By M. Graae

While studying point of view at first may seem complex and even cumbersome, once you get it, you get it forever. At that point you will always consider POV when starting a novel, even if you decide to experiment with perspectives. POV is a vital part of the logic that supports a novel and helps the reader to willingly suspend his disbelief in something he knows is basically unreal. Remember, a novel is, at its roots, a story about someone. If you are unsure about what POV to use for most of your novel, ask yourself these questions: Whose story is this? Which character will have changed at the end of the story? The answers will help you decide which character’s perspective should be used most of the time, if not all of the time.

Knowledge about the concept of point of view may be essential to the novelist, but simply knowing it exists and is beneficial for relating a story is not enough. It is also crucial to learn the methods for using POV for advancing the plot, developing character, and so on; since novels vary so greatly, not all works of fiction will use POV in the same ways.

Once you are familiar with the concept of point of view and its function in a novel, it’s time to explore the three basic narrative formats that are the frameworks on which point of view is established and executed. There are many narrative formats in literature, but by far the three that are used the most often, to the greatest benefit, are: first person, third person attached, and third person omniscient. The first person uses the pronoun “I”, while the other two formats narrate the story using third person pronouns. (We will only touch on these three formats here, describing them in a general way. Consult Novel Writing by C. Sterling and M. Davidson for a more detailed analysis of the topic.)

In general, the first two formats, first person and third person attached, are much easier to work with than an omniscient narration. Choosing a narrative format is up to you, of course, but keep in mind that there are also specific reasons for choosing one format over another, depending on the type of novel are writing. If your novel is very intimate and personal, a first person approach may be best. If the novel is broad and sweeping, encompassing many places and generations or dependent on a very intricate plot, an omniscient narrative may be necessary. The third person attached format, sometimes called “central intelligence,” is probably the easiest to use and most versatile of the three. Whatever format you use, be sure to establish it right at the beginning, and then do not deviate from it. (Those who are writing experimental, nontraditional fiction will probably want to digress from these guidelines, but be careful: It’s hard to control the flow of a large manuscript, and narrative formats provide a high degree of control.)

First Person Narrative Format – In this format, the story is narrated directly from the point of view of one character, usually the protagonist, in the first person. This narrative format has many precedents in American literature, including most of Edgar Allen Poe’s stories, F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, and numerous others. The first person format has a “come closer and I’ll tell you about something that happened to me” feeling of intimacy that no other format can match. It is immediate, highly personal, and in-your-face. It is possible, but very difficult, to use more than one first person narrator in a novel. Therefore, this format is not suited for all applications. For example, it is very rarely used for traditional romances, which often require some emotional distance between the reader and the main characters. A beginning writer will often use a first person narrative format since it appears simple, straightforward, and easy to use. But this format isn’t suited to most novels; Herman Melville himself switched from a first to a third person narrative in the middle of Moby Dick, once he realized that the character Ishmael wasn’t strong enough to continue the narrative by himself. (Oops!) Since none of us are of Melville’s caliber, be sure to select your format wisely. It can present many other problems, such as encouraging your narrator to rattle on with an interior monologue for far too long. This format also presents very little distance between the reader and the narrator, a situation that can sometimes lead to a lack of control or a feeling of disorganization.

Third Person Attached Narrative Format – Both third person formats discussed here, attached and omniscient, offer more emotional distance between the reader and the narrator than the first person format. In the latter, the reader feels the emotions of the narrator directly: If the narrator is jilted by a lover, the reader is likely to feel a shockwave of anger and despair that may be very dramatic…or may be overwhelming or hard to control. However, the use of the third person allows the writer to control emotions, dialogue, and characters with more precision.

Popularized by Henry James in the early 1900s, the third person attached (TPA) format is probably the easiest to use for a beginning novelist. It helps the writer develop characters and plot while it allows the narration to maintain a happy medium between the in-your-face intimacy of the first person and the broad, sometimes detached or even disinterested distance of the omniscient narrator. In a TPA narrative, the reader gets no information save what the POV character, usually the protagonist, can provide. The reader knows only what the narrator can see, hear, smell, taste, feel, remember or deduce, intuit, guess at or other wise experience. Most of the story will probably be in the protagonist’s POV, but the format does allow for some chapters in other major characters’ viewpoints.

