Why Does Point of View Matter?

by raramaurina www.flickr.com

A very common mistake writers make in their first drafts is to head hop, or change point of view, between the characters in a scene. This is usually not done on purpose. Here’s an example:

Eleanor wondered what could possibly be in Harold’s box. “That’s a really small container. I thought you were bringing all your old office supplies.”

“I am,” Harold said, laughing to himself. Eleanor was such a busybody. He would teach her to mind her own business.

“So, this is some kind of joke, then?” She asked, knowing Harold didn’t have a very good sense of humor.

In this scene, we are clearly in the minds of both characters. The scene has more than one point of view.

So, isn’t this omniscient point of view then? Can’t the narrator know what both characters are thinking? Some may argue yes. But omniscient point of view isn’t used much today; and when used properly, it has to sound all knowing—the narrator has to know everything about everyone. That’s not happening in this short scene. There’s definitely head-hopping going on.

Why does it matter?

Readers want to connect with the main character in a story. One of the best ways for writers to accomplish this connection is to reveal his or her thoughts and feelings—not just action and dialogue. Most readers love character-driven novels, so writers should strive to create a character that readers want to follow through an entire novel. Filter the story through this character’s eyes, so readers experience life like him or her.

How do you fix head-hopping?

To fix the above scene, pick a point of view character and filter everything through that character’s eyes and mind. Pretend to be that character. You know you can’t read another person’s mind. You can only recognize body language, tone of voice, and dialogue. Your characters are the same way. So, try this:

Eleanor wondered what could possibly be in the box Harold carried. “That’s a really small container. I thought you were bringing all your old office supplies.”

“I am.” Harold smirked and shook the box.

“So, this is some kind of joke, then?” She asked, knowing Harold didn’t have a very good sense of humor.

He almost glared at her, and Eleanor shuddered. Maybe he doesn’t like me very much, she thought.

I revealed the same information about Harold and Eleanor in the second example as I did in the first. The difference is in the second one, the reader learns about both characters through Eleanor’s point of view. The second scene also gives readers a different opinion of Harold because they can’t see inside his mind. But thet probably have a stronger connection with Eleanor.

Can you have multiple points of view?

You can have multiple points of view, but these should be done on purpose and in different scenes. For example, when James Patterson writes his Alex Cross series, he often has a chapter in the killer’s point of view and then a chapter in Alex Cross’s point of view. The switching is organized and purposeful—not random or accidental.

Point of view does matter. If you are reading a scene and something seems off, look to see if you have a point of view problem.

post by Margo L. Dill

Margo is teaching a new class for WOW, "Advanced Class: Writing a Middle-Grade Novel Part 2." This class is for anyone wanting to write a middle-grade novel and has at least three chapters completed. Many first draft issues are tackled, such as point of view switches. For more information, check out the class listing here. 

7 comments children's book, children's magazines, Margo L. Dill, middle grade, point of view, WOW Classes