It’s simple: Point of view is a crucial (and often overlooked) aspect of storytelling. It is the foundation on which a story rests.

Consider how drastically different your favourite novel would be if you changed the point of view. Much of the humor of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy comes from the witticisms of the omniscient narrator. Imagine if instead it was told from Arthur Dent’s first person POV. Or if The Dresden Files were told from third person multiple POV instead of first person POV; the elements of suspense would be completely undermined. In any case, if you change the point of view, you no longer have the same story.

Since POV is such a powerful tool of the trade, it should be chosen carefully and conscientiously during the early stages of story development. In my experience, many authors write in whichever POV they are most comfortable with little regard for what is best for the story. I’ve done this too, and I caution you against it.

Choosing the right point of view helps determine which characters need to take centre stage in order to tell the story you have in mind. Understanding the rules of your chosen POV also helps bring those characters to life in the reader’s mind.

A well chosen POV can help dictate how much backstory and worldbuilding information need to be added. It can help determine when and how to add those details because the narrative is informed by what the POV character thinks about or sees.

Point of view can also be leveraged to build up the narrative’s tension or create dramatic irony. In order to use POV effectively you have to first understand what each type of POV can do and why.

So before you start writing, read up on each of the different types of point of view and figure out which one will best serve the story you most want to tell.

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Here’s the recap: the narrator is not a character in the story, the narrator knows what everyone is thinking and doing at any given time and can jump between characters, and the pronouns “he”, “she”, “they”, and “it” are used to tell the story.

The Pros of Third Person Omniscient POV:

• It allows for a greater scope of story to be shown.
• It allows for dramatic irony because the narrator can know things the characters don’t.
• It allows for backstory to be delivered easily.
• It allows for greater story flexibility.

The Cons of Third Person Omniscient POV:

• There tends to be much more telling rather than showing
• There is a greater distance between the reader and character which can lead to the reader feeling disconnected from the story.
• Can be confusing for the reader if there is too much “head hopping” between characters

Third person omniscient can be very difficult for a writer to pull off well. Those who do pull it off typically manage it by creating a very strong narrative voice.

For an explanation of all the point of view options check out Understanding the Different Types of Point of View.

Did I miss any pros or cons of the third person omniscient point of view? Let me know in the comments.

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Here’s the recap: the narrator is not a character in the story, the story follows more than one character but the narrator sticks with only one viewpoint at a time, and the pronouns “he”, “she”, “they”, and “it” are used to tell the story.

The Pros of Third Person Multiple POV:

• The main benefit is the ability to switch between multiple viewpoints easily which is helpful for development of characters and plot.
• It allows for many different voices and perspectives which can keep the story fresh and in turn help keep the reader engaged.
• It allows for a broader scope of the world to be explored because it is not limited to the worldview of one character.
• The reader gets to see the bigger picture by showing different perspectives of the events.

The Cons of Third Person Multiple POV:

• Finding the right balance between the narrator’s voice and the character’s voice can be difficult.
• Each viewpoint character must have a distinct voice which can be difficult for some authors to maintain.
• Too many viewpoint characters can be confusing for the reader to keep track of.
• To balance each viewpoint, the character will get less dedicated page-time which may result in the reader not connecting as fully with the characters.
• In third person multiple POV, the author must ensure that each viewpoint character has a distinct voice and offers a perspective which is different from any of the other viewpoint characters.

Did I miss any pros or cons of the third person multiple point of view? Let me know in the comments.

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Here’s the recap: the story follows one character, the narrator is not a character in the story, and the pronouns “he”, “she”, “they”, and “it” are used to tell the story.

The Pros of Third Person Limited POV:

• The reader is able to be reasonably close to the character without overwhelming them with too many internal thoughts and feelings.
• It allows for strong development of the viewpoint character because no other viewpoint used throughout the narrative.
• The reader gets to see the bigger picture. The author can show the character’s thoughts along with what is actually happening in the story. This means the reader can see the difference between the character’s opinions and the facts of the situation.
• The character is able to keep secrets from the reader.

