On Point of View and Voice

[WilliamRhodes]

Hello fellow forum friends!

The story I am writing now has several separate points of view and I am struggling to decide between my options.
How do people feel about the use of first person from a diary entry point of view? Picture the movie Coverfield but in written form... kinda found footage style.

[noemz]

Do you mean that several different people are going to be telling the story from first person point of view? While that's a different approach and it's possible to make it work, it sounds as though you will most likely end up confusing the crap out of the reader.

On the other hand, when in doubt... write it a couple of different ways, using different techniques. Sometimes you can't tell if something is going to work until you try it and you can see it (if you're still not sure, post it for the July meeting!)

[WilliamRhodes]

sort of... there will be two main characters, one from first person and one from a epistolary type view.

[noemz]

"The Martian" by Andy Weir uses this device, with the main character writing in his log about what he is up to, while everyone else is viewed in the third person (although, he doesn't generally have a POV character and the characterisation is a bit weak). A couple of times he uses the 'omniscient narrator' device to describe a pending disaster that nobody could see coming (due to natural processes).

It can work, but it can also be very jarring and sometimes confusing. You need to handle with care. Try it a couple of different ways, get feedback on it. I don't think it's a good idea to keep chopping back and forth frequently between the first person and third person, though. That's all I can suggest. Generally I wouldn't do it this way, but if you can make it work, then make it work.

[WilliamRhodes]

Thanks Noemz!

I'll be careful

[Marina]

As long as the different sections are clearly delineated I think it can work well. I've read a number of books with sections from a diary in first person and the rest of the narration in third. Or letters, or quotes from "history books" as one part of the narration. 50 Shades had emails through the text (which was in first person). Not that I'm holding 50 Shades up as great writing or anything, but the emails were the best part of the book.