Mixing voices in a story.

[Etienne]

I have a story about to be posted. There are two principal characters, and they speak in the first person.

 

Many chapters into the tale, I want to introduce an additional character. For clarity this character might be more easily understood in the third person.

 

Is this a great big 'no-no?'

[Lugh]

let me ask you a question....

 

why would you think it's a no no? do you have a book of rules for writers that I missed some where?

 

Here is what I was told: There are industry standards, then there are the books that sell. The books that sell break the rules the industry standards set. If your story works -- ie it flows well, it's not jarring, there is plot, there are believable characters, it's well paced.... and all those other things that good fiction SHOULD have.... then who cares if it's in first person, third person, second person, or some combonation there of.. so long as the reader knows what is going on and YOU are consistant. That I think is the biggest issue... consistancy.

 

Now why would it be better for this character to be introduced in 3rd person? How far into the story are you? (to me that makes a big difference too; don't want to be changing things mid-stream)

 

anyway... just some food for thought...

 

Lugh

[Etienne]

let me ask you a question....

 

why would you think it's a no no? do you have a book of rules for writers that I missed some

 

--- No, I don't have a book of rules. However, when I studied writing (and it was a very long time ago) certain things were drummed into my head. It was supposedly bad form to write in the first person (I do that, anyhow). It was supposedly bad form to mix points of view, etc etc.

 

 

 

Here is what I was told: There are industry standards, then there are the books that sell. The books that sell break the rules the industry standards set. If your story works -- ie it flows well, it's not jarring, there is plot, there are believable characters, it's well paced.... and all those other things that good fiction SHOULD have.... then who cares if it's in first person, third person, second person, or some combonation there of.. so long as the reader knows what is going on and YOU are consistant. That I think is the biggest issue... consistancy.

 

--- point well taken.

 

Now why would it be better for this character to be introduced in 3rd person? How far into the story are you? (to me that makes a big difference too; don't want to be changing things mid-stream)

 

---Not better, just perhaps a bit less awkward seeming, to me, than heading up chapters or sections of chapters with subheadings, ie. "Sam's Perpective" or "This isJoe talking" or any one of a number of such devices.

 

E

[Lugh]

Well I can tell you how I do it for one of my stories... and mine is in 3rd person....

 

I just start each whatever off with the name of the person in whose POV I will be writing and it's worked out well for the story. It's consistant and the reader isn't confused. Better yet, I'm not confused -- which makes for happier readers.

 

But you do what you have to do for your story. BTW I was once told that every rule was put there by other writers to keep new writers in their boxes until they rubbed two brain cells together and figured out how to get out of the box... hum... wonder if this is another one of those cases?

 

 

Lugh

[LittleBuddhaTW]

From what I've read and heard, switching voices like that in the middle of a story can be done, but it's very difficult to make it work and flow well together. If you're an exceptional writer, it could come off very well, but, IMO, it could also detract from the story. I think the main thing to focus on is that the reader doesn't get confused, and that the different P.O.V.'s "flow" well together, and come across as natural.

 

But then again, I'm hardly a good enough writer to be talking about stuff like this. It's mainly what I've garnered from reading some good books, articles, and my own reading experiences.

 

Good luck!

 

*Hugz*

 

Buddha

[Dio]

I've seen it done in several great fantasy stories, where the author sort of takes a break to introduce some other characters, or develop a picture of events and characters not immediately associated with the primary character.

 

As long as you don't jar back and forth I don't see a problem. But again, it's up to you as an author to make it work.

 

good luck!

 

-db-