Multiple POV - POV Change Pattern?

Antipode91 · Nov 6, 2019

Hey team,

Quick curious question.

I'm working on a story with three POVs, and I'd say in terms of limelight, the characters hold about equal amounts of limelight in the book. (One POV per chapter).

However, there isn't always a pattern on the order of POV chapters. Sometimes A's scene ends, and C's scene would pick up right after it, not Bs.

So my question is--does there "have" to be a pattern for POV changes? Do I need to do A, B, C, A, B... ? Or can it be sort of random: A, B, C, B, A, B, C... so on, with the spread still being about even in the end?

I can't find many articles about this particular question, and I haven't really paid attention to how fantasy authors do it. And when I ask does it "have" to be that way, I'm more so asking if that's considered a form of better writing than random?

Thanks!
Anti

Brightdreamer · Nov 6, 2019

The only necessity is that the reader always knows the POV.

I have read books that had strict rotations. I have read books that jumped back and forth randomly/as the story demanded, sometimes with occasional breaks to minor characters (or characters that started out minor but became major players.) So long as I knew where I was and who I was viewing the story through, I didn't have a problem.

screenscope · Nov 6, 2019

There's no rules about this stuff. Whatever works, works!

My first novel had 26 POV characters and I sequenced them according to the needs of the story, so there was a huge variation and it worked fine.

starrystorm · Nov 7, 2019

No, there doesn't have to be a rule. I have a YA book (not published yet) that goes:

A, B, A, A, A, A, B, A, B, A, A, A, B, A, A, A, A, B, A

and so far, nobody seems to have had a problem with it not being patterned.

fenyo · Nov 7, 2019

I will say what was already told before me- you don't need to have any pattern- what ever works works.

However- books and stories can have an aesthetic element to them.

creating a pattern of different POV can provide a certain aesthetic that may enhance the book.

You don't have to do it, but you can try to do it and see if you like it.

benbenberi · Nov 7, 2019

Pattern is completely optional in POV changes. If you always use the best POV for the section of story you're in, it's likely that readers won't ever notice whether there's a pattern or not, they'll just be reading the story. If you force a pattern where the story doesn't demand it, readers WILL notice there's something off in the structure, even if they don't immediately identify what.

Klope3 · Nov 7, 2019

benbenberi said:
If you always use the best POV for the section of story you're in...

This is important. For any given section of your story, you should be able to ask yourself, "Why am I writing in this character's POV here? How does it add tension/improve characterization/flesh out the setting/etc?" If you don't have good answers to those questions, consider writing in a different POV--even if that breaks the pattern you want to write in.

starrystorm · Nov 7, 2019

Klope3 said:
This is important. For any given section of your story, you should be able to ask yourself, "Why am I writing in this character's POV here? How does it add tension/improve characterization/flesh out the setting/etc?" If you don't have good answers to those questions, consider writing in a different POV--even if that breaks the pattern you want to write in.

Exactly what happened to me. My urban fantasy started out with four POV's and then when I decided to only use the best POV, I realized two of them weren't needed, so I cut them.

kranix1 · Nov 8, 2019

Don't think there's a set pattern. The times where I've seen it work really well were when the sequence just followed the plot, even if it meant three A sequences, followed by a C then three more A's.

Multiple POV - POV Change Pattern?

Antipode91

Brightdreamer

Just Another Lazy Perfectionist

screenscope

starrystorm

fenyo

benbenberi

practical experience, FTW

Klope3

starrystorm

kranix1