Alpha Readers Forum Changing PoV/Headhopping
Changing PoV/Headhopping9 Years AgoMy book is written in 3rd person omniscient, and I'm doing an editing pass through it to find any "headhopping" offences.
Q: When does using the narrator's omniscience count as changing the PoV? Is it just showing a character's thoughts? What about discussing things that the character isn't plugged into? For example, I've decided that I will not use the antagonist's PoV in the story. At any point where someone speaks to Sarsuk, the scene will be written from the other character's PoV. But I have things that I want to tell the reader about Sarsuk's society -- things that the characters couldn't know. Here's the first confusing snippet that I've come across:
Does that go too far? And if it does, how do I share things like this without writing from Sarsuk's perspective? Thanks for your input, Alphas! |
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Re: Changing PoV/Headhopping9 Years AgoI believe, by definition, that third person omniscient allows for your example. The narrator knows all and can say all.
Limit sticks closely to one viewpoint.
Personally, I'm a stickler about this kind of thing. I prefer books that go full force on one or the other. If I'm reading along thinking you're in limited but you drop a line of omniscient, I get thrown and confused.
On the other paw :P, if you have a chapter where you make it obvious that you're making a creative switch, I'd be more accepting.
For example, there is a scene that should occur in the second book if my story where a bunch of lords are socializing in a room together. They all are playing the game of thrones and all have different motives and plans. I plan to switch to a mult POV just to intensify the political tension and let the reader say: "my god! Is that guy going to find out and holy crap, I had no idea it was that dude who killed that guy!"
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