Who Is This?!

Hi. Long time no see, really. As you all should hopefully know, I suffer from chronic procrastination. I originally had written about settings, but I have no idea what in the world happened, and so that's all gone. Good for me, because I actually have no idea how to do setting. Haaaa...

So, POINT OF VIEW. It's a simple thing, really. Generally there's first person, second person and third person. However, using second person is rather peculiar especially for story writing, but as we all know, AFF is special to those "you" stories. One thing that actually really annoys me, is how some writers tend to change Points Of View (P.O.V) quite often. It's a little frustrating, especially when my stupid self skips over the '____-'s pov' and I get confused. Generally though, I find that it ruins the flow of the story so I hope that people in the future will try to avoid such things.

My basic advice for you is to select ONE point of view throughout your story, and stick with it. Of course, there are a few books that occasionally switch pov's back and forth as well, but I'll tell you why and how that doesn't annoy me and manage not to ruin the flow later. Now, let us discuss the different points of views we must write with.

First Person

I'd like to say this is the most basic POV. Certainly not the easiest, because as we all learn in grade school, starting sentences with "I", "He/She", "They", is boring. Seriously, it's boring. It's the most basic because it's how we usually speak on a daily basis.

With the first person point of view, we can see what's going on through your head, all your thoughts and every little detail you notice. 

A distant voice seemed to call. My brows furrowed as I was trying to make heads or tails of the situation. Where am I? Slowly, my eyes crack open and the light pours in, it's overwhelming. I shiver, shutting my eyes tight, hopig they'd adjust soon as I attempted to pull myself up. 

First person is more like an auto-biography writing. The character who is the narrator, explaining in first person, is one who is participating in the plot. Personally, I feel like writing in first person can really help the reader feel as though they are in the story. Which I find would be a better alternative to writing those "you" stories rather than writing in second person, or third person if the writer decides to leave the character's name as blank.

Like I had said earlier, I (personally) find that writing in first person is actually difficult. The reason of that is when I first started writing, I wrote in first person and all my sentences would start with "I" and I seriously had no idea how to stop doing so. If I gave you an excert of my old writing, you would know. But I won't, because I'm too embarrassed by it so haaaaa. Starting with the same word constantly is something you'd really like like to avoid. You need to give a little variation but you also need to make sure that your paragraphs aren't running short either. I'll expand on this in a future chapter.

I don't think there's really anything else for me to expand otherwise though. 

Second person

Is putting "you" in the story. Plural I believe is also "you" but in a more of an informal way, it would be "you guys"? That more referring to someone though.. IDK LKGJSDLKJGSLKDJFKLG

It's actually rarely used in the world of books. Sometimes in recepie books or tutorials (such as this one! Yaaaaaay). Often times in those make your own adventure books or poetry. We often see second person point of view in lots of stories here on AFF thought. As forementioned, the infamous pile of "you" books. I don't really reconmend writing in second pov for stores, unless you are specifically trying to direct it to sometime. For example; when reading poetry, the narrator always talks about a loved one and often says "you" as though the reader is their loved one. Perhaps the same could be for writing a story; if the author is really trying to direct something to their reader in the same manner.

I don't know how clearly I'm explaining this, and I'm not exactly sure if I can make it any more. So using Pablo Neruda as an example; in one of his work he wrote "I like for you to be still. You hear my voice from afar, but it does not reach you." No time for analysing! He specifically wrote "you" as though he was speaking towards his reader, but he means his lover. Even then, I guess it's not exactly completely second person view. I really don't know where I'm going with this OTL

It's just a little awkward to write in second person, in my opinion. I really have nothing else to say about this.

Third Person

I find this the easiest to write in, but it's a little difficult to explain. The reason of that is because there are two different types of Third person POV. Generally, it's just when we say "He/She/They". Unlike the first person, the narrator does not participate in the story. Personally, I write majority of my stories in third person because it's just that much easier.

Going on to the two different types of third pov. There's Omniscent and then Limited Omniscent. The two sort of explain themselves, but they're still sort of confusing. Especially since my english teacher reversed them for me so I'm not actually 100% sure. Obviously, since this is not an english course, you don't need to remember which one's which. Or maybe you do for english. But know that I won't test you. 

