Writing a Multiple Viewpoint Novel

Let's start with the basics: a multiple viewpoint novel is one in which two or more members of your cast list are viewpoint characters - that is, those characters through whose eyes we witness the events of the novel and whose thoughts and feelings we have direct access to.

Or to put it even more simply: if different chapters are narrated by different characters - chapter one from John's point of view, chapter two from Helen's - it is a multiple viewpoint novel.

This article is divided into 4 parts:

• First, I look at the pros and cons of using more than one viewpoint character in a novel.
• Next, I look at third person and first person multi viewpoint novels.
• After that, I tackle the whole issue of when and how to switch viewpoints.
• Finally, I look at the crucial link between the number of viewpoint characters in a novel and the number of subplots.

The Pros and Cons of Multiple Viewpoint Novels

Is it better to stick with one viewpoint character, or does having two or more characters in the spotlight, as it were, add dimension to your novel? And does writing a multi viewpoint novel make the planning and writing more difficult?

First the "difficulty" issue...

While it is certainly the case that writing from more than one point of view is more complicated, it isn't that much more complicated.

You have to learn when and how to switch viewpoints effectively, but if you follow the advice on how to do this lower down, you won't have a problem.

Using several viewpoints also makes the planning of your novel slightly more complicated, in that the chapters told from each viewpoint effectively constitute a separate subplot but, again, it really isn't a problem.

(Again, you'll find all the help you need on the link between viewpoint characters and subplots later in the article.)

A bigger issue than difficulty is that of focus...

Put simply, the more viewpoint characters you use in your novel, the less time the reader gets to become familiar with each one, which can result in an unsatisfying read.

It's like going to a party and having to move on to talk to somebody different every twenty minutes, just when you were getting a good conversation going.

My best advice, then, is this: stick with just one viewpoint character unless you have a good reason to use more.

What constitutes a good reason? The story you are telling, and nothing else. If you believe that sticking with one viewpoint character is too limiting and that you won't be able to tell the story as well through one pair of eyes as you could through several pairs, write a multiple viewpoint novel.

But even then, keep the number of viewpoint characters to the absolute minimum required to do the job.

Writing a Third Person Multiple Viewpoint Novel

Virtually every novel featuring two or more viewpoint characters is written in the third person, and for a very good reason: it is the most logical viewpoint to use.