Hi everyone

Working on my first novel and I am writing alternate chapters on each MC (two in toto). After much debate and thought I decided to go with the first person narrative.

However, I am now wondering whether I was too hasty (it's not too late to change anyway) but just want talk this out with you.

I am starting at a point of 20 years old and 10 years for the two characters. So I have already established the 20 year old character and don't think her voice will change much over the 23 year span of the story. Obviously the 10 year old will change his voice over the 33 year span of the book.

Concerned about this because my first chapter is based at age 10 years.

Next briefly outlines teens and then the major story starts from 21 years for him.

I am worried that the change in voice may confuse readers so would I be better writing in third person after all giving a smoother passage to the writing from child to man?

Basically years 10 to 27 and 20 to 43 for each character is the back story and the main story starts when they meet at 27 and 43. Also I may cut some of the back story once I have finished, but not sure yet.

What do you think, hope you can understand what I mean?

Bev

Is it the 10yr old who is written in the first person? Personally, I think this can work really well, because in 3rd person there is the risk of the child sounding too adult.


- NaomiM

Naomi

They are both written in first person, which has just given me another jolt because whose POV do I write in when they meet up??

Bev

Ah, I see, sorry. Well yuo'll have to toss the proverbial coin and pick one. I'd keep the alternate povs, so when they meet up the reader gets it first from one character's pov, then, in the next scene or chapter, from the other's pov, even though they are both together.
I've probably mentioned it before, but Nick Hornby does it very well in About A Boy. Although it's written in the 3rd person, it could just as easily have been written in first.


- NaomiM

Naomi

Thanks for this.

So for clarity can I within a chapter mix the POV's and by this I mean start one scene with the female POV and then in next scene use the male POV both in first.

Wasn't sure I could do this in first.

Bev

<Added>

I must get About a Boy out to read which would help.

So for clarity can I within a chapter mix the POV's and by this I mean start one scene with the female POV and then in next scene use the male POV both in first

I don't see why not - a lot of writers use that format.

Thanks Again Naomi

Will carry on with first.

Bev

I would think you'd need to point up who is speaking, though, by putting their name at the top of each scene.
Susiex

I don't see a problem in changing the point of view at any stage. It can work very well. The important thing, though, is that the change should be made clear to the reader right at that point, even if that is not done too obviously. Preferably there should be something in or about the first sentence after the switch that communicates to the reader which POV you're now in.

I find it quite annoying when this is not done (some writers seem to use this as a device to deliberately trip up the reader). To get to the end of a paragraph only to discover that I've got it wrong and that it was a different person 'speaking' can be quite a turn-off.

Sounds like an interesting character interplay you've got going there which the two first persons approach could suit well.

Chris

Thanks Susie and Chris for your advice.

Yes I think you have made a good point about ensuring the reader knows there has been a change in character's POV and I will keep this in mind when I get to it.

Thanks: Bev

Preferably there should be something in or about the first sentence after the switch that communicates to the reader which POV you're now in.

Yes, I'd absolutely agree: you have to make it very clear, either by naming the sections, or by having very different voices.

In TMOL two first-person narrators alternate within chapters - a variable pattern of how many and who came first. I decided not to name the sections. It helped that they were 150 years apart, with voices to match, but I had a rule that the first sentence had to have two things in it which would orient the reader quickly and - hopefully intuitively. Usually that meant a particularly characteristic shape and style of sentence, plus a name of place or person. My editor decided to put a squiggle when it changed, just to wake readers up, as it were, which I think was the right decision.

But in ASA, where two narrators are brother and sister, I didn't have a difference of period to help me, plus the confused reader had three different narrators to track, so those sections I did name - and in fact it was rather useful, since the three narratives also had very different time-frames (one a life, one a week, one a day), so I labelled the sections with the time (one years, one days, one hours), which clarified and pointed up the counterpoint of the different narratives.

The alternative would be to go for a third person narrative, and then you don't even have to plump for one POV or another, as long as you do the slides between the two properly. It's much more flexible. But it sounds as if you've got everything worked out for an alternating first-person, so I'd say go for it.

Emma

Hello

Thanks for your help everyone.

I have put my first chapter (first draft) onto womens fiction for a not too soft not too harsh critique if anyone is interested.

Bev