By Lisa Hall-Wilson

I’ve been asked for more advanced deep point of view tips, so let’s dive deep(er)!!

What is deep point of view? This is a writing style where the psychic distance between the point of view character and the reader has been removed. There’s no author or narrator voice to explain, summarize, or justify what’s going on. This style of writing aims to bring the raw emotions and thoughts of a character to the reader directly – unfiltered. So that the reader has to lean in, to engage and participate in the story, to understand and experience the emotional journey for themselves.

It's not for everyone, but emotions are the glue that makes this technique sticky. One of the common complaints I hear from those looking to learn deep point of view is that beta readers struggled to connect with characters, and/or the characters’ actions don’t make sense. The fix is to go deeper with the character, to better understand them – but how do you do that? 

Be Specific and Particular With A Limiting Belief 

We all have limiting beliefs about ourselves (read more about that here). These beliefs often lead to tension, unhappiness, and suffering. (sounds like good fiction, right!) There’s lots of different ways we live with, and live out, those limiting beliefs. But when you’re looking to go deeper with a character, this can be a fun way to get curious about what’s really motivating them and help us make emotional connections for readers.

Belief > Thought > Emotion > Habit > Behavior > Experience

For Instance: With a core limiting belief of being ‘a failure,’ every disappointment or blocked path has the potential to secretly confirm that belief. It’s very easy to create a habit around this belief that becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. How would that affect someone’s confidence? Their ability to take risk? Their willingness to be vulnerable? What lengths would be considered acceptable to avoid having that confirmation? How would they try and protect themselves from that hurt? What messages would they tell themselves in stressful situations?

Just start asking questions.

Do you remember Johnny Castle from Dirty Dancing? In the first intimate scene of the movie (watch that clip here.), Johnny reveals to Baby his limiting belief: “People treat me like I’m nothing because I’m nothing.” He expected people to overlook him, to mistreat him, to be rude, because he wasn’t wealthy or educated. This insight into Johnny deepened our understanding of his character, and made him more relatable, more human. His vulnerability was engaging.

Determine Your Character’s Limiting Belief

Drill deeper into what motivates your characters. Where’s that fear, that insecurity, that bias, that arrogance coming from? What’s at the root of it? Once you find that out, that core belief colors everything your character says and thinks and does.

Let’s take four characters who have an over-the-top (like, disproportionate to the real threat) reaction to bees as an example:

Sally is afraid of bees because last time she got stung she cried.

If her limiting belief is that she’s weak, that she’s a victim, or that she doesn’t matter, she may roll over and just create a self-fulfilling oh-woe-is-me prophecy (she deserves to be stung). Or perhaps she turns to anger as a solution to that limiting belief (which shows how little compassion she has for herself, and likely for others). She will suppress any reaction to a bee or a sting, perhaps even denying it will hurt, belittling others for being fearful. The key for readers will be giving them access to the raw emotions and unfiltered thoughts that betray what’s behind the reaction.

Cindy is afraid of bees because her mother told her a sting will hurt and her face might swell up and she might have to go to the hospital (and Grandpa died in the hospital).

Cindy clearly has a tendency towards anxiety. If Cindy’s limiting belief is that the world is unsafe, how would she react to a potential sting? It would be way over the top, right. Dig down into the core belief so readers can see her reaction is very rational given what she believes, juxtapose that to the reactions of those around her. How would they treat her? How would that treatment further support her limiting belief?

Jamie is afraid of bees because the sound they make is too loud.

Jamie could have a past trauma where sensory overload is a trigger to panic, or perhaps there are sensory issues where some sensations or feelings are intolerable. Let’s say his limiting belief is that the world isn’t safe. Now, it’s not objectively true that loud noises aren’t safe, so for a reader who doesn’t understand what’s behind his over-the-top reaction, this is a character that’s going to be hard to relate to.

Be honest about this journey. If loud noises aren’t safe, what’s a rational reaction to that? Jamie isn’t reacting to the bee sting so much as the sensory overload and resulting panic, the solution he chooses will be entirely logical to solving his core belief problem (the world isn’t safe).

Rich is afraid of bees because the first time he was stung his throat closed and he couldn’t breathe. The next sting might kill him. 

Rich’s fear of bees is a mortal fear based on past experience, and likely a variety of teachers, doctors, and parents impressing upon him, in a variety of ways, the gravity of another bee sting. The adult reactions to the first sting may be as or more traumatizing than the actual bee sting. Let’s play with this. If Rich’s limiting belief is that he’s a burden, he may downplay the fear of the bee sting. If his limiting belief is that he’s weak, not only will the solution he chooses look different, the messages he tells himself will reflect that belief. Will he react to that limiting belief with compassion and kindness, or only judgement for himself?

The reader needs to be inside the head and body of the character to really connect with the WHY and the stakes behind the fear and panic response to connect emotionally with the tension and conflict within the character. 

Be Honest To The Journey

Work backwards to discover that core belief, get curious about what’s underlying the fear, the anger, the shame – whatever the behaviour pattern is. The reaction must be a logical solution (to the character) for the core belief problem. Create that emotional connection readers are craving by showing the raw emotions and thoughts the problem creates.

Interview Your Character

Interview your character to dig deeper into who they are or what motivates them by creating an “I should…” statement. This statement doesn’t need to be objectively true, but it must be something the character believes they should do (even if they don’t consciously understand why they believe that to be true). Now, keep asking WHY (aim for no more than 5 Whys) until you land on a limiting belief that either works for your story or feels true to that character.

I should work out more…

I shouldn’t ever say no…

I shouldn’t disobey my father…

I should trust everyone…

Example:

I should work out more

Why? Because my mum said I should.

Why? Because Mum thinks I’m lazy.

Why? Because I desperately want her approval.

Why (this is the limiting belief): Because I’m not love-able.

BOOM! A character that obsessively exercises, that is a perfectionist with how they dress, that counts every calorie and avoids looking at themselves in the mirror. How would this character react to a disappointment or spilling sauce on a blouse before an important meeting? Do you see how the behaviour makes sense now? 

That’s the nugget you take into every scene, that informs every decision, that colors every thought and fear. Have that character grow and mature, by showing kindness and compassion to that limiting belief by creating an empowering solution statement: I’m not perfect and I’m going to make mistakes, but my good friends will love me anyway. Have them stare down the monster under the bed and discover the monster has no teeth.

I should accept blame for everything... (everything is my fault)

Why? Because this ends conflicts faster

Why? Because then I can predict the reaction

Why? Because when I can’t predict what’s going to happen I can’t protect myself

Why (this is the limiting belief)? Because I’m not safe anywhere

The character that bends like a pretzel to keep everyone happy is hard to cheer for or like. SHOW readers why this reaction is the most logical solution to their limiting belief. Give the reader a reason to cheer for this character, show the fight they’re constantly waging internally. What happens when they have compassion for themselves and realize the monster under the bed has no teeth? I can stand up for myself and have healthy boundaries, because I’m not a child anymore.

Want to give this exercise a try? It’s tricky. I’ll try and give feedback to the first few comments at least. Would this type of mental exercise help you get to know your characters better? Would this insight help make your characters more relate-able to readers?

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About Lisa

Lisa Hall-Wilson is a writing teacher and award-winning writer and author. She’s the author of Method Acting For Writers: Learn Deep Point Of View Using Emotional Layers. Her blog, Beyond Basics For Writers, explores all facets of the popular writing style deep point of view and offers practical tips for writers. 

She runs the free Facebook group Going Deeper With Emotions where she shares tips and videos on writing in deep point of view.