donutsweeper (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
donutsweeper) wrote2009-01-08 02:11 pm
donutsweeper) wrote2009-01-08 02:11 pm
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Babble on POVs
Just a question, and I'm not sure of the correct terminology here, but when reading (or writing), do you prefer a tight 3rd person POV (where all events are seen and interpreted through one character's eyes) or switching between people's 3rd person POV with obvious page breaks or markers to show the new POV?
For example- my entire Charming the Pants off the Pashahads SGA/Jack crossover is told from Sheppard's POV, there is no scene where we see what Jack thinks about falling into the Pegasus Galaxy. At points there are Sheppard's interpretation of Jack's actions (he notices a hedged answer, an avoided question, but doesn't know why Jack answered that way). If it had been written with switching POV's there could be the scene from Shep's perspective, noticing what he notices and wondering about it, followed by the same scene retold from Jack's, where he explained the reasons for saying what he did. There also could have been scenes left out from the story the way I told it- I never did explain how Jack managed to get his hands on the Pashahads (because Sheppard wasn't there and wouldn't know).
I've been noticing more and more of the latter showing up in stories lately. Presuming this babble actually makes sense to anyone, do you notice the difference between those types of POV styles and do you like one more than the other?
For example- my entire Charming the Pants off the Pashahads SGA/Jack crossover is told from Sheppard's POV, there is no scene where we see what Jack thinks about falling into the Pegasus Galaxy. At points there are Sheppard's interpretation of Jack's actions (he notices a hedged answer, an avoided question, but doesn't know why Jack answered that way). If it had been written with switching POV's there could be the scene from Shep's perspective, noticing what he notices and wondering about it, followed by the same scene retold from Jack's, where he explained the reasons for saying what he did. There also could have been scenes left out from the story the way I told it- I never did explain how Jack managed to get his hands on the Pashahads (because Sheppard wasn't there and wouldn't know).
I've been noticing more and more of the latter showing up in stories lately. Presuming this babble actually makes sense to anyone, do you notice the difference between those types of POV styles and do you like one more than the other?
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I think it's definitely about putting the needs of the character first, then the story, and leaving your favourite stuff out if it doesn't serve either of those. Annoying, but necessary.
very, very true. It's so annoying to have to cut something that doesn't quite fit the POV you're going for!