Because the TPA narrator is somewhat limited in terms of information, unlike the first person narrator and the omniscient narrator, he doesn’t know how the story will turn out. He’s living the story as it unfolds, and so is the reader. The narrator might make mistakes or misinterpret someone. There will be gaps in his knowledge, and he will have to struggle to make sense of what is happening around him. This struggle for the truth creates suspense and put pressure on the protagonist. This is why the TPA narrative format is perfect for mystery and suspense stories, as well as any others in which a protagonist is fulfilling a quest or searching for the truth. (Actually, most novels contain some element of a “quest.”)

We can’t go into the specific benefits and drawbacks of each narrative format here, but it is safe to say that the first person and TPA formats are not suited for all novels. Long, rambling, complex historical stories, family sagas and some fantasies require a larger, more versatile canvas, one which traces its root to the sagas and epic poems created by bards and storytellers of ancient times.

Third Person Omniscient Narrative Format – Once upon a time (in the 18th and 19th centuries), most fictional works were written in the third person omniscient narrative style, from the viewpoint of an “unseen” narrator who never reveals himself. These works were narrated by a God-like presence able to understand every character’s thoughts, interpret all actions, presage all events and in general control and shape the entire story like the director of a play. The narrator’s voice, though never actually attached to a character, nevertheless appears to function as a character, with a distinct personality and personal opinions. Henry Fielding, Jane Austen, Leo Tolstoy, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Victor Hugo and countless others relied on an omniscient narrator to weave their long, involved tales featuring a somewhat tangled web of characters and events. In fact, the second half of Moby Dick is written in this style.

Although the omniscient narrator is never seen or named, he is a character in the story, and the writer is responsible for creating the narrator’s distinctive voice. Beginning novelists often don’t realize this, and simply spew out a story, slipping in and out of characters’ viewpoints as they please, making comparisons willy-nilly and tossing in personal observations as the spirit moves them. This is not, however, an omniscient narration; no one is in control of the narrative, including the writer. To write from an omniscient viewpoint, one must first craft the distinct voice and personality of an omniscient narrator.

While the omniscient narrative format is perfect for long, complex novels that require careful structuring and maximum control, the format has several pitfalls, too. For example, a long, complicated story requires expert juggling of numerous characters, viewpoints, events, and thoughts, which can be a challenge to a seasoned writer, let alone a novice. Too frequently, a beginning novelist begins an omniscient narrative, only to end up creating a sack full of expository material that he is a hurry to unload on the reader. Also, keep in mind that the significant distance that is part of this format can quickly become “too much distance,” cutting the reader off from the feelings, thoughts and personalities of the characters. In most cases, this is one narrative format best left to the veterans, but it is good practice for writers of all stages in their careers to try writing in a variety of narrative formats, from a variety of viewpoints.

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By M. Graae

We recently discussed the elements of fiction writing. These are the basic concepts, such as characterization, plot and setting, which allow a writer to form and create the “big picture” of a novel. If you master nothing else about fiction writing but the elements, you could be able to write a novel, but you will probably run into difficulties in terms of execution. The conventions of fiction writing provide techniques for handling the elements and crafting them into a novel.

It is a simple fact that certain writing techniques are very helpful in the development of specific elements of the novel, and many writers have put these techniques to good use. The skillful use of these techniques—the conventions – allows writers to eliminate trite or derivative approaches to fiction and make their writing more accessible and engaging to their readers.

If you are hopelessly lost, consider this: The conventions of fiction are to elements as training is to a beautiful young horse. The horse has a great deal of potential for becoming a wonderful source of pleasure and pride, but without training, you cannot ride it, drive it, show it, jump it, or even transport it. Just as training allows you to get the maximum from a horse, conventions allow you to make the most of the elements.

