How To Write And Change Point Of View In Novels

Sometimes you may want to explore different characters' or even narrators’ points of view (often termed as POV by writers), in order to reveal multiple sides of a story, or to keep things fresh. This can be used to dazzling effect. Perhaps most famous is the so-called Rashomon effect, derived from the movie, Rashomon, a masterpiece of Japanese cinema, in which four characters give contradictory witness statements about the same event. Check it out: it is a flawless example of quite what can be achieved with mixed narration/POV.

But narrator or POV changes are not without risk. For the new writer, it may be easier to concentrate on a single, well-developed character. Firstly, it simplifies the narrative, making it easier to manage and maintaining consistency, allowing you to concentrate on telling a story fairly conventionally and develop its richness.

A single well-developed voice usually creates a stronger, more intimate connection with the reader. It loses the complexities of shifting perspectives, and helps new writers develop a coherent and compelling voice, providing a more focused and immersive storytelling experience.

Changing narrators or POV across chapters most obviously allows you to delve deeper into different characters' perspectives. It adds layers and variety, and can be a stylish and confident way to write. Readers see the world through different eyes, which adds a propulsion and drama of its own.

However, it requires careful planning to maintain coherence across a whole novel. Each POV is an opportunity to get lost, or to confuse the reader. Each narrator or POV should be as interesting as the last, or else the reader might experience a dip in quality. The approach has to serve a purpose beyond “I would like to have a go at doing it.”

Avoid confusion by clearly establishing whose perspective we're in. It’s probably best to do this in first person, because that allows you to maximise the effect of the narrator/POV not knowing everything or concealing information from other characters.

Within scenes, POV changes function differently. Here, it might be better to stay in third person, and use an “omniscient authorial voice” (the traditional, all-knowing, impersonal narrator) to allow you to dip in and out of people’s heads as they take part in a single scene. Dialogue is a powerful tool for showcasing conflicting perspectives, while action can be shown from varying angles.

A GENTLE WARNING: “Add Another Point Of View”

Sometimes, writing tutors, agents and even editors, when something is not quite right with a book, will say something like, “Add another point of view,” or “Add a second voice to the narration.” You would be surprised how often you hear it, and the device is so widely used that I would not advise you not to do it. However, I would advise you this. If there is something wrong with your story, that people are offering you vague solutions like these, the best approach is to go back and look at what you think is actually not working. Try resolving that[A1] . Make your story stronger. Fix its issues. “Add a second voice” might, in fact, be the answer, but too often, it is a lazy answer, and it rarely transforms your book, unless you planned a second view or POV all along.

Your Genre Has An Opinion On This

Epic fantasy or multi-generational family sagas often employ multiple POVs because of the sheer scope of their narratives. Thrillers may use rapid POV shifts to reveal information, allow twists, keep the reader slightly ahead of the characters (which thriller readers like). Romance novels often alternate between the two protagonists' viewpoints in order to reveal to the reader what each lover thinks and wants.

But all markets in novels are absolutely fine with a single, consistent POV/narrator in a novel, so if you are just starting out, it might be better to really focus on your hero (or anti-hero), their voice and their journey. I have published several novels now, and it is absolutely my preference.

This is an excerpt from How To Write A Novel Chapter By Chapter available here: https://www.amazon.com/How-Write-Novel-Chapter-Outlining-ebook/dp/B0DJ8TMVWL?ref_=ast_author_mpb

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