Christian Author Donna Dawson

Duke the Chihuahua has conquered the wrimo!  I must say he's not the most attractive pooch on the planet at this moment.  Those bug eyes are spidered with nasty little red veins making him look like a Picasso cast-off.  A caffeine twitch is making one bulging orb blink like a faulty Christmas tree light. Tufts of fur ride atop his head all askew and a few of those once pert whiskers are rather bent and worse for wear.  He has at least had the decency to keep clean and so we are not assaulted with the fragrance of canine musk.  But our little darling has done it!  His pet human next door isn't quite certain that this is a good thing but that's his point of view.  My point of view is that our Dukey has done the heroic.

Speaking of point of view, I do see that Duke has jumped about a bit in his writing of that great novel but it's nothing that he can't fix.  He's quite talented at staying in one character's head--unlike myself.  I have no aversions whatsoever to skipping from character to character as though I am all-seeing.  This is called the omniscient point of view and I'm rather fond of it in spite of the hue and cry that comes from reviewers and editors alike. 

Duke has just stuttered out the suggestion that I share a bit with you on point of view.  Poor Duke.  He is just beginning to understand the folly of living on too much coffee and not enough sleep and the withdrawal symptoms are making the few remaining teeth clack together in his mouth like unhinged castinettes.  Nevertheless, his idea is sound.

We have four main points of view:

First person is told using 'I'.  Often detective stories are told this way.  I walked down the street and turned into a drugstore (a veritable magician that one--he turned into a drugstore!).  This is a very limited point of view because we can never know what other characters are thinking unless they tell us.  I can't see the thoughts of the villain or the victims.  I can only follow the clues and hope to figure the plot out.

Second person is told using 'you'.  This is nasty in book form however quite acceptable for a non-fiction 'how-to' article.  If you go to the corner store and slip into the darkness beyond the glass doors you will see... It is a hideous thing--unless you are very talented--and I am not--to write a novel in second person.  It gets boring, tiring and downright annoying.  Yes, Duke, that does mean that I will deliberately spill a hearty portion of grape juice on your manuscript if you write it in second person.

Third person limited is told using 'he/she/it' and restricts itself to only one character's view.  You stay within the head of that one character through the whole tale telling.  That means that you only know what he or she is thinking and not anything thought by the other characters.  Romance novels are typically done this way.

And my all time favourite, much to the dismay of those who must read it, is third person omniscient!  This allows me to start in one character's head and, ever so carefully, maneuver around to another character's head.  I love to have my reader know what everyone is thinking.  It's just more fun that way don't you think? 

And now, if you'll excuse me, I think I will run a bath for our elderly and slightly burnt out canine friend.  He's in bad need of a bit of coddling.  Perhaps a can of gourmet dog food after the pedicure and updo.  Oh, sorry Duke, I forgot that you are much too dignified for an updo.  (He has just informed me that hairdo's are for girls--although he's not really complaining about the pedicure).