My POV--Um, POV

See what I did up there in the title? Hehehe, I'm funny.

Ok, so not really.

Lately I've been thinking about Point of View (POV) when writing a novel. Normally, I write my novels in some form of third-person POV, usually omniscient or limited. Recently though, I've been on this first-person present/first-person past POV kick. (I'm not sure which one I like better yet.) The biggest perk for me in using FPPOV is that I get to keep my main focus on just one person, rather than jumping around with everyone else like I have in the past. Somehow, it just feels...cleaner to me. Yeah, cleaner is the right word for that.

I have this short story I want to submit for AW's Erotica Anthology. I've been working on it off and on for, I think, five or six years now. I know, I know. It's only a short story, so it shouldn't be taking me this long. (In my defense I'm even pickier about my Erotica writing than I am about everything else, and it's not quite right for me yet.) Point is, I want to submit this story, 'cus there's a tiny chance it will be picked for the Anthology. (That would be awesome!) Right now though, it's in TPPOV. Definitely needs to change to FPPOV. So, I start changing it. Wow...just wow. It's so much better now. Except for--

My dilemma: man or woman's POV?

Hmmmm...

As my thoughts are journeying down the POV roads, I start wondering, why do I like first-person more now? That's easy enough to answer. I feel closer to my MC--which, I think, all writers should be striving for--and I get to know him/her better this way. I'm channeling my MC. I am the Oracle; they are the speakers. You see where I'm going with the cheesy cliche's, right? To me, it's the most fantastic feeling. Why didn't I ever write in FPPOV before now? (I checked. There's not even one story in FPPOV!) It's like, I was stuck in this TPPOV bubble, and I didn't even realize it until now. I felt the need to know what was going on all over the place in every story I wrote. Yes, stories written this way have their appeal. I can't see Lord of the Rings being as good in FPPOV. (Naysayers, shut it. I already know, if it's written well it can be done.) Point is, I've popped the bubble. I'm expanding my horizons.

We must, on our journey, make a stop at second-person POV. It's a lost and lonely highway, practically abandoned. It's not something you see often. I'm not sure I've ever read a story in second; I'll have to think about that for a bit...Anyway, it's a rarity. I wish I had the guts to try writing a story in second. I don't think I'd ever be able to pull it off though. It would be fun, and a challenge, to write a good story with a bunch of you's and your's. Note to self: look for some SPPOV novels.

Now we hit the most traveled road...well, for me. It is well-worn, this road. It has been traveled on for many years, with all manner of people and beings beside me. There are limitations with any point of view you choose, but there are also advantages. With first, I get to delve deep into my MC's head and with third, I get to dip into everyone's head. The limitations with third though--I'm beginning to dislike them more and more as time goes by. Yes, I can stay in just my MC's head in TPLPOV, but it's not my MC's voice you're hearing, it's mine. I've always assumed I was close to these people I write about. That I was getting their words out and not my own. I feel a whole lot closer to them now, trying to rewrite some of their stories in first.

I won't be changing all of my stories. As I said before, there are advantages to TPPOV. I do think some of them will benefit from the POV change though. That's the most important thing. The story must be able to draw someone in. If I can't be drawn in enough, what makes me think anyone else will?