tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538744000429800248.post5404257977891130828..comments2023-10-30T07:08:09.860-07:00Comments on It's a Mystery: Whose Eyes?Elspeth Futcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10330102545384369360noreply@blogger.comBlogger25125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538744000429800248.post-60749011473138460632009-10-27T08:38:27.630-07:002009-10-27T08:38:27.630-07:00Gosh, I must have overstated b/c it doesn't se...Gosh, I must have overstated b/c it doesn't seem like it. It just has to feel right! Thanks, though.<br /><br />MicheleJournoMichhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11170364981958685438noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538744000429800248.post-76189513842614220522009-10-26T20:10:54.950-07:002009-10-26T20:10:54.950-07:00Jane; That must have been a difficult decision to...Jane; That must have been a difficult decision to make. I admire your bravery.<br /><br />Elizabeth; It it ain't broke why fix it? Seeing the story through the sleuth's eyes is time-tested terrific.<br /><br />Jemi; It all depends on the genre, doesn't it? I could never write romances; I'm far too cynical!<br /><br />Michele; What an amazing amount of work. Wow. Thanks soElspeth Futcherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10330102545384369360noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538744000429800248.post-56764691629756325772009-10-26T19:31:48.748-07:002009-10-26T19:31:48.748-07:00I haven't tried keeping multiple POV's in ...I haven't tried keeping multiple POV's in the same book, but I have tried writing the same book from multiple POVs. This helps me get to know the characters better, find flaws in my storyline and see which POV rings most true.<br /><br />As always, thought-provoking stuff.<br /><br />Michele<br /><a href="http://southerncitymysteries.blogspot.com/" rel="nofollow">SouthernCityMysteries</a>JournoMichhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11170364981958685438noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538744000429800248.post-53243681660214925532009-10-26T16:52:28.374-07:002009-10-26T16:52:28.374-07:00I love trying out different points of view before ...I love trying out different points of view before I settle on who is going to tell the story (although I don't use 1st person generally). I tend to use the pov of the main female and main male characters. As my books tend to have a romance element in them, I think this works well. It's also fun to add in the pov of the main villain as well :)Jemi Fraserhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02214408467456320167noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538744000429800248.post-80590047217485613812009-10-26T16:17:49.244-07:002009-10-26T16:17:49.244-07:00POV is really a lot of fun...you could tell a stor...POV is really a lot of fun...you could tell a story so many different ways!<br /><br />I tell the story primarily through my sleuth's eyes, but shift it around sometimes. I'm a 3rd person POV person. <br /><br />Great post!<br /><br />Elizabeth<br /><a href="http://mysterywritingismurder.blogspot.com/" rel="nofollow"> Mystery Writing is Murder</a>Elizabeth Spann Craighttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15625595247828274405noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538744000429800248.post-4498642886216668642009-10-26T14:34:53.518-07:002009-10-26T14:34:53.518-07:00I ended up rewriting my first manuscript changing ...I ended up rewriting my first manuscript changing the POV from first person to third person. I was much happier with the final product and think it improved the readability. I would have saved a lot of time of I had figured that out before I started writing it!Jane Kennedy Suttonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12519340747761460017noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538744000429800248.post-52634935144545568162009-10-26T14:14:29.859-07:002009-10-26T14:14:29.859-07:00Helen; The antagonist should be heard. Why not?
...Helen; The antagonist should be heard. Why not?<br /><br />Margot; We seem to work in a very similar pattern. I hope I have your level of success!<br /><br />Jan; That's the trick isn't it? Pick the voice or voices and ensure they're unique.<br /><br />Carolyn; If it captured the feeling you wanted then you chose wisely.<br /><br />Dorte; The first person is a useful tool and IElspeth Futcherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10330102545384369360noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538744000429800248.post-16810685816066407572009-10-26T14:06:29.442-07:002009-10-26T14:06:29.442-07:00Oh, yes, my favorite topic, Point of View. It can...Oh, yes, my favorite topic, Point of View. It can for certain affect how the story is told. For example, a boy nearly drowns. Simple enough. But, told from the boy’s POV you get one story, from a witness, an entirely different feel, and from a rescuer’s POV still another sense. POV is a great tool. Sadly, head-hopping is disallowed, but, I think that’s a great way to go also. Though I’m joe doaks-Authorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05283066862112820202noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538744000429800248.post-31328728912583134342009-10-26T14:02:52.261-07:002009-10-26T14:02:52.261-07:00Interesting post.
