Ran into a problem with POV

[mdmkay]

I have been writing a YA novel from the POV of the main character Kathy and have been being good about staying with her POV. However, about 2/3 through the story she is kidnapped and I want to have the remaining characters reaction to her abduction and give the reader the advantage of knowing who the other main characters believe took her vs. who really took her. I already cheated a bit when I put in a scene where 2 of the characters bump into each other in the forest (a really good scene) where Kathy isn't present but it's short and gets right back to camp where she is present................have I got myself in big trouble here or can I take the artist's privilege as long as I don't get carried away with it?

[Katiba]

I prefer it when a book with multiple point of views introduces all the POVs fairly early in the book - unless you're switching POVs completely (i.e. Sarah Waters Fingersmith - sorry, I can't think of a comparable YA title at the moment). I would suggest you go back and weave the second point of view - maybe whoever is the POV character in the scene in the forest - into the book from earlier on - so that this POV switch is not too abrupt.

Another suggestion might be to alter the format for a bit - for example, include some conversations in IM, or excerpts of e-mails or interviews in the newspaper, (I'm not sure what's appropriate for your book, but you get the idea). I don't think this would be jarring, and this way you could get people's ideas about what happened to the missing girl across without really switching POV.

Finally you might consider just labeling it Part 2. If you ended Part 1 with the event of the kidnapping, and opening with the new POV, this could be quite dramatic. However it might be difficult to switch back into the main character's POV later, if that's what you plan to do.

Of course this is just my opinion - maybe other people don't mind late intro'd POVs, but this is something that usually pulls me out of a story.

[mdmkay]

I started out the book with multiple POV's and when I shared part of it I was told in no uncertain terms I should stay with only the main characters pov throughout but I really don't find the change jarring because it's more there reaction to Kathy being taken and then within a few paragraphs I'm back with Kathy's POV again. I realise that there are not set in stone rules about what you have to do but I was just checking in to see if I was making a real mistake here but the more I think about it ....it would be more of an abrupt change to only go with Kathy and not know what happpened to the other characters when she was kidnapped. And their plan to rescue her ...no matter who has her but they have to take a small side trip to find the Gryphon who knows where the shunned herd live that have her.

[watcher]

Uncle Jim says, "If it works, do it." (Maybe not his exact words.)

Why not include it in your first draft; make it a new chapter if you can, and decide in the second draft whether it works or not.

Go with your gut in the first draft, it can't hurt, and you never know what you might learn!

[mdmkay]

thanks watcher for you wise words. I came to the same conclusion. The object is to write the best book you can not how close you can stick to every rule. It was on the second run through I decided they were right in sticking with only Kathy's POV. It did read much better until up to this point so I just put it in a chapter which worked out really well from where I started to diviate from just her POV and it all ended up working out quite well I think. Luckily since it isn't in the first of the book it won't be a point that a publisher's acceptance or denial would be based on anyway (most likely) and if they want me to change in gallies then that could be done. I just personally like it much better this way.

[Bufty]

I can't see anything wrong in switching POV so long as it serves a purpose and adds to the story. If the girl's been kidnapped you have to switch POV if you're not staying in the kidnapper's lair - no?

[Inspired]

Single point of view is very important in younger children's books. But, at the YA level several authors play around with multiple POVs. Make it obvious and it shouldn't be a problem. There are several YA with shifting POVs (one per chapter, though) out there today.