Thread: Narrative // Character point of views?

So I'm just starting a new short story, but I'm trying something new with the character point of views.
I have two main characters, and I was planning on switching between first person with both characters, and also using third person.
Is this "allowed," or common? haha.
Thanks in advance.
(:

If you munge them together, switching POV without letting the reader know, it may get quite confusing. Most that I have read stick to one POV. My wife is writing present tense, first person, and it gets a bit mental at times trying to keep up with just that.

There would definitely be spacing in between the switches. Or maybe starting a new chapter each time they switch. I think I've read a book where the author did this. Could have been a dream though. haha.

I can't remember the name of the book, it wasn't the greatest story, but the method was interesting. It was told from a restricted third person, revealing the thoughts of only a select few, but there were three distinct groups, and their actions affected the other groups, but they never met up, so three separate stories almost, that overlapped, and as readers we could see these influences, but the narrator couldn't, even though the writer knew. It was certainly odd. I remember the technique more than the less than compelling story.

Originally Posted by BrizieBoomtastic

Is this "allowed," or common?

Definitely not common, especially in a short story. More common in a novel, though still not standard by any means.

But I mean, everything is "allowed" if you can make it work, right?

Depending on the length of the short story, you may not have enough time to establish a predictable pattern, that's my main reservation. You can tell the whole thing in 3rd person, but limit the info you give the reader.

Originally Posted by BrizieBoomtastic

There would definitely be spacing in between the switches. Or maybe starting a new chapter each time they switch. I think I've read a book where the author did this. Could have been a dream though. haha.

Yeah. I know those dreams. One minute you're doing something. The next, you're watching yourself do that thing. I suppose that means if you could describe things vididly enough, and shut off people's need of rigid point of references, there's no reason for it not to work.

Thanks everyone for your input. I'm just doing third person, but I'm switching between characters. Just now getting onto page five, and so far so good.
Thanks again!
(:

POV and narration don't have to be mutually exclusive. For instance, The Corrections narrates from that standard, unnamed third person kind of overlord overlord which has been standard in story writing since forever. What Frazen does here though, and wherein his brilliance lies, is that the narration tells things from the character's point of view without actually being the character. It's subtle, but you find yourself as a reader taking on the character's opinions and even sometimes even delusions. Then when he narrates for another character, even one with a opposing position, you start to see it from their perspective. It's brilliant, really. And takes the reader on a ride that really makes them feel is if they were in the story.

I hope this makes some kind of sense.

A series I know that does perspectives really well is the Jacky Faber books, also known as the Bloody Jack series.

It's mostly told from the perspective of Jacky, the titular character. However, the perspective also switches to letters written by her lover, Jaimy, to show his view on things. It works pretty good.