WHICH POINT OF VIEW IS BEST FOR YOU?

WHAT IS POINT OF VIEW?

A point of view or POV is a “a position or perspective from which something is considered or evaluated”. It is the way a story is told from the perspective of the narrator, which can be done with great detail or omniscience distance.

WHY IS POINT OF VIEW IMPORTANT?

The point of view is where a writer points the sight of the reader. Why does point of view matter so much? Because point of view filters everything in your story. Everything in your story must come from a point of view. When you get the POV wrong, it throws off the whole story and makes it harder for the reader to read and comprehend it.

THE FOUR TYPES OF POV

So, what are the four types of POV?

· First Person Point of View. The character is in the story, relating his or her experiences directly using “I”statements.

· Second Person Point of View. The story is told to “you” through “you” statements.

· Third Person Point of View, Limited. The narrator is outside of the story and relating the experiences of a character with “he”, “she”, “they” statements.

· Third Person Point of View, Omniscient. The story is about “he” or “she,” however the narrator has full access to the thoughts and experiences of all characters in the story.

First Person Point of View

In first-person point of view, the narrator is in the story and telling the events he, she, or they are experiencing. This POV uses “I”, “Me” or “Myself” statements and is one of the most common POVs in fiction. What makes a good story in first person is when the narrator, who we have trusted to tell the truth in the story, is seen lying and becomes an unreliable narrator, making the first-person narrative is biased or missing key elements to the story from the perspective of others.

Second Person Point of View

This POV is not used in fiction often as the narrator is often using “you”, “you’re”, or “your” statements when explaining the story’s experiences. You as the reader are the protagonist and the story becomes immersive and interactive as the fourth wall breaks.

Third Person Point of View

In third person, the narrator is outside of the story and relating the experiences of a character. In other words, the main character (MC) and the narrator are two different people or entities. This POV uses “he/she”, “his/hers”, or “they/theirs” statements and has two types of this point of view: third person omniscient and third person limited.

Third Person Omniscient

In third person omniscient, the narrator has full access to all the thoughts and experiences of everyone in the story.

Third Person Limited

In third person limited, the narrator has limited access to the thoughts and experiences of the characters. Sometimes this is even limited to just one character.

When choosing a POV that fits for your fiction work, there are a few things to know. Firstly, there is no best point of view, simply just whatever works best for your story. Secondly, each POV is effective in different types of genres. And thirdly, if this is your first time writing fiction, it is commonly suggested to start in either first person or third person limited point of view because they are the easiest to understand and replicate.

So… Which Point of View Will You Use?

Written by Baleigh Shortreed.

“Patience is the key to growth; growth is the key to change.”

Baleighshortreedmngmt@gmail.com

Baleighshortreed.com