Again, the conventions of fiction writing are:
Point of View (POV)
Plotting techniques (pressure, suspense, drama, parallel structure)
Scenes and transitions
Dialogue and narrative
Gingerbread (frames, flashbacks, prologues, epilogues and similar techniques)
Imagery

By far and away the most perplexing, confusing, and bewildering convention of the lot is point of view. (If learning to write is a journey, then POV is the necessary but frustrating roadmap.) Some students of writing catch on to POV immediately after it is explained; these writers don’t get what the big hue and cry about POV is all about. Others never quite understand what POV entails or how it is used in crafting a novel. Handling POV well does not ensure a successful novel; however, if point of view is not consistent in your writing, or even worse, if it is ignored entirely, chances are that nothing else in your novel will function well, and at best it will be hard to read.

So…what is this magic, elusive Pretty Odd Varmint? POV means what its name says: a viewpoint, or a specific perspective or angle of observation. Since a novel is basically a story, then it stands to reason that someone must be observing and reacting to the characters and action in the story. This observing character is the POV character, and is often the main character.

Events – in life or fiction – take on different meanings to the different people
involved in them. Each person will have different feelings and reactions to the event, and therefore a different perspective on it. This is the basic idea behind the concept of POV. Imagine a scene in which an attractive female employee and her male boss are in his office, discussing some facet of their work. In rushes the boss’s jealous wife, accusing them -- erroneously, it turns out -- of having an affair. All three people will have vastly different perspectives on this event. The employee is likely to be embarrassed, but perhaps also shocked and even angry. The wife is exhibiting one or more of various stages of fury. She may be out of control, or she may be sarcastic and accusatory. She may even, after a few moments, realize that she is mistaken, but is too proud to give in to the obvious. The boss may be calmer; he’s probably fielded this situation before and may be intent on reassuring or placating his wife so he can get on with his job…which indeed may be more important to him than her dramatics.

Every day we see things from different people’s perspectives. We feel sorry for the child being scolded in public by his mother…but we can certainly appreciate a parent’s frustration. We can view events from many different angles, and each view produces a different interpretation, a new “side of the story.”

A fiction writer takes advantage of this common experience by writing a story or novel from the point of view of a specific character, or several characters, or even an omniscient narrator who often isn’t even part of the story. Point of view is often used to develop a character, but can also be used to enhance setting and develop the plot. It is also a magic mirror that reveals the point of view character’s thoughts, emotions, hopes, dreams, fears, and much, much more. An effective point of view allows the writer to examine the innermost workings of a character’s mind. If you wish to reveal a character’s thoughts, and you are not using a consistent, constructive POV, then you’ll find yourself intruding in your own novel, telling the reader what your character thinks. This is a flaw called “authorial intrusion” or “author intrusion.”

Here are some questions to ask yourself as you think about point of view and how it can be used to investigate the inner workings of the mind:

•What motivates your characters? Sex? Love? Revenge? Survival? Are your characters’ actions rising naturally from their motivations?

•How do your characters react to events? Are they impetuous…or deliberate? What is the level of their self-esteem?

•Are your characters’ feelings and reactions appropriate to events? How would they react if they were under maximum stress from, say, the news that their best friend had just died?

•Are your characters reflective? Do they frequently remember people and events from their childhood? Do certain topics or people rouse certain feelings in them?

•How do they express strong emotions? Do they punch a hole in a wall…or do they keep their feelings at bay?

(Whew! See? There’s a lot to this whole “POV” thing!)
The Writer’s Journey will continue next time with more explorations into point of view and an examination of the three basic narrative formats.

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By M. Graae

Once the writer understands, with her heart and soul and entire being, that writing is a craft that requires certain skills, her next step is to commit herself to learning those skills.

Right about now, the skeptics in the audience are probably saying, “Wait! You’re not talking about rules, are you? Writing doesn’t have any rules. The writer is free to write what he wants and to express himself with impunity. When Samuel Richardson sat down to write Pamela, recognized as the first novel in the English language (circa 1698), he wasn’t worried about rules. He was telling his story in a free and untrammeled manner, unfettered by arbitrary restraints.”

