Multiple Viewpoint Novels and Subplots

If you haven't yet read the article on Writing a Multiple Viewpoint Novel, go read those first.

Still here? Then you will already be familiar with the pros and cons of multiple viewpoint novels - both in the first and third person.

What I want to talk about here is the link between viewpoint characters and subplots.

(And if you're thinking of skipping it because it sounds a bit technical, don't. It's actually very straightforward. And having a good knowledge of the finer details of novel writing will set you apart from the competition when you come to publish your novel.)

Now, every viewpoint character that you use in your novel (beyond the standard "one") is effectively adding another subplot to the novel.

If you write a love story from just one point of view, you have one plot: the story of the relationship between John and Sarah, say, seen through John's eyes.

If you write it from the viewpoints of both people, you have two plots (either equally-sized main plots, or a main plot and a subplot - depending on whether the novel is about both characters equally or whether one character is more important than another).

Both plots will revolve around the same core event (the relationship), but each half of the couple will see it in a slightly different way. In particular, they will have different goals and face different obstacles.

Introduce a third point of view into the multiple viewpoint novel - Sarah's best friend, say - even for just a couple of chapters, and you have added yet another strand of plot. But please note...

• Sarah's best friend should have her own goal to pursue - to stop Sarah from marrying that good-for-nothing John, perhaps.
• If she has no goal, one which will have an effect on the main plot, there is no subplot, and she is not important enough to be a viewpoint character. (But the reverse is not true: just because she does have a goal which affects the main plot, you don't have to make her a viewpoint character; her role in the novel could easily be seen through John's and/or Sarah's eyes.)

I talk about subplots in much more detail in the plotting section. You just need to be aware at this stage that introducing extra viewpoint characters is the same as introducing extra mini-stories into your overall story.

Now, this isn't necessarily a bad thing - novels need a certain amount of complexity, particularly longer novels.

But the more mini-stories you have, told from the viewpoints of lesser characters, the less space you will have for your main story and your main character.

Either that, or your novel will need to be longer.

There is no right or wrong here.

There are wonderful single viewpoint novels and wonderful multiple viewpoint novels of all varieties. All I can do is arm you with the facts and the arguments and leave you to reach your own decisions.

Only you know the story you want to tell, so only you can decide the best way to tell it. But I will say this...

If it comes down to a straight choice between keeping it simple (by using a single viewpoint character) and writing an elaborate multiple viewpoint novel, keep it simple, particularly if you are writing your first novel.

Next Step: As promised, it is now time to look at the pros and cons of the major viewpoints: first person and third person.

I will start with the advantages of First Person Point of View...