I don’t know if you are familiar with very underrated but brilliant American author, David Jauss. He is now retired from teaching etc. But this essay on POV by him changed my understanding primarily because of the examples he offers; specifically, how authors “jump” perspective often, including how Nick in The Great Gatsby slips to omniscient when he is certainly not for the rest of the narration (whether that’s done well or not depends on the craft, of course).
Here is the link from the AWP archives. I only wish I had come across it in 2000!
Normally, I don’t go all over board, but more people should know of him. And I thought you might appreciate it if you weren’t already familiar.
Another “small” very bright guiding star. 🙂
Part 2:
Did you know that Hunger Games author took a lot from Battle Royale (バトル・ロワイアル, Batoru Rowaiaru), a Japanese action film directed by Kinji Fukasaku based on the controversial 1999 novel by Koushun Takami.
I’m intrigued - what did you change your third person present tense section into? As so far they all seem to have plenty of pitfalls. Full disclosure: third person present tense is my default, with varying psychic distance and one main protagonist perspective (blimey that’s a mouthful, I think it makes sense?) but I’ve been changing my WIP to third person past tense to see what happens. I read your Substack on THAT today with some dismay. I’ll keep playing around to see how each works, but I’d be interested to hear what you did
I'll be having this discussion about my present tense novel with my beta reader / within my critique group tomorrow. I like the way you summarise each PoV and give examples. FYI Philip Pullman also can't abide the present tense: https://twitter.com/PhilipPullman/status/1560276205244653568?s=19
I'm writing a book in close 3rd POV present. Me last book, published by Influx Press was close 3rd past. It's not for me to judge if it works. But it's an unusual story. Written from the POV of a very bent perspective. Hallucinatory atmosphere of delusion, paranoia, delirium and vision, all presented as real as protagonist experiences it. A story about a woman with undiagnosed psychosis in an abusive relationship with a thug, who she escapes, but descends further into madness.
So I'm hoping to achieve a sense of anxiety with pace and present tense. Broken here and there with stream of conscious schizo rants or psychotic rambling.
It's a short novel. I reckon it'll end up around 45K words. I hope it works. Seems good to me, but, as I say, it ain't for me to judge. I'm hoping someone will read it now and let me know what they make of it.
It can also be linked to genre expectations: for instance a lot of psychological thrillers are written in the first person singular, which often works well for this genre and may even be expected.
Thank you!
Part 1:
I don’t know if you are familiar with very underrated but brilliant American author, David Jauss. He is now retired from teaching etc. But this essay on POV by him changed my understanding primarily because of the examples he offers; specifically, how authors “jump” perspective often, including how Nick in The Great Gatsby slips to omniscient when he is certainly not for the rest of the narration (whether that’s done well or not depends on the craft, of course).
Here is the link from the AWP archives. I only wish I had come across it in 2000!
https://www.awpwriter.org/magazine_media/writers_chronicle_view/1731/from_long_shots_to_x-rays_distance_point_of_view_in_fiction_writing
Terrific interview by him on same topic.
https://www.cynthianewberrymartin.com/2014/10/catching-jauss-david-jauss-on-point-of-view/
And his book should be mandatory for all writers.
https://www.press53.com/short-fiction/alone-with-all-that-could-happen-on-writing-fiction
Normally, I don’t go all over board, but more people should know of him. And I thought you might appreciate it if you weren’t already familiar.
Another “small” very bright guiding star. 🙂
Part 2:
Did you know that Hunger Games author took a lot from Battle Royale (バトル・ロワイアル, Batoru Rowaiaru), a Japanese action film directed by Kinji Fukasaku based on the controversial 1999 novel by Koushun Takami.
Maybe you did. 😊
Some really useful resources. Thank you Annie.
I’m intrigued - what did you change your third person present tense section into? As so far they all seem to have plenty of pitfalls. Full disclosure: third person present tense is my default, with varying psychic distance and one main protagonist perspective (blimey that’s a mouthful, I think it makes sense?) but I’ve been changing my WIP to third person past tense to see what happens. I read your Substack on THAT today with some dismay. I’ll keep playing around to see how each works, but I’d be interested to hear what you did
I'll be having this discussion about my present tense novel with my beta reader / within my critique group tomorrow. I like the way you summarise each PoV and give examples. FYI Philip Pullman also can't abide the present tense: https://twitter.com/PhilipPullman/status/1560276205244653568?s=19
I'm writing a book in close 3rd POV present. Me last book, published by Influx Press was close 3rd past. It's not for me to judge if it works. But it's an unusual story. Written from the POV of a very bent perspective. Hallucinatory atmosphere of delusion, paranoia, delirium and vision, all presented as real as protagonist experiences it. A story about a woman with undiagnosed psychosis in an abusive relationship with a thug, who she escapes, but descends further into madness.
So I'm hoping to achieve a sense of anxiety with pace and present tense. Broken here and there with stream of conscious schizo rants or psychotic rambling.
It's a short novel. I reckon it'll end up around 45K words. I hope it works. Seems good to me, but, as I say, it ain't for me to judge. I'm hoping someone will read it now and let me know what they make of it.
This is very helpful. Thanks.
It can also be linked to genre expectations: for instance a lot of psychological thrillers are written in the first person singular, which often works well for this genre and may even be expected.