Rest easy, skeptics. The skills involved in writing and the techniques used in effective writing are not rules. Call them guidelines, if you wish. They are fluid and flexible, and meant to be curved, twisted, altered, and even broken. There is only one rule in fiction writing, and it is very, very simple: Does what you have written work? If an impartial, experienced writer or editor thinks your writing works, then you’re on the bullet-train to writing something good. But, if your writing doesn’t “work” – if it’s clumsy, confusing, woefully disorganized, trite, hard to understand, pretentious, or overwritten – then it’s time to go back to the word processor and study the basics of fiction writing.

The basics come in two parts, elements and conventions. (Don’t worry, skeptics! There is plenty of room for self-expression and original thinking within the traditional guidelines of fiction writing. Very few of us are born knowing how to write!) Each of these parts is necessary but not sufficient to the making of good fiction. Think of the elements as the fresh, certified organic ingredients for a four-course dinner. Now think of the conventions as the skills that an award-winning chef uses to convert those excellent ingredients into delicious, healthful cuisine. The best meat, vegetables and grains in the world, with the best color, taste and nutrition, will not make a very good dinner if they are poorly prepared. And even the most experienced chef with highly-acclaimed skills will have a hard time preparing an excellent meal from low-grade ingredients that are not fresh.

The elements of fiction writing, mentioned in an earlier article, are:

• A well-developed (or “rounded”) main character (protagonist);
• Well-organized plots and subplots;
• Setting (place and time);
• Theme, voice and tone (“The Intangibles”)

Learning, and ultimately mastering, the use of these elements is a huge step you have to
take (I believe there is simply no way around it!) if you hope to “be all you can be” as a novelist, let alone become a published novelist. Even if you wish to write experimental fiction, you should have a good idea of what guidelines you are breaking.
Now, there are several ways you can go about learning the elements of fiction writing:

• Take classes at a local college or community college. Better yet – an expensive route but well worth the price – earn a bachelor’s or master’s degree in fiction writing. The latter will definitely test your commitment to the writing life!
• Join a trustworthy writers group and go to every meeting. Listen to the critiques your work receives and consider them carefully. Writing workshops are also offered by schools and other organizations in many areas, and usually have the “plus” of being led by an experienced writer.
• Inside and outside of classes and workshops, talk to other writers, especially writers whose work you admire. Meet up with other writers on an informal basis and find out how they would approach difficulties in their own work.
• Read excellent books on writing fiction. Ann Lamont’s Bird by Bird is one; Rusty Hill’s Writing in General and the Short Story in Particular is another. Yet another: The Art of the Novel by John Gardner.
• Read the best of traditional and contemporary literature. Ask yourself what makes the writing “work.” Try to identify the elements of fiction in each of the works you read.

Here’s a brief look at the elements and the basic meaning of each, as well as some terms associated with them, to get you started on your studies. How well does your writing take these concepts into account?

1 – Characterization refers to the specific methods of creating a protagonist or other major character. A developed character, who is usually the protagonist of the novel or story, almost always changes and grows over the course of the plot as he reacts to events in the plot. Secondary characters are major characters who serve to develop the protagonist and plot; these characters may be fairly well developed in terms of personality and background, but they rarely change. Stock, or type, characters are shallow, undeveloped characters that are basically caricatures or stereotypes of a certain personality trait, race or position. The prostitute with a heart of gold is a stock character; so is the pushy or arrogant salesperson.

2 – Plot refers to the main story line of a piece of fiction. Basically, the plot consists of the events that take place during the story, each falling at a particular point in the story. The way in which a plot is organized to ensure the development of the character and the plot is called “plot structure.” One excellent way to begin a plot is with a “compelling event,” that is, an event that the protagonist must react to, either by taking action, making a decision, or refusing to act; of ten the response to the compelling event propels the beginning of the plot forward. To keep the plot advancing, the author must create conflict; this is the continuing tension or pressure arising from the compelling event and intensified (and complicated) by other events in the story. The conflict is confronted and resolved during the climax. For example, after 600 pages of searching, Ahab encounters Moby Dick, with disastrous consequences for himself and his crew. Ishmael’s rescue at sea provides the denouement, or declining action, of the novel.

A novel may also have subplots, that is, minor or secondary storylines that enhance the protagonist’s development or the major plot line. These should never get in the way of the major conflict.