Generally I like 3rd person pas...Interesting post. <br />Generally I like 3rd person past tense, and I have used 3-4 different points of view in my two (unpublished) manuscripts. In the latest one, I had two narrators called "Anna". To avoid confusion, I decided to use a 1st person voice for the youngest character, and I realized later that it made it much easier to keep up the innocent and naive tone I wanted.Dorte Hhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14535044092722418173noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538744000429800248.post-69975363790730178992009-10-26T13:20:59.621-07:002009-10-26T13:20:59.621-07:00I used 1st person past tense. I know it would'...I used 1st person past tense. I know it would've been different, and perhaps not captured the feeling I wanted, if told from a different POV.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538744000429800248.post-6749992908483406172009-10-26T13:20:53.715-07:002009-10-26T13:20:53.715-07:00Excellent post subject! My first book was written ...Excellent post subject! My first book was written in four pov's - a daughter and three sisters. My second (wip) is from one point only. My recent one which is trying to find a home has two main pov's and two others that show up for one hit each. It isn't complicated but I agree - they have to be distinct. And so your characters should be anyway.Jan Morrisonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01771180344305042855noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538744000429800248.post-31981835277409967252009-10-26T12:59:47.241-07:002009-10-26T12:59:47.241-07:00Elspeth - What a key question! The point of view t...Elspeth - What a key question! The point of view the author chooses crucially affects whaat the reader learns and the direction of the story. It can be reallhy intriguing to do what Helen has done, and use the antagonist's voice, but I must admit I haven't tried that yet.<br /><br />I use multiple POVs in my work. I move from character to character, so that the reader gets to know each Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538744000429800248.post-62919157989857527852009-10-26T12:45:18.974-07:002009-10-26T12:45:18.974-07:00I usually write from the protagonist's voice, ...I usually write from the protagonist's voice, but I've written from others, including the antagonist's POV.<br /><br />Helen<br /><a href="http://straightfromhel.blogspot.com" rel="nofollow">Straight From Hel</a>Helen Gingerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09794759602654727110noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538744000429800248.post-51471219189349725302009-10-26T12:39:42.460-07:002009-10-26T12:39:42.460-07:00Jen; I'm glad I gave you something to think a...Jen; I'm glad I gave you something to think about!<br /><br />Carol; I like books with multiple POVs as well. <br /><br />Elisa; Well, I've got six POVs in my manuscript. I'm either very brave or very stupid.<br /><br />Elizabeth; Changing the POV can involve a huge amount of work; but worth it in the long run, don't you think?Elspeth Futcherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10330102545384369360noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538744000429800248.post-38507798317188265882009-10-26T12:32:54.668-07:002009-10-26T12:32:54.668-07:00Think "Sophie's Choice". Styron'...Think "Sophie's Choice". Styron's remarkable work wouldn't have been the same if he had told the story through Sophie's eyes. Instead he created Stingo, an aspiring writer to tell the tale, and thus was born a masterpiece. I give a good deal of thought to POV, sometimes changing my mind midway or even further on down the road.Elizabeth Bradleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03150221675618198674noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538744000429800248.post-82861094703808631092009-10-26T12:27:49.462-07:002009-10-26T12:27:49.462-07:00Andre Dubus III wins the prize for using the most ...Andre Dubus III wins the prize for using the most POVs in a novel -- Garden of Last Days had at least seven, I think. And I heard somewhere that Stephanie Meyer's next book in the Twilight series was going to be from Edward's POV.<br /><br />And then there's Nick Carraway in The Great Gatsby. I always found that character so invisible and yet so crucial.