Omniscent is when the narrator knows all the characters, all their thoughts and past and everything. So for example;

Yongguk raised a brow at his younger sister, wishing that she was to spill what was on her mind though he said nothing verbally. She was figeting with her fingers, an obvious sign that she wasn't sitting well. Mina, on the other hand was trying to find a way to calm herself, hoping Yongguk wouldn't see through her. In the end, it is inevitable. The boy will find every little detail, as he always does, and he's determined to do so. And he'll find comfort for her. Though, the thought of it most certainly does not comfort her.

Sort of a poor example, I apologize but I hope you understand it better.  I had to pull that off the top of my head, I'm not actually sure what type of third person I write in. shame on me, I know. 

But as we can see, we know what's going on in Yongguk's mind, as well as Mina's.

As opposed to Limited Omniscent.

Yongguk raised a brow. Mina turned away from him, her hands figeting with one another. She hoped that it would calm herself somehow, because the thought of knowing how her brother will snoop out every little detail of what happened that day was unsettling. She didn't want him to know. He couldn't know. It's inevitable though, because she knows he has a duty to fufil as an older brother and that he'll find all the little details.

In this example, we don't know what's in Yongguk's mind. We know his motive though, via Mina's thoughts.

Limited Omniscent is sort of more of a first person pov in a third person wording. Does that make any sense? I don't know if any of you have noticed, I tend to mutter things that only I seem to understand.

In Limited Omniscent, we only know one of the character's (The main character's) thoughts, actions, everything as opposed to everyone else's. Because we're limited to only one character. Which is why I feel it's almost identical to first person. We see things through the main character's view, only the narrator does not participate in the narrative itself.

Changing Points of Views

And why this annoys Pie. Like I have said waaaay back in the intro of this lesson, I feel as though chaning points of views can really stop the flow of a story. If you feel the need to go into a character's head, why don't you just write in third person instead? Perhaps place the character's thoughts in italics so we know they're thoughts? I understand that sometimes people feel the need to add in a character's thoughts, but sometimes it's really not necessary. Remember, show and don't tell?

So instead of going;

---No one's POV---

You walked in with a beautiful dress

---Daehyung's POV---

Wow, she is so beautiful.

IS THAT REALLY NEEDED?! COME ON. SERIOUSLY. DON'T EVEN GET ME STARTED ON 'No one's POV'. Why not try;

You walked in with a red cocktail dress. A large bow adorned the lower back, complimented your waist and hugged your body, you were absolutely stunning. Daehyun stopped all his actions, almost stopping his breathing as his eyes followed you.

In second pov, because I mainly see these in those "you" stories. None specific, but that was simply on my mind. But hey, why stop there? Why don't we try a first person view?

I really wasn't sure about this dress, but I had to admit; I actually liked it. The bow on the back is just absolutely adorable! A soft giggle left my lips as I opened the doors, slipping myself into the room. This will show him. I see a few of my friends across the room, and I give them a soft wave, just as I see Daehyun from the corner of my eyes and he seems stunned. All his actions are frozen, and his eyes on me. Good. Without giving him any attention, I flip my hair as I strut my way to the group of friends.

Seeeeeeee, how hard was that? There's really no need to switch from pov to pov. Seriously. Stop. It. Pie's pet peeves woooo. Try looking in books. You really don't see any fictions that changes pov so often, now do you?

Though, as I've also said way back in the intro, there are a few published books where pov's are switched and it doesn't annoy me as much as the pov changing here. Why? Beause they write a full chapter before they switch to someone elses's pov. Notice how I didn't say a completely different point of view. They usually stick with first person pov. For example, in the series I am Number Four, in the second book. The points of views are switched occasionally, one after each chapter.

Even then, we'll occasionally notice a simple change of pov in a third person view. Example; the book "Hoot" by Carl Hiaasen. Sometimes the pov changes too, but he stays in third person. We'll jump from the police man, to that security, and then back to the main character. 

So if you plan on changing POV, atleast TRY to stick with one of them (first, second or third). Not only that; but don't just blantenly tell the reader. Do a good job on detail and let the reader know by that instead. 

I hope this helps. I know it can be sort of hard to stick with one pov, because I used to have such a problem as well, but don't worry. You'll get over it. JUST LET IT GO, OKAY?