Thinking about POV...

[mugenmine]

POV has always been a bit of a mystery to me. I grapple with it quite often, finding the appropriate POV for the story.  There is no one size fits all solution. I'm always amazed by folks who can pull off the first person POV. I've never been able to do it. I enjoy reading it but when I write it, it always feels too much like me, and I need to have some separation between me and the characters I write. I've read some awesome John Watson first person POV out there. Very interesting and such a different headspace.

I didn't think I liked writing close third person POV, I usually do omniscient third, but working on these John fics has kind of changed my opinion of it.  I enjoy lodging myself tick-like into the mind of a character, trying to get the intimacy of first person but keeping that separation.  It's difficult for me but something I'm really trying to hone as I continue to write these things.  

A POV I've just learned about is the char/reader second person POV. I saw a list of Sherlock/Reader, Moriaty/reader stories and was like what is this new thing? It's a bit like choose your own adventure... Moriarty looks as you... It's not something I'm interested in doing myself but seems like it could be very cool if implemented well... A choose your own adventure story would be fun to do!! hrm...

I've been putting off starting this original fic piece for quite some time. It's floating around, half formed but it's been a slog to start. I've been trying omniscient third but I think the problem is I want to get in a bit closer. It's a bit daunting, hobbling your reader and giving them ONLY what your POV character gets but that can keep it interesting as well, and surprising. It forces you to keep your POV char compelling and allows you to get inside and play with whatever internal drama is there.  

So I think I'm going to try it again, move in to a tighter focus on my main character and see if i can find the same feeling that I get when writing my AU John. The characters are night and day, so it will be an interesting new headspace to poke around in...  Now I have to work on my world building skills. I don't have a collective consciousness to work with as I do in Sherlock BBC, ah the convenience of not having to describe what the main characters look like...

It's a fun challenge... So much to learn!!!!

Comments

[percygranger]

It's funny, POV is not something I really think about much. I just start the story, and what is there, is how it goes. Generally, I stick to close third person. Sometimes the omniscient is better, but not that often.

First person POV intimidates me. Like you said, it's putting the character too close to yourself (although I certainly do insert my own reactions/personality quirks/likes/dislikes into characters as appropriate.)

It's funny, I read this, then started reading through the meme pages I haven't caught up with yet, and there was a choose your own adventure prompt. The hive mind compels you...

Original fic? Interesting. I'm choosy on what non-fanfic I read out here in the wilds of the internet, but I'm always willing to try something once. :)

I relate, a lot, on having to describe characters. Oh! Something that just came to me, although I doubt it's a new thought: mirrors. Have a character do their bathroom routine, or whatever. Or have another character be trying to psych them up, or hit on them, and then they naturally mention physical stuff. There must be advice on this somewhere.

[mugenmine.livejournal.com]

Mirrors are good! I read one book where they were like, If so and so (the husband) had to describe her (his wife) to others he would say... and then they launched into the description and I kind of laughed, I was like I know what you're doing here. But it was definitely one way :-)

As for orig fic, it's just one of my goals, write something novel length, it's been a challenge I've always wanted to overcome but have been to skittish to try... so it's on the to do list. The goal is to get from start to finish :-)

[percygranger]

That's one way to do it... :) Some of the Gundam Wing fanfic I've read (Hell, any fandom with newbie authors) describe the characters despite there being no need to do so. It's like they think "He's so beautiful. It must be shared with the world!" And then they use overly specific and flattering terms (in omniscient third person, of course). It makes me squint a little, and be really glad we're both past that stage. (Semi-related side note: when writers skimp on description and break the fourth wall by saying stuff like, "He smiled in that trademark way of his," it makes me shudder.)

Best of luck on the novel. I have no aspirations towards that anymore. Originally, I wanted to write long stuff, because I read long stuff, makes sense, right? But my style is short and concise, that's just the way it comes out. It took me a while, but I've accepted that.

However, I have absolutely no problem supporting you in your goals. -chants- Go, mugen, go!