Random POV shifts are annoying enough in the third person, when the author hasn't got the hang of writing the omniscient POV and it instead looks like a whole bunch of limited POVs fighting for attention and distracting the reader. This isn't the first time I've plugged the essay "Narrative Point of View: Who Tells the Story?" by Linda Anderson and probably won't be the last, but it really is a must-read.
If in doubt, and this goes for first- and third-person narrative, start a new chapter if you're switching POV.
I write a lot of limited third person point of view, but it is spread out... I would only have more then one point of view if I use both point of views each chapter. But typically, I do change chapters.
Third person is a lot less important than in first person. I'm writing a story that's so far chapterless (will probably add those in when I clean it up), but the view point switches often. However, since it's third person and written well enough, I've never had anybody get confused by who's point of view it's in.
First of all: When did Snape develop super senses? Second: If she's a mermaid, why doesn't she just dive Third: How can they leave Hogwarts property if they're in the frickin' lake Fourth and most importantly: VAMPIRES DON'T HAVE VENOM YOU DUMBSHIT THAT'S TWILIGHT BULLCRAP ARGHHHHHHHHH
Seriously, though, if there was even a chance of the merfolk infecting students, Dumbledore wouldn't let them stay in the lake. He certainly wouldn't be dumping unconscious students in with them.
And on that note, how do you "accidentally" bite someone?
A) That mermaids suddenly have transformation venom. B) That Dumbledore would allow sleeping/helpless students near them if there was even a slight chance of one biting one of them. C) That Hermione didn't immediately tell Ron and Harry D) That Snape is an "Ekek" E) That there's something with a name like "Ekek" F) That magical creatures all have an unspoken set of laws/conspiracy against wizards. G) That Voldemort is more worried about Hermione than Harry.
When I first read Ekek, I just thought 'Eek!' which was the name of a creature I remember reading, named because of the sound people made when they saw it. Or something like that, I only vaguely remember it.
The whole merperson thing now just reminds me of Mermadian Silke (sp?) where Snape was the merman. That's not a good thing.
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(Mer-person.)
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If in doubt, and this goes for first- and third-person narrative, start a new chapter if you're switching POV.
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First of all: When did Snape develop super senses?
Second: If she's a mermaid, why doesn't she just dive
Third: How can they leave Hogwarts property if they're in the frickin' lake
Fourth and most importantly: VAMPIRES DON'T HAVE VENOM YOU DUMBSHIT THAT'S TWILIGHT BULLCRAP ARGHHHHHHHHH
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Although why he never used that to track down invisible Harry...
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Seriously, though, if there was even a chance of the merfolk infecting students, Dumbledore wouldn't let them stay in the lake. He certainly wouldn't be dumping unconscious students in with them.
And on that note, how do you "accidentally" bite someone?
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A) That mermaids suddenly have transformation venom.
B) That Dumbledore would allow sleeping/helpless students near them if there was even a slight chance of one biting one of them.
C) That Hermione didn't immediately tell Ron and Harry
D) That Snape is an "Ekek"
E) That there's something with a name like "Ekek"
F) That magical creatures all have an unspoken set of laws/conspiracy against wizards.
G) That Voldemort is more worried about Hermione than Harry.
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The whole merperson thing now just reminds me of Mermadian Silke (sp?) where Snape was the merman. That's not a good thing.
Also Twilight references. Ugh.
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1) That is a seriously messed up "best" friend.
2) She apparently cannot come up with story titles that aren't lyrics from the Beatles' "Happy Together."
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