Comments on: Point of View: Myth vs Reality

By: Miffie Seideman

Miffie Seideman — Tue, 07 Sep 2021 14:38:16 +0000

Thanks for the great post, James! I had a big eye opener with my first manuscript. I thought, as a brand new writer, it had to be in 3rd person, despite the 1st person POV in most of the YA fiction collection staring down from my bookshelves. 75,000 words in, when the voice just didn't seem to work, I had an epiphany and spent a year rewriting it into 1st person, falling in love with the new manuscript. If you had just written this sooner, I would have paid attention to those bookshelves!

By: dholcomb1

dholcomb1 — Mon, 06 Sep 2021 22:31:52 +0000

In reply to jamesr403. I write in romance, and it doesn't have to be a huge word count--short story, novella, novel--it all works. Traditional romance is mostly third person, whether contemporary or historical, but the rom-com and ChickLits tend to be first person. I've read cozies written in both POV and with different lengths. Denise

By: jamesr403

jamesr403 — Mon, 06 Sep 2021 17:10:58 +0000

In reply to dholcomb1. I'm with you, Denise. I write mostly first person, but if the story grabs me third person is just fine. I'm thinking of James Clavell's Noble House, one of my favorite novels. This book is a monster, easily as long as two or three regular novels, which leads me to wonder -- it seems first person is better suited to less lengthy works. I wonder what a study of word count vs. POV would show? Is a longer book more likely to be third person? Hmmm. Another essay . . .

By: jamesr403

jamesr403 — Mon, 06 Sep 2021 17:04:54 +0000

In reply to faerowen. Fae, thank you very much! I remember "Colossal Cave," a text adventure, and if memory serves there was another based on Rendezvous with Rama. Anybody remember that one? Anyway, take a look at the demo for The Stanley Parable on the Steam web site. Definitely different! For those of you who don't know, Fae is the author of P.R.I.S.M., an excellent sf adventure. Thanks again, Fae.

By: jamesr403

jamesr403 — Mon, 06 Sep 2021 16:59:37 +0000

In reply to Peter Moore. Hmmm. Peter, it sounds like you have a book that lends itself to third person. I think you are on the right track, but there are devices that would allow you to work in some first person, like dropping in an email or a diary. I suggest searching Writers in the Storm under Point of View; I think you'll find some good information.

By: Julia Archer

Julia Archer — Mon, 06 Sep 2021 07:29:23 +0000

In reply to dholcomb1. Yes, I've been thinking about this more. I was recently asked to look at someone's Work in Progress and give some feedback. It is well written, great world building, dramatic events in early chapters, and a brave and resourceful protagonist. But, you know, I just couldn't get into caring about how things turned out, and for one reason. I was not inside the protag feeling and seeing her world as she felt and saw it. It was vividly described to me, but I wasn't in her, experiencing these things. Yes, it was third person, but that was not the problem, I don't think. So, a good story, yes, but I was an observer, not the actor in the role.

By: dholcomb1

dholcomb1 — Mon, 06 Sep 2021 04:43:10 +0000

I prefer writing in third person POV, but I'll read all as long as it's a good story.

denise

By: faerowen

faerowen — Sun, 05 Sep 2021 19:19:12 +0000

What a fresh (and informative) take on POV, James!. Thank you! You know I'm a gamer from way back...wrote my own adventure game when we had no graphics, but played "text adventures." It was a Death Star game, written between the first and second Star Wars. Truly all about the story, and all the multiple "random" ways it could unfold. Now I'm heading the your recommended game site. Another time sump...

By: Peter Moore

Peter Moore — Sun, 05 Sep 2021 17:23:28 +0000

I'm kind of forced to use third person because I have multiple main characters, none of whom are in every key scene. If I choose one to take first person, I would have to kill too many ‘darlings.’

Any suggestions?

By: jamesr403

jamesr403 — Sun, 05 Sep 2021 07:18:13 +0000

In reply to Jenny Hansen. Yeah! I think you'd like that kind of storytelling. And games are big, all right. Grand Theft Auto 5 was the biggest selling media -- movies, books, whatever -- until it was beaten by Player Unknown battlegrounds with 30,000,000 units sold for $90,000,000. That sale was in the first hour of its release. An hour!! And yes, Grand Theft Auto 5 is about stealing cars. I couldn't make this stuff up! Glad you liked the post!