This week I'm struggling with the dreaded point of view decision, and so here comes some blabbering...
Two bits of writing to make a decision on: the first, my novel, the second, a short story.
The Novel
In my novel, I'm at the early stage so I can, theoretically, experiment. Currently, I have two chapters: one in first person female and the second in first person male. Both storylines are important, both chapters I love and had fun writing. Chapter three should be a breeze, right? Well, nope. No such luck. And I think I know the problem. I've only written one novel in my life (and first novels are always trash) so I'm thinking I simply don't have the writing experience to balance two points of view.
So whose voice to cut? Or do I switch to third person and try following both characters from a distance? The easy option is to go with Adlai, my female protagonist and stick to first person. As I usually go with the easy option I suspect this is my solution, but I feel sad about that second chapter. And for Erikys who had a lot of growth going on in my outline. He'll still be a protagonist and those events will still happen to him, but it's disappointing to know I don't have the writing chops to tell his story.
On the plus though, it will make Adlai's storyline a lot more interesting as the reader will know as much as she will, instead of Erikys spilling all the tea.
The Short Story
This decision has already been made. Three times over. But I'm hoping third time is the charm.
The first time I wrote this short story was for my Masters course. It was in third person in the perspective of Lara, a ten-year-old child. I can't remember my teacher's exact comments but it basically amounted to: the story is cheesy and writing kids POV is hard.
The second time I adulted up. Third person still, but this time in the dad's perspective. And I added a fantasy element, because of course I did.
Now, I'm in first person and back to Lara. Only she's a teenager in this version. I'm 1000 words into the re-write and way happier with it. She's still naive, but sassy. And, obviously being first person, the narrative is way more immediate which I think the story needed. Reading Wolfsong actually inspired me to go first person with this. There are of course some great fantasies in third person, but the immediacy and the transformation you get with first person works so well. Fingers crossed this will turn out right this time around!
And if anyone is actually reading this blog and is interested in beta reading for me - please get in touch! Happy to read shorts or opening chapters in return.
Also it sounds like I can't write anything but first person, which is not true but also kinda true these days. Used to default write in third person, now it's all I, I, I, me, me, me.
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