Writing Tips

Point of View

After some more reviewing for some other writers, I have found another subject that might be useful to go over. The point of view in which the story is told, or the "POV."

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There are three main categories of POVs:

          First Person - the narrative perspective which uses "I" for the main character.

          Second Person - the interactive perspective which tells a story and uses "you" in place of the character's name

          Third Person - the omniscient or alternate limited perspective that refers to he, she, it, they, and which uses a character's name.

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There are many writers who want to change points of view within a story, but while some do this successfully, others seem to have a bit of trouble with it. Some of those who have found it difficult have resolved to label the changing POVs in the following ways: "Amanda's p.o.v.," "Jamie's POV," "Johnathan," or even, "??? point of view." Trust me, that last one exists. It really, really does. And I really, really can't stand it. I mean...for God's sake, commit! Why write a chapter if you don't know who the character is???

Meh. Apparently I have issues.

Anyway...

Labelling a POV is fine, but if a writer continues to write in first person for a new character, and within the same book as the original POV, it can still cause serious confusion for the readers. Below is an example of this chaotic and cruddy experience that many readers despise:

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Prince Ian

"Bow when I am present," I tell the young woman, whose fiery eyes ignite upon my words. My own temper flares. How dare she stand in the presence of a royal?  She dances around the guards and shoves them away when they attempt to kick the backs of her knees to topple her to the floor, and she rips her blood-colored hair from her oval face and turns her icy glare upon me defiantly.

"A royal?" the woman scoffs. "I am ordered to bow to a royal, am I?" Her white teeth flash in a beautiful but angered smile, and when one of the guards draws his sword, a dagger made out of flint-colored steel appears in her left hand. "Where I come from, no one bows to any man beneath the one true God. Where I come from, guests are not told to behave like slaves, and women are not brought to a man and told he will have her as he wishes because he has the right because he is a royal!"

Prince Kirni

The arrogant woman will be put in her place. She is a foreign beauty my brother and I both covet. I glance to my brother Ian from among the guards, my identity hidden by the armor I have donned. I was curious when he would try this. She is mine, and he thinks to sweep her away from me because he believes his assassins succeeded in killing me in my sleep. I'll let her give him a red necklace with her dagger if he nears her, and then I will take the woman who belongs to me.

Remaining composed and drawing my own sword as if I am simply one of the guards who are protecting my brother, I push the other guards out of the way. I am wearing the captain's armor. My air of authority among the guards will not be out of place. Had I worn armor of a lower rank, my deceit would be known, but I am not my brother. I plan things diligently, and I will not have her slain by the restless warriors on accident, and neither will she be ruined by my jealous brother.