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Susie May on Deep POV!

By on October 28, 2013 in b. Building a Scene, How do I write the Character Change Journey?, What POV do I write in?

Are you getting ready to write NaNoWriMo and wondering just what POV or voice to write it in? Try Deep POV! I love how Deep POV gets a reader into the skin of the characters and helps them feel the story.

Here’s how it works:

Have you ever watched the television show Fear Factor? It’s a show where people are challenged to do “scary” things like eat a live spider or bungee jump, for charity. It’s supposed to elicit people’s deepest fears and make them overcome them. I watch it and think, “Never. Not even for charity.” However, do I feel my throat closing, that panic clenching my gut, my legs telling me to run? No. I just think – wow, they are idiots.

Consider, however, Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho. We watch with our hands over our eyes, our heart in our throats, experiencing true fear.

This is the difference between Standard 3rd person POV and Deep 3rd person POV. One watches from a distance, the other engages us in the fear.

Why write Deep POV?

A great book is made up of the emotional highs and lows of the POV characters. We want to feel what the character feels, ride their journey with them and possibly learn with them. A great story makes us ache with the character, and eventually, engage with their choices, their struggles with values and their epiphany. Think about this – what is going to glue your reader to the page more – grappling with the black moment/life-changing decisions with the character, or to view it from a distance? Deep POV is illuminating, empowering, it helps us understand the point of the story.

Think of the difference between Deep POV and Standard Third Person as the difference between watching the action from the outside, as if walking beside the character (Fear Factor) and being inside the body and mind of the character. (Psycho)

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How to Edit your Fast Draft Novel Step 2: Scene by Scene

By on December 10, 2012 in 3. Publish your Story, b. Building a Scene, Editing Basics, How do I write Tension?, Susan May Warren, Truth or Dare: Conversations with an aspiring novelist, What is Storyworld, and how do I write it?, What POV do I write in?

“So much snow!” Sally came into the coffee shop stamping her feet.  Overnight, the sky had buried our little village in thick frosting. I sat nursing a hot cocoa. “I know.  It feels a little overwhelming, thinking of plowing the driveway, the porch, the deck…” “Not unlike doing the macro edit on my novel,” Sally said, unwinding her scarf. “But I think I have the big picture/content edits figured out. What’s next?”  Kathy handed her a peppermint mint mocha. Sally sat down, warming her hands on the cup. “Now it’s about looking at every scene to make sure it has enough tension and that you’re building in the emotional layers.  I call it: Scene by Scene Editing.” “First, start with the scene structure. Determine if it is an Action or […]

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Conversations: What to do with your WriMo Chapters/How to edit a scene

By on November 26, 2012 in Action and ReAction Scenes, b. Building a Scene, Editing Basics, How do I start my Scene?, How do I write Dialogue, How do I write Tension?, How to WordPaint, Susan May Warren, Truth or Dare: Conversations with an aspiring novelist, What is Storyworld, and how do I write it?, What POV do I write in?, Writing a Not-So-High-Action Scene

I found Sally in line for coffee as I entered the coffee shop. She had already dumped her bag onto a chair, had already tugged off her gloves, her wool jacket, and wore her game face. “What’s up? Did you not have a great thanksgiving?” “It was fine. But, I’m 3000 words away from finishing my novel.” “That’s great.”  I shed my jacket and motioned to Kathy. She gave me a smile, already on my order. “No so much.”  She retrieved her coffee and handed me mine.  I nodded my appreciation. “Why?” “Because I only have 46000 words and I’m near the end of my novel.” “And?” “It’ supposed to be an 80,000 word novel! How am I going to come up with 30,000 more words?” “Oh, I see.  You […]

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Conversations: Walking your Hero onto the page

By on February 27, 2012 in Chapter 1, From the Inside...Out, Heroes, Protagonists: The Basics, Susan May Warren, The Hero's Journey Simplified, Truth or Dare: Conversations with an aspiring novelist, What is the Dark Moment/Secret and how do I use it?, What POV do I write in?

“Today, you write,” I said to Sally as she plunked down her bag. She appeared frazzled today, her blonde hair pulled back into a frizzy ponytail, and she wasn’t wearing makeup. “Good, because I need some writing therapy,” she said as she sat down on the chair.  “After week with the kids home from school, it’s time to escape.  In fact, I might have already started.”  She handed me four pages of her manuscript.  “It’s the first scene.” I scanned it.  “No, it’s not,” I said.  “It’s a smattering if the first scene and a lot of backstory,”  I handed it back to her. “But it’s a great start.  And you’ve done what I would have suggested you do – sit down and start writing that first scene.  I expected […]

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