Presto POV

Greetings, Wizard Writers!

Point of view, or POV, can be difficult or confusing for the beginning writer. The key to POV is to first learn the basic types—first-person, second-person, and third-person—and then stick to one in writing. Opening a story with a specific POV serves as a contract with the reader, letting them know who is telling the story and who they should pay attention to for the duration of the book. Of course we can play around with POV when more experienced, and there are a few advanced types of POV, but for now, the basics will suffice. And they are pretty easy to learn. So let’s wave our magic wands, watch the glitter fall to the page, and get going with Presto POV!

First-person POV 

“I am waving my magic wand.”

This is writing a story from the point of view of one person, or the “I” perspective. Traditionally, these stories are a bit more personalized for the reader. The readers are privy to only the main character’s (or speaker’s) thoughts and experiences, and this creates a tight bond between the reader and the main speaker. The downside is that a little perspective is lost, particularly in regard to the side characters. Everything is filtered through the “I” speaker, with only his or her thoughts and impressions. Still, this POV is popular and used in many novels for strong connections and strong voice. It is especially popular in teen novels. 

Second-person POV

“You are waving your magic wand.”

Second-person POV is rarely used, and when it is, it’s usually to offset a small section of a novel or for literary experimentation. It brings a reader right into the story as the “you” character, but after a few paragraphs, it becomes a bit tiresome. 

Third-person POV

“Celesta is waving her magic wand.”

There are a few types of third-person point of views. Let’s first focus on the close third-person POV. Imagine a camera sitting on your character’s shoulder, and you, as the writer, are the camera. You will see the world only through your character’s perspective and write in the “he” or “she” construction. Here, we are with the character, witnessing the world through their viewpoint. You can focus on one character only here, or change the chapter and stay close to a different character.

The next type of third-person POV is further away, and here, you can envision a camera that pulls away from the character(s) and sees all. You would still be using “he” or “she” when writing, but you have some room to play and can dive into any scene, location, or mind with ease, telling all. It’s also called the “God” POV, as you are basically omnipresent. 

The most important thing to remember when starting out with writing is to stay consistent with POV. You don’t want to use first-person in one paragraph and then change to third-person in the next, as this will confuse the reader. In the beginning, I would recommend identifying the POV in a book you love, sitting down at the computer or writing desk, and copying down a few paragraphs of that book until you feel comfortable using POV in your own works. 

What suggestions or stories do you have about using POV in writing? Post them in the comments!

*Remember to check back next week for some Valentine's Day themed posts from The Wizard of Writing!