Change POV and change the story

I had finished writing a creative non-fiction story and felt disappointed. I knew the story had potential, but it fell flat. I asked a friend to take a look, and she suggested changing the POV from third person to first person. The change breathed life into the piece and it was accepted for publication.

That short story was accepted for publication. And learning that change in POV trick has inspired my novel writing as well. In my Dragonborn series, I often use another character's POV to help answer a question. When my main character must accomplish something the question I most often ask is why? Not only why are they doing it, but why do they feel this way do about it, and even ask why what they are doing is important. 

 

For instance if a barking dog is keeping your character awake, knowing why the dog is barking provides additional details. 

If the reader is going to care, they must understand why so they can feel what the character feels. Another character's POV can often reveal the why and answer the other important questions that bring about that engaging understanding writers seek for their readers. 

 

Other questions that must be answered

• Who? You can leave mystery as to who, but in such cases, you do want to generate curiosity as to who.
• What? I'll use the Dragonborn world again as an example. In this fantasy series, characters time through travel in four different ways. The Labyrinth of Times, the Midlands, tears in time, and the obelisk, which I have not named as yet. It is one thing for a character to know about them and what they do, but what are they? If you create something characters use or experience, your readers must be able to envision what they are. With these fictional fantasy elements, I learned details from the dragon POV as well as that of Dragonborn humans, and even through the evil antagonist.
  
• Where? This goes back to creating a setting readers experience rather than just something they know about. If your main character is operating in a stark world, show them from another character's POV and you'll see many details you can add to the original scene. If there isn't a second character, get your details from a reflection of the person. Yes, have the reflection tell the story from its POV as it looks back into the real world setting.
  
• How? How do things work? In fantasy and science fiction writing, it is necessary to educate readers to understand how things work. It's the same with historical fiction, mysteries; you name it. Readers need to know how things work, but not through an information dump, and not through author intrusion. It needs to be in an experiential way. Writing from another POV can often help you find the answers you are looking for, as they see how things work, or are taught how things work or even read about how things work. 

 

Today's Pumping Your Muse writing prompt

Today's prompt is a photo prompt. Write a short scene or story based on one of the two photos I've included. Based on the first picture, write using the POV of the person or one of the animals pictured. Or choose to write from the reflection in the second photo. If you really want to see the difference POV can make, write two pieces from two different points of view. Using this trick often helps me find the "magic" that makes many a story work.

Photo credits: Michelle Cox, Norma Desmond

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About The Inheritance by Donna Sundblad

Written within the allegorical tradition of classics like Pilgrim's Progress, The Inheritance offers a literal but symbolic story for today's fantasy enthusiasts. This cleverly devised tale doesn't tell you what to think, but stimulates thought as to why you believe what you believe in your own quest for the Eternal City. The Inheritance is an ideal discussion starter for youth groups, homeschoolers, and families who enjoy meaningful discussions. 

 

The Inheritance is available on Kindle, paperback on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo (Christian fiction), Smashwords and Google Books. When you read it, be sure to leave a review! Thanks for your support. 

Coming soon! Dragonborn by Donna Sundblad

Dragonborn conjures up a winning fantasy with dragons, humans, time travel, and magic. Follow the journey of the young prisonguard, Ervig Greenfields, as he seeks out dragons to remove a curse. The dragons offer him access to the Labyrinth of Times, which will purge the dark magic. But there’s a catch. Erving must take the Dragon Oath that requires allegiance--to fight alongside dragons for centuries, never to return to his own time. He and a handful of others take the selfless oath and become Dragonborn. The Dragonborn and their dragons become seeds of change, in this epic tale, of sacrifice for the greater good. Ride along with them as they slip through a tear in time to the past to change the future.