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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