tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7731159552335760887.post4816682893074892563..comments2024-03-27T20:39:04.792-04:00Comments on KILLER HOBBIES: Lesson Four - Point of ViewBetty Hechtmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14652848311122102223noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7731159552335760887.post-52114045811485274092009-11-20T02:24:02.552-05:002009-11-20T02:24:02.552-05:00I haven't read much YA, Becky, and haven't...I haven't read much YA, Becky, and haven't written any, but first person sounds as if it could work well. Have fun with it!Linda O. Johnstonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01512430135042480450noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7731159552335760887.post-50544282733049865982009-11-19T22:13:57.123-05:002009-11-19T22:13:57.123-05:00Linda,
Nice breakdown of everything. I'm play...Linda,<br /><br />Nice breakdown of everything. I'm playing right now with first person present in my WIP--something that's getting more common in YA. VERY different!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7731159552335760887.post-3894570572067269322009-11-19T21:01:30.448-05:002009-11-19T21:01:30.448-05:00So, Beth, are your first person protagonist's ...So, Beth, are your first person protagonist's musings such that the reader will get that one person's truths are not necessarily another's? Intriguing!Linda O. Johnstonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01512430135042480450noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7731159552335760887.post-45807909964570039792009-11-19T20:38:19.721-05:002009-11-19T20:38:19.721-05:00I love the quote from Jeffrey Deaver about needed ...I love the quote from Jeffrey Deaver about needed an unreliable narrator for his mysteries! I actually chose to do my second novel in first person because everybody else in the book believes the main character is lying and I wanted the reader to know she was telling the truth...well, her truth anyway!Beth Proudfoothttp://www.bethproudfoot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7731159552335760887.post-43546216332568126402009-11-19T20:14:37.931-05:002009-11-19T20:14:37.931-05:00This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7731159552335760887.post-9989965294997267132009-11-19T18:56:48.897-05:002009-11-19T18:56:48.897-05:00What works best really depends on the story and ch...What works best really depends on the story and character, Janie. I'm sure you could do middle grade boys in first person if it was better for the story!Linda O. Johnstonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01512430135042480450noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7731159552335760887.post-63499049140822531502009-11-19T18:10:38.469-05:002009-11-19T18:10:38.469-05:00This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7731159552335760887.post-89041148452345248862009-11-19T16:33:37.037-05:002009-11-19T16:33:37.037-05:00Hi,
I tend to write in 1st person, but have writt...Hi,<br /> I tend to write in 1st person, but have written some of my middle grade boy stories in third person. I agree with you...it all depends on the story.Janie Emaushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17053003978794589095noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7731159552335760887.post-72628238007657436382009-11-19T15:23:07.554-05:002009-11-19T15:23:07.554-05:00Thanks for the link, Jason. That's a really h...Thanks for the link, Jason. That's a really helpful article!<br /><br />I remember lessons like that, too, Betty. I'm glad things have changed, but having more freedom of choice in POV also can make writing more complicated. And I agree it's sometimes hard, when writing in first person, to get information across that our protagonists won't necessarily know.<br /><br />Really interesting info, Joanna. POV issues are everywhere! Thanks for posting about those other writers and that other iteration of third person.Linda O. Johnstonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01512430135042480450noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7731159552335760887.post-41731286495308334432009-11-19T13:59:55.722-05:002009-11-19T13:59:55.722-05:00Randy Wayne White changed POV from third to first ...Randy Wayne White changed POV from third to first after he began his series with Doc Ford. I asked him why and he said the character demanded his story be told. Jeff Deaver says he has to use third because he relies heavily on the unreliable narrator.<br /><br />Laura Lippman was talking last weekend about "central intelligence," a variation of third person. In that variation, there's a third person who is in every scene and the information sort of revolves around that person. Here's more info:<br /><br />http://www.cliffsnotes.com/WileyCDA/LitNote/The-Turn-of-the-Screw-Critical-Essays-Central-Intelligence-and-Point-of-View-in-The-Turn-of-the-Screw.id-72,pageNum-158.htmlJoanna Campbell Slanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01951637123269159053noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7731159552335760887.post-44690188234225661082009-11-19T12:12:16.155-05:002009-11-19T12:12:16.155-05:00It is amazing how anything goes in POV these days....It is amazing how anything goes in POV these days. I remember taking a writing class and having the teacher be adamant about staying in one POV.<br /><br />The Molly Pink crochet mysteries are in the first person. The tricky part is how to write things Molly can't have seen. It's also tricky to write scenes where she's threatened. How to tell the reader that somebody is creeping up behind her when she doesn't have eyes in the back of her head.<br /><br />Great post with lots to think about.Betty Hechtmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14652848311122102223noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7731159552335760887.post-38337552673812085702009-11-19T12:11:18.760-05:002009-11-19T12:11:18.760-05:00Great article. I think more writers should put th...Great article. I think more writers should put thought into actively CHOOSING their POV, rather than just writing in whatever POV they happen to start in or whatever they're already comfortable with.<br /><br />There's another article on a similar subject, that goes a little deeper into what "whichever seems to work best for your story" actually means, here:<br /><br />http://www.plottopunctuation.com/blog/show/19<br /><br />It's all about how POV choices present different views on the characters themselves, and how those choices affect not only what you can get away with writing but also how the whole mood of the story can change with different POVs. I highly recommend it!Jason Blackhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01513547170663324976noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7731159552335760887.post-62877888804634719772009-11-19T10:46:04.598-05:002009-11-19T10:46:04.598-05:00Not changing POV within a scene may have been one ...Not changing POV within a scene may have been one of those old rules that have disappeared, Camille. But, yes, I do see even big-name authors head-hopping, which sometimes is confusing.<br /><br />Interesting comment, Cassandrajade. I'm curious why you think it's hard to stay in first person. For me, it's often the easiest way to go, but your reader can't know any more than your protagonist that way.<br /><br />Fortunately, either first or third person works well in mysteries, Terry. My characters seem to take over and want to tell their mystery stories themselves!Linda O. Johnstonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01512430135042480450noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7731159552335760887.post-48797963455077450972009-11-19T07:26:30.979-05:002009-11-19T07:26:30.979-05:00I've written a couple of mystery short stories...I've written a couple of mystery short stories in 1st person, but normally, I prefer 3rd. And for my romances, at least 2 POVs are "required", so I tend to switch at scene breaks.<br /><br />As long as transitions are clear, it shouldn't matter how or when you do it, but it can get annoying for the reader if they're having to switch back and forth too often. Regardless of how smooth the transitions are, it requires that the reader stop long enough to shift gears.Terry Odellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11610682530545306687noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7731159552335760887.post-87144768431655590632009-11-19T05:54:49.461-05:002009-11-19T05:54:49.461-05:00Thanks for this post. POV is always a difficult d...Thanks for this post. POV is always a difficult decision to make when starting a story though I've decided that it is really hard to remain consistently in first person throughout a story.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7731159552335760887.post-64885977093317386542009-11-19T01:23:11.617-05:002009-11-19T01:23:11.617-05:00I used to think it was an absolute: no changing PO...I used to think it was an absolute: no changing POV within a scene!<br />But I see it now, even within a paragraph, and with "big name" authors.<br /><br />I don't like it, and I think you've given me a clue why I don't, Linda -- it's startling and sometimes confusing.<br /><br />I think also it's an easy way out sometimes and I don't like that, either!Camille Minichinohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04701150885595400018noreply@blogger.com