Choosing Point of View

Point of View (POV) is one of those topics that is talked about a lot but writers don’t necessarily think about a lot. I know I didn’t think about it much until I became an editor, and then I had to think about it. And even then I kind of stumbled along—until I found a little book called, would ya believe, Point of View. It’s by Sandra Gerth, who is quite skilled at clearly, concisely, and thoroughly breaking down a topic for writers. This little book (144 pages) changed the way I view point of view (pun unintended.)

Here’s what you need to realize about POV: Your story has a narrator. They’re the one telling the story. But depending how close that narrator is to the story—i.e., whether they’re a main character or outside observer—determines what kind of point of view your book is in. For example, in first-person POV, the narrator is very close to the story. They’re the ones telling it, all through an “I” perspective.

So now the question is what POV your story needs—what level of closeness your narrator should have. Each POV has pros and cons, and you need to understand them in order to decide which one is right for your book. It’s not that “third person” is the best POV or that “first person” should only be used for certain kinds of books; it’s that each story requires its own voice, its own narrator, and it’s your job as the author to figure out what that is.

Let’s get started!

First-Person Point of View

This is my personal favorite to both read and write. My book, Breaking Open, is in first-person POV because I wanted the reader to experience my protagonist’s loss and struggle as if they were going through it. I wanted it to be up close and personal. (Also, I don’t write as well in third-person POV!)

Here’s a quick example (Breaking Open, p. 223):

I set down the box. As I straightened up, my eyes landed on the picture frames. There was a row of wedding pictures on the wall: Ta and Ma, Aunt Penina and Uncle Michoel, and my older siblings with their spouses. I’d been so excited to be added to that wall. To join the rest of the family. To have “made it.” Now there was just an empty space with faded wallpaper.

If you choose this POV, you need a strong voice for your character. They need to feel alive and real and relatable. Slapping first-person POV on a narrator that has a more neutral, objective voice is like trying to dress a security guard in a tutu. It just doesn’t fit.

Advantages of First-Person POV

1. Readers can easily relate to and identify with the narrator, as they view the story closely through the protagonist’s eyes. They can really sink into the character’s thoughts and feelings. It’s immediate and personal.

2. This can be a natural POV to write in, as we’re already used to telling stories in this way. (“I was on the train today, and then I noticed...”) It’s also easier to avoid POV errors like head-hopping, as being ensconced in the “I” perspective doesn’t give room to dip into other character’s thoughts.

Disadvantages of First-Person POV

1. You’re limited to what your character experiences. If they weren’t there at the scene of the crime, then you’ll have to figure out a different way for the protagonist to find out about it. If it’s important to know what the other characters are thinking, you’ll have to reveal it through body language, dialogue, or some other method.

In short, there’s less flexibility with this POV. Take a battle scene, for instance, where you want to keep up with multiple characters. You just can’t do that with a first-person POV...unless your protagonist is flying over the battle, observing what everyone is doing. This is why epic fantasy with many characters doesn’t use first-person. It’s simply limited in execution.

2. It’s all too easy to get stuck in the character’s head...since we are in their head. Rumination can go on for pages if you’re not careful. Changing reflection to action is frequently needed to prevent a monologuing first-person voice.

3. If the first-person character you’re writing is a different gender, ethnicity, or even age than you, it can be difficult to properly write this character from a personal “I” perspective. To write first-person POV, you need to use the words this character would say, the metaphors they would think of, the rituals and habits they’re accustomed to. If you know nothing about Eskimos and you’re trying to create an “I” character who is one...maybe hang out in the Arctic for several months first.

4. In first-person POV, you can’t hold anything back from the reader. Let’s say they come up with an awesome plan to defeat the enemy. Well, if they carry it out without telling the reader even a hint of how they came up with it or what the plan might be, then it’s technically breaking the POV. The reader should know what the first-person POV knows.

