By Caylah Coffeen
You have to do much more work to get a reader invested
With every major point of view character, authors must check off all the same boxes: establish the status quo, show the individual’s wants and needs, give readers a reason to root for them, and spark off their story with an inciting incident.
With only one POV character, authors can achieve many of these benchmarks within the first few chapters. This period of time is vital to securing reader interest. If you can’t catch them within this time, most readers will not continue.
But with each new POV, authors wipe all their own efforts away by resetting the reader’s emotional slate clean and starting all over again. I may be interested at the end of an opening chapter, but suddenly I’m faced with another stranger that vies for my investment.
Then a third. God forbid 4 or more. It could take an hour to get back to the first character, at which point all the emotional tension has faded and I have to restart in my efforts to connect with them.
Publishers may think multiple POVs offer more likelihood to get readers invested. After all, odds are a reader will like at least one of them. But I think of it the other way around.
Imagine talking to a talented salesperson. They really rope you in, know their stuff, and get you excited. You’re almost convinced about the purchase. But then they add on another product, again nearly persuading you. But then they start talking about a third one! And you have to make a decision on all three purchases at once? That’s overwhelming.
you have to “sell” Readers on all your characters at once
Consider also how your friends and family respond when you talk about your story. Do you know the glazed look they get in their eyes or the uncertain tone in their voice when you start packing on too much information?
You’ve probably learned to share about just one element or character at a time. But a new reader is like these friends – hesitant to try your story and only willing to invest so much time into making up their mind.
The more POV characters you employ, the higher the chance a reader will get worn out before you even reach your inciting incident. After all, you’re yanking their emotions around between many different people and locations, and it will take much longer to reach the “exciting” events which really kick off the story.
Alternatively, one character may have a riveting introduction, while another has a lackluster one. A reader may decide that it’d be too frustrating to go back and forth between one character they love, and one they find uninteresting, and put the book down. I’ve done this before.
Writing Tips for Multiple POV’s
Considering how many published books feature multiple POVs in the market these days, you may not think this will pose much of a problem. After all, clearly many readers are willing to give these books a try, and some even seek them out specifically. Preferences vary, but it is still important to keep in mind that the opening of your book is the most vital time in which to hook a reader.
Read, read, read! Have you read Brandon Sanderson, Robert Jordan, George R.R. Martin, and Ken Liu? They are some of the most popular writers who employ multiple POVs. Was it hard for you to get into these books? When did you lose interest, and what hooked you again? These are the types of elements to emulate or avoid in your own work.
Some authors choose to write multiple chapters back to back from one POV before switching to another. This gives readers more time to become attached to them. Others write shorter chapters but switch POV more often.
Also, remember to rely on your beta readers. It’s hard, but necessary to ask, “are you interested in all of these characters, or did you lose interest in my book because of the large cast?” Sometimes the right decision is to cut a point of view character or introduce them later in the story once readers are more solidly sold on your story.
How many POVs do you utilize in your book? How did you choose to introduce them?
Hi, I’m Caylah Coffeen, a freelance editor and marketer of sci-fi and fantasy books. I love reading and writing and am a follower of Jesus Christ.
I’ve worked for Monster Ivy Publishing and Eschler Editing, and am currently a weekly editor with Havok Publishing. Reach out to chat about books and publishing!
Thanks for stopping by my website! I hope you’ve found some helpful resources about reading, writing, and publishing. If you liked this article, here’s some more free content…
- Explore my list of epic fantasy books with only 1-2 POV characters
- Send me an email to receive a free sample edit on the first 5 pages of your story
- Subscribe for future posts
