Doris Egan on POV, part one

HConn · Apr 6, 2007

http://tightropegirl.livejournal.com/14092.html

Lot's of interesting posts in her LJ.

For those who don't know, Doris Egan is a novelist and TV writer who writes for HOUSE.

Claudia Gray · Apr 6, 2007

Great link. She has great, very sound advice.

The Lady · Apr 6, 2007

I'm real interested in her position on omniscient third. Looking forward to reading that.

Carmy · Apr 6, 2007

Excellent. I'm looking forward to her view of omniscient third.

Killian · Apr 6, 2007

Wonerful advice! Thanks for the link.

HConn · Apr 7, 2007

Part 2:

http://tightropegirl.livejournal.com/14528.html

The Lady · Apr 7, 2007

Her omniscient discussion was good. And was there just a hint that it's coming back into favour. To think that Jonathan Strange and Mr Norell was written in omniscient third. And there's no doubt about it, that's been one of the best books I've read in quite a while.

HConn · Apr 7, 2007

I loved Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell.

Another book that handled omniscient well was Inda by Sherwood Smith. Head-hopping done right.

MacAllister · Apr 7, 2007

Sherwood Smith is an all-around terrific writer, and an awfully nice person. I've followed her lj for a long time, too. Thanks for this link, HConn.

David I · Apr 7, 2007

Nice essay. I particularly enjoyed her appreciation of the wonderful inherent discipline involved in first person.

I think we would see less wobbly POVs if people learned to write in first person before going on to third.

Not that first person can't be bent to other ends. Although people often insist first person puts constraints on what can be told (what if the teller wasn't present at the event?), Somerset Maugham managed to finesse this problem in a number of his first-person novels, notably The Razor's Edge and Moon and Sixpence, and I don't think they suffered for it.

For that matter, what's Moby Dick? Omniscient first?

Bo Sullivan · Aug 13, 2007

What a fantastic and informative thread. I have printed out Tightrope walker and will file it away so that I can refer to it whenever I need to.

bt_author · Aug 14, 2007

Very cool journal with interesting advise on all manner of things (side tracked again) - sigh - another evening reading instead of writing. Now I have to stay up and do some real work!

Thanks for the link

Good stuff

BT

Devil Ledbetter · Aug 14, 2007

HConn said:
Part 2:

http://tightropegirl.livejournal.com/14528.html

Excellent article. Thank you.

Doris Egan on POV, part one

HConn

Whore for genre

Claudia Gray

The Lady

Critical Member

Carmy

Killian

HConn

Whore for genre

The Lady

Critical Member

HConn

Whore for genre

MacAllister

Tired and worried.

David I

Bo Sullivan

bt_author

Devil Ledbetter

Come on you stranger, you legend,