Working on my third story and it is told from a point of view that switches back and forth between two of the characters, a male and a female. Right now there is just a line across part of the page where the point of view switches. I also have tried to make the intro sentences of each section such that it should be pretty obvious to the thinking reader that the other character is now the point of view we are reading. Anyone have any other tips for this type of presentation? I've thought of breaking it up into chapters for publication, the way some authors do, but it's not that long so each chapter would be too short I think.
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Switching Points of View within a Story
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Mana wahine
To show that the characters/points of view have switched, you could have block of text in italics for one person, and then normal type face for the other? That may be the easiest way to show the points of view have changed.
The Bruiser
Quote by StephenOba
Working on my third story and it is told from a point of view that switches back and forth between two of the characters, a male and a female. Right now there is just a line across part of the page where the point of view switches. I also have tried to make the intro sentences of each section such that it should be pretty obvious to the thinking reader that the other character is now the point of view we are reading. Anyone have any other tips for this type of presentation? I've thought of breaking it up into chapters for publication, the way some authors do, but it's not that long so each chapter would be too short I think.
I have done this is one of my stories in which the character viewpoint changes. If you want to see how i have done it. I have posted a link to the story
https://www.lushstories.com/stories/threesomes/-on-the-balcony-in-the-french-alps-pt2-.aspx
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Her Royal Spriteness
Quote by Lauradj
To show that the characters/points of view have switched, you could have block of text in italics for one person, and then normal type face for the other? That may be the easiest way to show the points of view have changed.
this is usually how people here go about it and it works fine. I'd go with this suggestion.
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Weaver of Words
Quote by Lauradj
To show that the characters/points of view have switched, you could have block of text in italics for one person, and then normal type face for the other? That may be the easiest way to show the points of view have changed.
I did this as well on one of my stories, but it was a bit different Roger's story which was just one point of view, then one switch to the other person and that was it. Mine was one paragraph of what one person was thinking, then the other with the entire story switching back and forth multiple times. So rather then heading every paragraph with George, then Carol, then George again and so forth, I did one in regular text and one in italics. I just labelled the first paragraph for each one with the name.
I did get a bit of grief about it, but after explaining my thinking, the story was approved.
Bonnet Flaunter
Some people just use title headings of the name of the character above the section of their viewpoint. That works too. 
Quote by adele
I did this as well on one of my stories, but it was a bit different Roger's story which was just one point of view, then one switch to the other person and that was it. Mine was one paragraph of what one person was thinking, then the other with the entire story switching back and forth multiple times. So rather then heading every paragraph with George, then Carol, then George again and so forth, I did one in regular text and one in italics. I just labelled the first paragraph for each one with the name.
I did get a bit of grief about it, but after explaining my thinking, the story was approved.
Thanks for all this everyone. What a great community!
Adele, out of curiosity, what was the grief for? Was it explained? Did the reviewer not understand and just think you messed up the fonts? Did she or he just not want to code two fonts for Web display? BTW, my story is like yours, the points of view alternate.
It's done. I'm just proofing and trying to figure this part out. Maybe I'll post here when it's done. My first two didn't get that much interest.
Advanced Wordsmith
Switching POV’s can be seperated by paragraphs or a noticeable scene change. Be careful using italics as in many cases that indicates thoughts, which is how I use italics. Once you’ve esrablished who is speaking (for two charaters) you can drop the dialogue tags.
"Illegitimis non carborundum." Vinger Joe Stllwell
What you learn in life is important; those you help learn are more.
What you learn in life is important; those you help learn are more.
Weaver of Words
Quote by StephenOba
Thanks for all this everyone. What a great community!
Adele, out of curiosity, what was the grief for? Was it explained? Did the reviewer not understand and just think you messed up the fonts? Did she or he just not want to code two fonts for Web display? BTW, my story is like yours, the points of view alternate.
It's done. I'm just proofing and trying to figure this part out. Maybe I'll post here when it's done. My first two didn't get that much interest.
They felt I should label each one individually, but the story is a little different than normal. It consists of their alternating thoughts as events unfold, from each one's perspective. Some exchanges are only a sentence or two ling. There is almost no dialogue. Here is the link if you would like to take a look...
https://www.lushstories.com/stories/seduction/the-perfect-storm-1.aspx
Honestly? If I want multiple points of view, I use third person omniscient narrator. That way you can move seamlessly from person to person without magical dividing lines. I know people love first person around here but third exists and is the most widely used in literature for a reason.
Quote by seeker4
Honestly? If I want multiple points of view, I use third person omniscient narrator. That way you can move seamlessly from person to person without magical dividing lines. I know people love first person around here but third exists and is the most widely used in literature for a reason.