The Cons of Third Person Limited POV:

• Limits the breadth of story told because it can’t show any event at which the viewpoint character isn’t present.
• Finding the right balance between the narrator’s voice and the character’s voice can be difficult.
• The reader is limited to the knowledge of the viewpoint character.
• There is no access to any other characters thoughts or feeling outside of the viewpoint character’s perception of them.

Did I miss any pros or cons of third person limited point of view? Let me know in the comments.

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Today’s focus is first person point of view (POV).

To recap: In first person POV the narrator is always a character in the story, the narrator relates the events they experience, and the pronoun “I” is used to relate those events.

The Pros of First Person POV:

• It allows for stronger development of the viewpoint character’s voice since it is the only voice used throughout the narrative.
• It allows for greater intimacy between the viewpoint character and the reader because the reader has direct access to all of the character’s thoughts and feelings.
• Also because of that direct access, understanding the character’s thoughts, feelings, and motivations is a simple task for the reader.
• The first person stream-of-consciousness style can allow the writer to disguise some of the exposition.
• It is possible to have an unreliable narrator since there is no other viewpoint to shine a light on the flaws of the narrator.

The Cons of First Person POV:

• Limits the breadth of story that can be told because it can’t show any event at which the viewpoint character isn’t present.
• Describing the character’s physical appearance tactfully can be difficult.
• The constant use of “I” and “me” can become repetitive.
• The constant insight to the viewpoint character’s emotions can feel self-indulgent.
• There is no access to any other character’s thoughts or feelings.
• The viewpoint character won’t necessarily understand the larger picture of the story which can make it difficult for the author to provide enough information for the reader to be able to do so.
• The line between the author and the character can blur making the writing more personal.

Did I miss any pros or cons of the first person point of view? Let me know in the comments.

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Choosing a point of view for your story is less a matter of right and wrong and more a matter of personal preference and story needs. Let’s take a look at the different types of point of view (POV) so you understand your options.

First Person Point of View

In first person POV, the narrator is always a character in the story (typically the main character) and therefore the pronoun “I” is used as they tell it. The narrator relates the events they experience. Since first person narration only explores one person’s unique worldview and experiences, it provides an incomplete story that can be both biased and unreliable.

Example of First Person Point of View

I stood near the warehouse door frowning at the less than ideal circumstance we found ourselves in. It was gloomy inside, lit only by the weak red light of the fading sun spilling in through the dust-covered windows. Rows of tall shelving units cast impenetrable shadows which would make our search that much more difficult.

“This is ridiculous,” I muttered as Elliot joined me in the doorway.

“I know, but he has helped us a few times in the past,” Elliot replied wiping sweat from her forehead. It was a warm evening, and we had ridden over as fast as we could manage.

The determined look on Elliot’s face told me there was no backing out now. I sighed and pulled a flashlight from my bag.

Books written in first person POV: The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher, The Farseer Trilogy by Robin Hobb

Second Person Point of View

In second person POV, the narrator describes what is happening to another character and uses the pronoun “you” to do so. Second person POV is not often used for entire novels because many people find it off-putting to read. That being said, it has been successfully used in short stories, novellas, and sometimes for certain scenes within a novel.

Examples of Second Person POV

You stood near the warehouse door frowning at the less than ideal circumstance you found yourself in. It was gloomy inside, lit only by the weak red light of the fading sun spilling in through the dust-covered windows. Rows of tall shelving units cast impenetrable shadows.

“This is ridiculous,” you muttered as Elliot joined you in the doorway.

“I know, but he has helped us a few times in the past,” Elliot replied wiping sweat from her forehead. It was a warm evening, and you had ridden over as fast as you could manage.

The determined look on Elliot’s face told you there was no backing out now. You sighed and pulled a flashlight from your bag.

