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Blogs by Julius Thompson
Thompon On...Choosing a Point of View in a Novel! 3/20/2012 7:07:41 PM How to choose the correct point of view for your novel! How am I going to tell my story? Which Point of View? Choices? Choices? Choices? When I sit in front of my computer and start to pound the letters on the keyboard, I must decide on the point of view to tell the story! I swallow hard and try to figure out a “voice” in which to write my novel…so many choices!
What is the definition of point of view? Point of view is the way the author allows you to “see” and “hear” what’s going on in the novel. Skillful authors can fix their readers’ attention on exactly the detail, opinion or emotion the author wants to emphasize by manipulating the point of view of the story. Literature provides a lens through which readers look at the world. ****Point of view pertains to who tells the story and how it is told. Point of View comes in three varieties: First-Person, Second Person and Third Person. First Person point of view is in use when a character narrates the story with I-Me-Mine-Mine in his/her speech. The advantage of this point of view is that you get to hear the thoughts of the narrator and see the world depicted in the story through his/her eyes. First Person Example: To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee Second-Person point of view, in which the author uses You and Your, is rare; authors seldom speak directly to the reader. When you encounter this point of view, pay attention. Second-person point of view is distracting and hard to sustain in longer works of fiction. Second Person Example: Bright Lights by Jay McInerney Third-person point of view is that of an outsider looking at the action. The writer may choose third-person omniscient, in which the thoughts of every character are open to the reader…or third-person limited, in which the reader enters only one character’s mind, either throughout the entire work or in a specific section. Third-person limited differs from first person because the author’s voice, not the character’s voice, is what you hear in the descriptive passages. Third Person Example: Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen When you’re reading a third-person selection, either limited or omniscient, you’re watching the story enfold an outsider. Most Writers choose this point of view. When Choosing a point of view, the most important consideration is: “What serves the story best.!” Hint To Pick Point Of View If you are stuck in trying to pick a point f view, write a few paragraphs in a FEW different point of views and see which works best! I hope this helps you in your quest to find a voice for your novel. Happy Writing!
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More Blogs by Julius Thompson Author Mary Gilmartin's Effervescent Website! - Thursday, September 20, 2012 Purple Phantoms' Debut Labor Day Weekend at AJC-Decatur Book Festival! - Friday, September 07, 2012 Purchase Purple Phantoms - Friday, August 24, 2012 Thompson On...National Radio "Author Talk" Interview! - Sunday, June 10, 2012 Thompson On...Mary Gilmartin's Debut Novel Book Signing! - Saturday, June 02, 2012 Thompson On...Do One Thing Every Day That Scares You1 - Thursday, May 17, 2012 Julius Thompson Enrolled in the Digitial Revolution! - Tuesday, May 08, 2012 How I reached the writing of my fifth novel: Chasing The Wind - Friday, May 04, 2012 Julius Thompson on Julia Widdop National BlogTV Show! - Friday, April 13, 2012 Thompson On...One Writer's Journey to Become a Successful Novelist! - Sunday, April 01, 2012 Thompon On...Choosing a Point of View in a Novel! - Tuesday, March 20, 2012 Thompson On...Subplots in Novels! - Tuesday, March 13, 2012 Do You Have A Mobile Website? - Monday, December 26, 2011 Purple Phantoms: Young Adult Novel! - Sunday, December 18, 2011 Julius Thompson Teen Read Week 2011 Presentation! - Monday, October 17, 2011 Julius Thompson with Brooklyn Icons! - Thursday, September 22, 2011 My Birthday Television Interview! - Saturday, September 10, 2011 The Author's Life: Marketing, Marketing and more Marketing! - Saturday, August 20, 2011 Is finding a literary agent an impossible dream? - Thursday, August 11, 2011 Novel Writing: The Setting! - Saturday, August 06, 2011 Goodbye Borders! - Friday, August 05, 2011 Bloodlines, Tales From the African Diaspora Book Review! - Friday, August 05, 2011 Building Believalble Characters! - Friday, August 05, 2011 Description: Be Specific! - Friday, August 05, 2011
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