Your Opinion on Multiple Characters in First-Person...

Kelsey · Apr 16, 2010

My novel is told from the POV of four main characters, and in what I have written so far, have each of those four main characters using first person in their respective chapters. How do people feel about this?

I know Jodi Picoult pulls this off rather successfully, but she is Jodi Picoult. I recently read The Elegance of the Hedgehog, where the author does the same thing, but this is only between two characters. I think my characters have unique voices and perspectives, but will have to verify this through betas once it's completely finished. I have tried rewriting a chapter or two in third person, but I just don't know that it is evoking the same emotions with the limited perspective.

Just hoping for some opinions...Thanks in advance.

bglashbrooks · Apr 16, 2010

Kelsey said:
My novel is told from the POV of four main characters, and in what I have written so far, have each of those four main characters using first person in their respective chapters. How do people feel about this?

I know Jodi Picoult pulls this off rather successfully, but she is Jodi Picoult. I recently read The Elegance of the Hedgehog, where the author does the same thing, but this is only between two characters. I think my characters have unique voices and perspectives, but will have to verify this through betas once it's completely finished. I have tried rewriting a chapter or two in third person, but I just don't know that it is evoking the same emotions with the limited perspective.

Just hoping for some opinions...Thanks in advance.

I think it would have to be done very carefully, organization-wise. And you'd have to be absolutely certain that your character voices were distinct. You don't want to confuse the reader, so they'd have to know almost immediately who is speaking.

My first novel is first person, but it is strictly from the MC's pov. I'll admit that was very hard to do, but I think it made the book much stronger, as the readers didn't have to 'get used' to another character's thought processes. Does having yours in four first person POVs make the story as strong as it can possibly be? If it does--or doesn't--that is the answer.

Best of luck
Bridget

cameron_chapman · Apr 16, 2010

The Poisonwood Bible (Barbara Kingsolver) was done in just that way. It's one of my favorite books. She simply titled each chapter with the POV character's name. No confusion that way. It was interesting to see the same events from 2, 3 or 4 viewpoints, each of whom pointed out different things about the same event, or had a different take on what something meant.

Kelsey · Apr 16, 2010

Ah, I forgot about The Poisonwood Bible. I was planning on substituting a chapter name with the name of the character speaking, a la Jodi Picoult.

I think my novel is stronger this way. It's character-driven, and so it helps to "feel" along with the characters.

Thanks guys.

pixiejuice · Apr 16, 2010

I'm doing this in my novel too - first person narrative, between two characters. And I'm also going to go the route of labeling each chapter with the character's name. My favorite example of this is Charles Baxter's The Feast of Love, which was first person between several characters - at least four, maybe more, I can't remember at the moment. And like noted above, you have to be very careful about distinguishing the voices. The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz is another excellent example.

Also you have to make sure each character is just as interesting to read about. As soon as your reader leaves that first narrator, they'll naturally feel disappointed (if you were doing a good job, lol!), so you have to come in strong with the second, and third, and then fourth if you're doing that many.

It's a challenge for sure, but I'm fascinated by this narrative style, and I think it's a really interesting way to explore a common conflict from multiple angles.

PoppysInARow · Apr 16, 2010

I would be very careful about this. I am one to admit that I can't stand this way of writing. First person, in my opinion, should be through the eyes of one character telling his/her story. I don't like when it jumps, because then it should be told with third limited.

However, this was done very successfully in Perfect Chemistry, and I loved that book. It has been done, and it has been done well. But I'm very unsure about it, and am reluctant to pick up a book in a store that switches pov.

However, in the end, you are the author of your own book. Every rule in writing has been broken, and broken successfully. If you think this is what works best for your novel, do it. And if you reach the end and your betas say it doesn't work, then at least you know for sure.

Blackest_Nite · Apr 16, 2010

I really love it when authors do this as long as its clear enough for the reader to understand what pov each part is in.

Rubicon · Apr 16, 2010

I think when switching pov-characters regardless if its written in first or third you always run the risk of the reader enjoying one view over the other. But when using first i think its an even thinner line because if its not handled well the effect can be very jarring.

brainstorm77 · Apr 16, 2010

I've read books like this and have enjoyed them. Best of luck with it

willietheshakes · Apr 16, 2010

I did this with Before I Wake -- it got quite a positive response.

Enzo · Apr 17, 2010

I've read several books in 1st POV - for one or several characters - and I liked them all.
In one of my WIPs, I will have 2 characters - one a man, the other a woman - in 1st POV in different chapters, and other less important characters in 3rd.

InsanitySquares · Apr 17, 2010

I've tried writing a YA/MG it, didn't get far. I do like it when authors do this, though, and I probably will return to using it one day. It just didn't fit my story, but go for it if it'll work for you.

Lady Ice · Apr 17, 2010

Kelsey said:
I think my novel is stronger this way. It's character-driven, and so it helps to "feel" along with the characters.

