How to Mix POVs in Writing

POVs in writing are the various points of view that you may use when telling a story. One common POV is first-person, which consists of one person's point of view, using personal pronouns like "I" or "me." You also can have one POV from a third-person point of view, using pronouns like "he" or "they." Third-person also can have multiple points of view, in which you write from the perspective of more than one character. This third option works best when you want to mix the POVs of different characters.

Instructions

    • 1

      Choose a third-person multiple POV if you want to mix POVs. Third-person multiple POV allows you to write from the perspective of multiple characters and switch their points of view throughout your writing.

    • 2

      Keep emotional information specific to the character's POV from which you currently are writing. If you're writing from Bob's perspective, for example, you cannot say, "Mary felt scared," unless she tells Bob she feels scared.

    • 3

      Fact-check when using multiple POVs. Information that one character could not logically know can't be discussed, revealed or mentioned when writing from that character's perspective. For example, if a story is from Bob's perspective and Bob is at the store while Mary is home cleaning, Bob can't give a detailed account of the cleaning process because he isn't actually there to witness it.

    • 4

      Switch up the POVs in a way that doesn't confuse the reader more than is intended. Write with the same POV throughout an entire scene, unless changing the POV halfway through is crucial to the story. When making frequent switches, it's crucial to get a second opinion to ensure that someone who doesn't know the plot ahead of time can follow along.

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