How many POVs are too many POVs?

emeraldcite · Feb 19, 2007

With my current WIP, I have a number of POV characters, some more important than others.

So far, I have two distinct story lines that relate to one main event. Through these two storylines, there are four POV characters, with the possibility of another.

Is this too many?

maestrowork · Feb 19, 2007

The answer is 42.

Seriously, this is like asking "how long should a chapter be?" There's really no right answer. I think it really depends on your story, how you want to tell it, and how you want your readers to experience it. Generally speaking, there's a trade-off. Too many POVs, you risk losing your focus or disallowing your readers to bond with any one of your characters. Too few, you risk not being able to tell the whole story (limited view points, etc.).

blacbird · Feb 19, 2007

When the first reader gets confused, that's when you have too many POVs.

caw

Simon Woodhouse · Feb 19, 2007

The most I've had is three, and I thought that was almost too many.

maestrowork · Feb 19, 2007

My first novel had one. My WIP has two -- I almost wanted to add a third (just to get a different perspective/fuller picture), but decided that it was really a story of two people and should remain so.

scarletpeaches · Feb 19, 2007

maestrowork said:
The answer is 42.

No, that's the answer to "How many roads must a man walk down?"

PeeDee · Feb 19, 2007

scarletpeaches said:
No, that's the answer to "How many roads must a man walk down?"

Now we can go on the Tri-Dimensional Talk Show Circuit and be rich!

...

When you have too many POVs for the readers to keep track of, that's too many.

Michael Murphy · Feb 20, 2007

If you're asking the question, there are probably too many POVs. It could be a symptom of lazy writing. Go back to the scene with a new POV character, and if your protagonist is in the scene, maybe you can rewrite it from that person's POV. If you think you need the internal thoughts of an additional person, it's still possible to convey what a person is thinking even if they're not POV character, through their actions and reactions, such as the time my wife threw a shoe across the room and a heal stuck in the wall. I knew exactly what her internal thoughts and emotions were without being inside her head!

Michael Murphy
Suspense is just a click away...
www.mjmurphy.com

AceTachyon · Feb 20, 2007

The answer is 42.

No, that's the answer to "How many roads must a man walk down?"

Now we can go on the Tri-Dimensional Talk Show Circuit and be rich!

MAJIKTHISE: Here now, Vroomfondel, why don't we ever think of things like that?

VROOMFONDEL: I dunno. Guess our minds must be too highly trained, Majikthise.

Seriously, though....

As previously pointed out, when you start to lose track of who's telling what story, that's too many POVs.

That's just my 2 cents...

virtue_summer · Feb 20, 2007

Think about why you're using the different viewpoints. That should tell you if it's necessary or not. Some people use multiple points of view because they need to show different things happening in different places. This is the case in my work in progress where the three main viewpoint characters have yet to interact (their storylines come together later.) Or are you using multiple points of view because you need a few different perspectives? In this case, are the perspectives really different enough to justify? Or are you just using them to use them? Some writers seem to feel that if a character exists they have to give them viewpoint scenes. That, I think, is the worst reason. So think about your story. What does it seem to demand?

TrainofThought · Feb 20, 2007

I don’t think four POVs are too many as long as the reader can follow the story. To be sure, post a chapter where there is a switch in POV and see if the beta readers have a problem with it.

PeeDee · Feb 20, 2007

AceTachyon said:
MAJIKTHISE: Here now, Vroomfondel, why don't we ever think of things like that?

VROOMFONDEL: I dunno. Guess our minds must be too highly trained, Majikthise.

Any more jokes like that, and I'll hook you up and read you....some poetry!

Michael Dracon · Feb 20, 2007

In my novel I'll have anywhere between 3 and 5, depending on the version of the draft. There is 3 MCs that I follow around constantly. And then there is 1 or 2 that will very likely be added later on. It's a gradual process, starting with 2 in chapter 1, but the 4th and 5th won't get in until about 3/4 of the way.

As long as you don't bomb people with all views early on it won't be that much of a problem.

Even with TV series that have loads of characters we'll often only see a few POVs early on and get to know the rest later.

scarletpeaches · Feb 20, 2007

I want Hotblack Desiato to record the soundtrack to my book when it's made into a movie.

PeeDee · Feb 20, 2007

scarletpeaches said:
I want Hotblack Desiato to record the soundtrack to my book when it's made into a movie.

It'll be awhile. He'll be dead soon for tax purposes. I'd call him, but I can't find the black button on this black control panel, even with the black lights turned up full.

Robyn · Feb 20, 2007

I agree with most of what has been stated. Depends on the story being told. My first novel had 4 POV... my second. 3 my third 3. My current WIP? 2 thus far. If you feel there are too many most likely you may want to go back through it. Read it aloud if needed or as someone who might just be picking up the book for the first time. that always helps me when I'm unsure.

alaskamatt17 · Feb 20, 2007

The amount that Harry Turtledove used in Into the Darkness. I'm not sure how many POV characters he had, but it didn't work for me.

The Scip · Feb 20, 2007

Stephen King's From a Buick 8 had three or four different POV, he switched back and forth from chapter to chapter. I listened to it on Audiobook and it worked real well, i'm not sure how it was reading it though.

How many POVs are too many POVs?

emeraldcite

Art is Resistance

maestrowork

Fear the Death Ray

blacbird

Simon Woodhouse

maestrowork

Fear the Death Ray

scarletpeaches

PeeDee

Where's my tea, please...?

Michael Murphy

AceTachyon

Odd person

virtue_summer

Always learning

TrainofThought

A flowering bud of bitchiness

PeeDee

Where's my tea, please...?

Michael Dracon

Urban Fantasy Geek

scarletpeaches

PeeDee

Where's my tea, please...?

Robyn

alaskamatt17

The Scip

...walks this way.