How Point of View Affects Your Story

How POV Affects Your Story

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Segment 1 (Announcements/Author Updates):

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  • Segment 2 (Resources/Tips/Tidbits):

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Segment 3 (Main Topic):

Notes:

  1. POV = promise: what intimacy, information, and bias will the reader get?
    • 1st = interiority + voice; close 3rd = balance of interior/exterior; omniscient = scope + theme.

  2. The camera test: what can the narrator see/know/believe in this scene?
    • Ban anything they couldn’t realistically perceive; use misbeliefs to create tension.

  3. Distance is a dial, not a switch:
    • Zoom in (sensory, thought-beat, micro-movements) for emotion; zoom out (summary, context) for pace/theme.

  4. POV shifts = scene breaks + reason:
    • Change only to add net new conflict, clue, or consequence. Track continuity of diction and metaphor.

  5. Try this: rewrite a 200-word scene in 1st, close 3rd, and omniscient.
    • Ask: which version delivers the most tension, clarity, and theme resonance?

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Valerie Ihsan

I’m a Story Analyst, author, and dog lover. I diagnose manuscripts, highlighting areas that can be improved, so that writers can showcase their very best work.

https://valerieihsan.com
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Finding Voice and Author Identity with Anne Abel