New book = new dilemma...
People (aka, non-writers) ask me, "Doesn't writing get easier with every new project?"
You'd think it would, right? Most jobs do get easier with experience, but where writing's concerned... uh, not so much.
There's the constant pressure to keep things fresh, to not repeat yourself. I'm always pushing myself to up my game - try new techniques, tackle new subjects. I've got to keep it interesting for myself, because if I'm bored, readers will be, too.
So I try to switch things up. New settings, new background - physics, auto racing, etc. Dual first-person POV, alternating first and third.
In fact, I've been cruising along on this mixed martial arts fighter story using alternating first and third, thinking I'd only need two POV's, but now I've got a third character demanding equal time.
And this character wants to be first-person, too.
*cue hair-tearing*
Two alternating first person POV's, plus a third in... third? That'd definitely be a new challenge, if not for the fact that a lot of readers won't read a book with even one first person POV.
I've never understood why. I find first person MUCH easier to write. It's visceral and immediate. No filter between the narrator and reader, and - okay, I've just answered my own question.
First person has the potential to be much more raw. But when you're writing about characters wrestling with their personal demons (aw, c'mon - you didn't think this book was going to be all about throwing punches, did you?), you need that rawness. You need to be right in that character's head - no filters, nothing held back.
Still, here I sit, pondering whether Danny Bannon - the hot-tempered Irishman who owns Bannon's Gym (and who bears a striking resemblance to Gerard Butler) should get his own POV in this book, or hold him over until book #2 and let Eddie and Tom (my Fassbender/McAvoy clones) run off with this story. (Although all three of them will probably end up in bed together at some point.)
Ah, well. This gig wouldn't be fun if it was easy.
(Edited to add: As usual, all it takes is getting in the car for the perfect solution to that pesky alternating POV problem.
Whenever the POV changes, just put the new character's name at the top of the scene break. SIMPLE!
Oh, and Danny? You are going to be in this book - in third person. We'll save your first-person POV for book #2.)
You'd think it would, right? Most jobs do get easier with experience, but where writing's concerned... uh, not so much.
There's the constant pressure to keep things fresh, to not repeat yourself. I'm always pushing myself to up my game - try new techniques, tackle new subjects. I've got to keep it interesting for myself, because if I'm bored, readers will be, too.
So I try to switch things up. New settings, new background - physics, auto racing, etc. Dual first-person POV, alternating first and third.
In fact, I've been cruising along on this mixed martial arts fighter story using alternating first and third, thinking I'd only need two POV's, but now I've got a third character demanding equal time.
And this character wants to be first-person, too.
*cue hair-tearing*
Two alternating first person POV's, plus a third in... third? That'd definitely be a new challenge, if not for the fact that a lot of readers won't read a book with even one first person POV.
I've never understood why. I find first person MUCH easier to write. It's visceral and immediate. No filter between the narrator and reader, and - okay, I've just answered my own question.
First person has the potential to be much more raw. But when you're writing about characters wrestling with their personal demons (aw, c'mon - you didn't think this book was going to be all about throwing punches, did you?), you need that rawness. You need to be right in that character's head - no filters, nothing held back.
Still, here I sit, pondering whether Danny Bannon - the hot-tempered Irishman who owns Bannon's Gym (and who bears a striking resemblance to Gerard Butler) should get his own POV in this book, or hold him over until book #2 and let Eddie and Tom (my Fassbender/McAvoy clones) run off with this story. (Although all three of them will probably end up in bed together at some point.)
Ah, well. This gig wouldn't be fun if it was easy.
(Edited to add: As usual, all it takes is getting in the car for the perfect solution to that pesky alternating POV problem.
Whenever the POV changes, just put the new character's name at the top of the scene break. SIMPLE!
Oh, and Danny? You are going to be in this book - in third person. We'll save your first-person POV for book #2.)
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J.
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Apr 06, 2013 05:50PM
That's going to be a challenge! I know many people frown on books written in 1st person, but I find it preferable for certain stories. One thing's for sure, you'll have a very up-close, in-depth understanding of each character's personality by writing them all 1st person. I can't even think of a book I've ever read like that.
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J. wrote: "That's going to be a challenge! I know many people frown on books written in 1st person, but I find it preferable for certain stories. One thing's for sure, you'll have a very up-close, in-depth un..."Me neither. And now that I've had a chance to ponder it, writing three alternating first-person POV's would be just plain crazy. So I'm going with one first-person, and the other two in third.
That would likely be a lot less crazy making, to be sure! You could always start it in 1st and change it later, although I've found that to be a major pain in the seat cushion. ;)
J. wrote: "That would likely be a lot less crazy making, to be sure! You could always start it in 1st and change it later, although I've found that to be a major pain in the seat cushion. ;)"I'm not inclined to do that unless my editor insists on it. I spend a lot of time considering which POV to use before I start writing. It's not something I change lightly.
I hear ya. Occasionally I've found it useful when I'm having trouble gaining insight into a character, though. But sometimes, the best POV for me to write the first draft in isn't ultimately the ideal POV for the story. Best of luck with this!
I'm not saying it can't be done well, but to me 1st and 3rd are non-mixy things. The raw immediacy of 1st doesn't pair well with the distance of 3rd to me. It would be better reading, for me anyway, to see three POVs in 1st, with very distinct voices, and possible names for headers before each chapter for clarification. I think I'd personally be turned off by a mix of 1st and 3rd. But, again, that's just me and I've heard you've done it before in a book, so obviously your editors didn't mind it. (FWIW, the person who told me that also let me know that was something they did not care for about the book in question--but you can't please all the people all the time!) Just something to consider. :) ETA: Actually, I think it was a different book my friend was telling me about and not one of yours, but anyway! Anyhow! .02 you didn't ask for! :P
Leta wrote: "I'm not saying it can't be done well, but to me 1st and 3rd are non-mixy things. The raw immediacy of 1st doesn't pair well with the distance of 3rd to me. It would be better reading, for me anyway..."Well, I've spent enough time agonizing over which POV's to use in this one. I'm just gonna write it the way it comes to me, and if my editor doesn't like it, we can hash it out later.
(Of course, my editor also said she thought putting the character's name at the top of the scene break was "cheaty." I think it's more "cheaty" to not write first-person because some people won't like it when this particular character's crying out to be written in first.)
