Into the Fire

Passionate thoughts about the world of writing and the Power of God

Point of view, known as POV in the biz, has grown to ridiculous proportions, and I can’t help but wonder if all this classification is truly necessary. Look at this amplification from Debbie Fuller Thomas over at Novel Matters:

 

“There are three basic options available for viewpoint which apparently can now be further defined (third person limited, close third, distant third) . . .”

 

Add those to first person and the rarely used omniscient and second person POVs and no doubt there will be more to narrow down what the average reader has no concerns about and the writer struggles to correctly identify in his/her queries/proposals.

 

First person POV seems to consume current fiction. I’ve only read one novel that I can remember where second person POV was used throughout and done remarkably well by Travis Thrasher in Blinded (reviewed here). Omniscient is rarely used in today’s literature but when done well is just as appealing to a story as any other POV done well. Athol Dickson in Lost Mission (reviewed here) used it and I, yes moi, used it in the beginning of The Famous One (reviewed here) but eventually morphed into third person later in the story which reads somewhat like a fictional biography.

 

Each POV requires skills, none more than any other. POV like any other part of the story must involve the reader in the character(s) and cause them to invest in the story. The “knock” or “a” knock against omniscient is the distance created by basically allowing the story to be “observed” by the narrator, but the unique perspective allows the reader to see details of all the characters as well as other surrounding effects in a scene. Like anything else in reading novels, it’s a matter of subjective taste and the appreciation of variety in styles.

 

Writers tend to have their favorite POVs to read and to write, but I love whatever works. The wonderful creativity of different authors who shun the rules (and let me clarify that by saying they know them and have chosen to artistically abandon them) and take chances: bring them on. They provide tastes to savor, to experience, to transport, and to ponder. Not all of them will give us a positive experience, but at least they will have tried to be original.

 

Lord, we should never be concerned with “the traditions of men”, the artificial rules to creativity. You take us beyond our limitations. Let us always follow your lead. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

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7 responses to “Is this really necessary?”

  1. A. J. Walker Avatar
    A. J. Walker

    Thanks for a great post!
    I agree that writers usually have their favorite to read and write.
    I usually try to avoid first person narratives like the plaque but most of the books in my genre are written like that. I wish I could say I plow through them but I usually put them back on the shelf once I see the style. Sure, some of them get me because the story is compelling enough to ignore the FPN but many others get put back on the shelf.
    In all honesty however, I have found that a compelling story will grab me as a reader no matter what the POV is.
    And then, wouldn’t you know it, one of my story ideas waiting to be written has come in as a FPN?
    God sure has a sense of humor.

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  2. Jessica Thomas Avatar

    I’ve found than when I focus too much on POV, my writing becomes a bit stale. I become consumed in doing it right. “Is this deep third POV…can I word this sentence this way in this subset of third?” Yes, it can definitely become tiresome.
    On a somewhat related note, I broke out one of my short stories yesterday in which I use dialogue tags other than ‘said’ and I have to say it was refreshing.

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  3. Nicole Avatar

    A.J., we wouldn’t have many choices today if we refused to read first person POV. I used to hate it. Now, not so much, but sometimes it can get tiresome. As with everything else, it depends on the writer. And, yes, thank God He has a sense of humor! If He couldn’t laugh at my antics, I’m afraid He’d be sad most of the time. ;] My seventh novel was written primarily in first person but with third also.
    Jess: YAY! Love that you used something besides the boring “said”. You go, Girl. And I know for me if I was focused on the mechanics of writing, it would come out methodical rather than inspired. The mechanics have to be there prior to the storytelling. We do have to know and understand them before we bend them. However, to make them the focus of our writing makes the writing sterile. I agree.

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  4. Mark H. Avatar
    Mark H.

    I’ve never understood why so many people have a problem with first-person POV. I think it can allow a little more personality to show through in the writing. As long as it’s a good story, the POV choice doesn’t really make much difference to me.

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  5. Nicole Avatar

    I don’t know exactly why I used to hate it, Mark, but I definitely remember I did. And I agree (now) that the good story makes the difference, not the POV.
    As far as “more personality” goes, I’m not sure that claim can’t be matched with other POVs. It all depends on the writing and how the story is revealed for me.

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  6. A. J. Walker Avatar
    A. J. Walker

    Mark brings up a good point that I share with you Nicole, I don’t know why I tend to shy away from first person narratives, sometime when I became an adult, they stopped appealing to me. It’s a very interesting question.
    With that said, I’ve read some really good first person narratives and thoroughly enjoyed them, the Percy Jackson series comes to mind as something I’ve read recently.
    I tend to read in YA since that’s my target genre so I think its from reading in that genre as an adult not wanting to travel through the mind of the typical teen protagonist having already “been there, done that”?!?
    I don’t know. But, as I said, the Percy Jackson story was so good I really didn’t care and ended up enjoying it.
    I guess the bottom line is, it really shouldn’t matter as long as the story is good.

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  7. Nicole Avatar

    I’ve been thinking about my reasons for disliking first person POV periodically, trying to figure out exactly what it was I didn’t like. I think it might be because it can be somewhat restrictive–and if I wasn’t fond of the protagonist or his viewpoint, I’d be annoyed at the storyline. But I’m not even sure of that.
    Your reason in the YA genre makes sense to me, A. J.

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