I am writing a story and i really like the story lines that these two characters can provide. Is there a way that i can fit both POVs into my story without making the story confusing? I tried third omniscient and it just made it confusing to my fellow critics. I was thinking maybe like scene changes or something but i honestly dont know how to
write my story without it seeming too overwhelming and confusing to everyone else and
without it sounding too cheesy.
If you have any suggestions i would very much appreciate it!!
Thank you!
Not everyone likes it, but there’s several books where the chapters alternate between two characters. If you decide to do this, make sure this is really obvious to your readers. I would hate to start a chapter thinking it is one character speaking, to find out, after much confusion and frustration, that I was reading about another’s perspective. As long as you make it clear this can be a good technique for your book.
February 19th, 2010 at 12:29 pm
Third person is definitely the way to go, if you’re looking for more than one prominent point of view in a story. Third person works because it can get personal, but it can also become distant and offers another POV easily.
Some authors incorporate two first-person POVs with alternating chapters headed with the character’s name who is telling the story.
If it’s too confusing, it may not be the character POVs that are causing a problem. Maybe the plot itself is too complicated or, if it’s a fantasy setting, the worldbuilding needs help. Maybe you aren’t spending enough time introducing one character before jumping to another?
The best advice I can give is to just keep trying different styles and see what works.
I hope I helped. :]
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February 19th, 2010 at 12:41 pm
Not everyone likes it, but there’s several books where the chapters alternate between two characters. If you decide to do this, make sure this is really obvious to your readers. I would hate to start a chapter thinking it is one character speaking, to find out, after much confusion and frustration, that I was reading about another’s perspective. As long as you make it clear this can be a good technique for your book.
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February 19th, 2010 at 12:53 pm
I once read a book where ever chapter was from one of three character’s point of view. The way she wrote the book made complete sense and was actually pretty interesting.
You could try the different chapter approach?
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"Zel" by Donna Jo Napoli
February 19th, 2010 at 1:28 pm
You can switch between chapters, like in the book A Time for Dancing by Davida Wills Hurwin. Just let the reader know whose POV it is in now as the chapter names or something.
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February 19th, 2010 at 2:18 pm
Here’s a good book with even more characters then 2. William Faulkner’s "The Sound and the Fury," I think he uses 4 or 5. Check it out.
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February 19th, 2010 at 2:28 pm
A lot of authors deal with this sort of problem merely by using stars
*****
like so, or some other sign (like a new chapter) to change from one character’s POV to the other. Readers often get used to it quite quickly. As for the story becoming confusing in this format…. it’s something you as the writer will have to sort out ofr yourself. It helps sometimes to draw out a timeline of the story’s events, to figure out when it would be best to have each character’s POV.
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Book Worm
February 19th, 2010 at 2:53 pm
You should have a look at a couple of books by Jodi Picoult. She writes from many characters perspectives and even uses different times.
You don’t have to read the whole book, but if you have a look at these, then it might help you out:
My Sister’s Keeper
Handle With Care
The Pact
Nineteen Minutes
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February 19th, 2010 at 3:38 pm
There are many books that switch between different points of view. My advice is to read some of those books to see how the author does it.
In my own novel I’m writing I switch between two major characters. I’ve written it in 3rd person limited (you can read more about it on wikipedia). It’s like first person, but not quite. It allows you to follow a certain character from their point of view, as in you can write from their point of view but the narrative is limited to what that person sees and hears, but it’s not written in first person.
How I switch points of views is I make sure I mention the name of the character who’s point of view I switched to right off the bat. So, if I’m switching from Kelly’s point of view, then the next segment I’ll write something like "Scared and confused, Julie jumped in the boat." Something like that.
Sometimes I cover both points of views within the same chapter and sometimes I one chapter covers one point of view. Whatever you do, never cover the same action or sequence twice. Start where your last character left off, meaning, for instance, if you cover a fight scene from one character’s point of view, don’t double back and show it from a different character’s point of view.
You need to make sure your readers know upfront which character’s point-of-view is being covered, or it will become confusing. Also, if the scene changes then denote that with a double break between paragraphs or a starred break (***) to denote time has passed or the scene has changed.
It’s better if you give us a sample of your writing and then we can give you recommendations on how to make it clearer.
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February 19th, 2010 at 4:20 pm
Maybe you could alternate every chapter. Like perhaps in an ending of a chapter with character A, he/she would say something regarding to character B. Then the next chapter would be in character B’s POV but it’s still involving character A.
So the two have to be linked somehow. But if they’re utterly different characters, it would be confusing but maybe it would catch up once both got introduced to each other.
Or use transitions when you’re using thrid-person omniscient. You could practice doing that and maybe third-person would work out.
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