Or don't, it's up to you.
And also, I'm only advocating possibly breaking the "rules" in writing. I do think things like speed limits should be followed--so there's my disclaimer. =)
I'm writing a scene right now (literally. I clicked over from Scrivener because I wanted to share some thoughts...) that is in my main character's sister's POV. I've toyed with ideas about whose POV to include in this story and I think I decided to leave the sister's out of it. But today, for some reason, she was just kind of intriguing me. So I decided to write this scene for her and see what happened, see how she'd handle the sibling tension we have going on here.
And you know what? 400 words just appeared on that scene with little to no effort. It. Was. So. Cool!
Now, I may go back and read those tomorrow and decide they're terrible. But for today, I'm really happy for what this scene is turning out to be. Maybe I'll love it and leave it there. Maybe I'll eventually delete it and no one will ever know Kate's side of the story except me. Who knows? But I think sometimes we have to be un-afraid, be bold enough to break the rules.
Love Inspired likes a specific kind of story, and that's totally fine. I LOVE writing for them and coming up with stories that fit what they're looking for. But as a rule they generally only have the hero and heroine's POV. So that's how I've been writing EVERYTHING lately. But you know what? I don't have to. I can include anyone's point of view I want! (Mwahahahaha!)
Seriously, though, it was freeing to me to remember that while I want this story to be published, today there is no contract on it. Today it's just me, these characters, and some fun ideas I have for developing their story. I don't have to worry about what percentage of the book is taken up by which character's POV. I don't have to agonize which publishing house this style would "fit" with if I stay with the multiple POVs. Today, I just get to write.
And drink my hot chocolate and pretend like it isn't 79 degrees outside. You read that right. 79. Ick.
So my issue for the day was remembering that there's no set rule on Points-of-View and whose to include when. And if someone has invented a rule, it's okay to break it.
What rules to you struggle to give yourself permission to break? Which do you keep no matter what? How do you know when they're important?
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Um rules? There are rules? Aren't those for breaking? I'll break any of them I need to--after I figure out what guideline they're teaching me. (not law). ;-) And if I need to break all the rules, I just call it poetry. LOL.
ReplyDeleteAs for POV--I am sadly about to rip out an entire POV and drop down the action for one character I love. I keep hearing she should have her own story. But I'm not convinced I'm meant to tell it.
First - 79 degrees! Whoa! It's been a lovely 4-10 degrees over here!
ReplyDeleteSecond - I agree. I've noticed that all the POVs in all the books (at least in my genre) are becoming boringly similar. So I've already purposed to change it up a little! Hah!