Which POV is best for getting to know / like the hero

morngnstar · Jan 14, 2016

So far the POV structure of my book is like this:

Ch. 1: heroine's POV, hero not present
Ch. 2: hero's POV, with heroine
Ch. 3: heroine's POV, hero not present
Ch. 4: heroine's POV, hero not present
Ch. 5: switching POVs; they're sometimes together
Ch. 6: hero's POV, with heroine
Ch. 7 (first scene): heroine's POV, with hero

As you can see, the balance of the story has been tipped toward the heroine. I want the hero to get more "screen time". But what shows him better, her POV or his? Should I continue in her POV, or switch back to his?

An added challenge is the language barrier. She understands only basic English. By the end of the book, she'll be functional in English, and he in Russian, but for now, actions speak louder than words. If it's her POV, I can't reveal anything complex about his inner thoughts through dialogue.

odubhthaigh2207 · Jan 14, 2016

Her POV gives us a greater chance in liking the character. We get that insight into who she is w/o having to use too much flowery language to try and get the reader to understand her. On the down side, too much internal dialog and it feels skittish. Personally, I love the internal stuff - we've all got it, regardless of time/place/dimension. But the switching of POVs in the CH5 and beyond gets tricky because you're focusing on both. Maybe go 3rd person when they're both interacting at an equal clip?

StoryofWoe · Jan 14, 2016

The way you have it set up looks fine to me. Some romance novels don't even feature the hero's POV, but readers fall in love with him just the same (assuming the writer has done a good job of presenting him through the heroine's eyes). As for what shows him better, what are you trying to get across? His thoughts and feelings about the heroine, or his actions? Try approaching each scene with this question in mind, and then write it from the most interesting POV. If he's doing something nice for her, it might make more sense to write it from hers, so the reader can empathize with how good he's making her feel. If you want the reader to know for certain what he's thinking and how he's feeling, then write it from his POV. I think showing the heroine's confusion and appreciation of his kindness in her POV could be really sweet. Same with his observations of her body language from his POV.

As long as he's in the scene, readers will have a chance to get to know him. The rest is just scaffolding.

morngnstar · Jan 14, 2016

Thanks for the tips. I think I've realized one thing I want to be achieved by the end of the next scene is that they're both in love. I've got him falling in love in the previous chapter (in his POV). I think the best way to show she's in love is in her POV. I think I've got good events likely to make her fall in love, but the only way for the reader to know for sure is in her POV.

Evangeline · Jan 15, 2016

Often, the character with the most at stake, and who will experience the greatest change, will dominate your POV as you're writing.

Don't feel like you have to feature the hero in abundance if the story doesn't feel like it's going in that direction.

Also, you don't have to be in a character's POV to show their characterization or feelings. If your heroine is in love, we ought to be able to see it through his eyes, otherwise, how are readers to believe in the HEA if the hero (in his POV) can't tell?

morngnstar · Jan 15, 2016

Well I think by the end he can tell, but at this point they will both be in love, but neither knows the other is yet. I want the reader to know though. I think the combination of the reader knowing and the characters not knowing makes the reader root for them to find out.

Captcha · Jan 16, 2016

Are there reactions/thoughts you want the reader to know that can only be shown through the hero's POV? Then you need to make sure you have enough POV time to make all that clear.

Otherwise? I'd match the POV to the plot, as Evangeline suggests.

morngnstar · Jan 16, 2016

Captcha said:
Are there reactions/thoughts you want the reader to know that can only be shown through the hero's POV?

Well I'd like to get both character's reactions and thoughts all the time. In previous drafts, before I knew what I was doing, I was head-hopping like crazy. This whole sequence is about the hero doing things for the heroine's benefit, and I'd like to show how he's gratified when she's pleased. But I've already shown some of that. The major change in this scene is that the heroine is falling in love, so it should be her POV.

Which POV is best for getting to know / like the hero

morngnstar

odubhthaigh2207

StoryofWoe

Sick and pale with grief.

morngnstar

Evangeline

Twirling in a glass of champagne

morngnstar

Captcha

morngnstar