Fans of Interracial Romance discussion

How do you decide on POV to write from? I keep going back and forth between first and third person. In my head, both sound equally as good.

I find first person too limiting. As a reader I want to know what is going on in the minds of all of the important characters, which can't be done in first person unless you have point-of-view switching from chapter to chapter, which is always confusing.

As a writer, I find it more difficult to write in first-person because I feel limited. I "live" the events with all of the characters when I "see" it in my head. and I experience everyone's thoughts and feelings.

It depends on the story. When I was writing Snowbound, I initially started in third person but it lacked the intimacy I wanted. That's when I switched to first person. Another novel I'm working on, The Time Is Now, is in third person with alternating points of view. Often when I write short stories, I end up in third person.

For NaNoWriMo I wrote in first person for both my characters since that's how they interacted with me. It was really fun.

Sometimes it's easier to get deeper into the characters in first person. You feel closer to them and they reveal their secrets more easily.

I have two stories that I've been working on for some time and one of them just translates better in the first person. It's the way it wants to be told (if that makes sense). I tried to change it to third person, because often I don't care for first-person POV, but nope...characters weren't letting that happen. She wants to tell it from the first person so I've succumbed to the words in my head and I'm letting her (my main character) have her way and it is being written in first person.

Kim wrote: "It depends on the story. When I was writing Snowbound, I initially started in third person but it lacked the intimacy I wanted. That's when I switched to first person. Another novel I'm working on,..."

Another Book...Yay! I can't wait.

Kim wrote: "Sometimes it's easier to get deeper into the characters in first person. You feel closer to them and they reveal their secrets more easily."

I can relate. I read a book that, for the most part was in third person, and I couldn't finish it. It was mainly about what the characters were thinking and not saying. I like the first person dialog when the characters are engaging each other, and I like the third person POV to explain the thoughts or emotions the characters can't express out loud at the moment. It's like being inside someone’s head, but completely able to relate to how they are feeling. I enjoy books that can balance the two types of dialogs.

Thanks for answering ladies. I think I'm going to try 1st person for now, and see how it goes.

Michelle, how is it going writing in first person?

Kim wrote: "Michelle, how is it going writing in first person?"

I started out in first person, changed directions, and then went back to first person- I think for my heroine, first person just works better. When you write in first person though, it's not easy trying to give environmental descriptions. Good lord you authors have it hard!

My story is a near-future horror/ love story. At least that's what I'm going for. I keep getting caught up in my own head, typing and then reading, and then thinking that its trash, LOL! But I'm having fun with it, and its giving me something to do to. I take my laptop and go sit at Starbucks or whatever and just type. I haven't gotten very far at all.

Fiona wrote: "I find first person too limiting. As a reader I want to know what is going on in the minds of all of the important characters, which can't be done in first person unless you have point-of-view swit..."

I find first person limiting as well.

In first person point of view we are inside the heroine’s head. We see things through her eyes, and share her secrets and her thoughts to what is happening.

The heroine can tell you how she feels, but she does not know how others feel. However, she can describe their reactions. They can have a critical tone in their voices; eyebrows can furrow, and faces flush if angry or embarrassed, etc. But in actuality, the heroine does not know how they’re internalizing their feelings.

If you decide to use first person point of view, to rid readers of confusion, have a chapter or scene headed with each important character’s name. This is especially good if you want lovers to describe their emotions concerning love scenes. In essence, your readers get the characters’ deeper, more intimate thoughts of their emotions.

Go for it!

True Season of Love

Ok reader intruding for a second with a question for you writers.

Is the sudden flood of first person books being dictated by publishers, the preferences of the market, or are more writers more comfortable in this voice?

You have to follow your mind. Do what you feel comfortable with. I have tried to write the book I’m currently writing in omniscient point of view, but it hasn’t worked.

My first book, True Season of Love, is written in third person point of view, omniscient. My heroine, Olivia’s sister, Connie, seemed to outshine her. I read that this happens often to writers. You are writing about one character, but the lesser character has a considerable amount to say.

There has been a great deal of interest in Connie’s character. She has a lot of chutzpah.

So, I’m writing Connie’s story in first person point of view. She’s narrating her life. She’s taken the reins and reveals her private feelings. Connie is voluble. She’s no icebox, which means she can’t keep anything.

P.S. Late author, Tennessee Williams, was known to write in multiple points of view.