Surge and the POV Problem

So, I have come upon a bit of a new quandary while writing Surge. Yep.

Another one. Which I sort of expected them to come up, but this one is interesting and unexpected as it has little to do with planning - or maybe - maybe not? Hmmmm....interesting... As I sat at my café today writing the next instalment, I came to slowly realise that everything I had written was in first person POV and not third person. It had flowed so easily. Much, much easier than before, and I sat – very confused – as to why I had even begun writing in first person when everything I had read (I reread to prepare myself for writing) was third person.

Weird heh.

Which leaves me with this problem.

What if I am writing in the wrong POV for the story? What if first person would fit the story better?

This is the first draft of the Work In Progress - of a very unplanned work in progress - so - and I am approximately 20,000 words into the story, which is where I usually begin to see issues such as this unfold.

The 20,000 word mark is a wall that has to be defeated. It's not a fun wall to hit.

For the longest time Point of View confused me. Much of my older writing – fifteen or so years ago we’re talking – was a mixture of POV’s due to my confusion of the concept. I had a habit – despite writing third person – of switching between character POV’s mid paragraph. I was under the impression that because I was an omniscient writer, seeing into all the heads of all the characters, I could simply write all their thoughts and all their emotions. It made for very confusing reading. I was told though that this was often a problem young – or new – writers have – and despite me reading books and books on Point of View I was just left in a puddle of confusion, feeling extremely stupid for not understanding something that people said was so basic. ^_^;

It did not seem basic to me at all, it felt convoluted, all twisted up, and not straight forward and no one could give me a straight answer on what Point of View actually was and what I was doing wrong and how I could fix it.

It took me a long, long time - and years of practicing by writing Stargate SG1 fanfiction - and an editor giving me solid examples of what she was *actually* talking about for me to gradually grasp the concept that an omniscient writer still has single POV characters that they follow. That I wasn’t inside every character’s head at the same time.

Which is why, if you read my main series you’ll notice I tend to follow “pairs” or “groups” –

Zinkx, Shanty, Sam –

Daniel, Skyeola.

Denvy, and his Cubs.

This allows me to switch the POV’s chapter to chapter. Sometimes it’s Zinkx, sometimes it’s Shanty – sometimes it’s Daniel, sometimes it’s Skyeola. I can then explore everyone’s thoughts and emotions and get their views on events. I like how it allows me to tell very detailed, intricate plotlines over vast distances and through varying eyes. It can show how misunderstanding develop, how information may be shared with one character, but not the other. One character may be a very unreliable narrator, while you can really play around with another being all prim and proper.

That’s how I like writing. It’s how I have gotten used to it – but I have kept feeling uncomfortable while writing Surge because something has felt very “off” about the POV I have been writing in.

So maybe I have discovered it – maybe I am writing the story in the wrong style. It is a story that should have a bias twist to it, since it is through the eyes of Tyrin - who - in turn - is the lense in which the Litin Empire come to view the events of the book. It would be interesting to see his growth from beginning to end if I could capture that in first person too - considering he is a crafter, and his role is a ship's counselor - first person might capture far more of that personal mental vibe I've really been wanting to bring but feel like I've been failing to do.

The problem I am facing is that I did have a plotline with Little Doc and had already written some of his scenes – so – I am going to have to figure something out around that, but who knows – maybe it will be a stronger story for this revelation.

It just means stopping and rewriting. But I suppose, sometimes, for the sake of the story, it must be done. Besides, 20,000 words isn’t that much to rewrite. *cracks knuckles*

Okay. Let’s do this.

Sorry everyone. We’re putting this story on hold while I rewrite.

Shouldn't take me to long.