<br /><br />I find that I'mElisahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08399296868934652020noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538744000429800248.post-17860124563210921282009-10-26T11:53:05.130-07:002009-10-26T11:53:05.130-07:00I like to read and write stories with multiple vie...I like to read and write stories with multiple viewpoints, so long as those viewpoints are strictly defined so I don't have to wonder whose head I'm in. Good things to think about in your post.Carol Kilgorehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15168273312704732896noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538744000429800248.post-61956906862107841272009-10-26T11:52:52.044-07:002009-10-26T11:52:52.044-07:00Hi Elspeth! This is brilliant information. I alway...Hi Elspeth! This is brilliant information. I always tell the story from omniscent pov. I've tried first person and I like it but it seems a little limiting. I've honestly never thought o telling it from a secondary character's point of view. Thanks for the suggestion!<br /><br />JenJenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06683486631901017529noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538744000429800248.post-29864932086077585682009-10-26T11:43:34.461-07:002009-10-26T11:43:34.461-07:00Alan; A brave and bold choice. I usually go for ...Alan; A brave and bold choice. I usually go for Yoda so that way I sound very wise and I can have questionable grammar.Elspeth Futcherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10330102545384369360noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538744000429800248.post-37993934880440877252009-10-26T11:32:41.952-07:002009-10-26T11:32:41.952-07:00You make an excellent point. Choosing point of vie...You make an excellent point. Choosing point of view is absolutely critical. Don't make the decision lightly.<br /><br />(Once I tried telling my story in a Donald-Duck voice. I got hoarse after a few minutes.)Alan Orloffhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03695574442723430347noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538744000429800248.post-7682940668952954542009-10-26T11:14:06.281-07:002009-10-26T11:14:06.281-07:00Winnie; My goodness, thank you for the award!
La...Winnie; My goodness, thank you for the award!<br /><br />Laurie; You finished a novel. You win.<br /><br />Journaling Woman; Sometimes that's exactly what works. Good for you.<br /><br />Marvin; Glad you liked it. I do try, in my own small way.Elspeth Futcherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10330102545384369360noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538744000429800248.post-10180589269133341822009-10-26T10:40:09.520-07:002009-10-26T10:40:09.520-07:00Very good thoughts on a very important topic. As a...Very good thoughts on a very important topic. As an editor I often get manuscripts from novice authors who obviously have no handle on the what and why of point of view they are using - often switching back and forth with no idea what they're doing. Good post.<br /><br /><a href="http://theoldsilly.com" rel="nofollow">Marvin D Wilson</a>The Old Sillyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09661188622348794193noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538744000429800248.post-5777670835745717652009-10-26T10:35:56.033-07:002009-10-26T10:35:56.033-07:00I have tried that and it works, writing from diffe...I have tried that and it works, writing from different viewpoints. Who should be telling the story? Sometimes I have to get away from my idea of who it should be and let the story tell me.T. Powell Coltrinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02160774009926623671noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538744000429800248.post-30134153460471165872009-10-26T10:32:00.248-07:002009-10-26T10:32:00.248-07:00In my novel I just finished who was telling the st...In my novel I just finished who was telling the story was my biggest headache. Even now I'm not sure I chose correctly.Laurihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11112458658109887868noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538744000429800248.post-72974011378768006702009-10-26T09:58:41.831-07:002009-10-26T09:58:41.831-07:00So true--often the easiest voice *isn't* the b...So true--often the easiest voice *isn't* the best choice. It's worth exploring, taking the time to test out voices and POV characters, before you get too far along.<br /><br />Hey--there's an award waiting for you at my blog!Wendy Wagner;https://www.blogger.com/profile/16341499181581331264noreply@blogger.com