By Catherine
E. McLean (Guest Blogger)
A
couple of years ago, author and writing instructor Tim Esaias
calculated there were 9,720 variations of Point of View (POV) and
Viewpoint. I've seen the calculations. He's right.
It's
also a fact that POV and Viewpoint are the most critical aspects of
storytelling. So, if there's one piece of advice I would shout— no
yell— to novice writers, it is to stop writing and take the time to
read about, learn, practice, and master— yes, MASTER— Point of
View and Viewpoint.
Why
go to all that trouble? Because mastering POV and Viewpoint means
fixing ninety percent of the problems in a manuscript. Doing so also
means readers will turn the pages because they are engrossed and
enjoying the story.
The
second piece of advice, but which I would whisper to a novice writer,
is the secret to comprehending POV and Viewpoint is realizing they
are two separate things (despite the "experts" using the
terms synonymously). Here are the simple and straightforward
definitions:
POINT
OF VIEW is the Storytelling Narrator at work relating the story to
the reader. It answers the question: Through whose eyes is the story
(or the scene) being observed?
Did
you notice the words "narrator at work?" That's because
when a reader reads, they hear a voice coming off the page, which is
the "narrative voice." That voice will often be the story's
"focal character," also known as the protagonist. Yet that
narrator's voice could be the author's, one of the other major story
characters, the story's storyteller (the voice-over guy), or
omniscient (as either "god" or the "fly-on-the-wall").
In all instances, that Storytelling Narrator has a "very
distinct voice" due to their diction, vocabulary, and syntax,
which the reader hears when reading the story.
VIEWPOINT
is how that narrator characteristically filters information and
sensory perceptions, either consciously or unconsciously, while
observing what's happening.
That
narrator is highly opinionated. They can be accurate or inaccurate.
Their judgment may be subjective or objective, or it may fluctuate
between the two extremes. This makes the narrator of the story or
scene open-minded or closed-minded, ethical or unethical— a coward
or a hero.
Which
means the narrator's opinions about other people, and how the
narrator deals with those people in any given situation, will be
compounded by the narrator's biases and personal prejudices. For
example: Characters A, B, C, D, and E look at a glass of water on a
table. Because the five can see that glass, they will report what
they observe— they will narrate— but look HOW they relate what
they observe:
A
- "It is half full of water." (Optimist)
B
- "Don't be an idiot, it's half empty." (Pessimist)
C
- "That's just a glass with water in it." (Realist)
D
- "Why do you humans concern yourself with a glass containing
water?" (Baffled Alien Being)
E
- Marsha couldn't believe the conversation had deteriorated to
analyzing a glass of water. (Omniscient)
Each
of the examples has a distinct voice because the writer conveyed the
narrator's voice onto the page. If you didn't hear the differences
that means you need to cultivate a better inner ear, which is another
reason to master POV and Viewpoint.
Talent
will take a writer only so far. It is craft that enhances and
liberates talent. Best of all, craft can be learned. So, take the
time to master POV and Viewpoint. Your readers will appreciate it.
And now, a bit about my latest book...
And now, a bit about my latest book...
Hearts
Akilter by Catherine E. McLean
Applicable
genres: fantasy/sci-fi romance, romance, humor (lighthearted)
Length:
Novella
Coming
soon from The Wild Rose Press
Visit my website (http://www.catherineemclean.com/) to enter to win a $50
gift card as part of the book launch.
Love, vengeance,
attempted murder, and a bomb...No reason to panic.
When
a medical robot insists he's having a heart attack, Marlee Evans, a
pragmatic maintenance technician, has every reason to panic. There's
a bomb inside him. Since Marlee can't risk the bomber discovering
she's found the device, her only option is to kidnap Deacon Black, an
unflappable bomb expert, and secretly convince him to disarm it.
Things go slightly awry when Deacon sets a trap for someone who is
trying to kill him, and inadvertently captures Marlee instead.
Instantly intrigued by her refreshingly forthright and gutsy
attitude, he's smitten. Unfortunately for Deacon, Marlee recently
hardened her heart and swore off men, especially handsome ones with
boy-next-door grins. But as Marlee and Deacon attempt to identify
and prevent the bomber from detonating the device, they discover that
love may be the most explosive force of all.
