Understanding Point of View (POV) in Writing

The term Point of View (POV) refers to the narration of your novel.? Who is telling the story? With experience, you can experiment with different point of view.? Most novels you will read are set in the First Person or Third Person. ?POV determines the narrator's position in relation to the story and its characters. The choice of POV can significantly impact the reader's experience and the way story is presented. The following are some common types of POV you will find in fiction writing:?

1.????? First Person POV

In first person POV, the narrator is a character within the story and speaks using "I" or "we." The reader experiences the events through the narrator's eyes and gains insights into their thoughts and feelings.?

Example: "I walked into the room and immediately noticed my friend standing by the piano.”?

2.????? Second Person POV

This point of view is not commonly used in fiction and is more seen perhaps in technical or academic works, even in speeches.? In fiction, it is quite difficult to sustain this view, especially concerning a piece as long as a novel as it makes character development and creation of plots more challenging.?? Second person POV directly addresses the reader using "you," “yours” “yourself” and it may belong to either a character or the consciousness of the narrator.?

Example: "You enter the room, and immediately notice the tension."?

3.????? Third Person POV

This allows narration to access multiple characters and following I have three types of “third person.”?

A) Third Person Limited or Close Third Person

The POV for the narrator is external to the story but closely follows the thoughts and experiences of one character – moves from outside to inside the head of a character. The narrative uses third-person pronouns ("he," "she," "they", etc) and provides a more objective view than first person.?

Example: "She entered the room, scanning the surroundings for any signs of danger."?

B) Third Person Omniscient

The narration voice knows everything. It can be referred to as the storytelling of the story.? The voice may or may not be associated with a character and can have knowledge of the thoughts and feelings of multiple characters. This POV provides a broader perspective and can offer insights into various character motivations.?

Example: "As they argued, they did not know that the animal had entered the room."?

C) Third Person Objective

In third person objective POV, the narrator remains external and only narrates on observable actions and dialogue. The narrator is neutral, and does not reveal or jump into the internal thoughts and emotions of the characters.?

Example: "He slammed the door and left without looking back."?

4.????? Stream of Consciousness POV

With this style, the aim is to capture the continuous flow of a character's thoughts and feelings, often without normal sentence structure or punctuation.? It provides a direct line into a character's inner monologue.?

Example: “The bus moved forward, and she couldn't help but think about the choices she had made, wondering if they would lead to regret.”

Choosing the right POV for your story depends on many factors, including the narrative style, and your story's overall goals. It is important to consider the impact that each POV has on the reader's engagement and understanding of the narrative. With practice, you can use various POV as part of the story narration.

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