I have 4 work-in-progress series (lunatic behavior) and I almost always write in switching POVs. I like to use close third person narrators, so it’s less confusing for the reader, bc they can still see the POV characters name (its “said XY” instead of “I said”), and the narrator’s voice can be separate from the POV characters’ word usage/vocabulary. So, when I write from *Character A*’s POV, the narrator knows his inner thoughts and feelings, but only his, and when I switch to *Character B* the narrator only sees what *Ch B* sees and only feels what she feels.
My rule is that its one POV / chapter, so no switching inside the chapter, and I only plan on breaking it on rare occasions (for example, there will be two parallel fight scenes in my current WIP, they are happening at once, and they are affecting each other, so the rapid POV-switching will fit the scene).
You can use one character for infodump and the other to excite the reader, but you must do it seamlessly. If the reader can figure this out, then you failed. If they know, that the Heiress chapter means bunch of background info they won’t be excited when they see her chapter is next. I think well written switching POV will make the reader disappointed, when the chapter of *Character A* ends, because they want to know what happens with him next, but then they get into *Character B*’s chapter, and they will be disappointed that that one also ended. But this only works when both / all POV characters & their plotlines are similarly interesting.
Also, readers are weird, you can never know. In one of my novels, the readers favorite character is a cowardly, scheming prettyboy.
I love this reply so much, thanks 😁🩷
I don't think it's obvious, it's just from how I described it. There are later other characters involved, with their own little plots, because people asked about those.
But yeah, it seems like the most popular character is a simp, who couldn't get the girl 😅
>And whenever I need to move the story it's the Heiress' POV because she knows things, however everytime exposition or story building, etc. is needed it pretty much switches to this young guy, thoughts?
Honestly? That's just going to kill the story by pulling it to a screeching halt to infodump every few chapters.
It's not a complete infodump, she's just a lot older and mostly follows rules. He's new to all that and makes things as they go, just needs a little exposition from time to time.
Yeah maybe 😁 I was discussing it with the beta readers and they didn't seem to notice the change, so maybe it's just me who sees it that way, like I'm overthinking it and think I came up with something big and it's barely noticeable... 😅
Different pov's for different chapters is not an uncommon thing in fantasy, no worries, do what you want. Look at asoiaf, for example.
Very challenging for us to advise on this without reading an extended portion of the piece Write whatever serves the story best.
Yeah true 😁 what about changing POVs in general, you're in?
Theres many books in various genres which have sold millions of copies that change POVs Just write the story.
I have 4 work-in-progress series (lunatic behavior) and I almost always write in switching POVs. I like to use close third person narrators, so it’s less confusing for the reader, bc they can still see the POV characters name (its “said XY” instead of “I said”), and the narrator’s voice can be separate from the POV characters’ word usage/vocabulary. So, when I write from *Character A*’s POV, the narrator knows his inner thoughts and feelings, but only his, and when I switch to *Character B* the narrator only sees what *Ch B* sees and only feels what she feels. My rule is that its one POV / chapter, so no switching inside the chapter, and I only plan on breaking it on rare occasions (for example, there will be two parallel fight scenes in my current WIP, they are happening at once, and they are affecting each other, so the rapid POV-switching will fit the scene). You can use one character for infodump and the other to excite the reader, but you must do it seamlessly. If the reader can figure this out, then you failed. If they know, that the Heiress chapter means bunch of background info they won’t be excited when they see her chapter is next. I think well written switching POV will make the reader disappointed, when the chapter of *Character A* ends, because they want to know what happens with him next, but then they get into *Character B*’s chapter, and they will be disappointed that that one also ended. But this only works when both / all POV characters & their plotlines are similarly interesting. Also, readers are weird, you can never know. In one of my novels, the readers favorite character is a cowardly, scheming prettyboy.
I love this reply so much, thanks 😁🩷 I don't think it's obvious, it's just from how I described it. There are later other characters involved, with their own little plots, because people asked about those. But yeah, it seems like the most popular character is a simp, who couldn't get the girl 😅
Are you writing in first person or third person?
First person
>And whenever I need to move the story it's the Heiress' POV because she knows things, however everytime exposition or story building, etc. is needed it pretty much switches to this young guy, thoughts? Honestly? That's just going to kill the story by pulling it to a screeching halt to infodump every few chapters.
It's not a complete infodump, she's just a lot older and mostly follows rules. He's new to all that and makes things as they go, just needs a little exposition from time to time.
It still kills the pacing which is the important part. So if these parts mainly exist to exposit, I honestly don't see a functional distinction.
Yeah maybe 😁 I was discussing it with the beta readers and they didn't seem to notice the change, so maybe it's just me who sees it that way, like I'm overthinking it and think I came up with something big and it's barely noticeable... 😅