Point of View: Multiple Viewpoints in a Novel

By Lanee’ Blunt

Explore with multiple viewpoints--
Mattox

Having multiple viewpoints has its advantages when writing a novel. The writer has more control over the novel and the focus. The first person point of view has limitations of what the characters know about other characters and what is inside their heads.  The third person allows you to step outside of the character and create a complicated universe.

Multiple viewpoints have the advantage of exploring what is going on around the character. The characters can be viewed by other characters and can explore what the characters are thinking.

First person is easier for new writers to master. It feels more personal because at first they are writing about themselves. The first-person narrator only knows his own feelings and can only reveal those responses to another character. 

Multiple viewpoints allow you to get inside the character’s mind and heart. “The multiple viewpoint allows the writer to explore the consciousness of several people within the same scene. The focus is mobile, it can shift,” according to Leonard Bishop. You have more control over the novel because you can move around into the consciousness of the characters helping the reader know more about them. Make sure that you stay in third person view point in your novel and don’t switch from third person to first person point of view.

Plot & Structure: (Techniques And Exercises For Crafting A Plot That Grips Readers From Start To Finish) (Write Great Fiction)

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Reference:

Leonard Bishop; Dare to Be a Great Writer; Writer’s Digest Books