I compiled a few 'Writing Tips' essays for a forum I frequent, and decided to make them available to a more general public.  I figure I will use this 'less official' blog for more non-fiction commentary and not so much self-promotion (read: ranting and rambling).  So we begin . . .

In my experience, both writing and editing, there are some common confusions, and POV (point of view)  is one of them.  So, I decided to do a short write-up on them to share what I've learned.  [

Disclaimer: I'm not an English professor or expert by any means.  To the best of my knowledge, this is how it works, but I am not immune to mistakes or misinformation.  If you want to double-check me - a simple Google search yields a wealth of information on this topic.  If I made an error, I apologize in advance.  And if you have something to add or correct - please, speak up!

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When beginning to write a story - point of view can be one of the most important decisions you make.  A lot of us make this choice without even thinking about it - but it's worth some consideration.  Point of view determines the voice you will use to tell the story and has a huge effect on the mood of what you're creating.  So, in case you didn't know, or like me a while ago, only have a vague idea, I'm going to outline the different points of view available to you.

Basically, there are two viewpoints: first person, and third person. 
(There is a second-person point of view, but it's uncommon and very difficult to use, so I'll skip it.) 

Third person point of view means the story is being told from a narrator, who is zoomed out and looking down at the story.  This is the most common way of telling a story, and also the easiest and most flexible.  There are a few different ways to use the third person perspective, and they are:

- third person objective
- third person omniscient
- third person restrictive/limited

Note: An important thing to remember is that even when using the third person 'narrator' voice, this is not your (the author's) voice.  You will very seldom find an author's voice interjecting in a fictional story, and I personally find it very distracting.  So, make sure you try to avoid this.

3rd PERSON OBJECTIVE
This is a narrator simply explaining the action and dialogue of a scene.  The only thing described is what is actually done and said - there are no references to what any of the characters are thinking or feeling.  Basically, you cannot get into any of the character's heads.  This would be how you would describe things if you were simply an invisible observer of someone's life, and could watch it happening, but had no idea what anyone around you thought, felt or perceived.  It's very simple to use, but it does limit the reader somewhat - or leaves them to draw their own conclusions based on what they observe.  It sounds boring, but it doesn't have to be - it can still be very descriptive.   

When to use:
Generally, if you have a lot of action and not enough time to interject thoughts or feelings, this can work well. 

Example:
Sarah and Jack leaned over the precipice before them and gazed down into the long, dark, bottomless pit.  The bats were screeching overhead, claws scratching on the wet rock anxiously.  The earth rumbled underneath them again and they turned to each other in unison with wide eyes.  Jack took hold of Sarah's hand and gazed down at her.  "Are you ready?" he asked her.  She took a deep breath and held it, then nodded.  With their hands clasped together, they turned to face the cavernous emptiness, and leapt off the ledge.

3rd PERSON OMNISCIENT
Omniscient means 'all-knowing'.  This perspective is probably the most popular, easiest, and most versatile point of view available.  Like above, the narrator is observing the situation slightly zoomed out, but can actually hear some thoughts and speculate at feelings of the characters.  This is how you would describe things if you were an invisible observer of someone's life, but could also hear other's thoughts, or sense their feelings.  It's easy to use, but it is also easy to slip from this point of view into the 3rd person restrictive, so be careful that you are not focusing too much on one character's perception.  If you are, the 3rd person restrictive might be better.  What's nice about this, is that you get to see more in-depth into several characters, while maintaining one, fluid voice (the narrator's).   

When to use:
Anytime you want the reader to know the thoughts or feelings of multiple characters without switching points of view.

Example:
Sarah and Jack leaned over the precipice before them, filled with dread.  They gazed down into the long, dark, bottomless pit, and Sarah wondered if she could really do it.  The bats were screeching overhead, claws scratching on the wet rock anxiously as the two of them contemplated their doom.  The earth rumbled underneath them again and they turned to each other in unison, with wild, searching eyes.  Were they actually going to jump? 

Jack took hold of Sarah's hand and gazed down at her lovingly, thankful that in his last few moments, he would see her sweet face.  "Are you ready?" he asked her. 

Sarah took a deep breath and held it, forcing herself to calm and face the certainty of their future.  She gripped Jack's hand tightly, and nodded.  With a death grip on each other's hands, they turned to face the cavernous emptiness, their shared fate giving them courage.  They leapt off the ledge.

3rd PERSON LIMITED/RESTRICTIVE
This is another 'narrator' point of view, but it limits the scope of what the narrator perceives to one character.  The narrator can still observe what other characters are doing and saying, but cannot mention things that the character they are limited to would have no way of knowing.  This is how you would describe things if you were trapped inside someone's head and could hear their thoughts and feelings.  This is very close to a first person point of view, except that the pronouns that are used are third person ('he/him' instead of 'I/me').  What's great about this one, is that you can give the reader a greater sense of intimacy with one character, then switch to another character's limited point of view and tell another side of the story.  In that way, it's still a lot more versatile than first person narrative. 

NOTE:When using the third person restrictive, it is important to consider the voice of the character, not just the narrator.  Especially when switching points of view, the specialized voice helps the reader with the transitions.  See below for more advice on switching points of view.

When to use:
Anytime you want to maintain the third person, but get more intimate with the characters, one at a time.  

Example:
Sarah and Jack leaned over the precipice before them, and Sarah trembled with dread.  They gazed down into the long, dark, bottomless pit, and she wondered if she could really do it.  She had just found Jack.  What if they didn't survive?  Could these really be their last moments?  The bats were screeching overhead, claws scratching on the wet rock anxiously as she contemplated their doom.  The earth rumbled underneath them again and they turned to each other in unison.  Jack's eyes were wild and searching.  Were they actually going to jump?

Jack took hold of her hand and gazed down at her with a soft expression.  She was thankful that, at least, in their last few moments, they were together.  "Are you ready?" he asked her.

Sarah took a deep breath and held it, forcing herself to calm and face the certainty of their future.  She gripped Jack's hand tightly, and nodded.  With a death grip on each other's hands, they turned to face the cavernous emptiness, their shared fate and newly discovered love giving Sarah courage.  They leapt off the ledge.

(Next . . . 'Notes on Switching POV' and 'The First Person Narrative')

What's Your Point of View? Part II