Register | Log in | FAQ | Search | Memberlist | Usergroups
Profile | Log in to check your private messages | Blogs |

ARWZ Forum Index
    > Writers' Zone


 
Post new topicReply to topic
View previous topic :: View next topic
Author Message
Violanthe
Webmaster


Joined: 24 Jul 2003
Posts: 5903

PostToo Many POV's

Posted: Fri Apr 11, 2008 10:45 am
Reply with quote

Have you ever read a book (ahem, Martin...) where there were simply too many point of view characters? How do we as writers know where to draw the line? When does the number of POV characters go from interesting, to excessive?
_________________
Violet "Violanthe" Kane
[email protected]
ARWZ.com: A Magazine of Alternative Reality Fiction
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Blog
Nik
Senior Member


Joined: 07 Dec 2006
Posts: 805
Location: UK

PostWhen I lose track...

Posted: Fri Apr 11, 2008 7:16 pm
Reply with quote

I've glanced at books that seem to have so many POVs and barely distinguishable characters that I was often unsure of continuity...

I've run into examples of sloppy editing where the POV-break was unclear.

Then there's eg Turtledove, who solves both problems by telling you about the many characters' attributes again and again and again...

These are, of course, at the opposite end of spectrum to authors who push a couple of life-sized, generic cardboard cut-outs about, and try to shame you into being delighted by their originality , vivacity and ability to monologue...

FWIW, I opened a recent Stephen King and discovered he'd dispensed with *naming* characters. It was written like an early draft of a stage-play, before personae were fleshed out: The Boy, The Young Man, The Busy Mum... Bleah !!
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Mervi
Warlord


Joined: 29 Aug 2006
Posts: 1119
Location: Finland

Post

Posted: Sat Apr 12, 2008 3:23 am
Reply with quote

I vastly prefer reading a book with just one POV character. I can tolerate up to three POVs but after that it seems that they start to blur together. That's one of the reason I dropped Martin.

I also have a huge dislike of romance-type POV switches where the switch is made in the middle of a discussion or arbitrarily back and forth so show how the characters feel about each other.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Blog Visit poster's website
Violanthe
Webmaster


Joined: 24 Jul 2003
Posts: 5903

Post

Posted: Fri Apr 18, 2008 10:18 am
Reply with quote

I was okay with Martin's many characters until Book 4. Then it just got to be way too many for me to keep track of.
_________________
Violet "Violanthe" Kane
[email protected]
ARWZ.com: A Magazine of Alternative Reality Fiction
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Blog
Display posts from previous:   
Post new topic   Reply to topic All times are GMT - 4 Hours
Page 1 of 1

 
Jump to:  
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum





Alternative Reality Web Zine: ISSN# 1559-3037


All materials on these pages (including fiction, poetry, essays, articles, interviews and opinion pieces) are copyrighted to the original authors and may not be reproduced without permission.




View Page Stats
ARWZ topic RSS feed 


Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2005 phpBB Group