Another point of view question

[Ella]

I am writing a novella, about 20,000 words.
Each chapter is from a character's pov, third person - mostly back & forth between the two main characters. However, I have two crucial chapters where I want it from two other characters' pov. Is this something that annoys readers? (We do see these people during the rest of the story.) I am hoping that my story is short enough that it works - I wouldn't try it in anything longer.

[Note On]

I am writing a novella, about 20,000 words.
Each chapter is from a character's pov, third person - mostly back & forth between the two main characters. However, I have two crucial chapters where I want it from two other characters' pov. Is this something that annoys readers? (We do see these people during the rest of the story.) I am hoping that my story is short enough that it works - I wouldn't try it in anything longer.

Anything you do will annoy some readers, but the better you do it, the fewer it will annoy.

The more you depart from formula, the easier it is for a certain kind of reader to get annoyed. On the other hand, it's also annoying when a writer breaks her own rules for what doesn't seem like a good enough reason. Are you sure there's no way to deal with the information in those chapters without breaking out of your two established POVs?

[maestrowork]

Is there a specific reason why you "must" present the story through the minor characters' POV? Can you think of ways to tell the story of "what happened elsewhere" without switching the POVs? The thing is, for a short story like a novella, it can be annoying if you switch POV mid-way, then back just so you can tell the other part of the story. A lot of times it makes the editor think "you're not skilled enough to keep your POVs straight." As for the readers, they have invested a lot in following TWO characters already, and suddenly you ask them to follow someone else -- it can get annoying.

One way to do that "what happened elsewhere?" is by using the "fly on the wall" method -- basically, you briefly switch to a 3rd objective/camera POV. You don't go inside the minor characters' minds at all... you just observe. That way, your readers don't feel like they have to now invest in these characters, too. You will be able to present your story outside of your main characters' POVs, without breaking that character/reader relationship.

But don't forget the basic rule: do what works. If you can somehow pull it off, then why not. Just realize that you have more to risk and if you don't do it well, it can be very disappointing...

[James D. Macdonald]

If it doesn't work one way, try it another in the next draft. You don't have anything to lose by experimenting.