Point of View for Novel Authors
Is this the year you are going to be published? Yes, it is. You need to get that manuscript into the best possible shape you can before submitting it to an agent. Besides writing clearly and with correct grammar, it is important to understand and use “point of view” appropriately.
Point of View
Simply stated, the point of view refers to how the person is telling the story. If your book is told in the first person singular, your story might say, “I first walked over to the chair in the kitchen and sat down.” If you are writing in the third person, this statement would be written, “He first walked over to the chair in the kitchen and sat down.” You need to make the choice when you begin the manuscript of what voice or point of view you will be using.
Changing Point of View in a Novel
It is a wise idea to keep your entire book in one point of view, especially if you are a new author with little experience. Changing the point of view in a book, or especially in a chapter, can be confusing to the reader and create an unpleasant reading experience. However, there are authors who can effectively change point of view and do it in a way that is clear and effective. My recommendation is to use a single point of view in a chapter. If in the next chapter, you wish to use a new point of view, make it precisely clear from your text and dialogue.
Exercise on Point of View
You can experiment with point of view by writing two or three versions of your work each in a different point of view. Think of it this way: How is the story told? Whose viewpoint is being expressed? Write from that person’s mind and experiences. Then, in your next version of your chapter, have someone else tell the story. There are advantages to each point of view. Your creativity and purpose can help craft an interesting novel if you can understand this concept thoroughly and choose the best one for your adventure.
Most Commonly Used Points of View
The most commonly used points of view are the first person singular, the third person singular and the omniscient. The first person point of view, as stated above, is the I AM point of view. If using this one, as a writer you can tell the story as if you are the central character and the story is unfolding from your viewpoint. Remember, in this case, you can only know what you see, know, hear and experience. You cannot tell us what another person is thinking; you cannot tell us what another person is doing unless you are right there and can see for yourself.
The third person point of view is the one that uses HE SHE or IT. This is quite common and probably easier to use than the first person.
The omniscient is the ALL SEEING and ALL KNOWING point of view. When using this point of view, the teller of the story knows everything each person is doing, saying and even thinking. This was the universal point of view used in the nineteenth century and is still extremely popular today but it is no longer the only point of view to use.
References
There are some good books that give detailed explanations of point of view and techniques for understanding and using them. I highly recommend some reading and studying in this area.
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