On My Point of View (POV) Preference

I want to chime in on something that has turned into a trend in books that I really don't care for. That being the 1st Person (Present or Past tense) narrative.

I don't know how it came to be that so many writers are choosing 1st person. Back when I was trying to sell my first book to a publisher, back in the late 1980s, I was told that they wouldn't touch 1st Person unless it was exceptional. Now, with so many mediocre reads out there, I see why.

I find both of these (present and past tense) boring, most of the time. It appears to be a challenge to show rather than tell in 1st person, which increases the yawn factor and the sense of disconnect for me.

I spent some time after reading one book that I felt I should have enjoyed more, trying to figure out exactly what it is, since I know a lot of people really like this POV. I came to the conclusion that it is like sitting at a table listening to someone--if it is really good, maybe a friend, otherwise just some random person--tell me what happened to them. I may connect with what they're saying, feel some emotion, but I don't feel like I was there.

For some reason, I can feel like I'm part of the action when it is third person and the author has mastered showing. Maybe that just means I think of myself in third person? I haven't started referring to myself in third person in conversation (at least Kristi doesn't think so....) but maybe because I have spent so long writing stories from the characters' perspectives and trying to show their stories by putting myself in their shoes, that I've thrown a switch in my brain....

I can't stress enough the importance of showing a scene rather than telling about it. Little details that one can work into a sentence will show what is happening, and draw a reader in more than telling. Going to the bathroom, washing hands, brushing teeth...becomes tedious over-telling in the hands of an unskilled or hurried writer.

For instance, a 1st person POV might read:
I went to the restroom to wash my face, picked up a towel to dry my hands, and looked at my reflection in the mirror. Brown hair, blue eyes, button nose; my usual good looks marred by the darkening bruise on my cheek.

But I like this better:
She ducked into the restroom to splash some water on her face. The woman in the mirror, wringing her hands around the paper towel, stared back at her with haunted eyes, just a shadow of their usual breezy blue. She patted her brown curls into place, pulling a few strands down to artfully cover the darkening bruise on her cheek.

It could be done in 1st person:
I ducked into the restroom to splash some water on my face. The woman in the mirror, wringing her hands around the paper towel, stared back at me with haunted eyes, just a shadow of their usual breezy blue. I patted my brown curls into place, pulling a few strands down to artfully cover the darkening bruise on my cheek.

But too often scenes I've read get the former treatment. Instead of putting a little work into it -- I literally took 5 minutes to compose all three of those examples (imagine if I put some polish on it!) -- the writer just gives a laundry list of actions and descriptions, which puts me to sleep.

So, take what you will from my little rant/pet peeve.

I guess if I ever get around to publishing my epic 1st Person narrative novel, it will have to be totally spectacular after this, right?

On Welcoming My Hubby Home

My husband is a truck driver -- so am I in the summer -- but he runs solo in the winter so I can (theoretically) stay home and write. This winter I did more proofing for customers than I did writing.

Anyway, after 3 months away, he came home Friday morning, the day after our 9th anniversary, and I went from basically living a single woman's life to living married overnight. It's an adjustment to have him home again.

I love my husband, and I often say our current arrangement is the best of all worlds for a introvert like myself. For 8 months of the year, we are together 24/7, crossing the country, spending time and seeing the sights, and making money. The other 4 months he gets to run solo and be a free spirit, and I get to be a homebody and recharge so I'm ready to go again in the spring.

But the initial time spent when he comes home is always an adjustment. I go from staying up into the wee hours of the morning, working in silence in the front room, and getting up at my leisure, to having the TV on every waking moment, running errands with him, getting called upon to rub his neck, back or feet, and basically not having any time to get into work mode for proofing, much less writing.

I don't want to make it sound like I'm spending all of my time slaving for him -- he will often make dinner and serve me, and we do things together like shopping, etc. We went to the beach to celebrate our anniversary, and stopped in at the casino on the way. But it is an adjustment to now spend time doing things someone else wants to do.

My hubby doesn't understand about my writing process. He thinks I should be able to just sit down and type immediately, and set it down at any suggestion and pick it right back up. He doesn't understand that I have to work into it, get the words flowing, and that any interruption is a setback. Even now, he wants to put his foot in my lap so I can rub it. (He apparently got bit by something when we were doing yard work yesterday, and he thinks a massage will help.) Of course, I had just started getting into the groove of writing this post.

I didn't set out to moan about my hubby with this post. My intention was to speak to how much of an adjustment it is to have him home.

Another week and we'll be back on the road, and I will settle in to being a truck driver first, and author/proofreader second. And it will be fine. Really.

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Rolling Out a New Service

Proof Reading Service for Self-Pub Authors

My Premium Service includes these steps:

I will check for spelling errors (including ‘wrong word’ choices), and mark sentences/phrases that I find awkward.
I will offer suggestions on how to correct awkward sentences: structure, basic grammar, phrasing, etc.
I will flag Point of View and Narrative Tense issues.
I will ask questions that a reader might ask and want answered within the book.
I will give my overall impression of your manuscript and my opinion on its readiness for publication.
I will not do any fact checking, and will assume that all research has been done.
I will NOT try to change the style or tone of your manuscript. If your writing style is formal, it will stay formal. If you write in Third Person Omniscient, that is how it will stay.
I will NEVER insist that you make any of the changes I suggest.
Additional Services at negotiated prices:
Work closely with a new/enthusiastic author to not only polish a manuscript, but teach some fundamental writing and self-editing skills.
Light fact checking on real world places and/or events that are mentioned or related in story. (This does not include checking the science on Sci-Fi.)
Check formatting of various files after conversion to various formats. (e.g. mobi, PDF, ePub, etc.)
Prices:
$75.00 (minimum charge) for up to the first 150 pages*.
(Even tighter Budget? Ask about Basic and Limited Proofreading Services!)

This minimum will be considered a deposit, and must be received prior to return of the manuscript.
$.50 for each additional page over 150.

For manuscripts over 500 pages, a fee of $25 will be added for committing to work on an extra long piece.
$25 Re-Read after edits have been made.
I can do a very basic proof read if you want me to double check for any missed/new errors after I have already read your manuscript, or if you have a 'final draft' after working with a professional editor. See special circumstances.
All payments will be facilitated through PayPal or Intuit.
Special Circumstances:
In the event a large number of markups are needed (i.e. 20 or more pages with 6 or more edit suggestions or verified/justified errors, on one page) the price per page increases on a sliding scale, which will be defined in our contract agreement. If this becomes apparent, you will be notified and given the opportunity to reconsider the project. (There will be no surprises at project completion.)
Conversely, if I only find 6-10 errors in an entire manuscript, I will reduce the minimum charge to $40.00. If I find 5 or less, I will only charge $20. If I find zero errors, I will not charge for the reading, because zero errors mean I was having too good a time reading your fabulous story and I wasn’t doing my job!
Try Me Out: Upon request, I will read and mark one chapter (any chapter, up to 10 pages) for free, to help you determine whether you want to hire me.

*For page count purposes, all manuscript pages will be counted using the industry standard of 250 words per page.