Hi folks
New to the boards and posting my first question. I've started a short story where I think changing the viewpoint of the story from one character to another would be appropriate. How would you suggest I format this? One suggestion I had was having a few asterisks between the paragraphs with the different viewpoints.
Has anyone else done this with their own work?
Thanks
Hello again and thank you very much for all your answers. It was unexpected to get so many.
I think I'll go with the asterisks separating the paragraphs. I should maybe have given a bit more detail in my initial post. It is definitely a short story and there is only one change of viewpoint. The first paragraph or two is from the view of a child. Then, when the child goes missing, it changes to the point of the Father searching for him.
Rosa, I've heard that "rule" also, which is one of the reasons I posted my query. I'm torn between obeying these rules to satisfy competition judges and going the way of Welsh Dragon's response.
And thanks Renee for the link to the essay. I haven't read it yet but I will.
One more thing...don't worry about what you CAN'T do according to someone else's rules or conventions. Just have a try and see what you CAN do. If it doesn't work, it doesn't work but please don't give up on the concept because it may be somehow frowned upon in the confines of a short story. Like Adrian said, it can work if skilfully written.
I think I must be one of those "change the rules" people that Rosa mentions! Ha ha! Easy to say, I know...
So many ground-breaking authors have pushed boundaries and produced stunning works...who knows? You may well be the next. :)
I think I read/heard somewhere it is not permissible in short stories... It is certainly unusual. Ok in novels. These sort of No,Nos always make a writer want to kick over the traces and change the rules. Is there any scope for turning your story into a one act play?
Interesting..
good luck with it,
rosa.