Introducing multiple POV characters

[msstice]

Hi friends,

In my WIP I have a total of three POV characters. I have thought a bit about the dangers of multiple POV and I feel that it is worth it to have these three POV characters. So, I am ready to face the traps.

I will be able to stick to one POV per chapter. Indeed, I have groups of chapters dedicated to one POV. However, the opening has accidentally become a bit tricky. I open with the Main Character 1 (MC1) in POV who is doing their thing and then the inciting event happens. This ends with MC1 incapacitated. Currently this stands at 2000 words. In the next chapter MC2 is introduced in POV and saves MC1. This stands at 2000 words.

I'm debating whether these chapters are too short and should be merged together. Then I'll end up with a ~5000 word chapter but two POVs introduced.

Thanks!

 

[Mouse]

Don't worry about length of chapters. It doesn't matter.

 

[The Big Peat]

There's not much inherently wrong with either short chapters, or having two PoVs in the same chapter. Whatever works for you here really.

 

[The Judge]

Don't overthink it, just go with whichever works best.

I'm not fond of short chapters myself, but 2k wouldn't worry me at all, but nor would I worry about two POVs in one chapter as long as it was clear that they're different scenes. I've done this both ways -- shortish single POV chapters and longer multi-POV chapters -- and I just go with whatever feels right in the context of the WiP.

 

[Phyrebrat]

As all have said above.

when it comes to writing I’ve been known to write exceptionally short cha—

 

[The Big Peat]

As all have said above.

when it comes to writing I’ve been known to write exceptionally short cha—

I look forwards to your retelling of Snow White and the Seven Dwarves.

 

[CTRandall]

I concur with the others. I just finished reading Naomi Novik's Spinning Silver and she happily switches between multiple POVs in a chapter. I also think 2000 words is a reasonable chapter length.

 

[msstice]

I look forwards to your retelling of Snow White and the Seven Dwarves.

Dear Diary, I have just bitten into an apple that I

 

[Jo Zebedee]

2000 words! That's a good sized chapter. I'm lucky if I top 1500.

 

[Kerrybuchanan]

Mine are usually between 2 and 3 thousand words, and I have multiple POVs but give them a chapter to themselves.

 

[Phyrebrat]

I look forwards to your retelling of Snow White and the Seven Dwarves.

Basically she doesn’t wake up. Ever.

 

[Venusian Broon]

Basically she doesn’t wake up. Ever.

Would have thought you would make it that she doesn't even get to the dwarves house at the start, but instead stumbles upon the gigantic Cthulhu blood-rite tree.

The dwarves would find strange, fresh, bright white bones wrapped in thick roots in their gem mines.

The end.

 

[Toby Frost]

Options:

(1) Desperate villagers hire a team of wandering miners to help defend them from the curse that put Snow White to sleep in Akira Kurosawa's The Seven Dwarves.

(2) The dwarves take Snow White to the magical tombs of their ancestors, only to find that they have mined too far. As Snow White awakes, they hear drums, drums in the deep... in JRR Tolkien's Hi Ho To Moria.

 

[Phyrebrat]

I did actually write a rather risqué 75 challenge entry some years back about Snow White which I recall doing quite well.

Snow White had left the dwarves with a rather ‘unorthodox’ gift.

 

[TWErvin2]

As others indicated, 2000 word chapters are not a problem, especially if that structure assists the readers with POV switches.

 

[Steve Harrison]

In most of my novels I write using multiple POV characters (one per chapter), but I don't worry about length. For my method of working, the natural consequence of writing this way means characters have wildly different levels of input and involvement throughout a novel, so they can arrive for a lengthy visit or just pop in for a minute, and everything in between.

My personal novel record, which I don't think I will exceed, is 26 POV characters, and chapter lengths vary from half a page to 30 pages.