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Q&A Does a point of view need to be introduced when or right after the character is introduced?

The new viewpoint must feel organic, that's all. A year ago I would have said you need to establish the viewpoint rules of your novel up front, but now I believe otherwise, based on re-reading Mis...

posted 4y ago by DPT‭ · edited 4y ago by DPT‭

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#3: Post edited by

DPT‭ · 2020-03-19T23:30:00Z (over 4 years ago)

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**The new viewpoint must feel organic, that's all.**
A year ago I would have said you need to establish the viewpoint rules of your novel up front, but now I believe otherwise, based on re-reading Mistborn. In this novel, Sanderson brings in a new viewpoint, someone we've never met, around page 500. We are suddenly in a new viewpoint, and only for about 1200 words and then never again.
Why does it work?
Because, in this case, the *setting* for this new viewpoint was integral throughout.
The setting was the Pits of Hathsin, a place which scarred the main VP Character's body--and those scars were established early. The doom of the Pits of Hathsin was well established--so much so that commoners refer to the main VPCharacter The Survivor (of the pits)--and this was reinforced throughout.
When we get to page ~500 and a new character is in the Pits, we are ready.
The main VP character would never himself return to 'the pits.' And yet, giving us a viewpoint scene *within* the pits was valid, and importantly, destroying the pits (as a plot point) was valuable. And so, the introduction of a new viewpoint, for a short period of time, with the actual goal being to give the reader experience of the Pits of Hathsin, made perfect sense. It was not jarring.
**Answer:** So. It is entirely possible to establish a new viewpoint late in the game. There must be a reason for it. But it's been done. Don't hobble yourself--write the story the way you think it should work, and read broadly to see how other authors have handled this (and other) tricks.

**The new viewpoint must feel organic, that's all.**
A year ago I would have said you need to establish the viewpoint rules of your novel up front, but now I believe otherwise, based on re-reading Mistborn. In this novel, Sanderson brings in a new viewpoint, someone we've never met, around page 500. We are suddenly in a new viewpoint, and only for about 1200 words and then never again.
Why does it work?
Because, in this case, the *setting* for this new viewpoint was integral throughout.
The setting was the Pits of Hathsin, a place which scarred the main VP Character's body--and those scars were established early. The doom of the Pits of Hathsin was well established--so much so that commoners refer to the main VPCharacter as "The Survivor" (of the pits)--and this was reinforced throughout.
When we get to page ~500 and a new character is in the Pits, we are ready.
The main VP character would never himself return to 'the pits.' And yet, giving us a viewpoint scene *within* the pits was valid, and importantly, destroying the pits (as a plot point) was valuable. And so, the introduction of a new viewpoint, for a short period of time, with the actual goal being to give the reader experience of the Pits of Hathsin, made perfect sense. It was not jarring.
**Answer:** So. It is entirely possible to establish a new viewpoint late in the game. There must be a reason for it. But it's been done. Don't hobble yourself--write the story the way you think it should work, and read broadly to see how other authors have handled this (and other) tricks.

#2: Post edited by

DPT‭ · 2020-03-19T23:29:14Z (over 4 years ago)

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**The new viewpoint must feel organic, that's all.**
A year ago I would have said you need to establish the viewpoint rules of your novel up front, but now I believe otherwise, based on re-reading Mistborn. In this novel, Sanderson brings in a new viewpoint, someone we've never met, around page 500. We are suddenly in a new viewpoint, and only for about 1200 words and then never again.
Why does it work?
Because the setting for the viewpoint was integral throughout. The setting was the Pits of Hathsin, which scarred the main VPCharacter's arms and those scars were established early. The doom of the Pits of Hathsin--going so far as to have commoners refer to the main VPCharacter The Survivor--was established and reinforced throughout.
The main VP character would not return to 'the pits.' And yet, giving us a viewpoint scene within the pits was valid, and importantly, destroying the pits as a plot point was valuable. And so, the introduction of a new viewpoint, for a short period of time, with the actual goal being to give the reader experience of the Pits of Hathsin, made perfect sense. It was not jarring.
**Answer:** So. It is entirely possible to establish a new viewpoint late in the game. There must be a reason for it. But it's been done. Don't hobble yourself--write the story the way you think it should work, and read broadly to see how other authors have handled this (and other) tricks.

**The new viewpoint must feel organic, that's all.**
A year ago I would have said you need to establish the viewpoint rules of your novel up front, but now I believe otherwise, based on re-reading Mistborn. In this novel, Sanderson brings in a new viewpoint, someone we've never met, around page 500. We are suddenly in a new viewpoint, and only for about 1200 words and then never again.
Why does it work?
Because, in this case, the *setting* for this new viewpoint was integral throughout.
The setting was the Pits of Hathsin, a place which scarred the main VP Character's body--and those scars were established early. The doom of the Pits of Hathsin was well established--so much so that commoners refer to the main VPCharacter The Survivor (of the pits)--and this was reinforced throughout.
When we get to page ~500 and a new character is in the Pits, we are ready.
The main VP character would never himself return to 'the pits.' And yet, giving us a viewpoint scene *within* the pits was valid, and importantly, destroying the pits (as a plot point) was valuable. And so, the introduction of a new viewpoint, for a short period of time, with the actual goal being to give the reader experience of the Pits of Hathsin, made perfect sense. It was not jarring.
**Answer:** So. It is entirely possible to establish a new viewpoint late in the game. There must be a reason for it. But it's been done. Don't hobble yourself--write the story the way you think it should work, and read broadly to see how other authors have handled this (and other) tricks.

#1: Initial revision by

DPT‭ · 2020-03-19T23:24:36Z (over 4 years ago)

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**The new viewpoint must feel organic, that's all.**

A year ago I would have said you need to establish the viewpoint rules of your novel up front, but now I believe otherwise, based on re-reading Mistborn. In this novel, Sanderson brings in a new viewpoint, someone we've never met, around page 500. We are suddenly in a new viewpoint, and only for about 1200 words and then never again.

Why does it work?

Because the setting for the viewpoint was integral throughout. The setting was the Pits of Hathsin, which scarred the main VPCharacter's arms and those scars were established early. The doom of the Pits of Hathsin--going so far as to have commoners refer to the main VPCharacter The Survivor--was established and reinforced throughout.

The main VP character would not return to 'the pits.' And yet, giving us a viewpoint scene within the pits was valid, and importantly, destroying the pits as a plot point was valuable. And so, the introduction of a new viewpoint, for a short period of time, with the actual goal being to give the reader experience of the Pits of Hathsin, made perfect sense. It was not jarring.

**Answer:** So. It is entirely possible to establish a new viewpoint late in the game. There must be a reason for it. But it's been done. Don't hobble yourself--write the story the way you think it should work, and read broadly to see how other authors have handled this (and other) tricks.

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