V is for VIEWPOINT

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I admit, I still get a bit confused by Point of View (POV) or the VIEWPOINT of the story. POV is the way an author wants the reader to “see” and “hear” what’s going on.

Essentially, there are three types of POV.

1st Person — This is when the story is narrated by a character with I-me-my-mine in his/her speech. The advantage is that you get to hear the thoughts of the narrator and see the world through his or her eyes.

2nd Person — This is when the author uses “you” or “your” in the narrative, speaking directly to YOU. This is a rare POV type.  My fave is from Dr. Seuss, Oh! The Places You’ll Go! (Random House, 1990) "You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. You’re on your own. And you know what you know. And YOU are the guy who’ll decide where to go."
 (Good advice, right?)

3rd Person — This is when the story is told through an “outsider” point of view and when you read the description, it is the author’s voice, not the character’s, you are reading. By describing the characters actions through words, the reader should be able to know what is going on in the character’s head.

I know — still confusing, right? The best way to learn about the different types of POV is to read…but you already knew that. <grin>

Gotta jet!

— Chase Superman Duffy