Goodreads Authors/Readers discussion

I'm starting this thread to see if I can get some help. I'm writing a YA novel-the story is actually not that relevant to why I need help- and I am about 118 pages in. I am happy with the story, and the characters, but I've gotten this far and I now know I've gone about the point of view all wrong. It's written in first person, and at first that's how I wanted it, but as the story grew I realized it's missing something deeper because I didn't make it 3rd person. So now it's been about four months since I figured this out, and I don't know how to go about essentially rewriting the story yet keeping it as well. Does anyone have any tips for me? Or should I just quit whining and get to work? :)

Some writers will use first person for the main narrator interspersed with other third person chapters to add depth and suspense. I did in my book anyway, and I'm told it worked. You might try that? Black Oil, Red Blood is my book, in case you want to look.

Diane wrote: "Some writers will use first person for the main narrator interspersed with other third person chapters to add depth and suspense. I did in my book anyway, and I'm told it worked. You might try that..."

I have seen authors do that, and it does work. That is something I may have to think about doing. I really like my main character's voice, but I felt like I was losing out on the depth of the story and the other characters by having it only be from her view. Thank you, I hadn't thought of that!

Jaq D wrote: "It's just a matter of shifting the focus. You'll have to go through every line if you're sure this is what you want to do.

"I saw her coming around the corner" becomes "He saw her coming around th..."

I figured this would be the case on how to do it; just line by line. I'm just not looking forward to it! The creative process is a lot more enjoyable than the editing process!

Good luck!:)

Best of luck with that.

I had the same feeling with one of my novels. I tried reworking it, but decided to keep it in the first person. I prefer writing first person, as I can put myself in that person's shoes. The emotion, feeling. I have a lot of my own experiences mentioned in my books, so it helps to write in first person.

I have published work in 3rd. It's just as easy to write. But you need to decide which way you're going to do it and stick by it, or it means starting from scratch.

However, if your problem is you have another character who you want to add his POV it's okay to mix the two. As long as it's no more than two.

Well that's my P.O.V :)