Book in a Month Pt 14: Choosing a POV

Choosing POV or "Point of View"

POV Struggles

Wishing on Daisies is written in 1st person, but now I am wondering if it should be 3rd person limited. At some point during the writing process I always seem to have a struggle with POV. Did I choose the correct one? Should I change it? I have heard other writers struggle with the same issues. Dealing with this uncertainty can create frustration that sucks up valuable writing time. Here is the information I have gathered on the most popular POVs to help you decide which one would be best for your story.

Why so Tense?

• Present tense has more immediacy but can be prone to drawing the reader out of the story if something doesn't sound right. 
• Past tense is more common but lacks the sense of immediate "in the moment" feeling of action.

1^st Person: 
Especially good for: YA novels

• Emotionally engaging, and very intimate.
• The story takes place from the main character's POV, everything that happens is from their personal perspective.

Cons: 

• If the main character didn't experience it then it can't be in the story (unless it happened behind the scenes.)
• It is important that the main character is likeable, since the reader will be in their head the whole time.
• The story will be about one character, so it will not be as intimate with getting to know the other characters.

Examples: 1st Person Present Tense:

"No. This cannot be. Never. I enter the water defiantly and swim back to the underwater ridge. I dive and search. There must be others alive yet. I will save them." - From Sirena by Don na Jo Napoli

1st Person Past Tense

 "I'm Beth," I finally squeaked out.

"Hey, Beth"-he pointed his enormous hand at the duo, and I wondered how he could pick his nose with fingers that large"-From The Seven Rays by Jessica Bendinger

3^rd Person Limited: 
Especially good for: romance novels, suspense novels

• Can be as intimate as 1st but you can switch the POV from heroine to the hero’s perspective, or even the villain's.
• The author can write in their own language as opposed to the characters, and describe what happens them with less of a filter of personality.
• Sometimes a bit of distance is a good thing for the reader to enjoy the story, where first person drags them through the story with one character's perspective. 
• If a reader disagrees with a character’s decisions or personality, there is a little more space so they don’t feel stuck in the character’s head. 

 Cons: 

• Each character will think differently and that needs to show. 
• It may be easy to "head pop" between character POVs.
• It is more distanced compared to 1st person.
• It is best to try to use only one POV per scene.

Example: 3rd Person Limited

"He left his lights on. Going without backup into an isolated area after dark, he felt a familiar prickle between his shoulder blades. Sweat slid down his spine.

Get over it. Your on World's End. Nothing ever happens here.

Which was about all he could hand now.

Nothing.

He crossed the strip of trees, thankful this particular stretch of beach wasn't all slippery rock, and stepped silently onto the sand." -From Sea Witch by Virginia Kantra

3^rd Person Omniscient: 
Especially good for: Epic novels involving the struggles of many characters, or characters in different places

• It can go between different character perspectives.
• It gives the story a sense of vastness and grandeur.
• The author can go wild with descriptions and narration of their own, giving their own thoughts and perspectives on what happens in the story.

Cons: 

• This POV is the most distanced from the characters, and the less intimate.
• Too much POV switching can pull the reader out of the story, or confuse them.

Example: 3rd Person Omniscient

“The sacrifice is not of your body,” he explained. His voice was cold in the darkness. “I is…of my humanity.”

Then the knife lowered, and she found her voice. And scream-his name, protest of her love, a hundred supplications…but it was too late, by that point. Had been too late, since true night fell.

            There was no one listening.” - From Black Sun Rising by C.S. Friedman

So How Do I Choose?
Although it shouldn't be the only deciding factor, consider what the most common POV is in the genre you are writing for. Pull out some of your favorite books from that genre and see what POV they are. However, it is also important to choose POV based the needs of the story.

• If you want to stick with one character, emphasizing their views, feelings, thoughts and voice and what they alone experience, consider 1st person.
• If you want the feel and emotion of first but with a little more distance or with more flexibility to to add a second character's POV consider 3rd person limited. 
• If you want multiple character POVs, in multiple locations to provide a grander scope consider 3rd person omniscient.

You can always test the waters. Write a scene in one POV then try in another and see which one you like better. What is your gut feeling?

 I am no expert on POV, so your input would be greatly appreciated! How do you choose POV?

Wishing on Daisies Progress

Current Progress: 8568 words

Chapter 1, 2, 3, 4 - Complete. 

Chapter 5 - Still in Progress