Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Rebecca Forster on June 26, 2012 at 7:40pm

Hi Linnea, What an ambitious project you've undertaken. I use the omniscient POV to lead into chapters when it's appropriate - for instance to give history or philosophy that might dovetail with a position point in my novels. Sadly, I've never written an entire novel in that voice so can't help you. I imagine it will be tough to sustain but will be exciting when it's finished.  Good luck. Sorry 

Permalink Reply by Linnea Worley on June 26, 2012 at 7:42pm

Thanks :) And it's fine. I'm not finding it that difficult right now, but maybe I'll run into issues in the near future....

Permalink Reply by Rebecca Forster on June 26, 2012 at 7:55pm

Great! It should be fabulous when you're done :)

Permalink Reply by Linnea Worley on June 26, 2012 at 7:56pm

Let's hope so... ^^;

Permalink Reply by Linnea Worley on June 26, 2012 at 8:06pm

My novel is a murder mystery/comedy/romance.

Basically a man is tucking his son into bed, and his son asks him to tell a story about a murder, so he sits down and tells his son a rather... PG rated version of a murder investigation he himself was involved in a few years back. In this story, a young man named Mark goes to a night club to get away from his dying grandmother for an evening and finds the dead body of a teenage girl in the back of the bar when he passes out (he has noise and people issues).

Omniscient basically means there is no single POV. Most books are written in a limited POV which means it only focuses on one character, one character's thoughts, actions and so on. You see the story through their eyes. Omniscient basically means everyone, "omni" meaning every or all, and "scient" meaning knowing or skillfull. So, "All knowing."

So basically I have a narrator, the father of the son, who's telling the story but isn't one of the characters. I'm just not used to it. That's why I'm finding it difficult. I'm used to follow the thoughts of just one character at a time, not all characters.

Does that help?

Permalink Reply by Linnea Worley on June 26, 2012 at 8:20pm

I'm glad :)

It is a bit tricky.

I have noise and people issues too. I have agoraphobia, anthropophobia, and about five other anxiety disorders.... I can't go to clubs myself so he's easy for me to write. Mark is an interesting character, but I think Calvin (an author who's there at the time) is more interesting. He's completely sarcastic and cocky. It's great XD I can't wait to introduce him.

I read about your nephew. My brother is autistic so I understand what it's like to be around one.

Alright :) Well when I finish it I'll send you a copy! :) I can't guarantee it'll be good though....

Permalink Reply by Linnea Worley on June 26, 2012 at 8:29pm

I'm glad :) I'll add you as a friend so I can send you a message when it's done. And thanks!

No, it's really not.... Last time I saw a psychiatrist I was diagnosed with almost 20 anxiety disorders :/ I've been working to get rid of them since. I don't know how many I have anymore. But at least seven of them make it impossible for me to go to loud, crowded places.

Permalink Reply by Linnea Worley on June 26, 2012 at 8:36pm

It will :)

There are hundreds. "Phobias" are considered anxiety disorders now. There's also OCD, PTSD (both of which I have), and other things like that. If it causes anxiety enough that it's a disorder, it's considered an anxiety disorder :)

Permalink Reply by Tyra Brumfield on June 28, 2012 at 1:04pm

I read somewhere that choosing omniscient POV prevents the reader from developing an attachment to any one character. In other words, it can create a distance not only between the writer and her characters but also between the reader and the characters.  I just completed reading the novel The Needle in the Blood by Sarah Bower. She used omniscient POV. You might read a few pages of this book and see if you like that style. I found it confusing, but her writing style took some getting used to as well.  Good luck.

Permalink Reply by Linnea Worley on June 28, 2012 at 1:07pm

Well, the reader would connect to the father. And it only really follows three characters. I think I'll be fine with that :)

I've read  many omniscient POV stories. I think I'll be fine :) But thanks!

Permalink Reply by Jessica Vealitzek on July 3, 2012 at 11:18am

This is a good question -- I'm interested to read the answers. I'm editing my first novel, which I wrote in omniscient 3rd person. It just came natural -- I heard a storyteller voice in my head and went with it. My first two readers didn't comment on it; the third found it confusing. She was used to reading limited 3rd. During editing, I've paid attention to the moments that I agree might be confusing --when I seem to switch POVs in the middle of a scene, for instance. So unless a moment really calls for it, I've only switched POVs at a chapter or scene break. I'm not a fan of hard and fast rules for writing, so there are still a couple moments I feel it's necessary.

As to whether omniscient prevents the reader from connecting with a character, I get it. But I don't agree with it. I think a writer can still create a connection using omniscient POV.

Permalink Reply by Meg Waite Clayton on July 5, 2012 at 3:40pm

I write in sort of a 1st person omniscient POV (mostly). For 3rd, I would definitely look at Tolstoy. He does an amazing job with this pov. Very informative to watch how he moves from one character to another.

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