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Perceptions
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Once Upon a TimeOnce upon a time is a comfortable, if cliched, beginning for a story. However, those four words are not the writer's most important consideration. It is the "fifth" word that tells the tale. What will it be I, we, she, you, or they? Could it be none of the above? Perhaps the writer might select something different like "Once upon a time, it rained in the desert." Ah, I can tell my sashay around the mulberry bush didn't fool my readers. As writers, you are aware that I am talking about Point of View (POV). As usual, you are correct. Are you also aware there are eight different POVs? That's right eight. These are, however, dependent upon four primary POVs. If I'm in the mood to play God, I might select an Omniscient POV. Such as the example given: "...it rained in the desert." Using the Omniscient I may enter through locked doors, go into the thoughts and feelings of a character, control the weather, record what is going on in more than one place at a particular time. But wait! The first question I must answer is whether to use restricted or unrestricted omniscient powers. Decisions, decisions, now even I am confused. Pardon me while I take two steps backwards. I know that without a firm grasp of point of view, I cannot fully exercise my talent. So let me check our resident expert, Mr. Sol Stein. He says that POV means " ...the character whose eyes are observing what happens, the perspective from which a scene or story is written." Now, dog-gone-it, I knew that. So what is so hard about selecting the proper POV for my story? As an experienced journalist, I need to select the one that enables me to accomplish my story's intent. To do this, I must first know the nature of each of my options. OPTIONS: Now, will I choose Omniscient restricted or unrestricted, First, Second, or Third restricted or unrestricted? Since I have considerable experience in writing, I should be able to step beyond the First Person restricted POV and write in Third Person unrestricted (or multiple) POV. Most first novels are written in the former, and most experienced novelists use the latter. First Person will give my story a great emotional appeal as it is an eye witness account and easy for the reader to believe. However, while in First Person, only the portion of the action, narration, and description can be covered which the narrator (me) can personally observe or deduce from the five senses, and I won't be able to look around the corner and know what is going on. Gee, will that work for my story? I don't think so. All right, maybe Third Person restricted. "She saw it rain in the desert." Fine, but am I going to enter into the thoughts and feelings of just one character or into more than one? More than one, I believe. Okay, that means I need Third Person unrestricted or omniscient. Now, if I am very careful, I can show my story through the eyes of several people. Yes, that will do it for the story I have to relate. In using the selected POV, I know I must be consistent. I cannot use restricted POV in one place and unrestricted in another. Also, it will be necessary to establish just whose POV I am in at the outset of each scene or chapter. Multiple POVs are fun, but they are tricky. On the other hand, could I use the Second Person POV? What is that funny buzzing in my head? An alarm? Oh, yes, Stein says, "Forget it!" Second Person is more confusing to the readers and is used so rarely, Sol feels we should just "shelve it." Sounds good to me. Consider it, shelved. Now I'm happy. I selected the best of all Points of View for my particular story. I looked at First Person where the character usually the protagonist tells the story from her point of view. "I saw it rain in the desert." Then, the ugly Second Person "YOU." For a few seconds I considered Third Person restricted POV, but decided I needed more than one character's insights to really delve into my tale with the greatest emotional impact. Now, some writers may be feeling a bit woozy with my
self-absorbed wave making. May I suggest for the seasick among you, that
you look at Chapter 13 in "Stein On Writing" published by St. Martin's
Press, or even Chapter 4 of "Structuring Your Novel Jones is a published writer & a book critic for The Tulsa World newspaper COPYRIGHT 2008 Patricia A. Jones All Rights Reserved |
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," by Robert C.
Meredith and John D. Fitzgerald, published by Harper & Row. Once
you've done this, put up a clean screen on your PC and begin, "Once upon
a time..."
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