The Basics

We all know about points of view, also known as POVs. As writers, this is a necessary thing to know, since this is the main way we tell our stories. A writer simply cannot tell a story without a point of view. But there is more to points of view than is commonly talked or thought about. As I began to write this, I realized there was too much to put into one article, and so I decided to make it a series. In this article, I will simply give the introduction to the idea of points of view, and what I will talk about in the series.

Definition

Point of view simply means what perspective the story is told with. Through whose eyes is the reader seeing? How many pairs of eyes? What depth, or lack thereof, is there? The point of view greatly affects how the reader will see your book. There are many facets to the point of view, and in this series I will do my best to cover them.

Types of POVs

There are many different points of view that can be used to a writer’s advantage. Some should be used sparingly, while others can be used to whatever extent the writer wishes. But every point of view can be categorized into two sections: First person, and third person.

First Person

The first person point of view is “I.” This seems to be extremely common nowadays, so much so that, from what I have seen, it is rare to find a modern book in third person. The benefit of the first person point of view is you can give a more ‘personal’ perspective, almost as if either your reader is the one in the story, or they are hearing a first-hand account of one who lived the story. It can be easier to write close, personal thoughts or ideas from the first person. The downside to the first person point of view is that it can be difficult to draw back, give a more ‘omniscient’ perspective (I will explain what this means later on in this article), or show anything more than what is seen through the character’s eyes.

Third Person

The third person point of view is “He” or “She.” Some might say this is the traditional way of writing, since many stories are written this way, but I cannot say either way. The benefit of the third person point of view is that the writer can give a broader perspective, not as closed as the first person, and can include more than what the character alone sees. It is also more versatile as far as perspective goes, as the perspective can be either closed in or drawn back. The downside to the third person point of view is it can be difficult to be as close and personal as the first person.

Subcategories

There are subcategories to both points of view. For the first person point of view, these are really just what tense you wish to put ‘I’ in. For the third person, these subcategories include tenses, but also the Omniscient perspective and the Author perspective, which cannot be done through the first person. In this series, I will write an article about each point of view, so I will only give a brief description of each perspective here.

First Person Subcategories:

Present: It is hard to call this a point of view. This tense should hardly ever be used as a main point of view. It does, however, have its uses. When we talk to ourselves, first person present is used. “What am I doing!” is something we often say when we are upset with our own stupidity. First person present should, with few exceptions, be used only in dialogue.

Past: My first experience with first person past tense was reading the Nero Wolfe books, by Rex Stout. This was also the first time I had a better respect for first person in general. First person past tense is the best way to use the first person perspective as a main point of view, as it is relatively simple, not nearly as complex as first person present.

Future: I have yet to see a book from the future point of view.

Third Person Subcategories:

Present: I have not personally seen a story from the third person present point of view. I only put this in in case there are some.

Past: This is the point of view that I am most familiar, and comfortable, with. It is easy to read and write, and it is extremely common, or at least was until first person present became popular. It is the simplest way to use the third person.

Omniscient: The omniscient point of view is a third person point of view that is not specifically from any one character’s perspective. It is a narrative of what the characters are or were doing, and gives extra details the characters do not know, such as ‘If they had done this, they would have seen this.’ This is more common in older books than it is today.

Author: The author’s point of view is somewhat like the omniscient point of view, but it is more specifically from the author. ‘And instead of a nice dish of minnows, they had a roasted grasshopper with lady-bird sauce, which frogs consider a beautiful treat; but I think it must have been nasty!” – The Tale of Mr. Jeremy Fisher, by Beatrix Potter(notice the small bit of present tense, a fine example of the temporary point of view, which will be explained below.) The author’s point of view is also more common in older books, mostly children’s books. C.S Lewis uses this in The Chronicles of Narnia.

Future: Again, I have never seen a future tense perspective.

Main Point Of View vs. Temporary Point of View

You may have noticed that I mentioned above the ‘main point of view’ and the ‘temporary point of view.’ I will explain what these are now.

Main POV

The main point of view is the perspective that lasts throughout the story. If a story is from the first person past point of view, this is the main point of view. Even with several main characters, who all have chapters appointed to their perspective, the main point of view is the same. If you have a book from the perspective of two characters, but one pov is first person while the other is third, the main point of view is first person. Why? Because that is the perspective the reader is drawn to the most by human nature. Since there is a question as to which is the main character, the character who has the first person point of view will be, to most readers, the main character in their minds, and therefore has the main point of view.

Temporary POV

A temporary point of view is a break in the main point of view. It may occur several times in the story, but it is not the underlying point of view, and so it is called temporary. A temporary point of view can be used as a refreshing change from the main point of view or to give insight into things you cannot show in the main point of view. It is for this reason that we have prologues and epilogues, or little scenes in the middle of the book that are not from the main character’s perspective. You can use temporary points of view in many different ways, and it can be fun to experiment with. I am uncertain whether the Omniscient and the Author points of view are main or temporary.

Conclusion

There are two basic points of view that every book adheres to: First person, and third person. And these two points of view have subcategories, whether it is the tense used, or something a little more difficult to pinpoint, such as the Omniscient perspective. We have only touched the tip of the iceberg in this article, and hardly even that. But there are many points of view, and each one will change your readers’ experiences and thoughts. Each point of view gives a different feeling, each tense will affect your reader. Use points of view wisely. Do not simply follow the modern trend. Think which point of view will effectively convey your ideas to your audience, and use it to its greatest potential.

Next Week…

What of the modern trend of fiction writing, the First Person Present? I said above it should not be used as a main point of view. So why is it used so often? Why is it so popular? And why do I believe it should be used sparingly? I will talk about that next week, and until then, keep writing, keep learning, and keep growing.