101 Writing Tips from an Exhausted Reviewer

Writing Multiple POVs

4. Appropriate POV switches.

No, Sandra, I do not want you to change perspectives every freaking paragraph. For the last time, it does not make your writing fresh, fun, and interesting. It only makes it interesting. And that is not a compliment.

Wait for appropriate breaks in the story to switch your perspectives. This includes maybe switching perspectives when you start a new scene or a new chapter.

Seriously. I have seen stories like this:

Chapter 4

Tomato

I ran. Far, far, far away. My heart pounding in my chest. My muscles screaming.

I had to get out of here. Before the fruits got to me. Before they ate me.

Apple

Where the hell is Tomato going? I just wanted to offer him some cookies! Ugh. I bet it's because I smell gross. It's the damned deodorant. How awful of me! I should go and change deodorants right now. Then I'll chase after him!

"Wait up!" I call out to Tomato. "I'm just going to get the spray!"

Tomato

"Wait up!" Apple called to me. "I'm just going to get the spray!"

What spray? Olive Oil?

Oh, no.

I was going to be fried alive.

I ran faster.

Apple

Oh no! He's running faster!

Carrot

Ah, yes. My plan is playing out perfectly.

The Fruits will lose Tomato.

Mwuahhaha.

The perspective jumping simply gave me whiplash. And I was the one writing it. Don't get me started on the tenses.

Do not do this. Each time you have a new perspective, their narrative should have a beginning, middle and end before you move onto the next character.

Which reminds me: choose who gets which scene carefully.

If you have two characters in the same scene, and you are choosing which perspective, pick the one that will be the most effective for your story. If one character experiences more growth, or is more pivotal--choose them. Choose who you think fits the chapter the best.

5. Please don't repeat scenes.

I beg of you.

I do not need to see the tomato run down the sidewalk three separate times, from different perspectives.

If you are not adding anything new to the scene, and if there is no new tension, then don't bother including it. Just move on to the next scene.

If nothing new happens in the scene, but you really want both characters to show their thoughts, then consider having one character recap that chapter quickly from their perspective in the next chapter, when something new is about to happen.

If you repeat scenes from different perspectives, then we know what will happen. And it drags the pace. A lot.

6. Keep track of your characters.

It's really tricky writing multiple perspectives, because you have to keep tabs of where they are at all times, what time it is for them, and how all the times/days will align between perspectives. You really, really have to plan each one.

For example, I am currently writing a story about twins. They start the story together, but get separated. Then, they reunite.

I have to be so careful because there are a few time-skips in certain points of the story. So I have to make sure that the maths is completely correct--otherwise, it might seem like Twin #1 has been separated for eight days while Twin #2 has been missing for decades.

You need to fill in those gaps for yourself and make sure it all adds up correctly. You also need to be very careful of what each character knows--you don't want one saying something they shouldn't know yet!

So plan. A lot.

7. Be flexible.

In your planning stage, be ready to drop a perspective or add a different one. You will learn more about your story as time passes, and you will see which character voices will actually pull the story together well.

Be ready for that change! And don't be afraid to lose the multiple-perspective thing either!

8. Don't use too many.

I'm sure we have all seen some authors (most commonly: fantasy authors) write dozens of perspectives in a single book. And they honestly pull it off. Well done to them!

However, it is a careful craft and takes lots of time and planning. And, honestly, it works well for their stories because their stories are so big and have a huge focus on building up different worlds before entwining them all together.

I want to say this, though: having more character perspectives does not make you a better writer.

Like, seriously. I don't know why that assumption is going around.

I have seen so many authors on this platform use multiple perspectives just because a whole load of YA fantasy stories have been using it. Don't fall for it! Only use it if it is purposeful to your story, and adds more to your story! Sometimes, truly, simplicity is key.

Also remember that if you are having multiple perspectives in a story, each perspective should have a conclusion to their perspective. Their own individual stories within the big overarching stories need to be wrapped up with a clear beginning, middle, end.

9. Practise different perspectives!

Are you writing a multiple perspective story?

Consider your characters in the following scenarios, and write down a paragraph of how they would respond:

- Your character is grocery shopping when it is attacked by a carrot.

- Your character is eating food that their love interest cooked, but the food is simply awful.

- Your character sees a crying baby left on their doorstep.

Write up these scenarios for your different characters. Compare and contrast. See if they seem different enough!

10. Read.

This is like the nineteenth time I have said this.

Read.

Read stories with multiple perspectives.

Read stories with a singular perspective.

Decide what resonates with you.

Read even more. See what you like about each style, and what you don't like. Learn from it.

And that's it!

Questions? Queries? Concerns? Let me know!

Next chapter is titled name dropping in stories. Don't know what it is? Stay tuned to find out!