or at least closer.
Nobody
I remember "Peaches"
I actually can't believe I forgot it. It was a cute story, and now that I've thought about it, I do remember enjoying the multiple POV style.
Trying not to spoil too much, but I think I may go ahead and at least write this for myself, even if I don't publish it, after I finish the current project. One of the things that my muse keeps pestering me about is this one character I've set up to introduce during my last writing session.
They make a cameo early on, appearing just to be background noise (I can say this because there are three characters like this, so you have to guess which one it is anyway ;-)), but return to the story at a pivotal point in the heroine's transition.
I'm not sure if I'll just write it as a one-shot side-story, a prequel, or do the multiple-POVs thing. I just know that I want to explore this character's personality further when I'm finished, and possibly the heroine's friend's POV. We'll see what happens :-D
Thanks, everyone. This has given me a lot to think about.
~Zoe T.
Edit: To correct a Frankensteinian run-on sentence. Yikes.
"We have not the reverent feeling for the rainbow that the savage has, because we know how it is made. We have lost as much as we gained by prying into that matter."
-- Mark Twain
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Just do it Zoe T. There are so many examples on this site alone
I'm very surprised you haven't read any of them. The latest I think is by Roberta C. with her Danny series. There are also more than a few ways to accomplish this.
Some authors use a divider ***** --**-- between POVs
Some use names --Danny-- --Cathy--
and some use...The rest of the group had their own reactions to Danny's...
Cathy thought...
So many ways to do this the examples can go on and on...
Have fun Zoe and just do it.
Huggles
Angel
"Be Your-Self, So Easy to Say, So Hard to Live!"
"Be Your-Self, So Easy to Say, So Hard to Live!"