Beta Central: Help with POV

[merentha13.livejournal.com]

I know this is supposed to be about beta-ing stories but I hope it's ok to post this question here - who better to answer a question about writing than beta's?

I've been banging my head against my laptop trying to figure out the difference between omniscient point of view and multiple-third person POV. I usually write [to some people's annoyance! :-)] in multiple 3rd person. I like to get inside both of the lad's heads. My beta's usually point out instances where I've strayed from one head to the other in the same scene. This is bad and I'm learning to note when I've done that BEFORE a beta picks it up. Not always successful. That being said - I've been doing some reading on line about POV and most people discussing omniscient POV say it's ok to move from one character to another - even in the same scene. So now I'm confused. Can someone explain - maybe with examples - the difference between these two styles of writing? I know the narrator in omniscient POV is NOT one of the characters and the 3rd person IS one of the characters, but beyond that, I'm not sure I see the difference.

Comments

[merentha13.livejournal.com]

Thank you for this! It explains it very well. Kiwisue sent a link to an earlier discussion on "Hyperion to a Satyr" - there was a difference of opinion - at least at first as to whether it was omniscient or multiple third. The first paragraph is omniscient, I'm pretty sure of that. But then it seems she's in the characters heads - each in the seduction scene - mostly Doyle but there are some bits that have to be Bodie: We're in Doyles head as they are climbing the stairs to Bodie's flat and Bodie touches Doyle's bum. The POV then shifts to Bodie as Doyle turned his back again and continued to take the steps three at a time, now, unseen, Bodie smiled again.

And this is where I get confused. Is she mixing styles or is it all omniscient? Is it ok, in omniscient to "switch heads" in the middle of a scene? And if so - why is it ok in one style and not another?

[msmoat.livejournal.com]

Yes, it's okay in omniscient to switch heads in the middle of a scene--the whole point of omniscient is that you can dip in and out. But what you're not doing is telling the story from within the character's head. So, in the bit you quoted above, I'd argue it's omniscient because the "narrator" is watching what's going on with Bodie and Doyle--inside and outside their heads. Think of it like a camera dipping in and around, swooping around, etc. The reader is the camera, along with the author.

In 3rd person, the reader is seeing the world through that character's eyes--through his impressions, his filters, his world. The reader isn't a camera but, rather, is the character, at least for that scene. That's why it's jarring if suddenly "you" are someone else. It can actually make the story fall apart.

3rd person became the default way to tell a story somewhere int he 20th century. Again, it's not "better" or anything. It might be that you really want to be writing omniscient, but then you can't have the reader"be" Bodie. You can only bring the reader to observe Bodie's thoughts. Heh. That probably makes no sense. I think it is something where we'd have to have a lot of text to go over together.

[merentha13.livejournal.com]

Yeah - I get the difference in the styles and understand what each is trying to do - but when the omniscient narrator seems to be in Doyle's head in scenes before the staircase comment, I'm not so sure. But it does work and I'm not really "thrown" from the story.

we'd have to have a lot of text to go over together Save that thought for the next BistoCon!!