POV shifts

[erastes]

Is shifting POV so evil? I just had a critique of chapter one of Transgressions (and I'm not complaining about the crit, it was damn good and professional and made me look at what I'm doing) and the critiquer didn't like the POV shifts.

How long do you stay in POV? Throughout an entire chapter? I COULDN'T do that, there have to be shifts, specially when David and Jon are together. matociquala said the other day that her editor had pointed out that she'd changed pov in the same paragraph, and I've not done that, but if you've got three people in a scene and it's vital that you show each persons view about the other, how else can you do it? I've changed it in paragraphs - not every one!! Just switched from David's POV to his father's. Oh hell, - under the cut.

"Master Caverly,." the newcomer said, his face unhappy and mistrustful "I am pleased to make thy acquaintance.," He bowed stiffly, removing his hat awkwardly then ramming it back onto his head. David looked enquiringly at his father, waiting for some indication as to who this young man could be, why he was calling him his 'brother.'


Jacob looked at his son for a long moment, and then around the unswept yard , taking in the pile of uncut timber. Suppressing a sigh, but unable to hide the annoyance in his eyes, he spoke again, his voice holding an edge of irritation he was struggling to contain. "Jonathan is come as my apprentice, David." He watched David's eyes fly open with shock and surprise, but he was not minded to explain his actions to his son at this time, especially in front of Master Graie. He led the way towards their cottage saying, "Come lad, I will show you your lodgings; David, you may join us for supper when you have finished."


David threw his axe down in temper when his father was out of sight. blah blah...blah blah...blah blah...blah blah...blah blah...blah blah...blah blah...

Thoughts? Comments? Help?

Comments

Shifts...

[vashtan.livejournal.com]

.. are falling out of use, even in romatic fiction (the last stronghold).

It's a matter of taste, and sometice, publisher policy.

Special Forces shifts between two characters. All the time. I hope we pulled it off, but it's a bitch to do "correctly", meaning, effectively/efficiently (is that a word?)

Re: Shifts...

[erastes.livejournal.com]

This whole "falling out of use" thing is driving me insane. Omniescent narrator is out of fashion, pov shifts are out of fashion, show and tell is the fashion. All things that I do all the time. There's no hope for me, is there? *G*

GRRRRRR!!! I feel like railing at people and saying "there's a reason why classics are classics" Is Dan Brown going to be around in 100 years time.

rwday always says to me that anything is still possible as long as it's done with style. What I don't get is when people reject things out of hand.

But seriously, what do they expect, if they are falling out of use? How CAN you show two people reacting to each other - and when do they expect you to change POV?

Re: Shifts...

[rwday.livejournal.com]

How CAN you show two people reacting to each other - and when do they expect you to change POV?

I think that's why it was so prevalent in romance novels, because the authors wanted to show the reaction of both hero and heroine to the various scenes. I don't read romance much anymore, so I don't know how it's done these days in that genre.