Time for another batch of twittering writer insecurities. Every month quivering messes of writers position themselves behind their keyboards and type out their doubts, fears or insecurities in hope of… well, connection most of all. But I also believe it’s also a bit of virtual therapy. Free therapy. Won’t you join us? Take part in the Freudian exercise as spectators if nothing else. Click on the image above and find yourself transported to the site that lists the names or aliases of those authorial messes. Come on, you know you want to. 😉
Thanks to the co-hosts this month: M. Pax, Tracy Jo, Patricia Lynne, Rachna Chhabria, Feather Stone, and Randi Lee!
Now on to my insecurity.
I find myself again questioning one of my decisions in my current WIP. I began my second novel with every intention of writing in 3rd person limited. I initially believed that the 3rd person POV would give the greatest exposure to the world–given that it’s fantasy–and allow me to choose to maintain that POV choice but expand to include a second POV in the 2nd book. That was before. Then about halfway through my first draft, I felt stymied by the limits of 3rd, primarily the lack of intimacy. The first book focuses on the changes to the world through the eyes of the heroine, and I kept feeling that it was lacking her full voice. So… I switched to first.
Big inhale.
I rewrote over 35,000 words to make the transition to first. A lot of work–yes, but I was feeling it. The next 5-10,000 poured out and it felt right. But then I paused to re-read it all. I had taken a break to edit on another project, and I often re-read a WIP when I have to transition. It puts me back in the characters’ heads and all that. Anyways, I began to question my decision. Again. Blah! This time, it’s not the lack of intimacy, but the lack of exposure. Her feelings and experiences are coming through loud and clear, but the world no longer is.
Which brings me to my insecurity/question: What POV do you all favor and why?
***********************
Time for some news.
Up first we have a video I first saw on Facebook but loved so much that I had to share it with all of you. I’ve shared Eminem songs before because I am a fan, but this woman made the song better. Without further ado, the best rendition of Lose Yourself that I’ve seen. Not news, but just plain old awesome.
Too many comments. I would have died laughing. And this town… Why have I not heard about this town before? Giant traffic cones. Mankinis. My eyes are watering from the tears of laughter. Just read. You’ll see.
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/weird-news/human-traffic-cones-cause-havoc-5817975
And in science news–it’s back!
http://www.livescience.com/51064-lhc-produces-new-data.html
That’ll do it for my first week as more-relaxed-than-normal writer woman, instead of stressed and juggling teacher/writer woman. Enjoy your week. I’m off to get myself some froyo. New addiction. I may or may not have had it every day for the last five days. Don’t judge.
Maybe I’ll run into some traffic cones on my way. 😉
kimlajevardi 
I favor 3rd. Most 1st POVs are written so mechanically I end up disliking the characters as too self absorbed.
You could possibly write the troubling scenes in 1st, and then revise the perspective without losing any of the emotional content. Sometimes I have to write out differing perspectives to see things from just the write angle.
I think I’m going to do something similar to what you’ve suggested. I plan on finishing in first, as it gives me the greatest connections to the characters while in first draft, and then I will probably switch it back to third in the revision stage. Lemonade out of lemons kind of strategy, you know?
I write in first. I’ve written in third, but I don’t like the feel of it. It always comes out dryer than I want. First lets me in take a reader through a world with a character as a filter. This, of course, is neat when you have more than one POV and can show more of the world and the character that way.
That dryness also bothers me. Besides, I love getting fully into character via first, but I may need to switch back for this particular project. Time will tell.
I wrote my entire first novel in 3rd person POV, then rewrote in 1st and it was so much better. Now, three novels later I’m writing a different series in 3rd person. We’ll see how it goes.
I guess it really is project by project. Good luck with your series.
I write in both. I don’t choose, though, I just write the first sentence and it’s obvious. I’m not sure how my style changes for each of them, so I’m not very useful.
My novel under submission, and possibly my current WIP, are omniscient – which I know is a big no-no, but I like it.
Good luck figuring it out 🙂
Thanks! Omniscient has its uses just like all the others. I think it’s a no-no, until it isn’t. Good luck to you as well.
I write in first . . . I think for YA, that’s what works best 🙂
I agree about it being necessary for YA. I find it can be useful in adult as well, but it really is project specific.
I used to write only in first, but now I’m also doing third. My last few WIP’s have been third and I really like it, although I might go back to first for certain YA projects.
It’s good to be adept at both, but you will probably need to use it again for your YA.
I grew up reading when everything was in third. I’ve never felt comfortable reading first because “I” is most certainly NOT me!! It only enhances how different the character is from me, making me less able to identify. I also think it’s a product of YA over-popularity and is simply an immature writing style. Third, where you need to balance tension, world-building, pacing, and description, while still getting the character to come to life is far harder and worth all the trouble. That said, I experimented with first in my WIP, and got some great anecdotes out of it which may go into future stories. (The character in first was quite funny but kept taking tangents away from the plot and yapping on about her feelings and her backstory, which bogged down the plotline. She was also completely NOT who the character must be in this novel.) So, nope, not a fan of first — but I AM a fan of experimentation.
The sign language lady sure looked angry. People in cones. They must have a lot of time on their hands, huh? lol They mention the LHC on Big Bang Theory all the time! Very cool!
I think I will have to switch back to third for this project, but I’ll decide that during the second draft. I’m not going to waste time switching again right now. I’m still telling myself the story. Partial pantser here. 🙂
I think she looked like she was into it–that’s what made it so good. The cone thing definitely seems like too much time and too much alcohol. Yeah, they mention LHC on Big Bang all the time. This restart might even get mentioned in upcoming episodes. I love that show! 😉
I write in third because I find it easier. I tend to write from the viewpoints of two or three characters. (Although my last book was third person from just one viewpoint.) I also don’t want to be in my characters’ heads that much, which would be required for first person.
Maybe delving more into the senses would bring the world to life?
And I thought the traffic cones were rather funny.
The senses trick might work, but I’m really thinking that I may need to switch back to tell the full story. I’ve decided to wait until the second draft because it’s an easy part of the revision process to make the switch, and until then, I get to more fully know my MC. Maybe that makes this a lemonade out of lemon story. 🙂
I liked the cones too.