How to handle changes of point of view?

[RedHunter2296]

Hello everyone and sorry for the title which I think may cause confusion.

I think this topic is quite similar to one posted recently, but it is not exactly the same and that is why I am making a new one regarding my problem.

The thing is the following, I already have it clear that I'm going to make a POV change, it will cover the whole chapter. Instead of the main character, this chapter will focus on his mother, looking at how she lives the rescue and how her son fights in an extreme situation to save her. The fight has not been shown, the previous chapter ended with the protagonist heading to the bad guys' lair and the next one is of the mother experiencing the rescue firsthand. The entire novel is written in the first person So far so good and easy.

Now the real question is, should I clearly state at the beginning add a "foolproof" label that the point of view is that of the mother? like :

**************
Mother POV
**************

Or instead just continue the narrative in a natural way and try to organically establish the identity of the protagonist of this chapter as the mother with something like something else telling her directly and stating her name?

What do you think would be the best option? Break something like the 4th wall to indicate the change of view or just leave it natural like any other conventional novel?

 

[MatchaChocolate69]

*** John Doe's POV ***

 

[Syringe]

Readers will usually instantly catch on when it's a POV change, since you'll be talking about different characters in an entirely different setting/situation.

Additionally, you can begin the chapter with: Meanwhile/Elsewhere/while the MC was doing 'X', 'Y' was happening at 'Z'.

 

[AmeronWerschrux]

Hello everyone and sorry for the title which I think may cause confusion.

I think this topic is quite similar to one posted recently, but it is not exactly the same and that is why I am making a new one regarding my problem.

The thing is the following, I already have it clear that I'm going to make a POV change, it will cover the whole chapter. Instead of the main character, this chapter will focus on his mother, looking at how she lives the rescue and how her son fights in an extreme situation to save her. The fight has not been shown, the previous chapter ended with the protagonist heading to the bad guys' lair and the next one is of the mother experiencing the rescue firsthand. The entire novel is written in the first person So far so good and easy.

Now the real question is, should I clearly state at the beginning add a "foolproof" label that the point of view is that of the mother?

Or instead just continue the narrative in a natural way and try to organically establish the identity of the protagonist of this chapter as the mother with something like something else telling her directly and stating her name?

What do you think would be the best option? Break something like the 4th wall to indicate the change of view or just leave it natural like any other conventional novel?

I just put it like this:

*Dialogue*
...
..
.
*Dialogue*

That new piece of dialogue will now talk about things about their perspective. You don't really need to outright tell them who the character is, unless if they haven't been introduced the narrative yet.
The readers can put two and two together

 

[Anemic_Vampire]

As Syringe said, most readers, who are paying attention, will eventually catch on that this particular chapter is told from a different perspective. Since your scene seems serious and action-packed, it wouldn't be a really good idea to do something like a sudden fourth-wall break when readers are eager to know the conclusion. Maybe you can tell something distinctive at the beginning of the chapter that immediately tells the change of perspective (POV). Something that only protagonist's mother would know or say about him? I'm not a writer, so don't take my words too seriously. In the end, you can always experiment with different things before deciding on one.

Anyway, good luck!

 

[FatElf]

When changing povs in my story, I usually try to make it clear in the first paragraph whose pov we are on. And also use a horizontal line to indicate when things changes. It works for me because my story is told from third person limited. So, whenever I'm describing what some character or another is feeling/thinking, readers know we are in that character's pov.

Spoiler: Examples.

Here's the start of a POV/chapter:

For a moment, Yuki thought things would escalate. Somehow, the man would accuse them of something, ask questions they couldn’t answer, or blatantly accost them for no reason. Nothing of the sort happened. Bee got the food and ran back to their table. Still holding Whisker, Yuki followed the two other girls out of the inn. The man glanced at them leaving, but soon returned to his food and drink.

After this part is done, here is how I introduced the new pov. The last line of the pov, a horizontal line to say something changed, then the new pov:

Yuki stopped her nuzzling of Whisker and looked at Jenny. She nodded. “Be safe. Don’t do anything suspicious. That churchman scared me.”

---

Church templar Robert Thomasson finished his meal. It was good food. The owner knew her craft. He could taste the careful blend of spices used to preserve the meat during the salting process. He got up from his chair, paid the woman her well-deserved coins, and bowed again in apology.

 

[Thraben]

3 ways:

Start a new chapter from a different POV (Good if you're doing third person perspectives)

Do whatever break you do to indicate a timeskip (I prefer a line or two dashes) before beginning new perspective

While I don't recommend it, I have two stories written from third person omniscient perspectives, and in those, POV is a distant, irrelevant memory unless the characters are in conversation.

 

[prognastat]

I would use some way to indicate it.

It could be doing the same thing as you do for a scene change causing a very obvious break or it could be as minor as inserting an extra newline the indicate something happened as long as you're consistent with it most people will pick up on if after a few times.

 

[greyliliy]

There's no right or wrong way to do it. I see published novels with Names at the start of chapters to indicate the POV.

I prefer it when the character voice is different enough that it's clear we've switched to a new character, myself. Lol.

 

[melchi]

I'm of the opinion that you can never be too clear. Two words to make it obvious this is **Mother's POV** is worth it IMO.

 

[greyblob]

1. if you write in 1st person, make the chapter in 3rd. very common method.

2. If you have both povs in the same scene split them very clearly

paragraph 1 is from the mc pov

paragraph 2 is from the mother pov. It should state at the very start that it's different. Example:

Mary felt her chest tighten. It was hard to breathe. Her son was dying before her eyes.

3. If you have different scenes for the povs, split them with *** or === or anything of that sort. and repeat second part of option 2

 

[xuduxixi]

If it doesn't conflict with the story, how about making that chapter as an interlude or side story instead?

Ex. Interlude: Mother's Lament
Side Story: