POV This!
Ah, the swimming. It changes my POV, this morning literally.
I was in the pool, thrashing through the laps, thinking of the 1,200 words I'd written yesterday that told a pivotal moment in my novel from Eugenia's POV. Then it sloshed into my head that I might consider relating the tidbit from Willie's POV; after all, he knows the secret on which the whole rest of the book turns.
Delay, delay, delay, my mind shouts, keeping the strong rhythm of my strokes. Trust myself. The words I've written are powerful enough, are tempting enough, to keep the secret for one more chapter, one more conversation.
I can use POV the way a painter does shadow and light. "Look here." "Don't look there." The funny hitch in Eugenia's gait is unseen only by her. But it's there every time anyone else in the book looks at her.
A novel with multiple points of view is like an honest marriage--eventually the whole truth can be revealed. ~ Victoria Tirrel
I was in the pool, thrashing through the laps, thinking of the 1,200 words I'd written yesterday that told a pivotal moment in my novel from Eugenia's POV. Then it sloshed into my head that I might consider relating the tidbit from Willie's POV; after all, he knows the secret on which the whole rest of the book turns.
Delay, delay, delay, my mind shouts, keeping the strong rhythm of my strokes. Trust myself. The words I've written are powerful enough, are tempting enough, to keep the secret for one more chapter, one more conversation.
I can use POV the way a painter does shadow and light. "Look here." "Don't look there." The funny hitch in Eugenia's gait is unseen only by her. But it's there every time anyone else in the book looks at her.
A novel with multiple points of view is like an honest marriage--eventually the whole truth can be revealed. ~ Victoria Tirrel
posted by Seven Authors in A Private Conversation at 10:56 AM
3 Comments:
So, Victoria, the swimming muse visited! It's so interesting to me that both of us get visited during physically demanding work. Has something to do with energy circulation (and blood) in the body, I'm sure.
Now, I'm wondering how often these inspirations make it into the story? My guess is: sometimes, not all the time. The muse suggests another point of view. You ruminate on this, then decide. Reva
Reva,
In my first novel (which I hope someday you and the rest of the world will read) the protagonist is a woman writer who also swims. And, like me, sometimes whole passages flow from her fingers that were composed during laps. Sometimes I get dialogue, sometimes I get whole scenes, sometimes revelations that solve problems (or cause them). Sometimes I just get courage to sit in the chair and see what comes. Victoria
I should have mentioned in the earlier post there's some brain/creativity research that says when we are doing task so repetitious/familiar that they are almost autonomic, the left side of our brain is distracted so the right side can go crazy. This is why our best ideas come in the shower, washing dishes, driving the car, dancing or swimming. It's another kind of surrender...or a good outcome of distraction. ~ Victoria
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