To POV or not POV

Today I’m going to talk about ways to figure out if a character in your story needs to have a scene written from their point of view.

First, POV is more than just using third person (he/she/they) or first person (I/we us/them). It is about choosing a PERSPECTIVE — a lens through which readers will experience emotionally and physically experience the story.

It’s a given that any story will have the perspective of the MAIN CHARACTER, sometimes called the “lead” or the “protagonist.” They have a goal, and stakes if they don’t achieve it, so seeing them feel their way through a mess of challenges to (hopefully) triumph in the end is why readers goes along on the journey.

Ensembles elevate multiple characters into the “lead” role. This means that each has a goal, separate from the goals of the others in their group, to achieve something. This something they personally want to achieve is somehow connected to the overall goal (let’s say, to defeat the big bad guy).

Consider Inigo Montoya in The Princess Bride. He helps the pirate Roberts (Westley) in his quest because it might help him search for the six-fingered man who killed his father, for revenge. He is a SUPPORTING CHARACTER in Westley’s quest, but a LEADING CHARACTER in his own.

Some characters are only present as SUPPORT. They are there to support the goal of the LEAD CHARACTER. The lead character they follow might be the PROTAGONIST, making them an ally. Or the lead character they follow might be the ANTAGONIST, making them a minion.

Fezzig in The Princess Bride is entirely a sidekick. To Inigo always, then Vizzini (with Inigo), then Westley (also with Inigo). He has no personal goal other than continued employment, and maybe having a little fun along the way.

Leading character – as often as possible

LEADING CHARACTER should have the perspective most of the time, so that readers can check on how the obstacles and triumphs on the way to their goal are affecting and changing them emotionally over time. Providing a glimpse of their thoughts and emotions is crucial to investing the reader in their story enough to hope that they will win in the end.

It becomes a bit more murky whether or not another character should be able to share part of the story from their perspective. But here’s a few tips:

Ensemble characters

ENSEMBLE character with a separate goal: YES. As often as necessary and in situations where they are at some point on their path toward their goal or their commitment to the group goal is challenged. Readers need to see that they are wrestling with their goal vs the collective goal, or that they are defeated or make progress in some way toward their goal.

Supporting characters

These characters get POV when they are acting as STAND-IN for the main character they are allied with. Where the PROTAGONIST is not present, but they are, and something important in the overall story goal is going down. An ally of the ANTAGONIST can also get the POV if what’s happening affects the antagonist’s goal and the stand-in will be rewarded or punished as a result.

If the character has no goal of their own, you should try to avoid giving the reins of the story’s POV over to them. The barista at the coffee shop does not need POV unless they are going to become the protagonist’s friend or lover. You can also reevaluate a character’s role in the story and elevate them to an ensemble role or stand-in, giving them a small story goal of their own.

But don’t give them too big of one. That way lies making them the lead in their own story, and you’ll wander off on the main story you wanted to tell.

If you have thoughts on when characters should be given POV in a story, share them in the comments.

~ Lara