Writing Tips: Choosing Your Point of View

 

Today’s topic is about using the point of view and the feelings of the character to apply it in how your descriptions unfold. In writing One Little Lie, I am writing in the first person. I chose the first-person narrative so I could convey the depth of the character’s feelings, but also to allow the prose to unfold from that person’s perspective. You have to remember that if you decide to use the first person narrative, you will be restricted to the knowledge of that person. You’re up in the narrator’s head, and the narrator only observes and hears from the other characters.

 

I’ve used several types of techniques. I decided to use first person in One Little Lie, because it’s a deeply personal and emotional tale. The story revolves around one character’s story of transformation, from open naivete and hopeful trust to the rude awakening of a narcissistic liar’s duplicity. You go through the experience of her transformation with her and see it unfold through her eyes.

 

I wanted the audience to understand the depth of the protagonist’s feelings and take a journey with her. I didn’t feel that the second-person point of view would satisfy that goal. If you’ve become more adept at writing you can change points of view, as I did in my novel Body in the Trunk. It’s important to note you need to be careful in switching back and forth, especially with grammar and tense. I do not advise new writers to try that technique until they’ve mastered writing to the extent that they are able to easily alternate narratives without making it confusing.

 

I also wanted the reader to literally experience her emotions, and see things as she saw it. This choice means the descriptions reflect how her mind works. In the opening chapter where she’s just gone through a traumatic experience, the descriptions are lean. When someone is going through an internal crisis, it’s not likely he or she is focused on the details of a room, for example. The writing reflects how she is essentially troubled and not really present in her surroundings. As we move along in the story, the more mindful and present she becomes, you’ll notice it in her reflections.

 

Making a conscious decision on how to relay a story affects your technique. Be aware of it. Every element of storytelling needs conscious awareness of what you strive to create. Just writing without intention doesn’t create great works of literature. As I write, I keep little thoughts in my mind that guide my methods. Even though it might seem random and perhaps not a conscious choice, my work is indeed quite consciously driven by my goals. It doesn’t mean it’s not organic storytelling. I just give each chapter and each plot point a basis of intellectual intention, which simply means nothing is random.