I think each narration style has its advantages. I like third-person fine. My second story was like that, third person narrator. I don't limit my reading to one narration style and I hope to not limit my writing to that either. My one goal is to make them appeal to women a little more than they seem to have thus far.
Primus Omnium
Quote by StephenOba
Thanks everyone. It's published. I'm a little surprised. It only took a few hours to be approved.
One last time trying to get the link to work:
<a href="https://"> Hot Tub Swap </a>
You cannot post the link to your story here in the forum until you have 20 posts here. You need more posts.
Here is your story Hot Tub Swaps.
https://www.lushstories.com/stories/wife-lovers/-hot-tub-swap-.aspx
Advanced Wordsmith
Quote by seeker4
Honestly? If I want multiple points of view, I use third person omniscient narrator. That way you can move seamlessly from person to person without magical dividing lines. I know people love first person around here but third exists and is the most widely used in literature for a reason.
Yes, I agree. Third person omniscient is the best way to go from one character's perspective to another's. Even so it can be done confusingly if the jumps are too frequent among characters' points of view.
Rookie Scribe
Third-person is the most 'acceptable' way to go, which means having to use attributions like 'Bill said', 'Monica said'. Or thought.
A lot depends on the size of the blocks of POV. If you want to quickly switch between points of view then third-person will do it. For longer passages with a character, you should use individual scenes as natural section breaks.
The italics could work for rapid character switching, but I'd use it sparingly unless you want to make the format a deliberate and obvious gimmick for your story. I think that generally, 'head hopping' is frowned down on, particularly if it's spammed.
Interestingly, I've just remembered Dickens's Bleak House, most of which is written in third-person but where there are whole sections written as first-person specifically for Esther Summerson's point of view. It goes to show there's room to improvise with this.
A lot depends on the size of the blocks of POV. If you want to quickly switch between points of view then third-person will do it. For longer passages with a character, you should use individual scenes as natural section breaks.
The italics could work for rapid character switching, but I'd use it sparingly unless you want to make the format a deliberate and obvious gimmick for your story. I think that generally, 'head hopping' is frowned down on, particularly if it's spammed.
Interestingly, I've just remembered Dickens's Bleak House, most of which is written in third-person but where there are whole sections written as first-person specifically for Esther Summerson's point of view. It goes to show there's room to improvise with this.
Active Ink Slinger
Quote by Riviera_Dreams
Third-person is the most 'acceptable' way to go, which means having to use attributions like 'Bill said', 'Monica said'. Or thought.
A lot depends on the size of the blocks of POV. If you want to quickly switch between points of view then third-person will do it. For longer passages with a character, you should use individual scenes as natural section breaks.
The italics could work for rapid character switching, but I'd use it sparingly unless you want to make the format a deliberate and obvious gimmick for your story. I think that generally, 'head hopping' is frowned down on, particularly if it's spammed.
Interestingly, I've just remembered Dickens's Bleak House, most of which is written in third-person but where there are whole sections written as first-person specifically for Esther Summerson's point of view. It goes to show there's room to improvise with this.
Third person is about the only acceptable way to "head hop" when it comes to perspective, IMO and it definitely should come with chapter blocks or section breaks.
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Gravelly-Voiced Fucker
Quote by wicked_jocelyn
Third person is about the only acceptable way to "head hop" when it comes to perspective, IMO and it definitely should come with chapter blocks or section breaks.
Elmore Leonard is the kind of "head-hopping" and I don't know how he does it, but he can shift POV from one paragraph to the next, and it's so seamless you don't even notice. No italics, no breaks, no nothing. It just flows. I remember when I first noticed, four people in a room, and he jumps from head to head, and you are never confused as to who's head you are in. It's spooky!
Quote by Verbal
Elmore Leonard is the kind of "head-hopping" and I don't know how he does it, but he can shift POV from one paragraph to the next, and it's so seamless you don't even notice. No italics, no breaks, no nothing. It just flows. I remember when I first noticed, four people in a room, and he jumps from head to head, and you are never confused as to who's head you are in. It's spooky!
In s-f/f the late Gene Wolfe used to pull some pretty amazing stuff with shifting POV and other head games (not to mention he was a master of the unreliable narrator). I love his writing but have no illusions about being able to pull off some of the things he did myself.
Advanced Wordsmith
Quote by Green_Man
You cannot post the link to your story here in the forum until you have 20 posts here. You need more posts.
Here is your story Hot Tub Swaps.
https://www.lushstories.com/stories/wife-lovers/-hot-tub-swap-.aspx
I agree. I use nothing but third person. Solves the problem.
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