Different POV question: changing POV mid-series

Carrie in PA · Oct 30, 2014

I have no idea what I'll end up doing here, but I thought I'd throw it out to see what you guys think. For NaNo, I'm doing Book 3 of the series I'm working on.

Basically, Book 1's MC is Casey. When I was almost finished with it, her friend Tabitha decided she needed her own book.

Book 2 follows Tabitha. A minor character in Tab's book, Betsy, decided she was next.

Book 3 follows Betsy. (And I already have an idea for Book 4, which will follow a minor character from Betsy's story.)

So here's my dilemma. Books 1 & 2 are 3rd person, and they both work very well from that POV. Betsy's story, though, will work better in 1st person. Would you find it jarring if Book 3 of a series you were reading jumped to 1st person?

Each book is stand-alone, but I'm kind of thinking they should all follow the same sort of stylistic format, so I feel like I should stick to 3rd.

On the other hand, I think I'll be able to make greater progress if I write it in 1st, and I can always change it later, right? :Shrug:

Osulagh · Oct 30, 2014

Why first? And why do you feel like you'll make greater progress in first?

I can see changing POVs between characters between books, but changing the narrative style might urk me as a reader. I would need a really good reason why the third book of the series is written in first.

Chris P · Oct 30, 2014

I'm trying to think if I've ever encountered this, but I can't remember if I have. That either means 1) it's just not done, 2) it's done and doesn't bother me so I don't notice, or 3) I'm not paying enough attention.

But does a change from 3rd to 1st by itself make it stylistically different? I don't think it necessarily has to. I think you can quite easily preserve the flavor of the first two in the third, even with the change in POV. Go for it.

Siri Kirpal · Oct 30, 2014

Sat Nam! (Literally "Truth Name"--a Sikh greeting)

If they're all stand alones anyway, it wouldn't bother me at all. Third book of a tight trilogy, yeah, I'd mind.

Blessings,

Siri Kirpal

K.S. Crooks · Oct 30, 2014

I am currently reading the third book in a series. In books 1 and 2 it is told in the main characters first person. Book 3 is first person of the initial main character and a second one. This character view alternates per chapter.
I have read books like this before but I do find this more annoying because I was so used to one person's perspective. I find I have to remind myself who the "I" is referring to.
If your books are completely stand alone then I say go ahead and change the perspective. If there is some continuation of major plot lines then stick with what you were doing. Good luck.

StoryofWoe · Oct 30, 2014

If it's characters from the same universe, I'd stick to a consistent perspective. It may not technically be a series, but it's close enough, and I know I'd probably find it a bit disorienting. I'm curious, what makes you think you can't tell this character's story as effectively from third person?

Carrie in PA · Oct 31, 2014

Thanks, everyone!

StoryofWoe said:
If it's characters from the same universe, I'd stick to a consistent perspective. It may not technically be a series, but it's close enough, and I know I'd probably find it a bit disorienting.

That's my gut feeling. They're all connected by virtue of living in the same place and knowing each other, even though their stories are completely stand alone.

StoryofWoe said:
I'm curious, what makes you think you can't tell this character's story as effectively from third person?

It's not that I can't or even shouldn't write it in 3rd, but the POV kind of "appears" with the voices in my head. LOL It's just one of those things. I've had some stories come to me that are just naturally 3rd person, and some that come to me in 1st. Since this one just kind of came to my mind as 1st, I feel like it'd feel more natural to write it that way (ergo, easier to write that way).

Alli B. · Oct 31, 2014

Personal preference: I hate when a series isn't consistent. I've seen where it was necessary to change things up a bit for a few reasons, and it still bothers me.

Thomas Vail · Oct 31, 2014

It would be a jarring change, but if you feel you can tell a better story using the first person... *shrug* You can't really argue if people end up liking it.

Once! · Nov 1, 2014

I'm about to do something similar. Book one is written in first from one character's POV. Book two will be written in the first person perspective of one of the other characters.

But switching from third to first within the same series? I can't think of an example of that being done before. It might work, it might be a stroke of genius, but it seems risky.

