Are you, as a fiction writer whose work
is under scrutiny, seeking ways to improve your basic writing skills?
Switching, revising or changing your point of view in order
to improve your writing dynamics will help boost your Helium ratings.
Changing your point of view in fiction that you have already written, is an art
in itself and not necessarily easy to do, at first.The point of view or
perspective you take with respect to the fiction that you are writing, is
extremely important when relating to your readers.
Are you ready to leapfrog a
piece of fiction that you have already written? Making the decision to revise or change your
point of view or perspective in fiction that you have already written, is just
the first step. It will help you to determine what literary transitions you
will make in order to improve your Helium ratings.
How will you determine which
point of view to take when you are rewriting a piece of fiction? Remember that
it is always possible to improve upon any writing that you have initiated. It
is also worth the challenge. With that in mind, begin to revise it.
The use of pronouns
Begin by asking yourself if you
are writing from your own personal point of view, which is purely subjective.
How can you tell? Is your fiction is using only I or we as first person
pronouns? For example, this is a first person pronoun statement. “I am the only
one on the speaking agenda today.”
Have you taken it further,
including a different point of view or perspective, namely with a second person
pronoun or you, in its singular or plural usage? For example, “You can do your
reading now,” is a statement that includes someone other than just yourself.
This can be in the singular or plural context that involves a group of people.
Adding others to your
fiction entails the use of third person pronouns. For example, “He is on
the podium tomorrow; so is she. They will probably prove to be a source of
inspiration for everyone.” Third person pronouns involve the use of he, she or
they,
Are there more options with
regard to revising one’s point of view?
Yes, a fiction writer has an
unlimited number of options with respect to his or her point of view or
writer’s perspective. It is important to know which option you are choosing to
use as a writer attempting literary revisions. Consistency is always
important so as not to confuse your reader.
Subjective versus objective
point of view
A purely subjective point of
view will allow your reader to see what you have written only from your point
of view or perspective, whereas an objective point of view opens the
possibility of including the perspective of others.
Here are some examples.
“I watched the man turn the
light towards the water, but I had no idea why he did that.”
“You were there. You all saw
the man turn the light on.”
“A number of observers were
standing on the pier. They saw the tall, dark man turn the spot light towards
the murky water.”
The first example shows only
the first person, personal and subjective point of view of the writer. The second example is using the
second person pronoun. It distances the writer and at the same time
depersonalizes the fiction from his or her own subjectivity. Note the use of
you as singular and then possibly as plural, if the writer included a group of
people. This allows an objective point of view that opens the mind of the
reader to other possibilities. The third example is in the
third person. Distancing oneself even further, using more than one third-person
pronoun, becomes even more interesting. “He and she both saw the man turn on
the light. They were standing there.”
Now place yourself in the
position of the fiction reader. Would you prefer to read only the words of one
person, a fiction writer who is making a single, subjective observation and
drawing his or her own conclusions or would you like to read on further and
have deeper insight into what others are thinking and feeling?
If you choose to read on
further, then you also have room for an alternative, objective point of
view or the perspectives of others, who are always an important part of the
fiction.
Omniscient point of
view
The use of an omniscient
point of view or perspective becomes even more exciting for a fiction
writer, as well as his or her readers, as other horizons of thoughts, feelings
and emotions begin to open up. There are no caps or limits on this point of
view or perspective. The writer or the reader can develop them further.
“When Pierre, a short, stout
man wearing a black, leather jacket, saw the tall, dark man turn the bright,
spot light towards the murky water, he immediately suspected something was
amiss. His young daughter, Brandy, a high school student, thought she had just
spotted the missing dolphin swimming about. Ian, the local bar tender, wondered
whether Jason, one of his elderly, inebriated patrons, had accidentally slipped
off the pier into the water.”
From an omniscient point of
view, there is an all-knowing or God’s eye perspective.
The beyond-bird’s-eye-view
opens a vast horizon of possibility with respect to revelation in fiction. This
is still objective rather than subjective, but on a higher level of
objectivity as the actual words, thoughts and feelings of the characters in
the fiction can be revealed. The characters can still express subjective
thoughts and feelings.
Note that the fiction writer
distancing him or herself from the actual event that is occurring is able
to enter through doorways of exploration that are virtually limitless. The
subjective writer is limited to his or her own perspective.
The objective writer does not
necessarily have to enter into the private world of the mind of the character.
The omniscient writer, being distanced or far away enough from the characters as to perceive them from every possible direction or perspective, taps into a
wealth of fictional possibility.
Writing fiction is a wonderful
world for a writer to explore, as its creative potential is endless.
It is important that you, as a
fiction writer choose one point of view and maintain that perspective
throughout your entire literary project. In other words, you, as a fiction
writer cannot justify bouncing back and forth from different directions in
terms of your point of view or writing perspective, so picking one point of
view and maintaining it is important. Otherwise, the fiction becomes a work
that may be compromised and unnecessarily confusing.
Challenged to do a Helium
leapfrog? Accept the challenge and develop your fiction writing skills further.
Increase your Helium ratings and your profit margin, at the same time.
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