Does the entire novel have to have the same "tone"?

Writing Jedi · Feb 27, 2009

Hey all,

Right now I am working on a book that is basically a romance, with two POV characters, the hero and heroine.

In the scenes/chapters from the hero's POV, the tone is dark and spooky because well, dark and spooky things are happening to him.

The scenes from the heroine's POV are more light and fluffy, because that's where things are in her innocent little world, lol.

Now my plan is to make his POV increasingly more light as the heroine sheds light into his world, and hers slightly more dark as she introduced into his world, until finally in the end they are much more in synch.

But in the early chapters, I'm afraid this shift in tone between characters might seem too jarring to readers.

Thoughts? I'd be really interested in what you all have to say.

Thanks!

Zipotes · Feb 27, 2009

As long as the reader knows who's head they're in, it should be okay. I know some title each chapter with the name of the POV person so you know where you're at. Each character has their own distinct personality traits or should.

maestrowork · Feb 27, 2009

I don't think it has to have the same tone through and through, especially if you're writing in 3rd close limited -- in that case, the tone and voice would resemble that of the POV characters. Also, different "sections" of the book may have different tone (for example, if the narrator aged, became a different person, etc.). I would, however, suggest that it has a cohesive theme/general tone (and style) so you're not going all over the place: one minute whimsical and hip and urban, and the next reserved, poetic or proper.

Writing Jedi · Feb 27, 2009

maestrowork said:
I would, however, suggest that it has a cohesive theme/general tone (and style) so you're not going all over the place: one minute whimsical and hip and urban, and the next reserved, poetic or proper.

Yeah, that's what I'm afraid I'm doing. Like the first chapter is very dark and moody, ominous atmosphere etc., and just when they are settling in for a creepy read they turn the page and all of a sudden things are light with lots of humour.

I mean, I hope it's not as drastic as that, but there is no denying the moods are different.

Crap.

tehuti88 · Feb 27, 2009

Changes in tone seem fine as long as it's obvious they're from a particular POV. I notice that in my stories, which feature many different POVs, the tone turns more childlike and simple if the POV character is a naive child, and the tone turns bitter and sarcastic if the character is a jaded adult, etc. In fact, I rather like your concept of the two vastly different tones turning more toward shades of gray as the story progresses--sounds interesting. If you pull it off well, the potentially jarring contrasting tones at the beginning might not matter that much, because the reader could realize that's how they're supposed to be.

Is there a way to start a bit more gradually, if you're worried about the tones being too jarring? I. e., the dark tone not being TOO dark at first, or the light tone not being TOO light...?

josephwise · Feb 27, 2009

This was done in Joe Vs. the Volcano, and as a device I thought it failed horribly. But I'm sure it can be done well.

maestrowork · Feb 27, 2009

Writing Jedi said:
Yeah, that's what I'm afraid I'm doing. Like the first chapter is very dark and moody, ominous atmosphere etc., and just when they are settling in for a creepy read they turn the page and all of a sudden things are light with lots of humour.

But are your POV character moody, dark, and ominous? Or are you (the author/narrator) deliberately making the mood dark and ominous? I think there's a difference here. If the tone is your POV character's (say, he is really unsettled and depressed, etc.) then I think it's okay, but it has to come from the character, not some "omniscient" narrator who is "setting the stage."

The "narrator," regardless if you're writing in 1st, 3rd limited or omniscient, should maintain a similar tone. When you're close to a POV character, then it's okay to assume the character's voice.

Pink Ink · Feb 27, 2009

Mmm. I remember seeing this in The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, where the POV changed every so often, and I almost closed the book on one POV. But I liked most everything else, so I finished reading, just glossing over the narrator I didn't like.

So the danger here, I think is it might make your reader skip some parts altogether if they don't like fluffy or dark.

Otherwise, I think it's an interesting way of presenting a story.

backslashbaby · Feb 27, 2009

Is there any element of suspense to their relationship? I think it could work well if it is building up to a taking-of-naivete type tale. Less so if it is solely romance, IMHO.

The Lonely One · Feb 27, 2009

We should feel the tone through the way the story is written, and as it changes, but we should never question if the narrator has stepped out and let another pick things up in his place. The narrator's voice should be a constant, I'd think. Unless you're writing first with a narrator who splits personalities or mentally degrades or something. Just my thoughts.

Stunted · Feb 28, 2009

That sounds cool, actually. I say go for it.

