Writing fiction offers the chance for picking what point of view you will write in. We are going to look at 1st, 2nd, and 3rd POV plus head-hopping!

Being totally honest here – point of view is difficult for me! I’m going to cover it in this post, and I’ll be using tons of references and resources so you get the right information. Plus, I need to learn this!!

Before we get into POV, what is your biggest challenge with writing? Let me know in the comments so we can support each other!

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Diving into point of view now:

What is point of view?

Point of view is about who tells the story. According to Literary Terms, “Point of view (POV) is what the character or narrator telling the story can see (his or her perspective).” Literary Devices says it “refers to the ‘eyes’ of the narrative voice that determine the position or angle of vision from which the story is being relayed.”

POV is crucial in writing a story! Let’s look at the different kinds.

First person point of view

In first person POV, you see the story through that particular character’s eyes. You feel their emotions, moods, senses. The character tells what’s going on according to their opinions and experiences.

Writing in first person point of view is easiest for me. I can be in my character’s head and show what is happening.

Examples of fiction written in first person POV: The Handmaid’s Tale, Moby Dick, To Kill a Mockingbird, Jane Eyre, The Fault in Our Stars, Divergent, and Rebecca.

Tips for writing in first person point of view

• Start strong – hook that reader! Remember Moby Dick’s brilliant first line – “Call me Ishmael.”
• Show the idiosyncrasies of your character – flaws and strong points – show them!
• Stay with that first person POV (no head-hopping)
• Remember the POV you’re using isn’t you. It’s your character – stay in character
• Have supporting characters that are interesting and fun and offer opposites of the main character
• That support cast of characters keeps readers from getting bored or overwhelmed with 1st person POV

Second person POV

It’s not common for 2nd person point of view to be used in writing fiction. I read an article about second person POV in a MasterClass article and it said, “Writing in second person point of view has its challenges—mainly, asking the reader to suspend belief to the point where they imagine themselves to be part of the story.”

Some examples of fiction written in 2nd person are The Night Circus; Bright Lights, Big City; and the Choose Your Own Adventure series written for children.

Most common point of view – third person

The Balance Careers says this about writing in 3rd person, “The third-person point of view is the most commonly used perspective because of all the options it offers.” There is much more flexibility in writing in 3rd person.

The most common 3rd person POV is 3rd person limited. This means the narrator is relating the experiences of the character – so as the reader we see that one character. Examples are For Whom the Bell Tolls, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, 1984, and Orphan Train.

Third-person omniscient is where all the characters are revealed to the reader, including all of their thoughts and emotions. Examples include War and Peace, Where the Crawdad’s Sing, and Crazy Rich Asians.

Head-hopping

Switching POV or “head-hopping” within a scene can be so confusing for the reader (and the writer). It can keep readers from really getting into the story, and it can seem really clumsy. Head-hopping is a pretty big no-no for writers. (Check out Head-Hopping and Hemingway on The Write Practice for how to do it the right way!)

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Read What is a Cozy? to learn more about cozy mysteries and read Writing Conflict to learn more on how to do it! Then, follow me on Pinterest, Facebook, and Instagram, and subscribe to my newsletter to keep up with news about my book and any special offers!

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Hi, I’m Jen! I’ve been married for over 37 years, have 5 amazing kids, and have 3 adorable grandkids. I homeschooled our three youngest children and used to blog about homeschooling. I also taught Oral Communication as an adjunct instructor for over 5 years.

Jen Dodrill Writes is born of a passion of mine – to write a novel! My first cozy mystery – Birds Alive! – released Feb. 27, 2024 with Book #2 in the series on the way in 2025!

When I’m not working, you’ll find me writing, spending time with my family, or curled up on the couch reading and drinking a mug of dark roast coffee. (Don’t forget to check out my mug shop – JDMugs!)