Point of view
errors can confuse readers and jolt them out of the story. That’s why the
proper use of POV is an important element in evaluating fiction.
As a reader, POV
errors drive me crazy, so you had better have a good story if you want me to
finish the book. As a writer, using point of view correctly often spurs
creativity, which, for me, is the most enjoyable part of the process.
The choice of a point
of view character has a significant effect on the story being told. Imagine how
Wuthering Heights would have changed
if written from Heathcliff’s point of view and how different Gone with the Wind would have been in Melanie’s
POV. However, that’s a creative choice and isn’t appropriate for evaluation.
The type of POV
the writer uses is also a creative choice not appropriate for evaluation, but
the way it is used is. Using POV properly involves two objectives, both
included in this rubric.
Objective
1:
To make it easy for the reader to identify the POV character and style.
If point of view
is done right, readers may not even think about it. They just accept it as part
of the story. But if it is done wrong, some readers can’t stop thinking about
it, and not in a good way.
The most common types
of POV are first person, third person, multiple third person, and omniscient. Each
has its own limits and challenges.
When using first
person and third person, the reader can only see, hear, and know what the POV
character sees, hears, and knows. So the biggest challenge, and the one that
gets my creative juices flowing, is figuring out how to bring in facts that
occur outside the POV character’s experience. If she is standing in the library
staring into the fire, she can’t see what is happening in the dining room, so
your reader can’t see it, either. But maybe there is an argument in the dining
room, and she hears it even though she doesn’t see it. Or somebody who was
there reports it to her after the fact. Or maybe you are using multiple third
person POV and a different POV character is in the dining room at the time.
When using this last approach, however, you must be careful how you weave those
scenes together. (More about that under Objective 2.)
This doesn’t mean
the reader has to draw the same conclusions that the POV character does,
however. As long as they are viewing the same events, they are free to
interpret them differently.
Some people use
omniscient POV (a narrator who sees and knows everything, including each
character’s thoughts) to get around the limitations of first and third person.
But omniscient POV has its own challenges, and I personally think it is harder
to do right. And if it isn’t done right, it sounds like a sloppy third person
POV.
I did a series of
blog posts in 2015 discussing the different types of POV with their advantages
and challenges. You can find those links below.
Objective
2: To use POV consistently and without awkward jumps.
Most writers know
better than to mix first person and third person, but less-skilled ones often
mix third person and a faux omniscient. This confuses the reader and may annoy
her as well.
Readers also get
confused and annoyed when the writer is in one person’s head and suddenly jumps
to another person’s head within the same scene. In it’s worst form, it even
occurs within the same paragraph. These POV jumps are awkward and can jolt the
reader out of the story. Multiple POV can be a good choice, but only if each
POV character has his or her own scenes.
But what about
experimental fiction where a writer intentionally combines various types of
POVs? There may have been a few successful attempts, but I’m not aware of them.
And they certainly would be rare. Most of us are better off sticking with
conventional POV forms and finding creative ways to deal with their
limitations.
For purposes of the rubric, each objective is worth 5% of the score, giving POV a total of 10%.
__________
TO LEARN MORE:
If you want more information on point of view, here are links to my 2015 series.
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