The Prompt
Write a story in the point of view you found most satisfying, this month. Your character has just received some news they feel strongly about.
Things To Consider
Remember that each POV (1st person, second, third person limited, omniscient, and all the other flavors…) has its limitation.
In First Person the narrator can never know anything that’s happening outside their view, except through other people telling them about it.
In Third Person you can’t hop around between different characters’ internal lives within the same scene without risking confusing readers (and being jumped on by eager critique partners).
In Omniscient, you can inhabit many characters, which can make harder for readers to empathize with or root for anyone in particular.
Each POV can be helpful in telling different types of stories and you will want to develop your skills with cost of them, but is there one that comes most naturally to you?
Run wild with that, today.
Explore the limitations and opportunities it affords
. Have fun with it.
Leave a comment and let us know how it went!
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Today I went over the stories I wrote this month and found that most were written in third person. I used that POV to write today’s story. I used a story I wrote many years ago in first person and changed it for today’s story. I limited the characters from 4 to 3, focused the scene to one room instead of two, and concentrated better on the way the 14-year-old girl in the story feels and why. The biggest takeaway was that I was able to limit excess stuff in the first story in order to get the main jist of the story this time. The story is about a family eating dinner, girl gets phone call, caller asks girl to hand phone to her mom, mom relays message to daughter that her best friend has died. Then father goes ballistic and blames friend’s parents for her death. In the first telling the father was just a jerk. In this telling he had a point that the girl understands. In the first telling I’d had problems with writing why the girl feels the way she does after hearing the bad news, but this time around, I was able to express that fully. In the first story it ended with the father being a jerk and she’d thought her parents wouldn’t care that much if she died herself. In today’s rendition she understands they would be heartbroken. I’m glad I used a previous story to write one that’s now to the point. I also looked up POV’s and found out I’d never realized how many there are. And I’ve never written an omniscient POV story because when I’ve tried I didn’t get it. Now I’m going to try writing in omniscient third person POV and make the characters serious but the narrator satirical, if I understand omniscient now. (I’ll see). Oh, and the character I omitted: I may put her back in the story but not go into detail about her like I had in my first story, which detracted from it. That way I can write a sequel to the story I wrote today. I’ve been wanting to learn how to write a sequel but never understood how. I learned a lot today.
I’m terrible at checking in!!! However, since I have written something every day so far, thought I’d say hello. I gravitate towards third person, though I’m sorting out whether I prefer limited or omniscient and look forward to spending more time with both.
Today’s effort yielded a piece of flash fiction in third person. I just “needed” to finish something today.
I loved the warm up and Brainstorming exercises, too!
Happy Wednesday!
So the question Julie, was it your reference to first person PoV in the things to consider that has resulted in the fast formed first person fun with today’s prompt, fast followed by Rathin’s leading example.
Have a good night everyone, he says as he begins his 30th day.
I’m not generally comfortable with third person omniscient, but I liked the “adapt an opening line” I did based on Alice in Wonderland, so like Fallon I went back to that and fleshed it out. Most important for me this time, I think, was the discipline of pushing through and getting the thing done, whatever my doubts about it.
Walter, how’d the rewrite of the opening line go? I found shifting pov made it story better. Yesterdays prompt was a great setup for todays as it appears three of us re-used yesterdays prompt.
Well done for persevering.
In the rewrite of the opening line I kept the same POV as the original. I think that worked for me (and in today’s story, based on it) because it’s one I don’t usually work in.
And I agree, yesterday’s prompt did seem to lead into today’s for a lot of us.
I really enjoyed the day I did alternating stream-of-consciousness first person, so I did that again, with three different characters.
Like last time, it’s enough of a mess that I don’t know it works on its own, but it did give me a better understand of a backstory event and is a nice outline for a more traditional story.
What was going on, all in the same scene? Playing poker, that would be interesting, or all running from three directions caught up in their own mind and they collide, or one setting a bomb, the second thinking about an argument ultimately tripping over the bomb, the third disarming it.
Interesting….
https://tessadeanauthor.com/2024/05/29/the-voices-in-your-head-storyaday-2024-day-29/
I wrote mine in first person which is something I’m not fully comfortable with.
My main character’s husband secretly submitted a story of hers I a magazine. Now she was holding a letter in her hands that held what the editor thought of her story.
What did the letter say? Not sure if I’m going to reveal it at the end yet.
Love the idea! I’m not sure how I’d respond to such a thing.
As of when I commented I had not finished my story. Wednesday is the day I spend with my granddaughter. Hopefully I can finish it later.
I decided to do first person as it’s something I’ve come to enjoy lately. I wasn’t sure where the story would go but it ended up being one scene that I focused on in great detail.
Interesting that 1st person seems to be popular today! It’s become my favourite POV in recent years. I enjoy the way it lets you think about how people tell their own stories and unfold details about their experiences. During the challenge this month I haven’t been using it much. Today’s prompt was a good excuse to play with it! I got 450 words about walking away from a bad relationship with a literal bomb and a tenuous plan for her future.
Did anyone else reread some of their earlier stories? I looked through my files and found a couple I had no memory of writing! It has been a long month.
I read back through my stories and I found a surprise or two as well.
I’ll go back and look from time to time. In the last two prompts because of the book I pulled off the shelf I found myself looking for two in my backlog.