Hesperides · Feb 28, 2009

I certainly hope you can! My MC's opinion on things change in the book. I would think as long as it was gradual and not sudden, it would be okay. And as long as it isn't too drastic.

maestrowork · Feb 28, 2009

I thought about this some more and realized that was something I didn't like about 3rd limited (close) with multiple POVs. Technically speaking, that's how it is -- your narrative voice takes the shape of the POV character's voice, etc. But I've always found that kind of storytelling jarring. It's not quite 1st person, and it's not quite 3rd. When the tone and voice changes every time a different POV character goes in and out, I'd find myself disoriented or jarred (however briefly) out of the story.

To me, I think I'd enjoy a book much more if there's some kind of cohesive tone and voice -- a narrative cohesion, if you will, even if the narrator is supposed to be invisible. It's kind of like an over all, thematic tone. Like a symphony or a movie -- you may have different movements, different paces and different atmosphere, or different scenes or time periods in one movie, but over all, there's a thematic coherence to how the whole thing sounds, or looks and feels. Beethoven's Symphony #9 would sound, on the whole, different than Symphony #6. Pride & Prejudice is not going to suddenly break out into an Elton John song at the end....

Shweta · Feb 28, 2009

I like this sort of thing. So maybe it's just taste? :Shrug:

They have to feel like parts of the same story to me, but if different POVs read as too similar, I get verra bored.

FennelGiraffe · Mar 1, 2009

A subtle difference? Personalized, but with the rough edges smoothed over? Not as distinctive as first but not as consistent as omni?

I agree, if the narrative voices are too different, too distinctive it's going to read jerky and disconnected. But complete consistency misses out on something, too.

I think narrative voice is one of the attributes of limited third (as opposed to omni) that helps the reader get close to the POV characters. It's not the only factor building closeness, so it's not entirely essential, but without it the others have heavier loads to carry.

n-v-b · Mar 2, 2009

I'm no expert by any means but I always feel that although the story should have the same 'tone' to it there can be some variations within the characters. I am writing in 3rd person limited and have one character who has a very dry and matter of fact way of looking at things so I find when writing in her 'head' if you like I put an almost 'humourous' spin on what is happening- not in the sense of trying to make it comedy or taking it too far but I build her dialogue and thoughts around her lighter way of viewing things that are happening beyond her control. The reader then gets the sense that this is almost her mechanism for dealing with situations that arise. As I find this type of writing my most natural (with a dry humour included) I enjoy looking at things from this characters POV and if I hit a wall during writing and find I am struggling with interpreting an event from one characters POV I will try writing it instead through her eyes to see if it helps me.

Charlie Horse · Mar 2, 2009

As long as you can tie it all in at some point and make it work there's no reason you shouldn't be able to pull it off.

ccarver30 · Mar 3, 2009

At first I thought, "No way" when I read the title, but upon reading the whole post, I think you can do it.

job · Mar 4, 2009

Writing Jedi said:
the first chapter is very dark and moody, ominous atmosphere etc., and just when they are settling in for a creepy read they turn the page and all of a sudden things are light with lots of humour.

Just looking at this from a commercial point of view ...

Most people browsing through a bookstore open the book and read the first and maybe the second page. If they don't like the 'tone' of those pages, they put the book back.

So you might have somebody hoping for a light beach read who doesn't buy ...
even though they'd love the humor if they only knew it was there.
And then you get somebody else who wants suspense and dark and scary who does buy and then feels letdown. when the ominous dribbles away

So the tone of the first couple of pages should be one of the big themes in the overall story, IMO. If you continue to have at least some dark and scary throughout, I don't think you'll have a problem.

Does the entire novel have to have the same "tone"?

Writing Jedi

Zipotes

maestrowork

Fear the Death Ray

Writing Jedi

tehuti88

Mackinac Island Fanatic

josephwise

maestrowork

Fear the Death Ray

Pink Ink

girl at heart

backslashbaby

*

The Lonely One

Why is a raven like a writing desk?

Stunted

Ich heiße Superphantastisch!

Hesperides

Bloody love

maestrowork

Fear the Death Ray

Shweta

gone

FennelGiraffe

It's green they say

n-v-b

Charlie Horse

Speaking in metaphors

ccarver30

Nicole Castro

job

In the end, it's just you and the manuscript

Does the entire novel have to have the same "tone"?

Fear the Death Ray

Mackinac Island Fanatic

Fear the Death Ray

girl at heart

~~~~*~~~~

Why is a raven like a writing desk?

Ich heiße Superphantastisch!

Bloody love

Fear the Death Ray

gone

It's green they say

Speaking in metaphors

Nicole Castro

In the end, it's just you and the manuscript

*