In my latest video, I tackle a common challenge for fellow authors: how to skillfully manage transitions from points of view to shifts in time and place–even the tiniest ones within a paragraph.
Whether you’re starting a fresh chapter or seeking to maintain your narrative’s momentum within a single chapter, I’m here to guide you through techniques that preserve clarity for your readers.
Hello, Jane Cleland here. How do I transition from one character’s point of view to another without confusing my reader? Well, there are several approaches. You can start a new chapter. You could also have a section break within a chapter. And you indicate that with three asterisks in the center, so that you have the ending of one section, three asterisks centered, and then you begin the new section, and that could be with a different point of view.
If you want to have one point of view transition to another point of view within the chapter without showing a break, perhaps to just ensure the forward momentum of the action, you can do it with a transition word like “meanwhile.” And I’ll read you an example. This is from “The Convenient Marriage” by Georgette Heyer. “And Charlotte came to the support of her sister. ‘You should not snap your fingers, Horry, but you’re quite in the right. Lord Rule does very well for himself in getting a Wynwood for his bride.’ Meanwhile, Miss Wynwood, pausing only for a moment on the staircase to calm the agitation,” blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. So we have switched from one sister’s point of view, Charlotte’s, talking to her sister, Horry, to another sister’s point of view, Miss Wynwood, who is about to approach a boyfriend. One word shifts perspective.
Now, I must just put a little asterisk note here, that this book was written in 1934, and styles have changed. I think probably the better solution is a section break within the chapter, or start a new chapter. How about you? What do you think works? What do you think works well in switching points of view without confusing readers? Put them in the comments. I’d love to hear your thoughts. And if this tip had value for you, would you like it? Would you share it? Would you subscribe to the channel? That opens up features that let us make these videos even more valuable for you. Thank you.
*Transcripts are software-generated. To report any transcription errors, please use my contact form!
