How to Write Fiction

Shifting Third Person POV

Third Person Multiple

Shifting POV in Third Person Multiple is pretty straightforward. You shift at scene changes. Now, some people like to think that a scene change is them adding * * * and a paragraph break. Nope. A scene change is when the curtain drops and when it rises again we are somewhere else. Scenes typically last for a significant chunk of time—the whole chapter if possible! If a scene truly changes within a chapter, then you use a centered * * * and a paragraph break. (My preference is to use * * * between chapter breaks, but some authors use #, lines, fancy symbols, or just a blank line. This is a matter of preference, just make it clear to your reader that it is a scene break and be consistent.)

Let's look at an example:

Much like that fateful prom night where David was the fool, he was once again driving all over Emerson looking for his best friend. Marcus hadn't seen her, Kara didn't answer her phone, and Steven was at the shop. He drove by her work and by her favorite coffee shop, but she was nowhere to be found. He finally gave up and went home to finish packing.

* * * * *

Marcus hung up the phone and looked out of his window at Journey sitting on his porch in tears. Her hands shook as she drew a third cigarette up to her lips. He walked back outside and sat down on the step beside her. "That was him," he said. "He's looking for you, but I didn't say you were here."

In the example above, we are initially in David's POV as he is driving around town looking for his friend. Then there is a scene break. When the story resumes, we are across town in Marcus's POV.

Third Person Omniscient

This lesson comes with a disclaimer: There are many different methods of writing the POV because there are many different subcategories of Third Person Omniscient. I don't have the time or the desire to write about them all, but there are plenty of books on the subject! I recommend reading them! Third person omniscient is not for the novice! I will give a few quick tips and opinions on the subject, but this is BY NO MEANS a comprehensive list!

The trick to writing Third Person Omniscient well is seamless transitions. It takes PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE. Transitions should be aided by proper structure and punctuation! Line breaks, paragraph breaks, scene breaks are all your friends! And chapter breaks are your BFF!

Playing God

One method of accomplishing shifts is for the narrator to assume a "god like" viewpoint on the story. A hovering spirit floating above the story, if you will. Little Women by Louisa May Alcott is a good example of this:

"Christmas won't be Christmas without any presents," grumbled Jo, lying on the rug.

"It's so dreadful to be poor!" sighed Meg, looking down at her old dress.

"I don't think it's fair for some girls to have plenty of pretty things, and other girls nothing at all," added little Amy, with an injured sniff.

"We've got Father and Mother, and each other," said Beth contentedly from her corner.

The four young faces on which the firelight shone brightened at the cheerful words, but darkened again as Jo said sadly, "We haven't got Father, and shall not have him for a long time." She didn't say "perhaps never," but each silently added it, thinking of Father far away, where the fighting was.

Note all of the neat paragraph breaks in there!

Pass The Baton Shifting

Pass the baton is the freeze tag of POV shifting. It is when an action or an object triggers the camera shift from one character to another. Here's an example:

It was a now-or-never kind of moment. Clayton held up his trembling hand. On the tip of his pinky finger was a large, circular diamond with a halo of smaller diamonds around it. It was glistening in the pink and orange glow of the last moments of sunlight.

Megan's eyes fell to the ring, and for a second she forgot to breathe. Two seconds ago I was being dumped, and now he's proposing? she wondered.

Clayton cringed, bracing for the worst. "God, Meg. Say something."

In the example above, the ring is serving as the baton to shift the reader from Clayton to Meg.

The Zoom Lens Shift

Zoom shifting is when the camera is zoomed in on one character, then it zooms out into the stratosphere, and then zooms back in on another character. Notice the shift:

Meg leaned her forehead against the shower wall and let the hot water drizzle down her face. Angry tears swirled together with the suds at her feet and washed down the silver drain. This would be the last time a man would make her cry... or so she thought.

Down the Strip at the Illicit Lounge, Clayton wasn't crying. With a tumbler of Jack in one hand and a fistful of dollars in the other, the last thing on his mind was Meg. Red lights bounced off of bedazzled thongs in every direction that he looked. Clayton smiled. Everyone should suffer a break-up in Vegas.

Zoom in. Zoom out. Zoom in.

Like I said, these are just a few methods of shifting, but there are plenty more. Remember, PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE.

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This chapter is dedicated to @Lucyface, my arch-nemesis. She makes fun of cancer patients and probably beats up old people. (She's also a pretty good writer and graphic designer, but don't tell her I said that.)