The Rules (Stick to One Point of View)

This is a new series of blog posts about writing, the rules, and how to get started on your writing journey, based off several workshops for teens I've given at the Palatine Public Library. This series is also posted on figment.com and wattpad.com, two places where teen writers gather to share their work.

Ch 4: The Rules (Stick to One Point of View)

The POV (point of view) of a story is a crucial part of telling a story that engrosses your reader. Picking the point of view almost IS the story. Imagine Harry Potter told from the POV of Dumbledore. Or Snape. Not the same story at all.

So picking your POV character is the first step in deciding what kind of story you want to tell. Often, it’s best to stick with one character POV per story, mostly because this bonds the reader more closely with your main character. If you have multiple characters in your story, where it is vitally important that all their stories be told (not just that you want to sneak in information through one character’s viewpoint), then alternating POVs is also a completely valid storytelling technique.

One POV character

If you have just one POV character, you can use first or third person. First person is a good choice to bond your reader closest to the character. The reader is literally thinking “I” in their heads as they read. This is also a good choice for stories with strong internal conflict, because we get close inside the character’s head and see the conflict there. (Note: with rare exceptions, you should not try to use alternating first person when you have more than one POV character. If you do attempt this, make sure that your voices for your characters are very, very distinct from one another.)

1st person example: I knew he was the Chosen One as soon as I saw him. He waved and stumbled over his cloak.

Third person can be a fine choice, even when you have just one POV character, because it gives a little more distance to the character. This is a good choice for stories that are more action-oriented, where we don’t need to be in the character’s head all the time to understand the essential arcs of the story.

3rd person example: Kayla knew he was the Chosen One as soon as she saw him. He waved and stumbled over his cloak.

More than one POV character

When you have more than one POV character, you will most likely want to use third person. This places a little more distance between the reader and the characters, making it easier to “switch heads” between the characters. However, make sure you have a dramatic break between viewpoint shifts (like a chapter or scene change) before you shift character perspectives. “POV bobbles” occur when you waver between the perspective of two different characters in one scene. The main reason to avoid this kind of “head hopping” is because it will throw your reader out of the story, or worst case, confuse them as to who is thinking what. Beginning writers often want to “head hop” because they want the reader to know what everyone is thinking.

I encourage you to try writing just in one head and see what difference it can make for the story.

Don’t use Omniscient (The God POV)

It may seem really tempting to use the omnisicent POV. Hey, we don’t have to worry about whose head we’re in, we’re in everyone’s head! At the same time! The problem with writing this POV is that it puts a lot of distance between the reader and the main character. And it’s really tough to do well. Many beginning writers think they are doing Omnisicent POV, but what they are really doing is 3rd person POV with head hopping. Neither is particularly good for drawing the reader into your story. Omniscient should be reserved for “social satire” commentary types of literature, at least early in your writing journey.  

Omniscient example:Kayla thought he was the Chosen One as soon as she saw him. The Chosen One thought she stared because she loathed him. He stumbled over his cloak. Neither one knew how desperately wrong they were.

UPSHOT: Usually 1st person or 3rd person close is the best POV choice. Being rigorous about keeping to one POV per chapter will greatly improve your storytelling.

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Susan Kaye Quinn is a young adult author. Her newly released paranormal/SF novel Open Minds is available on Amazon and Barnes&Noble. You can subscribe to her author newsletter to find out about upcoming releases and giveaways.