Article #18
The Point Of View

After the story line has been smoothed over by a number of rewrites, we must consider who are our three or four main characters including the protagonist.  Once the protagonist has been chosen by the writer, the latter should quickly introduce this character to the reader.  The sooner the better!  The reason being is that when the protagonist is introduced to the reader, the latter will then be made aware of the importance of this character and become more interested in the movements, thoughts and behavior as the story line becomes more fully developed.

Next, the writer must then decide the appropriate point of view.  Michael Orlafsky in Writer's Digest recently suggests that interesting characters who become part of intriguing situations are helping to solidify the entire plot with the appropriate point of view.  Why?  Because an appropriate and well-chosen point of view unifies the plot for the reader.  Is the main character, a real player in the fate of the story line, or merely a vehicle in the result?  Will the protagonist arouse the empathy of the reader or will the latter be rooting for the main character to be thwarted in his/her ambitions and goals.

The point of view is really the consciousness in which the story is brought into focus for the reader.  It is like a giant camera that moves into the various sequences of your manuscript and records for the reader a POV that ranges from complete omniscience to total objectivity.  As Orlafsky continues, he points out additionally that the point of view will assume the guise of one of the three basic persons in English: first person (I, we); second person (you); or third person (he, she, it, they).

It is strongly urged by many editors, that a significant portion of fiction is written in the third person.  Therefore, I believe it is in your best interests to make your manuscript as acceptable as possible to an editor.  Capitalize on as many "givens" as possible, therefore, I would suggest the third person for at least the beginner.

It is generally felt that the third-person effaced narrator rather than the other two persons makes it easier for the writer to tell the story (entering into any character's head.)  The narrator is thus able to convey any characters' thoughts to the reader.  Gardner has taken this position in "The Art of Fiction."  However, the key to successful POV is consistency of the controlling conscientiousness.  Once you establish your controlling conscientiousness, you must maintain it or your plot will be out of focus with your character.

Also, if the writer changes his point of view too often, it can confuse the reader to the point of distraction.  It's alright for a change once in a while but make it clear to the reader that there is a change of POV.

To illustrate the difference, a POV can make in a story, think of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.

What if the story had been told by the Wicked Queen rather than Snow White?  A totally different story.  How about one of the dwarfs?  A totally different story.  An appropriate POV is an important decision for a writer to make.  A good, strong POV can bring into sharp focus a good plot and excellent characters.  Therefore, take your time in making your determination. The effort will be well worth the trouble.