Who Says?: Mastering Point of View in Fiction

by Lisa Zeidner

A thorough, illuminating, and entertaining guide to crafting point of view, a fiction writer’s most essential choice. Who is telling the story to whom is the single most important question about any work of fiction; the answer is central to everything from style and tone to plot and pacing. Using hundreds of examples from Jane Austen to Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Leo Tolstoy to Stephen King, novelist and longtime MFA professor Lisa Zeidner dives deep into the points of view we are most familiar with―first and third person―and moves beyond to second-person narration, frame tales, and even animal points of view. Engaging and accessible, Who Says? presents any practicing writer with a new system for choosing a point of view, experimenting with how it determines the narrative, and applying these ideas to revision.

Genres: Writing, Nonfiction

288 pages, Paperback

Published February 9, 2021

About the author

Lisa Zeidner has published five novels, including the critically acclaimed Layover, and two books of poems. Her stories, reviews, and essays have appeared in The New York Times, Slate, GQ,
Tin House, and elsewhere. She directs the M.F.A. program in creative writing at Rutgers University in Camden, New Jersey.

Reviews

[Caroline Bock · Rating 5 out of 5]

Terrific 'how to' understand points of view in writing by a master writer/teacher Lisa Zeidner -- witty, engaging, in-depth. Good exercises for writers of all levels at the end. Recommended for ALL writers!

--Caroline

[Debbie Gorham · Rating 4 out of 5]

Terrific book!

[Stephen Byrne · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favourite craft books. Well written and laid out. Highly recommended.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't get very far with this book, I found it rather simplistic and it didn't seem to offer anything new.

[Ann Douglas · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really helpful (and often entertaining) guide to making decisions about point of view.

[Jerrald Spencer jr · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good craft book. Helping me greatly with my MS.

[Sherry D'ambrosio · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book on point of view in writing. Great examples.

[Michelle Corder · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a new writer I found this book immensely helpful! It goes into detail for each POV with examples and suggested exercises. I definitely recommend it.

[Ginger Fuller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Clear interesting insights packaged into very well organized chapters made this book easy to navigate when I inevitably revisit its advice in the future. Zeidner cites dozens of example texts, a godsend for visual learners, and provides consistently insightful close reads.

There were a few teeth-sucking moments where I saw my own writing flaws laid out as cardinal sins, but even hearing that advice was a breath of fresh air compared to many more introductory craft books that emphasize motivation over self-criticism. This book reminded me of being in a Creative Writing workshop or lecture, and reminded me just how fascinated I am by the craft of fiction.

What more can you ask than a craft book that actually makes you excited to write? 5 stars!

[Jenny · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic craft book, especially for POV nerds like me. Overflowing with good recommendations and examples.

Literary fiction can be nothing *but* surprises!