Available
for Pre-Order Now
Amazon:
http://amzn.to/1faTnHp
Nook:
http://bit.ly/1HDMrii
The
Wild Rose Press: http://bit.ly/1HDhwAT
Excerpt
The
bomb. Right. Dismantle the bomb. In this lift? No, that was insane.
“Marlene, if the bomb goes off accidentally—”
“It’ll
blow the station to kingdom come?”
He
nodded.
“Not to worry.”
She
said that with such nonchalance that he found himself speechless. He
cleared his throat. “Why not? Did you snatch the portable Bomb
Disposal Unit, too?”
“Better.”
“What’s
better than a BDU?”
“Garbage
incinerators.”
“What?”
He glanced out into the darkness beyond the lift.
Giant
machinery stood silhouetted and veiled in shadows. “Where are we?”
“Deck
forty-three, Ring D zero three. Relax. Don’t panic. They once
accidentally incinerated a torpedo in number four, over yonder.”
She
pointed to the left. “Nobody heard or felt it explode, and there
wasn’t even a drail’s worth of damage done to the incinerator, or
anything else.”
“I
don’t believe you.”
“It
happened three years ago. I was there, a deck above.
Never
mind.”
Henry
manipulated his finger appendage, grabbing and briefly tugging the
shirt sleeve of Deacon’s good arm. “Marlee would never lie about
anything so important.”
“Does
she lie about unimportant things?” He instantly regretted his
caustic remark.
“I
do not know.” Henry spun sideways, facing Marlee. “Do you lie
about unimportant things, Marlee?”
“I
have been known to tell a white lie now and then to spare someone’s
feelings, but on the whole—” She looked away from Henry.
As
her blacker than black eyes met his gaze, Deacon felt pinned to the
wall.
About Catherine
E. McLean
Besides
Catherine being a wife and mother, she has ridden and exhibited
Morgan Sport Horses. She's an avid clothing and costume designer, an
award-winning amateur photographer, a 4-H leader, and a Red Hatter
who loves bling.
She
lives on a farm nestled in the foothills of the Allegheny Mountains
of Western Pennsylvania. In the quiet of the countryside, she writes
fantasy, futuristic, and paranormal stories where a reader can escape
to other worlds for adventure and romance.
Her
short stories have appeared in hard-copy and online anthologies and
magazines. Besides having two novels published, soon to be released
is her lighthearted fantasy/sci-fi romance HEARTS AKILTER. Catherine
also gives writing workshops, both online and in-person. A schedule
is posted at http://www.writerscheatsheets.com/workshops.html
Catherine's
website for writers is http://www.WritersCheatSheets.com and she
blogs at http://writerscheatsheets.blogspot.com/
Hub
Website: http://www.CatherineEmclean.com
Connect
with Catherine at: http://www.catherineemclean.com/contact-me.html
And don't forget to enter her release contest for a $50 gift certificate at her website!
10 comments:
Hello, Catherine!
Welcome to Beyond Romance. HEARTS AKILTER sounds like a lot of fun. I wish you luck with it. And thanks for the generous contest!
The story is a fun read as attested by the Sneak Peak Reviews that have come in from readers (they're posted at my website). Also many thanks for hosting and I'm happy to chat with anyone with a question or who leaves a comment.
Insightful tips on POV and Viewpoint, Catherine. Thank you!
You're right - POV and viewpoint are often used interchangeably, so your post was a refreshing change. Thanks for illustrating the differences! Best wishes for a successful book release!
Thanks for stopping by and you're very welcome!
Many thanks for commenting and for dropping by today!
Excellent tips! Thanks Catherine :)
This is a new type of romance for me. I kinda chuckled when I saw robot having a heart attack. It's a breath of fresh air. So many authors are writing the exact same story lines and it does get old. I will have to check this one out. Thanks for sharing it.
leighannecrisp @yahoo .com
You're very welcome!
Happy to hear you chuckled, I did too when the idea hit me of a robot having a heart attack. And,yes, if you write romance you're writing to an age-old archetype trope, one that readers of romance enjoy. And, yes, it's in adding the unusual, the twist, or the unexpected, or a lighthearted premise that takes a story beyond same-old, same-old. I've gotten a few Sneak Peak Reviews in at my website if you'd care to see what other readers had to say about HEARTS AKILTER.
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