And Even More on POV

What I'm reading: Whisper of Warning, by Laura Griffin

Before we move on with today's topic, NOWHERE TO HIDE got a top rated review from Romance Junkies. It's gratifying to see that even though I'm outside the box with a romantic suspense, the reviewer not only recognized it as a mystery, but enjoyed it as well!

The Point of View chat at Savvy Writers last Thursday went very well—at least judging from the folks who emailed me afterward asking for my handout. Thanks all for the suggestions you gave here. I figured I might as well post the next installment, since the topic seemed to be of interest. One of the aspects that didn't lend itself to the chat format was taking a passage written in one POV and change it to another. This can be a good way to show where you're writing shaky POV.

Writing In the Moment

What I'm reading: Deeper Than the Dead, by Tami Hoag

When I read, I want to be immersed in the story. I want to see what the characters see, worry with them, rejoice with them, and follow them from Chapter 1 to The End. Too many characters, too many switches and the emotional connections get diluted.

For me, the key word is "follow." I'm a fan of deep Point of View, although if an author switches viewpoints smoothly, I don't mind. I don't care much for POV characters brought in for one or two scenes; I'd rather see them having a vested interest in what's going on, so I can care about them too. When I read those scenes, I'm often pulled away wondering if the author couldn't have found a way to convey that information via one of the main characters.

For example, I've been working on writing (and rewriting) the last two scenes of my book, trying to make sure I've got the right characters on the page at the right time. I've got two major plot threads to tie up, and the characters with the information the reader needs aren't in the same place.