   
   

   Digression: The False Prince by Jennifer A. Nielsen pretty much ignores this rule, as do other popular works of fiction. The first-person narrator might be unreliable and basically leads the reader along until the truth is revealed.

   I believe the difference lies in what kind of information is withheld. When your protagonist has a lightbulb moment and then doesn’t reveal what that is to the reader, it takes readers out of the story. If the POV character thinks it, we should know about it. The genius of The False Prince is that the protagonist never actually lies, and all the thoughts he has in the present moment are genuine; it is only the past that is withheld until a certain point. (But don’t get me started on the later books, which don’t really handle this aspect as well. Moving on.)

Is First-Person POV Right for My Book?

Do you want your reader closely connected to the protagonist? Are you perhaps writing a character-driven story that requires an intimate look into someone’s thoughts and feelings? Are you simply more comfortable writing first-person than third (which we’ll get to soon)? Then first-person POV would be a good choice.

If you’re writing books with multiple main characters, I do NOT recommend this POV. It can be hard enough establishing a unique, engaging first-person voice for one character. Doing it for three or four? Mmm, no. I’ve seen this done well with co-protagonists, with each switching off every couple of chapters, but you would need to make sure that each character is easily recognizable within the first paragraph.

If you don’t think you can create a voicey protagonist, then try for third-person. That distance will give you room to create a character that doesn’t require full-time voice activation.

Second-Person Point of View

I only want to touch on this briefly, as this POV is not really used in full-length works. It is popular in short stories, however, so here are a few points to bear in mind:

When using the “You” perspective, it’s a good idea to not become too detailed about your character (unless you have a very specific audience). If the “You” is Irish, that means all the readers who are not Irish will be unable to maintain the suspension of disbelief. If the “You” is incredibly strong and charismatic, it will likewise be difficult to connect with the narrator, who is supposed to be...me. (I’m a little strong and only charismatic through the written word. Sometimes.)

When the “you” is  your reader,  you have to work a little harder to maintain the suspension of disbelief to keep the reader engaged in the story as if they were the ones walking through it. Something to think about.

Third-Person Limited and Deep Points of View

Limited and Deep (also called “Close”) are the most common POVs in storytelling narratives. Pick any book off the shelf, and chances are it’s in third-person. It’s a very flexible POV across multiple genres and allows for more tricks and stunts than straight-up first-person.

What’s the Difference Between Third-Person Limited and Third-Person Deep?

Following what we said above about narrative distance, we can understand the terms “limited” and “deep” as how close we are to the narrator. In third-person limited, we are viewing the narrative—and the character—up to a point. We can only become immersed so far in the character’s thoughts and feelings before we’re suddenly in deep. Limited POV has a more neutral narrative voice, and we are not inside our MC’s head in the way third-person deep allows. “Deep,” as the name indicates, allows the reader to be deep inside the POV character’s perspective; it also means the narrative takes on the voice of that character, rather than a more neutral tone.

Here’s an example:

 Harry Potter is written (for the most part) in third-person limited. Take any volume off your shelf and flip to a random page. I’ll do that now. (Please hold.) Okay, here’s what I have (The Prisoner of Azkaban, p. 152): 

The portrait swung open and he climbed through the hole into the common rom. It was full of chattering first and second years, and a few older students, who had obviously visited Hogsmeade so often the novelty had worn off.

“Harry! Harry! Hi, Harry!”

It was Colin Creevey, a second year who was deeply in awe of Harry and never missed an opportunity to speak to him.

That is full-on third-person limited. The narrator is more distant, a step above (or behind) Harry. I’ve heard third-person limited described as a fairy perched on the character’s shoulder. This narrator shapes the tone of the story and comments in a way Harry himself wouldn’t. Look again at “deeply in awe of Harry”—it’s not Harry’s voice. It’s from a narrator a step removed from him. It’s limited. The Alex Rider series is another good example of this, as is The Giver and Ender’s Game.