Novels can be character-driven without using that technique. One of my ideas on the backburner is a novel told in third omni with a relatively big cast and I consider that character-driven. Yes, I could do it in multiple first but I think that would be less subtle.

Are they 4 equal POVs? There's a danger that you might end up muddling the story with that, as you're never with a character long enough to feel that they're the main character. Also a danger that the reader really only likes one POV and gets annoyed that you don't explore that deeper enough.

And please don't just create 4 characatures just to make the POVs sound different. Comes across badly.

Shelbs · Apr 17, 2010

I think it's very, very difficult to pull off. (I actually don't think I could do it without creating a complete disaster.) But I do think that in general, it's easier to pull off in adult books rather than juvenile fiction - mainly, because since adult novels are longer, you can spend more time with each voice and get to know them better.

BUT THE HISTORY OF LOVE uses multiple first-person narrators splendidly, and it's one of my favorite books!

Good luck with this!

larocca · Apr 17, 2010

When you switch POVs, switch chapters, and make it very obvious in the first sentence of the new chapter that you have switched POVs. By the time you've finished writing 4 chapters from POVs, I think your readers will expect the changes in POV, so that'll help.

My new novel switches to alternate realities from time to time, and I needed to let the reader know even though the first-person POV storyteller obviously could not. Also a tricky transition. I think I've got it now.

Good luck!

Ellefire · Apr 17, 2010

I've written two novels like this, and it seems to work better than 3rd person. I am currently rewriting two novels into one novel and I've got three narrators: Noah, Raine and Lauren.

For much of the story, Noah and Raine do not cross paths with Lauren and I couldn't do it with just one first person viewpoint. I tried to change it to third person but it lost something in the telling. I then tried to take either Noah or Raine out, because their story is one side of the coin (with Lauren's being the other), but since Raine is delusional, it reads better for her reality to be explained through her own voice. If only to mislead the reader.

Shahidah · Apr 17, 2010

Hi- I'm a newbie to the this site but not to writing mbs
I too actually have liked the books where I the author gave POV in first person separated by chapters...which I think is more effective and easier for the reader. I think four POVs is probably more than enough to give a reader a complete idea of what is going on in the book just so long as the center theme and be brought together by all four. I think more than four-I haven't read more than four POVs- will get to convoluted. Good luck.
Oh what genre is it? I know sometimes I wish crime thrillers offer more than the one POV and when it is done I really love it which is why I ask what genre.

Kelsey · Apr 17, 2010

Shahidah said:
Oh what genre is it? I know sometimes I wish crime thrillers offer more than the one POV and when it is done I really love it which is why I ask what genre.

It's not a crime thriller, though you are right....a CT would be very interesting from multiple points of view.

Very interesting comments guys, thanks! I forget who said it originally, but I think it's true that, ultimately, I just have to tell the story my own way. I had never thought to write it with alternating PsOV, and yet it just naturally happened. The four characters who all tell their stories are connected only by a common experience and a couple of minor characters who show up in more than one person's story.

Also....and this is going to make a lot of people worried maybe....my TRUE main character will not be telling the story from first person. He is definitely the catalyst, and the one that all of the stories hinge on, but that's the extent of his role.

Claudia Gray · Apr 17, 2010

As long as the voices are distinct, you can do this and have it come off beautifully. But if the voices aren't genuinely different from each other to the point that a reader will know immediately who is who -- rethink.

James D. Macdonald · Apr 17, 2010

Frankenstein is three nested first-person narratives.

Caitlin Black · Apr 18, 2010

I sort of did this with one book myself, only it was 2 POVs (1 male, 1 female) and they each had half a book each - like, the first half is all the guy, the second half is all the gal.

I want to try alternating at some point, but not yet - I have other things to work on before I can try this... I have an idea that would work well with alternating first POVs, but it's not on my to-do list for quite some time.

shaldna · Apr 19, 2010

It can work well, and sometimes it doesn't. When I first read 'Waiting to Exhale' which is an excellant book in all, the POV jumped around so much that sometimes I wasn't sure who I was reading, and I would ahve to go back and reread a bit to work it out.

Begbie · Apr 19, 2010

PORNO by Irvine Welsh is one of the best books I've read that uses multiple 1st person POVs. Rules of Attraction by Bret Easton Ellis is another of my favorites.

Your Opinion on Multiple Characters in First-Person...

Kelsey

Book Slut

bglashbrooks

Currently editing for punctuation..

cameron_chapman

Makes Things Up

Kelsey

Book Slut

pixiejuice

PoppysInARow

Blackest_Nite

Rubbish Poet

Rubicon

brainstorm77

practical experience, FTW

willietheshakes

Gentleman. Scholar. Bastard.

Enzo

InsanitySquares

Lady Ice

Makes useful distinctions

Shelbs

larocca

Proofreader

Ellefire

Citizen Of Planet Random

Shahidah

Kelsey

Book Slut

Claudia Gray

James D. Macdonald

Your Genial Uncle

Caitlin Black

Wild one

shaldna

The cake is a lie. But still cake.

Begbie

Quite a character