Comments | boreal_owl: POV and direct thought

boreal_owl

POV and direct thought

Feb 28, 2008 11:33

Is direct thought in a third person point-of-view always a no-no ( Read more... )

books, writing

Comments 10

robinellen February 28 2008, 20:47:24 UTC

I *love* Card's book on Characters -- and I love his Ender books too. I totally agree, if it's good enough for him...:)

boreal_owl February 29 2008, 02:09:32 UTC

I was hoping you would notice and reply, Robin! Thanks. :-)

robinellen February 29 2008, 02:26:19 UTC

Great minds think alike, Barb...and yes, I've used first person thoughts in a 3rd person narrative ;) Just to be a rebel, I guess, he-he.

slatts February 28 2008, 21:57:07 UTC

sounds fine to me. but what do I know. and if you say it's good....

boreal_owl February 29 2008, 02:11:59 UTC

Heehee.

anonymous February 28 2008, 22:50:03 UTC

Those "Ender told himself" type tags come in very handy. You've given your reader a heads up without popping them out of the story and then you can go nuts. Avoid doing this? Uh-uh. Bring it.

(Don't want to log in while I'm at work. * cough *)

Kate P.

boreal_owl February 29 2008, 02:17:09 UTC

I was driving myself nuts trying to avoid something that was perfectly okay. Thanks for the reality check, Kate P.

tracyworld February 29 2008, 16:48:17 UTC

Funny timing on this post because Zebu just finished reading this yesterday. He pronounced it one of his favorite books, right up there with MANIAC MAGEE.

I have to admit, though, I didn't like the direct thought/POV example. It feels all over the map to me (although maybe I'd feel differently if I was reading the entire book and not just an excerpt).

boreal_owl February 29 2008, 17:34:31 UTC

Interesting. This may be a bad example. Thanks for your reply, Tracy.

crissachappell March 4 2008, 14:56:38 UTC

I'm not a fan of "thinks to himself" (who else is he thinking to?)

But I dig the last few sentences because they are visual (stuff going on, like "use my legs as a shield"...makes a picture in the mind).