we're one, but we're not the same

[musesfool]

I had two goals for this weekend (1. finish my spn_summergen story and 2. catch up with Mad Men in time for the s2 premiere) and I achieved neither of them. Sigh.

However, my spn_summergen story is well on its way to being done now. I had a huge crisis about how to get what needs to happen to actually happen, but I flailed at luzdeestrellas and angelgazing and figured out how to make a virtue of

Comments

[petronelle]

I'm glad to have (further) proof that I am not the only person who keeps some things out of stories for the purpose of cherishing them in nontextual ways.

[musesfool]

No, not at all. I mean, I've used some things for stories, but mostly, no. I don't write drawerfic - I keep it in my head.

[atrata]

Your POV thoughts line up pretty perfectly with mine, I think. I don't really like multiple-POV stories, simply because I like not knowing what's going on in the other person's head. It reads truer to me, and it's more interesting to read and more challenging to write. Like, I'm working on this Tony/Pepper story and it's totally kicking my ass, and my betas keep saying things like, "okay, you have to show that this is not as simple for Pepper as it is for Tony, that while he thinks it's black and white, it's not for Pepper and it never has been, and you have to show that Tony is totally oblivious to all the things she's thinking, but the *reader* has to be aware of those things, except you have to stay in Tony's head," and I say, "... just kill me, okay?" And I complain, but I figure it out (well, I think I do, anyway), and that's completely awesome. It's a lot harder than just switching to Pepper's POV would be, but in the end, I think it will make for a better story. Which is pretty much exactly what you have just said! So. Yes.

[musesfool]

I like not knowing what's going on in the other person's head. It reads truer to me, and it's more interesting to read and more challenging to write.

*nod nod*

you have to show that Tony is totally oblivious to all the things she's thinking, but the *reader* has to be aware of those things, except you have to stay in Tony's head

This especially. I mean, it's easy to show two people care about each other when you're getting both POVs, but to show it by one person's actions/words only, and to show the POV character totally misinterpreting things while the reader gets what's going on - yeah, that I find both interesting and challenging.

My other small pet peeve is when authors write the same scene (or the same story) from multiple POVs but don't bother to add anything new. Yeah, that to me is only interesting if there really is something entirely different going on. Otoh, I once wrote a story that was eight points of view on one event, and what it meant to each of the characters and how it was viewed differently by all of them. That

[sistermagpie]

Totally with you on both the laziness and the pov issue.:-) What it's sometimes good to remind yourself is that sometimes reconceptualizing can be revitalizing, because the old way really wasn't getting you (and by you I mean me!) anywhere. But it's still hard. It's like scenes that you have in your head from the beginning, or even just lines of dialogue, that you then realize are only leading you down the wrong road that will never get you anywhere.

It is funny sometimes reading really beginner stories on ff.net etc. where people will give both povs in a romance where both characters are just like I really like him/her! But she doesn't like me! Just, as the comment above says, changing the pronouns. If you're going to do two different limited povs they almost have to be completely different--like, even if essentially they both are into each other, they need to have completely different issues to the point where it's like two different stories.

[musesfool]

It's like scenes that you have in your head from the beginning, or even just lines of dialogue, that you then realize are only leading you down the wrong road that will never get you anywhere.

*nod nod*

It's so depressing to realize you have to cut that kind of stuff. I am very bad at killing my darlings.

If you're going to do two different limited povs they almost have to be completely different--like, even if essentially they both are into each other, they need to have completely different issues to the point where it's like two different stories.

*nod nod*

I mean, I do think it's a beginner error, and I also think in some cases it's just a poor attempt at omniscient narration (which is hard! I've never successfully pulled off third person omniscient).

[tsuki_no_bara]

i have a really hard time reconceptualizing too. (i can't even spell it. >.< ) the story is what it is, and when i get stuck, i always assume it's because i can't think of what happens next or how to get to the next thing that i do know happens. i never think it's because of the way i'm telling the story, because i don't think there is any other way

[musesfool]

the story is what it is, and when i get stuck, i always assume it's because i can't think of what happens next or how to get to the next thing that i do know happens. i never think it's because of the way i'm telling the story, because i don't think there is any other way.

*nod nod*

Sometimes walking away and coming back a few months later helps. I had one story in my head for a long time and just couldn't make it work. And then one day I changed both the POV (from third to second) and made it go backwards instead of forwards, and I wrote it in one sitting. After months and months of being stuck.

i get really frustrated with the story when i know things the pov character doesn't.

It depends on the story. I really hate when people are stupid in function of the plot, definitely.

[musesfool]

Yeah, I do think it is often a beginning writer's choice. Not always, and not for certain types of stories, but for romances, especially.