So far this month, we’ve taken an in-depth look at deep POV. We’ve looked at why deep POV is popular, and a number of techniques to establish deep POV and stay there. And soon we’ll discuss when not to use deep POV with a guest post from an amazing author.
But before we finish up, I want to know what your thoughts are on deep POV in general. What do you think about deep POV? Does it jar you to read a book with inconsistent POV depth (ie in one sentence we’re getting the character’s thoughts directly and in the next it’s like we’re watching the scene from 10 feet away)? Do you enjoy writing in deep POV? Do you find it easy or challenging?
Is there anything we haven’t covered yet that you’d like to see explained here? Are there any nagging questions or “mistakes” that you see (or make) that you’d like to see answered/cured?
If you want to have your website reviewed by two professionals, be sure to sign up by Monday!
I guess my issue is that I have a bunch of world-building to do (SF genre) so how do I do that in deep POV? If I can’t be a narrator explaining the physics of tethered space stations, then how do I get my characters to do it? My characters already know how their world works. They wind up doing things that makes sense to them (and to me) but my readers don’t get it. So something’s missing. Ideas?
Hi, Jordan. First of all I want to tell you that this is my favourite blog. I’m learning so much from your posts and they have improved my writing so much. Thanks for that.
Now to your question about mistakes made in deep POV. This is something I’ve been struggling with for a long while, but the way you explain things is great.
I’m presently working on a series of chapter books for confident readers aged seven to nine. In chapter books, you can’t use italics for thoughts and I struggled for a while until I found the correct way to write them. Now I’m learning from you how to write in deep POV and I’ve realised how I’ve slipped out of POV in places.
I’m having fun rewriting and editing all my manuscripts and they read so much better with more humour now. I still struggle a little when writing what the MC sees and hears, but I’m getting better of writing without the words, ‘she thought’ she saw, she heard.’ And, I wasn’t even aware I wrote like that before.
I’m also now aware that characters can’t see things through the back of their heads and they don’t notice the colour of their own eyes, but I sometimes struggle with their inner thoughts and end up with narration instead of deep POV. I have to make sure that I think and feel like an eight year old, which isn’t hard for me, but I end up slipping out of deep POV sometimes.
May I be so bold as to give this sample for your advice? Is it in deep POV yet?
“You’re still grounded, Molly.” Her mother headed toward the kitchen.
Molly shuffled behind her. She grabbed the knives and forks out of the drawer and placed them on the table. If only she hadn’t lost her temper and wiped rotten duck eggs on Angela. And why did she have to go and make gobbling sounds at the headmistress? She hadn’t meant it to be so loud. Now she’d miss out on precious time with Furble.
Kate came back to the kitchen and handed Molly a disc. “Here, I’ve copied the photos of Furble for you.”
Molly gave Kate a sad little smile. “Thanks. I won’t get to see Furble anymore. I’m grounded for a week.” Tears clouded her eyes and she ran upstairs to her bedroom. After slamming the door, she threw herself on her bed and punched her pillow. She growled like a grizzly bear, “Grrr.” She wasn’t hungry now.
Trish.
The deeper POV and more consistent you are, the better for me. I’ve been writing with two POV’s per book, so when I want distance from one character I switch to the other’s POV, but I can see where writers would vary the depth if writing in one POV to help keep some unknowns afloat.
I like deep POV. I’d much rather read a story that switches between POV characters but has a strong, solid viewpoint at any given time than one that bounces erratically. If it’s well-done, I don’t mind occasional interruption by a narrator (especially a clever one that matches the tone of the story), but I’m definitely jarred when the story dips into the minds of several characters in a single scene.