P is for Perspective

This year for the A-Z Challenge, I'm attempting to act like I know what I'm talking about and offering advice about writing.  Let's see how I do!

Also, don't forget to stop by the Parallels blog to see more posts about the upcoming anthology, which will be available on May 3rd!

When you write a story, a crucial thing to consider is perspective.  How do you want to see the events unfold?  Should you choose the perspective of the hero who is striving to save the day?  Or do you want to look at things through the eyes of the villain?  Do you want emotional distance or the ability to follow multiple people (3^rd person), or do you want to get deep into their thoughts (1^st person)?

As you consider perspective, consider the tone you want to establish.  The POV character or characters you choose and the POV you use all determine which thoughts you’re privy to and how those establish the tone of the story.  When you inhabit the mind of the hero, you see their motivations.  You see the people they want to save and why.  You might see how their personal losses have made them who they are.  When you inhabit the mind of the villain, you get a front row seat to their dark thoughts.  You may learn whether a personal loss drives them or if they were born with these dark impulses.

Many writing choices are driven by the perspective you want to take.  Choose carefully.