Narrator & Writer - Page 2 - Writers Forum

HarryG · 05-12-2008, 03:27 AM

Just for you then, TT, and this is the protagonist, and it's near the mark.

Maneuvering the cumbersome passenger plane through the tight curve, had drained his remaining strength, but his target was now in sight. He could see the plume of smoke from the other tower and steadied the controls. There was a roaring in his head and tears filled his eyes, but he could clearly see the faces of the unbelievers at the glass windows.

Omnisu · 05-12-2008, 08:26 AM

It brings a tear to my eye to see something so tasteless and so well written. :'|

As for POV and the OP, I think everyone is missing up two different topics. The OP was about keeping the author and narrator separate, not about POV. POV is relevant in that they are overlapping issues, but it's not the end all of it. Your POV could be perfect, and your view point character could still just be the author wearing a fake mustache.

And on the other hand, there's some of you in every character you write. They'll always be you inside, all you can do is dress them up and disguise them behind different backgrounds and motivations.

The Backward OX · 05-12-2008, 07:24 PM

The Backward OX · 05-12-2008, 07:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Omnisu

It brings a tear to my eye to see something so tasteless and so well written. :'|

As for POV and the OP, I think everyone is missing up two different topics. The OP was about keeping the author and narrator separate, not about POV. POV is relevant in that they are overlapping issues, but it's not the end all of it. Your POV could be perfect, and your view point character could still just be the author wearing a fake mustache.

And on the other hand, there's some of you in every character you write. They'll always be you inside, all you can do is dress them up and disguise them behind different backgrounds and motivations.

Omnisu, you have added to my confusion. Can you explain to this somewhat backward person the difference between PoV and viewpoint character?

ps Do you really think that was well-written, with its dreadful punctuation and reference to glass windows?

Omnisu · 05-12-2008, 10:40 PM

The viewpoint character is just the character the point of view is viewing from the point of.

And no not really, I was just being a prick. It does flow kinda nice though.

johnaustin · 05-12-2008, 11:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Backward OX

Here’s a quote from Wiki on the subject (I think):
"A narrator is an entity within a story that tells the story to the reader. It is one of three entities responsible for story-telling of any kind. The others are the author and the reader (or audience). The author and the reader both inhabit the real world. It is the author's function to create the alternate world, people, and events within the story. It is the reader's function to understand and interpret the story. The narrator exists within the world of the story (and only there—although in non-fiction the narrator and the author can share the same persona, since the real world and the world of the story are the same) and presents it in a way the reader can comprehend."

From the above quote it Looks like you have researched the topic well and have a pretty good grasp on this narrator vs author thing...

I surmise, Ox, from your posts that I have read that you just might have been a teacher at one time. You have a knack for questions that get a great response and people going in all kinds of tangents often resulting in over analysis of a basic concept. This sometimes results in the clarification of the original concept in the minds of the respondents but can also create more confusion than it's worth.

You do mention in your profile that you like to mess with words out in the ole "outback." By the way what the hell is a petardier

johnaustin · 05-12-2008, 11:56 PM

Oops! pushed the wrong button...also, what is a nettleman? I hope I remembered how that was spelled from your profile

johnaustin · 05-13-2008, 12:02 AM

Sorry, Ox...make that "reddleman"

The Backward OX · 05-13-2008, 01:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by johnaustin

From the above quote it Looks like you have researched the topic well and have a pretty good grasp on this narrator vs author thing...

I surmise, Ox, from your posts that I have read that you just might have been a teacher at one time. You have a knack for questions that get a great response and people going in all kinds of tangents often resulting in over analysis of a basic concept. This sometimes results in the clarification of the original concept in the minds of the respondents but can also create more confusion than it's worth.

You do mention in your profile that you like to mess with words out in the ole "outback." By the way what the hell is a petardier

Hi John

The most important thing to remember is that it's all a joke. In truth I'm retired.

Petardier’s Assistant
This job will blow you away – literally.
Imagine the excitement of defusing bombs, covered head to toe in high-tech protective clothing, with years of intensive training, risking your life to go in behind police lines and fiddle with complicated fuses and explosives to stop a detonation in time and save the world.
Well, this job is nothing like that – in fact, it's the exact opposite. Picture yourself in flimsy clothes, blind drunk, carrying a bell-shaped gunpowder-filled container of brass or iron fixed to a wooden board – the petard – being shot at by musketeers while you try to reach the enemy's castle gate. You attach the petard to the gate, fiddle with your taper and light the fuse and start to run away, very, very fast, though probably not fast enough or not to one side, away from the direction of the blast.
Now imagine yourself, blown into a thousand bloody bits, flying through the air – hoist with your own petard, as it were … New vacancies are constantly arising.
Edit by OX: The Petardier was the guy who built the bomb in the first place. And the word 'petard' has another meaning also, in French or perhaps Spanish, or perhaps both. Something to do with breaking wind.

Reddleman
Fancy travelling the country? As a reddleman, you'll need to cover many a mile selling compounds of red ochre, a clay that is naturally infused with iron oxide. Shepherds will be keen to do business with you as they use one of your concoctions – red ochre mixed with chalk, which is actually called 'reddle' – for marking their sheep.
There is one small problem, however. The iron oxide will penetrate your clothes, skin, hair, horse, wagon and anything else it comes into contact with, so you will be continually red in colour yourself. Expect to be feared by small children and taunted by slightly larger ones, and generally spend your time as a bit of an outcast.
The pay for your troubles will be small, but there's no point in arguing with any customers to get a better price until you're red in the face – they won't even notice.

For a few more quirky jobs, visit http://www.channel4.com/history/microsites/W/worstjobs/stuart.html

Cheers

johnaustin · 05-13-2008, 09:42 AM

Ooooh!

I wonder why I didn't know that...Explains why I couldn't find the definitions in Websters...

Thanks for your humorous insiight!!!

Adios, Amigo

The Backward OX · 05-13-2008, 09:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Foxee
When Dan and his children went camping in the mountains, Harry's son ate some huckleberries even after repeated warnings not to eat anything he didn't recognize. The family camping trip had to be put on hold when they drove the boy to the hospital.

Foxee, your example of author-intrusive is as you say horrible and having read it I feel an idiot for having originated the question. A person would need to be dead from the neck up to write like this, unless it was perhaps a biography they were writing. Even then it’s not good.

Malone was right. No one would teach about this. It's so glaringly obvious it never even needs mentioning.