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Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/a/39599
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/a/39599
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

## how do I switch between these characters without it being jarring for the reader?

Short answer: you don't. There will always be a moment, when switching from a PoV to another, when the reader will feel his connection with the character, hence his suspension of disbelief, interrupt momentarily. When the PoV changes, the reader is reminded that he's not in the head of the character - and after all, he's just reading.

So it will be jarring, at least a bit. **Now this isn't a problem** : a lot of authors do multiple PoVs fine. A famous - and maybe overused - example is George R. Martin in the _Song of ice and fire_ series. In every book there are multiple PoVs divided by chapters. Some events are then narrated from different viewpoints, giving the reader different insights.

Now, from a minimizing-the-jarringness standpoint, there are a few things to take care of.

> Do I just write a few chapters on one character then switch to another for a few chapters, and then another again? What about the passing of time as what each of these characters are going through is all happening at the same time?

Both ways are viable, having their pros and cons.

**A different PoV for each x chapters (with x being between 1 and 3, roughly):**

- Pro: You get to show what's happening everywhere roughly at the same time
- Pro: It can suit you well, since you can interleave stories neatly (for example, passing from a chapter with the woman to her husband). The idea should be that each PoV will "pass the baton" to the following one.
- Con: You are constantly switching back and forth, so the jarring effect is maximized unless you doing it well.
- Pro/Con: you are also maximizing suspence, since no one of those singular stories reaches its end before the others.

**Stick to a PoV and switch to another once it's finished:**

- Pro: You minimize jarring, giving a coherent PoV until needed
- Pro: Each PoV is, in a way, a sufficient, self-contained story about the bush fires
- Con: PoVs may feel "disconnected" one from the other, apart from the common theme
- Con: You have to "rewind time" each time you switch to a new PoV

As I said there are both viable. It depends on what you're aiming to get. The first method tries to build a single story out of 4 PoV, where the second builds up a collection of short stories.

Original score: 2