Stylistic question

[jebbypal]

Okay...my growing pains continue.

Here's the deal, always before I never really cared what order or when I started talking w/ a new character in any of my firefly stories. But since I've been doing a little bit of different stuff w/ my most recent and have actually been conservative thus far, I thought I'd check and see.

Does it really really pull you out of the flow of a story when someone all of a sudden introduces a new POV several chapters in that they haven't used before?? I'm trying to figure out how to go about revealing a specific plot element and it's already been pushed out of several potential scenes. And I'm just having trouble finding the way or right time to reveal it and still get all the reactions I want.

Thanks for the input.

Comments

[poisontaster]

Oh! I also meant to say that POV shifts should happen at scene breaks. Switching POV in-scene gets confusing for the cheap seats and definitely takes away from cohesive narrative. (hmmm...I wonder how many more times I can work "cohesive" into sentences today??)

[jebbypal]

*blinks* Umm..lj ate your other reply post apparently:)

And yeah, I know the POV changes always occur at scene breaks...been doing that for a couple of fics now;) LOL. didn't do it in a lot of my early stuff though *blushes*

Though now the POV scene break issue is the number one thing that keeps me from reading newbie fic. I know, bad me.

Hey...what did you think of camo if you ever found time to read it? *ducks away to hide dying curiousity*

[poisontaster]

Grrrr. Darn LJ monsters.

Ha! Managed to get my web browser to go back & recapture. Here's what I said in that first, doomed post:

Like anything to do with writing, it's situational.

Situation A: I have a plot point I want to reveal, but there's no way of revealing it with the POV I've been working from, so I throw in Character X's point of view...but I intend to go right back to my MC afterwards and Character X will never have POV again.

Blech. No. Don't do it. If you have a valid reason for switching POV AND plan to use that POV consistently, then it's not at all distracting. In my novel, the first 3 chapters are all from the female MC's POV, then switches at the head of Ch. 4 to the male POV. Part of that was to reveal info that couldn't come out otherwise--who the character REALLY is, and why he's there, and to give an external viewpoint on the FMC. But from Ch. 4 on, it intertwines both POVs at various times, which keeps cohesive narrative. So if you plan to USE the other character's POV then go for it, but if it's just to get this ONE plot twist/point across, then find another way.

(BTW, the "experts" I've read also say the same--just to establish some cred. LOL)

I started Camo, but didn't finish it (we must be on the same wavelength; I was JUST thinking about it today!). I think you're an evil wench for messing with me & Zoe's relationship. I don't know if I'm ever going to look at her the same. I don't want to give detailed feedback here (although I will, later, through email, when I've finished it). But it's a fascinating fic. I am really intrigued/fascinated/jealous-admiring of the emotional overtones. *I* feel as betrayed as Mal will/does/must, like she's actually hurt *me*. It's the same syndrome; you start replaying every moment in your head, looking for the clues you overlooked. It's great. Some of the prose is a little clunky, but the story is rock-solid. I know you're not pressuring...but I'll try to finish it up this week and get back to you with some meaty crit stuff.

[jebbypal]

POV -- Yeah, I know that's the standard thing. I was just wondering if it bothered anyone if I took the easy way out (one of the niceties of fanfic, you don't always have to follow conventions). but then I suddenly realized that I'd already used someone's POV once before and I could just look through their eyes again.

It all falls to the fact that when I get to sticky plot points I fall into comfort mode and prefer to show from a POV I'm comfortable w/ than having to tell from one I'm not. Or vice versa or something...in other words, I prefer writing wash a hundred times over to capturing Jayne's voice on anything remotely earthshattering.

Camo...yeah, I think I've overedited portions of it to death...the problem of not knowing exactly where your muse is leading and having to kill time as you wait for it to start again.

Hee..glad to know I hit the emotional notes well though. And yeah, I'm not pressuring, was just curious. ;) I know how it is to getting around to reading everything, doing your own writing, and going to work. Things fall off the cart at some point.

Siigh...which is really going to happen to me soon between the poster for work, the fact that brian gave me two books that i need to read soon so I can give them back to him, etc. Especially the books. I have to work myself into a certain state to be able to read Warhammer without it depressing me.

[mona1347.livejournal.com]

*facepalm* I feel like this is my fault. LOL :-D

I agree with poisontaster - they've said it better than I could right now.

*hearts the Firescape fic*

Did you get the Beta That Took Forever of the latest chapter (five? six? fivesix?) Gmail was acting weird on Friday.

*does birthday dance for you*

[jebbypal]

Not your fault at all. I can tell you what it's about later...basically boils down to the fact that I avoid writing jayne for any length of time if I don't have to. I was just trying to get permission to be lazy...but if it's worth doing, worth doing right and all that schnaz.

And no....gmail ate the beta of the last chapter though I did get the serenity summer stuff.

*dances with you*

[mona1347.livejournal.com]

DAMMIT! Now that I'm at work and have that edited file again, I'll send it off to you as soon as I get a mo' to find it. Stupid gmail.

[jebbypal]

LOL...it's okay. The serenity summer one came through and that one definitely has a little bit more of a deadline on it;)

*smooches*