Academy · POV, tense, pacing
What is POV (point of view)?
What is point of view?
Beginner
POV is whose eyes the reader sees the story through. First person ("I walked into the chapel") is the narrator's direct voice. Third person limited ("She walked into the chapel") sticks close to one character's thoughts at a time. Third person omniscient roams between characters and outside them. The choice shapes everything from how secrets work to how voice sounds. Pick one early; switching is hard.
Standard
POV is also a structural tool. First person and third limited keep the reader inside the protagonist's blind spots; secrets stay secret because the viewpoint character doesn't know them yet. Omniscient lets you pace dramatic irony directly (the reader sees the danger the character can't). Multi-POV books rotate between viewpoint characters at chapter breaks; never inside the same scene unless you're doing it for effect.
What to try
- Set Voice Print POV in project settings
Related questions
- First person vs third person?
- How do I pick POV?
- Can I switch POV?