HelloOoOo everybody!
A couple of years ago I made a video with general tips about how to write a multi-point-of-view novel. But now that I've officially finished my first multi-point-of-view novel . . . That's right, The Savior's Army is done, guys! Finished! Complete! It seems like a good time to rehash the topic and tell you everything I've learned along the way.
A multi-point-of-view novel refers to a novel that follows more than one character. Examples include A Song of Ice and Fire and Six of Crows. Multi-point-of-view novels are usually written in first person, third person limited, or third person deep. Ultimately it means that some chapters follow the experiences of character A, some chapters follow the experiences of character B, and maybe some chapters follow the experiences of character C. These perspectives are typically divided up between chapters. Sometimes between scene breaks, although I'd advise that you be careful with that.
This topic was requested by one of my patrons over on Patreon, Andy. He wanted to learn more about multi-point-of-view novels and I am happy to deliver. If you'd like the chance to have a video dedicated to you, or if you want access to tons of other rewards, check me out on Patreon. It's linked here. Now let's dive into my tips and tricks for writing a multi-point-of-view novel.
This video is sponsored by Scrintal. As always, all opinions are my own.
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Number 1: Be Picky
This is the number one mistake writers make when writing multi-point-of-view novels. Not every character needs a point of view, okay? Be picky about which character gets the microphone. The general rule is that the average novel doesn't need more than five points of view. But I personally believe that you usually don't need more than three points of view.
These averages vary from genre to genre. For example, if you're writing a romance novel, nine times out of ten, you only need two points of view. The readers only need to follow the romantic leads. So if you're passing the mic off to someone outside of the relationship, readers are gonna wonder what the fuck you're doing. That's not what they're there for. But if you're writing a space opera or an epic fantasy, you might be able to get away with four to five points of view. But even in these situations, I encourage you to be picky!
We can all think of novels that had points of view we didn't give a shit about or skipped entirely. You don't wanna be that author. So before you make this mistake, ask yourself, “Does this point of view benefit the story? Does the character have a unique and engaging voice? Does their point of view move the plot forward? Can the events they’re recounting be explained by another more engaging character?” Answering these questions will help you determine whether or not this character needs a point of view.
Number 2: Organization Is Your Best Friend
The biggest hurdle to writing multiple points of view is confusion. When you switch between points of view, it can be really easy to mix up the voices, and especially the timeline. And this is very relevant if you're writing a book that doesn't take place in chronological order. This is when it really helps to be as organized as possible during the planning and outlining phase of your novel, and then you can elaborate on said organization during the writing process. I recommend having a guideline to help you through this process. And you can easily do this through a digital platform like Scrintal.
Number 3: Be Consistent
When you switch from voice to voice, you need to make sure you're being consistent with the voice you're writing. No overlapping, ’cause readers are gonna notice. This can be as simple as the names and titles of characters. In The Savior's Army, Leila and Tobias are traveling alongside Tobias's mother, Yucana. In Tobias's point of view, the narrative and dialogue refer to her as “mother” or “his mother.” You know, ’cause she's his mom. But in Leila’s point of view, the dialogue and narrative refer to her as “Yucana,” because she's not her mom.
But it can go far deeper than that. For example, both Leila and Tobias suffer from PTSD. Except Leila has CPTSD, and Tobias has a regular old PTSD. Their triggers are different. Their symptoms are different. And their reactions to said symptoms are, you guessed it, different! That means when I shift to Leila’s point of view, I need to be damn sure that I'm reflecting her CPTSD correctly, and that I'm not resorting to using some of Tobias’s symptoms. Again, this is something that can be handled with proper organization, but also understanding your characters very well can help with this.
Number 4: Each Character Needs Their Own Story
If one of the points of view exists solely to reinforce another point of view, then perhaps that character should just be in the supporting cast. You don't need two points of view to tell one person's story. That'll make the second character feel two-dimensional and weak. Every point of view character needs their own personal journey, their own goals, their own dilemmas. It is 1,000% possible for their goals and journeys to overlap, so long as the characters stay true to themselves.
Now keep in mind there are different types of character arcs. I'm not saying that every single point-of-view character needs to save the day in some way. Some characters have flat arcs or negative arcs, and that's fine. The point is their story needs to matter on a large scale. If you're not sure if that's the case, compare your character at the start of the novel versus what they're like at the end of the novel. How have they changed? How have they changed the world around them? Or both. This will help you determine whether or not your character has an engaging voice within the content of your plot.
Number 5: Perspective Matters
Sometimes two or more point-of-view characters appear in the same scene together, and it's up to you to choose the point of view that's going to have the most impact. This will vary depending on what you're trying to get across, and the tone you're trying to set for the scene. Sometimes this will be easy. For example, in The Savior's Army, there was a scene where… Okay, I'm just gonna say it. Scroll past if you don't want a Savior's Army spoiler, okay?
There's a scene where Tobias finger blasts Leila for the first time. It kind of makes sense to write this scene from Leila’s point of view, since she's the one feeling all the feels. But there will be other scenes where it's not as easy to choose a point of view. And that's why I encourage you to consider what tone you portrayed in the previous chapter, and what tone you are trying to portray in this chapter. It's good to switch things up from chapter to chapter, and finding a new point of view that can help you achieve that is a great idea.
People also have unique perspectives regarding the same event, so which perspective is the most interesting for you to explore? I have a scene in The Savior's Army that easily could have been told from Tobias or Leila’s perspective. But the perspective I chose felt very haunting and poignant, so that's why I went with it. You will probably have to do this a lot as a writer. So again, ask yourself which point of view matters most. If that doesn't help, study the chapters surrounding the scene, and pick a perspective that provides something unique.
So that's all I've got for you today!
A huge thank you to Scrintal for sponsoring this video! Scrintal is a web app that combines mind mapping with the power of networked note-taking. Definitely check ’em out. They make organizing your ideas and mapping out your story so much easier.
*This post is sponsored by Scrintal. As always, all opinions are my own.
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