Books written in second person POV: The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern, The Fifth Season by N. K. Jemisin (only a few of the scenes in each of these books use second person POV)

Third Person Point of View

This is where things get a bit more complicated because third person POV breaks down into multiple subcategories. In essence, third person POV is a story being told about someone else. The narrator is not a character in the story so they use the pronouns “he”, “she”, “they”, and “it” to tell the story. The subcategories determine which character’s thoughts and feelings the reader gets to experience, if any.

Third Person Limited POV

In third person limited POV, the story follows one character. Like in first person POV, the narrator knows what that one character knows. Unlike in first person, the narrator is not the character which helps cut down on bias/unreliability in the narration by providing some distance from the character.

Example of Third Person Limited POV

Nova-Marie stood near the warehouse door frowning at the less than ideal circumstance they found themselves in. It was gloomy inside, lit only by the weak red light of the fading sun spilling in through the dust-covered windows. Rows of tall shelving units cast impenetrable shadows which, Nova knew, would make their search that much more difficult.

“This is ridiculous,” she muttered as Elliot joined her in the doorway.

“I know, but he has helped us a few times in the past,” Elliot replied wiping sweat from her forehead. It was a warm evening, and they had ridden over as fast as they could manage.

The determined look on Elliot’s face told her there was no backing out now. Nova-Marie sighed and pulled a flashlight from her bag.

Books written in third person limited POV: Nevernight by Jay Kristoff, The Way of Shadows by Brent Weeks

Third Person Multiple POV

A story written in third person multiple POV follows more than one character. The narrator can relate the story from the perspective of any number of characters. To avoid confusing the reader, the narrator will typically stick with one character’s perspective for the duration of an entire scene or chapter.

Example of Third Person Multiple

Nova-Marie stood near the warehouse door frowning at the less than ideal circumstance they found themselves in. It was gloomy inside, lit only by the weak red light of the fading sun spilling in through the dust-covered windows. Rows of tall shelving units cast impenetrable shadows which, Nova knew, would make their search that much more difficult.

“This is ridiculous,” she muttered as Elliot joined her in the doorway.

“I know, but he has helped us a few times in the past,” Elliot replied wiping sweat from her forehead. It was a warm evening, and they had ridden over as fast as they could manage.

The determined look on Elliot’s face told her there was no backing out now. Nova-Marie sighed and pulled a flashlight from her bag.

***

Now they were here, Elliot had a bad feeling, but she refused to let it show. They had picked up Zak’s slack before and this time was no different. Experience told her that as long as she didn’t pass her uneasiness on to Nova-Marie they would be fine.

Seeing Nova pull a flashlight from her backpack, Elliot followed suit and led the way into the warehouse.

Books written in third person multiple POV: Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor, The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson

Third Person Omniscient

Third person omniscient is not used as often as it used to be. Essentially, the narrator knows everything from what each character is thinking and feeling to events happening in other parts of the world. This narrator can jump from character to character and dole out or withhold information as they see fit.

Example of Third Person Omniscient POV

Nova-Marie stood near the warehouse door frowning at the less than ideal circumstance they found themselves in. It was gloomy inside, lit only by the weak red light of the fading sun spilling in through the dust-covered windows. Rows of tall shelving units cast impenetrable shadows which both she and Elliot knew would make their search that much more difficult.

“This is ridiculous,” she muttered as Elliot joined her in the doorway.

Elliot agreed but instead of admitting it she said, “I know but he has helped us a few times in the past.” She wiped the sweat from her forehead as she spoke. It was a warm evening, and they’d ridden over as fast as they could manage. Elliot had pushed herself too hard trying to make it here before sunset, but she had no intention of mentioning that either.

Nova-Marie glanced over taking in Elliot’s determined scowl which told her there was no backing out despite Elliot’s sweat-soaked shirt and laboured breathing. Nova-Marie sighed and pulled a flashlight from her bag.

Books written in third person omniscient POV: The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams, Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett

Point of view can break down even further, but these are the main types of point of view used in fiction writing. It is important to understand what your POV options are as the POV can drastically change the story being told.

If you have any questions about the types of point of view, let me know in the comments.

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