Point-Of-View: Closer Look

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What's Point Of View?

I'm going to take a closer look
at point of view in fiction.
Point of view is the perspective,
angle, from which a story is told.

The points of view are: the objective
point of view, first person point of
view, third person point of view,
limited omniscient point of view, and
omniscient point of view.

Objective Point Of View

Using the objective point of view, an
author, writer, describes the story
from what he/she can see.

Actions and dialogue from characters are
the indicators of what's happening in a
story.

The author, writer, isn't allowed to
explain what a character is thinking,
feeling.

First Person Point Of View

The author, writer, tells the story
from the viewpoint of a character.
The character shares his/her thoughts,
feelings, and behavior patterns.

This is the "I" viewpoint or voice.

I like to work with this viewpoint.

Personally, I feel it's easier for
beginners to work with.

This viewpoint character can't tell
what other characters are thinking,
doing. He/she can make guesses from
what other characters said or done.

Third Person Point Of View

The author, writer, is uninvolved in
the story. Characters are referred
to as she, he, and they.

The author, writer, conveys what's
going on, and interprets behaviors.

This point of view is used most by
writers.

Some say, this point of view is easier
to work with.

It's used in most genres, except young
adult fiction.

Limited Omniscient Point Of View

The writer, author, is limited to
knowing everything about one
character.

The author, writer, explains how the
character feels, thinks, hears, and
sees.

The author, writer, can't see or
hear what other characters are
thinking and feeling.

Omniscient Point Of View

Everything is seen, known, from the
omniscient point of view.

The author, writer, can disclose the
thoughts or actions of any character.

The author, writer, can explain the
situation from any character's angle,
viewpoint.

Experiment with different viewpoints.
Which viewpoint works better for you?
Is one easier to use?

Writing Ideas: Where To Get Them?

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Writing ideas are sprinkled around
the doctor's office, seated at the
family's get-together table, paraded
in-out of malls, and splashed
everywhere on the streets of your
state.

Be prepared to capture writing ideas.
Carry a pad, pen, recorder, or text
yourself enough of the idea to later
write about it.

Make a note of the idea as soon as
it appears. Don't wait. Memories fade.
It'll be impossible to retrieve the
original writing idea.

"I've been waiting too long to see
the doctor!" Someone blurted at a
crowded doctor's office.

Writing ideas exist in those words.
Take a look.

The first idea surrounds a lady who
forgot to take her medicine. She hops
up, demands to see a doctor.

The office staff tries to calm her.
The doctor bursts through the door
with a syringe in hand.

Only, the lady...

What twist would you put on the idea.
Or, what notes would you scribble down
to explore later?

At a family dinner, the secret family
cake recipe discussion came to the
surface.

The person who handled it last turned
her/his residence upside down looking
for it, to no avail.

Members of the family argue with each
other, accuse one another.

The writing idea can swirl down several
paths.

Shake-up the writing idea. Look at it
from more than one view-point.

A conversation at the mall is over-heard.

"Grandmother, they're my family too." A
teen argued at the elderly lady.

"This isn't the time to talk about it"
The lady sighed.

"But..."

"Not here." The elderly insisted.

Your writing idea on it?

Perhaps, you'd write an essay on
children raised by maternal
grandmothers. Other ideas?

The only limit to writing ideas is
your imagination. It's best to
twist ideas upside down, and
find as many writing ideas as
possible from the original.

Here is an incident from the
street of my state.

Two young men stood on a
corner whispering between
themselves as people passed.

A female with three-inch gold
earrings paced near the
young men.

The guys looked at each other.
One of them grinned, and
without warning...

What's your thoughts on
the writing idea?

Writing ideas are everywhere.
Capture them for future
writing ideas.

Query: How To Write It?

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A query letter is one page long,
but detailed enough to provide an
agent, publisher, with all that's
needed to contact you. They are
always looking for new voices, or
the next big project, best seller.

An effective query letter is
important. It's the deciding
factor as to whether an agent,
publisher, will represent,
sell, your work.

The query letter is written in
a business format.

The following explains how to
write an effective query letter.

1. Start with an interesting
writing idea, hook. What was
the deciding factor for you?
Why did you turn the idea into
a novel, article?

Narrow down your answer into
a sentence, and then spin the
answer into a question.

The final question opens your
query letter.

2. The question asked by you is
left open. Send the publisher,
editor, a certain view-point,
angle, to consider.

3. Explain what your story is
about. In no more than two
paragraphs, expose your plot,
problem in the story.

4. Give specific details. Draw
the publisher, agent, in by
tapping on structure, and how
you plan to develop it.

5. Do not disclose the ending.

6. Elaborate on why you're the
best person to write it. Establish
the fact that you've written related
articles, or you're a published
author.

7. Close with asking if he/she would
like to see the completed manuscript.

8. A self-addressed stamp envelope
is included.

Repeat the process to each publisher,
agent, on your list. However, be
certain your work is what a publisher,
agent, want, represent.

Request guidelines and research a
publisher, agent, before you query.

Fiction: How To Start?

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Fiction is exciting, fun, to write
about. Find an idea that awakens your
imagination, and has wide appeal.

Fiction is invented, imagined,
or created stories. Characters
are placed in a setting to solve a
problem(s). Look at the idea upside
down, right side-up.

The writing idea is looked at from
different view-points to decide
how best to show-case it. In
other words, make sure the writing
idea appeals to a large segment of the
population, and stirs-up your writing
ability.

Answer the following questions.

What problem will be addressed?
Perhaps, an issue from your life.
A story out of the head-lines. A
friend's plight.

A lost recipe in a certain family
member's house disappears? He/she
claims it was there before anyone
arrived.

The possible plot, problem, is which
relative took it, and why?

The plot's options are too many to
discuss. Actually, the only limit to a
plot is your imagination.

Every story has a beginning, middle, and
an ending.

Allow characters to show what is happening.
Take a look.

"I saw whole thin,'" Beverly explained.
"Pyra ran out da house with da knife in her
hand..."

"Wait," Carrie interrupted. "I don't get
it. She ain't have no knife when..."

Populate the story. Who will be the main
character? Antagonist?

The main character is Pyra in my example.

The antagonist is the person stopping your
main character from reaching his/her goals.
Or, the person pursuing the main
character.

In my example, the antagonist is the
guy in braids.

"She tried to kill my sista." The young
guy in braids spat . "Cops betta catch
her befo street justice does."

Make profiles for each character. How they
look, talk, act, relevant experiences, and
anything you feel should be included.

A main character must try, at least, three
times before reaching his/her goal.

My example will swirl Pyra and the guy
in braids together three times. The
encounters will end in fights, possibly
death.

One problem is handled in short fiction.
Longer fiction stirs-in a major problem,
and a minor one. Add as many problems
in long fiction as you can handle.

Mix-in suspense. Give the impression
something is going to happen. Build it
up, and then allow some event to
explode.

The scene, explosion, can last two
paragraphs, or run for pages.

It, too, has a beginning, middle, and
an ending.

If, for some reason, you have a problem
writing, or have writer's block, write
anything that comes to mind. Or,
write about an object on your desk,
outside, pet, or why a color is your
favorite.

Keep writing until you're ready to start
on your writing project.

Usually, a new writing idea is discovered,
or material for your current writing project
dawns.

All problems must be solved at the end,
or given a satisfactory conclusion.