023I – Writing Point of View: An Interview with Jacqueline Diamond

Our guest today is Jacqueline Diamond, author of over 100 novels as well as How to Write a Novel in One (Not-So-Easy) Lesson, a book of lessons and helpful tips to help writers create better stories.

A former Associated Press reporter and TV columnist, Jacqueline Diamond has won a Career Achievement Award from Romantic Times magazine, has finaled twice for RWA’s prestigious Rita Award, and has hit bestseller lists including Waldenbooks and USA Today. She has written in genres from romantic suspense, romantic comedy, and Regency romance to mainstream mystery, fantasy, and science fiction. She offers monthly specials for your Kindle on her website, jacquelinediamond.com, and her Facebook page, JacquelineDiamondAuthor. You can also find her on Twitter at @JacqueDiamond, and follow her on Amazon.

Jackie begins by explaining point of view, the different types, and when they are most likely to be used. She warns to be careful not to engage in “head hopping.” Among other things, you lose the ability to surprise or to set up one character's expectations against another's.

You can introduce setting and background in little bits by showing them through this character's point of view. This helps you avoid the dreaded “info dump.” The story world may appear slightly different when other scenes are told through another character's POV.

There is also the author's point of view, and you have to be aware of when to allow that in. If you're writing about someone very different from yourself, you'll need to be sure not to confuse the character's view of the world with the author's. For instance, writing someone of the opposite sex, or someone very tall if you're very short, etc.

Don't be too hard on yourself. Be willing to experiment…and fail. Don't stop working on it. But also, challenge yourself. Don't stay in your comfort zone. Keep learning!

If you'd like to engage a little more, come on over to the WRITE NOW! Workshop and Podcast Facebook group and say hello. 😀 And remember to check out the blog for interesting articles related to writing and the writing business.