Right off the bat, let’s clarify: Perspective and Point of View (POV) are two different things. Perspective is the character-speaker-narrator through which you want to tell your story or poem. POV is how that character tells the story (in first, second or third person).
One of the first choices a writer makes when conceptualizing a piece of writing is to decide who is the speaker in their piece. The choice of speaker defines how the reader enters the story or poem and where their attention is directed. Perspective is as important in writing as it is in visual art because when well-chosen, it enriches the writing by imparting depth, controlling mood, allowing the layering of thought and language, and positioning the reader vis a vis the story.
Source: Unknown
When choosing perspective, ask yourself:
Who can best carry the story/poem?
You may choose to tell a story from the perspective of a single, strong character or have several characters tell the story. You could decide to write from the perspective of a sherrif, or a dog or a rock or even all three by turns for that matter depending on what you think will drive your narrative forward. The idea is to choose a perspective that can best sustain your narrative.
What limitations will it impose?
Choice of perspective, like any other element of writing, creates parameters which a writer has to honour in order for the writing to emerge as cogent and credible. For example, if you choose to write from the perspective of a child, then everything that drives the narrative forward – observations, language, style will mirror that decision. To have the child express the viewpoints of an adult or use adult language would weaken the perspective unless you have set up your writing to invert the rules or be fantastical.
How will it enrich the writing?
The character(s) a writer chooses is not just a matter of who can tell the story and take it from beginning to end but who can tell the story well. Can the character convey a nuanced narrative with emotional and narrative depth befitting the story? Will the reader be able to get the narrow as well as wide angle view of the story? Will the perspective bring the reader to a sense of immersion in the story?
Hope this was helpful in thinking about perspective in your writing.
Until next week!
Zakia R. Khwaja
Hi Donald,
A creative writing group seems like a fantastic idea! I’m not sure: are you asking me to contribute to discussions? I would love to but might not be able to do so regularly. Along with office work, I am instructor for a 10-week poetry course, am running the blog, working on my poetry manuscript and submitting my work to journals.
Your comment about the blog post is noted. Thanks for pointing that out. I usually write the blog, the way I would talk because I like to keep the tone more conversational than academically correct since I do enough picking apart of language while writing poems :). I do see what you’re saying though and appreciate your pointing that out.
Donald Miller
Hi Zakia, I have a creative writing group that I’m beginning, The idea is for student writers, like myself to learn writing through discussions. For instance,if I were talking with you about this post, I’d mention that “Right off the bat, let’s clarify:” is unnecessary. I’d also mention that “POV is how that character tells the story (in first, second or third person)” isn’t quite correct because the “that character” is not always the narrator.
And you would do the same thing for me, and we’d learn together with other students. Hope you like the idea.