McAnally's (The Community Pub) > Author Craft
1st vs 3rd
Quantus:
Ive seen Multiple 1st POV work well. You just need to make the POV shifts as clear as possible (only on chapter breaks can work well). Ive also seen it where they do a Part 1 from one POV, and then at some milestone point switch and do a Part Two from another POV that overlaps the timeline quite a bit. Like telling the story of how two different Heroes fought their way to teh Mountain of Doom, and the eruption is the common anchor point that brings them together in the Reader's mind. Then you can jump a little more during the climax, since its multiple POVs on the same scene. It gives you the flexibility of 3rd, but the intuitive ease of 1st. But it complicates the pacing and transitions, making them more jarring if you are not careful.
Also, keep it to a small, set number of POV's. You are effectively creating multiple MCs at that point, so it does add complication.
Dresdenus Prime:
I'm always a fan of first person over third when it's written well. Sure, you have limitations due to the fact that you know only what the character knows, but you also have a more intimate connection with the book IMO.
If I were to write a book in third person, I would most likely take the route of George RR Martin in his Song of Ice and Fire series. Each chapter, while in third POV, is still dedicated to one characters viewpoint.
Quantus:
--- Quote from: Dresdenus Prime on June 27, 2012, 01:32:02 PM ---If I were to write a book in third person, I would most likely take the route of George RR Martin in his Song of Ice and Fire series. Each chapter, while in third POV, is still dedicated to one characters viewpoint.
--- End quote ---
Wheel of Time went so far as to have an identifying Icon at the beginning of each chapter that indicated which Character was the focus. The Icons themselves would change over time and where nicely indicative of the character's state and role at the time.
OZ:
--- Quote ---Doing that pretty much always feels sloppy to me, fwiw. Far better to get the information in around the first-person narrator somehow, as indeed the novels of the DF do well, and better as they go along.
--- End quote ---
I would not disagree with this. I have in mind that I have somewhere read stories that have been successful using this style but I can't think of any off the top of my head.
the neurovore of Zur-En-Aargh:
--- Quote from: Quantus on June 27, 2012, 01:40:37 PM ---Wheel of Time went so far as to have an identifying Icon at the beginning of each chapter that indicated which Character was the focus. The Icons themselves would change over time and where nicely indicative of the character's state and role at the time.
--- End quote ---
It's hard for me to see an icon like that, or a POV name given at the start of a chapter, and not think "this writer has given up on being good enough to make character voices distinct by themselves".
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