3 – Setting, in fiction, refers to both place and time. The place in which a novel “happens” is its locale, and a novel may have many locales. These can be both broad (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) and narrow (Jake’s Diner in the Herron Hill section of Pittsburgh, on the corner of Pride and Soledad.) The time in which a novel takes place is both its historical period (Anglo-Saxon England, The Great Depression) and the movement of time (chronological order and sequence…or non-linear sequence).

4 – Theme refers to the central idea behind the story, as well as the insight about life that the story imparts to the reader. A theme should be an organic part of the story, not tacked on or forced onto it. Voice is the distinct style or manner in which the protagonist or other character expresses herself. Voice is most obvious in a first-person narrator. Tone is the distinct style or manner in which the author subtly expresses himself through his writing in order to convey feelings or themes. Tone is most obvious in third-person narrative passages. Tone should not be confused with authorial intrusion, a flaw.

1. Recognizing That Writing is a Craft

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By M. Graae

It’s been said that “everyone has a book in him,” and when journalists get together, they joke about “having half a novel tucked away in my desk at work. One of these days….” The truth is, very few people will ever write a novel, and fewer still will write a novel that is marketable. It is a rare breed indeed that actually creates a novel that is eventually published and achieves any degree of success. Why is that the case? What makes a serious writer different from everyone else who wants to write a novel? What is the first step in becoming that serious writer?

Virtually no one would attempt to build a house without first learning basic carpentry and architectural skills. Then why is it that so many people attempt to write a novel without learning the craft of novel-writing, or without even knowing what a novel is? Perhaps this question has no rational answer, but it does underline the first step in the novel-writing process: Realizing that fiction writing is a craft, and as such it requires skills that must be learned. (The actual writing of a novel is one of the more advanced stages in the process.)

When we say “the craft of writing” we mean all the techniques that combine to create a novel, which is no less than a long, fictional, dramatic written narrative depicting some aspect of the lives of fictional people. In other words, the “craft” is the “what” and the “how” of the novel, and we have to know what parts compose something, and how they are assembled, before we can create that something. This is as true of a novel as it is of your sister’s amazing cherry pie or your brother’s sure-fire fishing lures. The writer’s creativity, imagination, language skills and vocabulary, in conjunction with his or her knowledge of the craft of fiction writing, ultimately combine to result in an effective novel. It is nothing short of alchemy, and yet it is possible.

Recognizing that writing is a craft requires that a fledgling writer must realize that a novel is composed of certain elements, which are in turn manipulated through a set of conventions. (Of course, when one achieves mastery of these elements and conventions, one is then free to experiment, which can result in novels that are anything but traditional. The key word here is “mastery.”) The elements of a novel, that is, the basics that must be thoroughly studied and understood before one seriously attempts to write a novel, include a fully developed main character, somewhat developed secondary characters, a plot and usually subplots, setting and sequence, theme, voice and tone. Most beginning writers will spend a lot of time practicing these elements, writing many a short story or vignette in order to hone their writing skills in these areas. Even more difficult to identify and learn are the writing skills associated with the conventions of writing. These are the techniques a writer uses to achieve certain aspects of the novel that simulate real life…even in a fantasy. To have some concept of the craft of writing, one must understand that a novelist, among other things, attempts to: bring characters to life; present events through a character’s perspective, or point of view; create forward motion in the plot; render dialogue believable; integrate dialogue with narrative; vary the pace of the novel; craft effective scenes; create, for the reader, the sense of “being there,” and other goals too numerous to mention here. Writing a novel is a big undertaking, which requires a writer to bring together many threads in order to produce a beautiful, well-constructed fabric of dreams.

Notice that we have not even yet mentioned the phrase, “an idea for a novel.” As a practical matter, the concept of “novel,” and all the skills necessary to produce it, must come first. Beginning writers might consider jotting down ideas for novels in a notebook or journal. These ideas may become powerful catalysts for creating a novel as a writer becomes familiar with the daunting task of understanding, learning…and honoring…the craft of writing.

2. Learning the Basic Skills of Fiction Writing (The Elements)

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