Mr Flibble · Nov 1, 2014

Once! said:
But switching from third to first within the same series? I can't think of an example of that being done before. It might work, it might be a stroke of genius, but it seems risky.

Patricia Cornwell's Scarpetta series switches from first to third later on (and from past to present, I think). Not universally popular IIRC but she's still swimming in money sooo....

Once! · Nov 1, 2014

I'm sure that just about every trick has been tried by someone at some time. After all, doesn't Amazon list more than a million books?

Mr Flibble · Nov 1, 2014

Indeed. Personally I wasn't fond of the switch but it seems to have worked for plenty of people.

Anyway, like everything else, it can be done. The trick is doing it well.

WriteMinded · Nov 1, 2014

I would expect Book 3 to follow the model of Books 1 & 2. If I loved the first books, I would probably buy the 3rd without giving it a once-over. (I usually order my books from Amazon and don't "Look Inside" the ones written by my favorite authors.) I am not fond of 1st person, so I'd be kicking myself for making assumptions. A comment on the back cover about it being written from that perspective would be helpful.

benbenberi · Nov 1, 2014

Steven Brust's Vlad Taltos series (14 books so far) is written mainly in 1st person, with Vlad as the narrator. Book 7, however, was all 3rd person: the primary POV was a new character, the other was an animal. It was an interesting change of pace, but the book was not well received by a lot of readers, and while Brust continues to experiment with narrative he has pretty much stuck with his 1st person narrator since then.

Jamesaritchie · Nov 1, 2014

I can remember who wrote it, but I once read a trilogy where book one was first person from the POV of the protagonist. Book two was third person from the POV of one of the enemy. Book three went back to the first person POV of the protagonist.

I remember thinking it worked pretty well, but not well enough to make me remember who the writer was.

tko · Nov 1, 2014

tight 3rd?

Honestly, there is little difference in feel between tight 3rd and 1st--just a pronoun away. I wouldn't even notice if done well. And I'm speaking from fact, some of my favorite writers switch from 1st to 3rd with the same character and I didn't notice (w/a year between novels), and you have different characters.

The style and pacing was kept the same though.

WriteMinded · Nov 2, 2014

Jamesaritchie said:
I can remember who wrote it, but I once read a trilogy where book one was first person from the POV of the protagonist. Book two was third person from the POV of one of the enemy. Book three went back to the first person POV of the protagonist.

I remember thinking it worked pretty well, but not well enough to make me remember who the writer was.

That kind of switch would not bother me so much. But a change from 3rd to 1st, that I wouldn't like.

Ellie_2014 · Nov 2, 2014

It's completely up to you - I'm sure I've seen this done before. However, as a reader, I prefer it when POV remains consistent.

Carrie in PA · Nov 2, 2014

I decided to stick with 3rd. So far, so good.

A_Read · Nov 2, 2014

Only books I've read that I can remember doing this were the Cotswold Mystery series by Rebecca Tope. The first two were 3rd, focused on the MC. Then the third switched and was in 1st from the POV of another character. Subsequent books went back to 3rd of original MC. All I will say is that it took me almost a chapter to realize that the "I's" in book 3 were not referring to the normal MC.

Jack McManus · Nov 2, 2014

Lee Child's Jack Reacher series switches from first to third POV, usually all from the MC's (Reacher) perspective though.

Different POV question: changing POV mid-series

Carrie in PA

Write All The Words!

Osulagh

Independent fluffy puppy.

Chris P

Likes metaphors mixed, not stirred

Siri Kirpal

Swan in Process

K.S. Crooks

StoryofWoe

Sick and pale with grief.

Carrie in PA

Write All The Words!

Alli B.

Thomas Vail

What?

Once!

Still confused by shoelaces

Mr Flibble

They've been very bad, Mr Flibble

Once!

Still confused by shoelaces

Mr Flibble

They've been very bad, Mr Flibble

WriteMinded

Derailed

benbenberi

practical experience, FTW

Jamesaritchie

tko

just thanks fore everything

WriteMinded

Derailed

Ellie_2014

Carrie in PA

Write All The Words!

A_Read

Jack McManus

smoothopr8r