Switching Point of View (between BOOKS).

We did that in our Sazi series. Books 1, 2 and 7 are first person, male perspective. Books 3-6 and 8 are third person with each person having a POV. Readers have favorites but those who REALLY like third person love theirs and those who REALLY love first person love theirs and both groups ask for more. So yeah, it can work. But it has to be carefully done. Third POV coming out a first POV has to be especially rich and detailed to ease the reader into the adjustment.

Does that help?

Oh, yeah. The ever popular OUTLANDER series by Diana Gabaldon does this. Book 1 is first person, narrator Claire. Later books include third person POV from up to 4 or 5 other characters, sometimes within a single book.

It can work. It's all in the execution.

DarkDesireX said:

Have any of you ever read a book series that switched point of view styles? What do you think of this idea?

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Not Romance genre, but Gabaldon changed POV from her first book to the later ones. From First to Third.

I think I never quite got into the subsequent Outlander series because of the switches in POV. She would have chapters from Claire's first-person POV, and then chapters from her husband's and daughter's, et al, and for me, these frequent transitions were a little jarring. But that may just be me. I like Cathy's suggestion, of doing one POV for an entire book, and then a diff POV for a different entire book. I think that would be a lot easier to get used to, as a reader.

My friend, Cheryl Brooks, started her Cat Star Chronicles series for Sourcebooks in first person and then switched to third a few books in. (It's a wonderful series, BTW. )

I'm a newbie as well, and write exclusively in first person. (Just can't get into third person for some reason - feels too distant to me.) Anyway, with my first book, I wrote it in first-person, present tense (I know, I know - love it or hate it), and switched back and forth pretty much each chapter between my guy and girl. It worked for that book, but with a second couple in another series entirely, the first book is solely from her perspective and then the next is from his perspective (this series is written in past tense). I can't decide which I like better. But, I do think it is far easier for me as a writer to stay in character when the whole book stays with one person's perspective throughout rather than switching back and forth, but the first book wants what the first book wants. I am encouraged to see that it's done (the frequent switching of perspectives) because that gives me hope that maybe mine won't be too jarring for readers.

Hi Norah, I think you've been where I'm apparently going. Did you ever re-read a chapter and decide to totally change from first to third? I have three characters in my book the main is in first and the other two are third and in third I find way to many he/she/her/him etc. distracting to me and I know the story. Any tips on avoiding the above redundancy? Should I reconsider my main character in first to join the other two in third?

I love this idea! Did you think of changing the tense yet again for the final book in the trilogy? That might tie it all in together rather than it just being a random change. Plus like Ambri says, constantly switching from first to third in the same book does lessen the experience of reading for me - although if done well, can be brilliant so sorry if I offend anyone!

Escape Artist said:

I'm a newbie as well, and write exclusively in first person. (Just can't get into third person for some reason - feels too distant to me.) Anyway, with my first book, I wrote it in first-person, present tense (I know, I know - love it or hate it), and switched back and forth pretty much each chapter between my guy and girl.

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I've written a novel (well, 1.5 novels I guess) in first person present tense too (though all from the same character's POV), and I think it's some of the best writing I ever did. But going back to it after having worked on other novels in different tenses/POV is REALLY challenging.