Lesson 3.04 You Talking to Me?

Point of View

"Many people hear voices when no one is there. Some of them are called mad and are shut up in rooms where they stare at the walls all day. Others are called writers and they do pretty much the same thing."

 - Ray Bradbury

Imagine you are attending the Iron Bowl The annual football game between Alabama and Auburn is known as the Iron Bowl.

How would your description of the event be different from those who are actually playing the football game, cheering on the sidelines, or performing in the band? Would you have a better perspective for describing the event if you were a referee?

A referee is responsible for enforcing the rules at the game.

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Point of View

Personality and character qualities influence a character's point of view. When listening to someone's perspective regarding a specific event, consider his or her motives, background, and personality. Point of view is the perspective from which a narrator tells a story. So, the point of view affects the information a reader is given in a story, especially if it is told by a biased Unfairly prejudiced for or against someone or something. narrator. You are the author in your writing, so you will choose the point of view. The two types of point of view that you will see in this class are first person and third person.

An author thinks about a story and its characters before ever writing the first word. Deciding which point of view to use is a strategic decision made by the author. As a writer, you must choose which point of view will allow you to most effectively develop your characters and tell your story. If you keep hitting a wall in a story, consider switching point of view. For most people, this will involve going from first person to third person. Beginning writers may groan at the idea of rewriting an entire story, but for professional writers, revision happens on a daily basis.

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