Now compare that with the following, from Words of Radiance by Brandon Sanderson (p. 833):

It was still dark when Kaladin nudged her awake with the butt of his spear. Shallan groaned, rolling over on the chasm floor, and drowsily tried to put her pillow over her head.

Which, of course, spilled dried chull meat onto her. Kaladin chuckled.

Sure, that got a laugh out of him. Storming man. How long had she been able to sleep? She blinked bleary eyes and focused on the open crack of the chasm far above.

Nope, not a single glimmer of light. Two, perhaps three hours of sleep, then? Or, rather, “sleep.” The definition of what she’d done was debatable. She’d probably have called it “tossing and turning on the rocky ground, occasionally waking with a start to find that she’d drooled a small puddle.” That didn’t really roll of the tongue, though. Unlike the aforementioned drool.

That’s deep. We’re in Shallan’s head, hearing her thoughts in real time, experiencing it in her voice. When in third-person deep, the narrative needs to be in your character’s voice, just like with first-person. The words they use, the things they notice, all need to fit your POV character.

Advantages of Third-Person Limited and Deep

Whether you pick limited or deep will depend on your style of writing and how “deep” you want to get in a character’s head.

1. The advantage of third-person limited is that the reader can get close to the main character but still have an outside perspective. The advantage of third-person deep is that you’re basically in the personal first-person point of view, but with different pronouns. In fact, if the author does it really well, it can be hard to remember after the fact which POV it was even written in!

2. Another advantage is flexibility. For both limited and deep, you can have multiple character POVs, switching off when there’s a scene or chapter change. It’s easier to keep track of 2, 3, or 5+ protagonists when it’s in third-person. Also, with third-person limited, you have greater control of the narrative distance; you can zoom in to a deeper POV and then zoom out, adding details or background as necessary. It’s a range of perspective that you can play with.

Disadvantages of Third-Person Limited and Deep

1. It is very hard to avoid head-hopping in third-person POV. Head-hopping is when we’re in one character’s point of view, and suddenly we switch to a different character’s perspective, noticing what they notice or hearing their thoughts. It’s a common issue among new and seasoned authors and really warrants a blog post of its own.

2. Similarly, it can be difficult to stay within the boundary of what your viewpoint character would know. If something is happening behind them or around the corner, the exposition cannot say what it is unless your character can see through solid objects. If a character makes a gesture behind the protagonist’s back, you’ve just broken the POV.

Is Third-Person Limited/Deep Right for My Book?

If you have a story with multiple main characters, definitely go with third-person. It can be limited or deep depending on your genre and writing style. Many mystery and thriller novels will choose a limited POV to allow the narrator to comment on things the character might not (like the HP example above), and also to create some distance from potentially gory details.

Sandra Gerth points out that third-person limited is also convenient if your protagonist is a child or someone vastly different from you in culture, background, education, etc. If you were to write them in third-person deep, surely the discrepancies and lack of authenticity would show. Third-person deep is ideal if you want your reader to be up close and personal with your protagonist—and if you know you can pull off their voice.

Third-Person Omniscient Point of View

We have reached the beast of Point of View. Omniscient. Think Pride and Prejudice, The Book Thief, The Lord of the Rings, The Wizard of Earthsea, Ranger’s Apprentice, Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, and The Girl Who Drank the Moon.

In this POV, our narrative distance is zoomed out all the way. We’re not the main character. We’re not even a peripheral side character, like in The Great Gatsby. We’re omniscient—an all-knowing, all-seeing Narrator. It’s actually the classic storytelling voice. (“Once upon a time, there lived an old man...”) Omniscient is more rare today, and it’s actually the hardest point of view to pull off.

