Have you ever heard of deep point of view? As a writer, you want to transport the reader into the story. You want them there with the characters, feeling and experiencing everything they are. Deep point of view accomplishes that.
It’s a more intimate way of writing. The writer removes the narrator and settles into a comfy chair in the chosen character’s head. Although deep POV usually refers to third person, I’ve also found writing this way helpful in first person as well. It is limiting, though. You can’t know what the other characters are thinking because you’re firmly entrenched in your comfy chair. You can see reactions, but the other characters’ thoughts are hidden.
There are several other things to remember with deep POV.
You have to pick a character to inhabit. You can’t do two or three characters at a time. When you change scenes or chapters, you can slip into someone else’s head, but don’t do it within the scene. It’s sometimes referred to as head-hoppping, and it’s very confusing to the reader.
Avoid dialogue tags (in third person.) If you’re in Ron’s head, you wouldn’t say Ron snapped at Sharon. You’d use interiority to give the reader a window into what’s he thinking. For example: “No, you can’t have the last pickle.” He gritted his teeth. I’ve never seen someone as selfish as Sharon.
Avoid “distancing” words. She felt, noticed, realized, thought, looked at, etc. For example: Shari exited the shop. She noticed the dark sky. In seconds, she felt the heavy raindrops soak her clothes as she ran for her car. I’ll have to drive home carefully, she thought.
The same passage with deep viewpoint: Shari exited the shop. Dark clouds loomed, blocking the sun. In seconds, raindrops soaked her clothes as she ran for her car. I’ll have to drive home carefully.
Although these aren’t excerpts from the great American novel, the reader is closer to the characters. They sense Ron’s irritation and experience the storm as Shari does.
A couple of books cover this writing technique. A good one is Rivet Your Reader with Deep Point of View by Jill Elizabeth Nelson. Another is Writing Deep Viewpoint by Kathy Tyers.
Try this technique the next time you sit down to write. It’ll make your characters come alive for your readers.
I know this is the popular thing right now – and I know writing trends circle around, like most trends. For example dialog tags. It used to be to use as many different ones as possible. Then it was use just said. Then it was no dialog tags AT ALL. We’re swinging back to different tags now.
Deep POV has changed over the years, too. And I hate all of it. haha! Seriously. If you have a great story, interesting characters, a unique voice, the average reader won’t care if you write deep POV, passive voice, dialog tags, etc. They just want a great story with characters they care about. I think if you’re really in your main character’s head, you’ll write deep POV.
I think trends make us write for editors. And yeah, I know most writers don’t agree with me.
Still, it’s always the best thing to learn all nuances of the craft. Then we need to take them and make them our own. 🙂
I think if you’re really in your main character’s head, you’ll write deep POV.
That’s it right there, Pam–and there are little things I did (& still do ;-)) that didn’t get the reader into the character’s head. We don’t need to write for editors–just use the great tools in your toolbox to write the story in your heart.
Yeah, me too. I guess that’s why we need a good editor! 😉
Thanks so much for this post! This is my favorite way to write, but I didn’t know what to call it. Now I do: Deep POV! Also, I’m going to check out the books you recommended!
I’m so glad the post helped! I’m always trying to write with deep POV, especially in first person. 🙂 Thanks for stopping by — hope the books help!
Jill – are you planning a post on how Deep POV looks between first and third person? I don’t think I’ve seen a post like that before, and I’d love to see the difference. I mean, I always thought if an author is writing in first person, it would automatically be Deep POV. Can an author write first person and not be in Deep POV?
Hmm, I never thought of writing a post on the difference. I’ll look into that.
I’m not sure you can write first person and not be in deep POV. I mean, you have to know what you (as the character) is thinking, feeling, & experiencing, right? But now I’m interested in answering your question. 🙂
I hadn’t thought of that before, either. 🙂