POV Problems

Writers' Corner
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I have a story which is currently in the development stage. I’m wrapping up my worldbuilding and character creation. Next will be figuring out each character’s arc and the specifics of the plot I have in mind. However, I’m running into an issue with the plot and the POV I plan to use.

So far, I’ve been planning to use third person limited, with my MC being the only “voice” being heard. The problem is that, as I get more ideas and flesh out this world more, there’s so much that I want to include but that would make the story way too bogged down if she were to experience all of that. I have a deuteragonist but it’s still too much for the two of them. I know I can’t include all of it and figuring out my plot will help narrow down what I will be including, but there’s still so much going on in the story. I don’t want it to seem like my MC is always in the right place at the right time-- in fact, my story relies on her not being there but I don’t want things to come out of left field for the reader, either.

I’ve been trying to think of ways to mitigate this. I could split the POV between a few characters, but I don’t have much experience with that and I personally find those types of stories hard to follow. I also thought about including “cut-scenes” showing the other characters experiencing these things (picture a block of text in a textbook or something, but it’s a short story from these character’s POVs). For those familiar with [name_u]Percy[/name_u] [name_u]Jackson[/name_u] and the way [name_m]Riordan[/name_m] uses demigod dreams to share exposition-- I want it to be something like that, but there is no mechanism in this universe to allow me to do so.

I’m sorry if none of this makes sense, I don’t really know how to word it :laughing: but any suggestions for how to include multiple POVs in a third person limited story would be greatly appreciated!

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Perhaps you could have people who were there/did experience those things speak about it to or in front of your character? [name_m]Say[/name_m], your character could be in a deserted communal area, hidden, and two other people enter, speaking about that experience.

[name_u]Or[/name_u] you could have it that your character walks past those places or events from afar, and hears hints of what is happening, and then as the stories of it travel, they could piece together that that was what they saw or walked past?

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I like @Chay’s solution! You could also perhaps simply add those ‘dream’ sections just as a thing, although that might be a bit confusing. I do tend to like it when I know more than a character does! (Also, a fellow Riordanverse fan? Epic!)

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I like that! That could definitely work. Thank you! :slight_smile:

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I would love to find a way to make that work in my universe. There are powers so maybe I just need to rework the powers a little bit :thinking: Thank you! :slight_smile:
(And yes! I like more of Riordan’s earlier stuff like the original five and the [name_m]Kane[/name_m] Chronicles. I haven’t really gotten into his later stuff. I’ve read some of it but the original series will always be my favorite :blush:)

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