What most writers will do in their attempt to write in third-person omniscient is plop you into a character’s perspective and then abruptly jump around to several other characters’ points of view within one scene. In other words, head-hopping. What they don’t understand is that in omniscient POV, we’re not in a character’s perspective at all. We’re viewing events through an external narrator, one who knows all and is informing us about events, often with their unique voice and commentary. Here’s an example from Pride and Prejudice:

Mr. Darcy danced only once with Mrs. Hurst and once with Miss Bingley, declined being introduced to any other lady, and spent the rest of the evening in walking about the room, speaking occasionally to one of his own party. His character was decided. He was the proudest, most disagreeable man in the world, and everybody hoped that would never come there again.

Can you sense the zoomed-out view, the external Narrator? It’s great for storytelling, but again, quite difficult to pull off unless you are fully ensconced in your narrator’s voice and method of telling the story. In this POV, not only do you have to craft characters but your narrator too.

Advantages of Third-Person Omniscient:

1. No limits. You can dip into multiple characters’ heads within one scene, assuming you hold on to the narrator as you do so. There’s great flexibility with this. You’re also able to tell the reader things that your characters wouldn’t know, which can add to the suspense as the reader waits for the characters to discover that information.

2. You can easily describe your characters, both their looks and dispositions, in ways that the other POVs simply don’t allow. Because it is your narrator describing them, and presumably doing so in a way the characters wouldn’t describe themselves, it all adds to the omniscient voice.

3. There’s more distance between the reader and the story, which is particularly helpful when writing genres such as satire.

Disadvantages of Third-Person Omniscient:

1. You don’t have the immediacy and level of connection with the main character that first-person or third-person deep provide.

2. Omniscient often leads to telling rather than showing. (Reread the excerpt above: “He was the proudest....”) Not all readers appreciate this.

3. It is SUPER DIFFICULT to write until you can really sink into the omniscient narrator.

Is Omniscient Right for My Book?

If you’re up for a challenge and have a literary bent to your story, go for it. If you’re creating a complex world and want to convey information about it and your characters with a bit more ease (like in epic fantasy or sci-fi), this POV works well. It’s not commonly used these days, but when it’s done well, it definitely hits the spot.

So there you have it!

Lots of POV options, lots of pros and cons, and again, there’s no real “right or wrong” answer here. What POV you choose will depend on your story. And take note: You can always try out one POV and then write a scene in a different POV to see the effect. I know writers who have written their entire book in one POV and then decided to switch it. (I know, sounds painful.) These things are not set in stone...at least, not until it’s published. The same thing goes for tense, whether past tense or present. Try both ways. See which fits better for your story.

Still not sure which POV to choose for your story? Let’s brainstorm about it, and you’ll be ready to start writing.

FAQs

How do I choose a POV for my story?

Ask yourself the following: What narrative distance is best for my story? Very close or more pulled away? Do I want my reader to have an immediate and personal viewpoint through my character’s eyes (first-person or third-person deep)? Do I prefer writing in first-person or third? What genre am I writing? Will I be using multiple protagonists (third-person POV)? Will I need to often describe how things work or how people look (limited or omniscient)?

What you answer will lead you to your POV. And remember: You can try writing a scene in different points of view to see which works best.

How many character POVs can I use in one story?

There’s no one answer to this. Actually, there is. You can use as many as you like right up until your reader goes “Ugh, I can’t keep track of all these characters!!”

Often an author will revolve between two or three main characters, with a few side characters filling in gaps as needed. Then you have A Game of Thrones, which has nine POV characters. Yeesh. I’ve never read it, and I don’t plan to, but clearly Martin did something right if it’s so popular.

Just keep in mind this rule: The more POVs, the great chances for impatience. The reader has to wait to get back to the POV they just left, and chances are they’ll like one character POV more than the other, which can lead to skimming. Tread carefully.

Can I use both first-person POV and third-person POV in my book?

There are books that switch between the two, with one character using first-person and another using third-person. I can’t say I like the idea, but maybe I’m just a stickler for normal structures. What you really need to ask yourself is why you would want to do that. What’s the advantage and disadvantage? Don’t do it just cuz it’s different. Do it cuz it serves your story and, above all, your reader.