It seems to me that most characters let you know which way you should write them — from their own perspective, or from a perspective outside. Perspective usually flows naturally. With “In the Dark,” though, I hit a snag re-writing the first draft. I had been writing in third person, but something about it just started to feel wrong.
I felt distant from my main character, Ian. I felt like the reader might feel distant from her, too. Ian is a warm, sensual, outgoing person, who likes making new friends (and lovers) and would be open and welcoming to anyone who wanted to know about her. Third person seemed so wrong for her.
At the same time, my secondary character, Sebastian, is very introverted, closed off, and NOT welcoming of other people. He doesn’t know you, and he doesn’t care to. Writing from first person for him is definitely wrong.
Now, all the writing advice in the world will tell you to pick a perspective and stick to it. One of my favorite authors, Charles De Lint, frequently switches perspectives, though, telling a story from third person, then explaining how the character felt about the action from first person. It doesn’t feel jumpy or stilted at all. I spent one evening agonizing over The Rules, and the works that I’d seen that chucked the rules. And made my call.
“In the Dark” is told from both Ian and Sebastian’s perspectives. Ian’s chapters are all hers, no jumps to other points of view, and they are all in first person. Ian tells her own story. Each chapter that belongs to her is titled “Ian.”
Sebastian’s chapters are all his. They are told from his point of view, no jumps to other points of view, in third person. Some unknown god-like narrator tells his story, as he sees it, but would never say for himself. Each chapter that belongs to him is titled according to the setting, i.e. “Penthouse” or “Club.”
I wanted to keep the changes obvious, so that people don’t feel jolted when they jump from Ian’s head to Sebastian’s shoulder. Or confused, though most people who’ve read the book say that the first switch surprised them, but after that they got comfortable with the change-off. Since it’s a little different, and not the way most books are written, I expect people to be a bit surprised at first, but if they can settle into it, that’s what I want. It seems to work.
Since then, I have decided on POV mainly by whether or not the character would ever tell anyone their own story. My seventeen-year-old psychic runaway in “Othersight” (a book that needs much editing before it can be set free), would be wary and suspicious, so her story is told third person. My adult survivor of a faerie kidnapping is scared, but friendly, and not adverse to warning others about the dangers that exist in an “imaginary” place. She tells her own story. So far, Ian and Sebastian have been the hardest to decide, mainly because of the POV switch-off between them. I think my idea is a good compromise.
What do you think? What sorts of books do you prefer, first person or third? Do you have a preference? Do you think giving the character the choice makes sense? I’d like to know!