I’ll be honest,I find it a bit surreal at times as I will have forgotten I wrote the piece, and be pleasantly surprised.
As for first person pov, I like it, I don’t think I use it as often as I could.
OK, I surprised myself with today’s prompt and result. The surprise, I was playing catch-up and only posted my day 28 (https://afstoryaday.blogspot.com/2024/05/day-28-another-opening.html) a short while ago.
I took it, re-wrote it in the first person, and extended it somewhat, it went a way I did not expect.
https://afstoryaday.blogspot.com/2024/05/day-29-first-person.html
Oh… I liked the mystery of “Why can’t she be seen? What’s her connection to this person?” The reveal about that was very well dropped. And I loved how it answered some of what I was wondering, but brought more questions to mind.
Thank you for the comment. I’ll be honest I quite enjoyed the reveal as I only knew that answer myself towards the end of writing it.
I decided to go back to yesterday’s and flesh out the moment when Caleb gets drafted. Went from him starting to think it wouldn’t happen, to getting the call. 522 words, this is all back story for Rounding for Home, which I really need to finish revising. Again.
Gallon, I did the same with yesterday’s post. I actually think it came out better in first person.
522 words, I wonder what your word tally will be at the end of the month.
Apologies Fallon, prescriptive text caught me out.
My favourite PoV has always been the First Person Omniscient PoV. Let me see how you view my today’s write-up.)
29.5.24
Jaya Still Works Under Sharmista !!!
I never thought I’d ever land up with another job offer at 63!
“Hello, This is Vishal from Hitachi Asia Company Ltd. Am I speaking to Rathin please?” Someone enquired in a small voice from the other end yesterday.
“Speaking. I remember you clearly from our previous conversation.” I replied.
“Please hang on as I put you through to the Head Office… It may take a few minutes.”
For the next 3 minutes, a recorded female voice kept on informing me that the call had been put on hold. When I was undecided about whether to hang it up or hang on for a little bit more, there was a clicking sound and an elderly voice came on.
“Hay, Rathin. This is Nakimara (I didn’t get the name correctly even after the second time though) speaking. Give a brief self-intro, OK?” The voice ordered.
“Self-intro? Right. I’s born and brought up in Kolkata. I come of a very well-known family. My late father was a College Principal and my grandfather, a renowned Sanskrit scholar of Modern India. After graduation (I always try to escape from having to speak about my poor academic background), when I was pursuing my Master’s from Jadavpur University, I saw an advertisement from the neighbouring Kingdom of Bhutan, applied for a Teacher’s job and subsequently got through the interview.
I accepted the offer and joined Bhutan Civil Service in 1990 against the collective wish of my family. I worked there for nearly 3 decades and retired at 58 as per the rules of Bhutan Civil Service in 2018.
I came back to my hometown in 2019 and started looking for a job. Then the pandemic happened and life, as you know, was stalled. I started working again as the Principal of SXPS from June, 2022 and resigned last March. I’ve been unemployed ever since.” I paused.
“Good. That’s a good intro.” The voice told me quite bluntly. “Now, tell me about your weakness..one weakness.”
“My weakness?” I repeated the word twice. “OK, as far as my weakness’s concerned, I tend to be too honest and you’ll have to agree with me, Sir, that anybody who happens to be too honest in today’s world, has to pay a high price. I have paid a high price for my honesty all through my life…”
“Interesting. Now, tell me about your greatest contribution as an English Teacher?” The voice asked.
“Sorry, Sir. I didn’t get you clearly. Can you rephrase or modify the question?” I asked apprehensively.
“Your greatest contribution as an English Teacher, understood?” He sounded offended.
“Yes, Sir. You know the results of my last batch of CBSE students were out recently. Most of them scored above 80%. But that’s not a big deal as there were many from other schools scoring above 95% as well. But that is not what my greatest achievement has been. My greatest achievement, over the years, has been that by being a role model, I could inspire many of my students to be good, responsible and contributing human beings. And that in my opinion, has been my greatest achievement.” Rubbing the bridge of my nose with the little finger, I looked at my Sis, sitting beside me.
“Sir, now may I remind you that the interview was scheduled for ten minutes. If it’s not problem for you, I’d like to see my Sis off now.”
The elderly man was taken aback by my request and didn’t seem to have an answer to that and kept on repeating “Ten Minutes?”, “Ten Minutes!”, while my ever so sacrificing Sis raised her hand to signify that she was willing to wait.
“Sir, Sister can wait for sometime more. So, what’s your next?” I didn’t seem all that eager for a job anymore.
“What’s your last CTC?”
“I got something like 2.5 per year. It’s a small school, you know, not financially in a sound position.” I tried to be honest always but here I wasn’t exactly.
“In case, you get selected. How much will your expected salary be?” He seemed eager to know.
“You know, Sir. I’ve never been money-crazy. Bhutan paid me well. But I’ve two daughters and marrying daughters off without money isn’t that easy. (I was thinking of the day when I informed my in-laws that my parents never asked for any dowries for any of their sons from the prospective families of their daughters-in-law!)
Anyway, by the grace of The Almighty, I have not much to ask for. So, regarding the expected salary, I’ll leave that to you. Let me work for a few months. Let me see if I am a fit in your system. Then you pay me as you wish…”
“Ok, Rathin. Nice talking to you. My team will get back to you with the feedback of this interview the first thing tomorrow.”
“Nice talking to you too, Sir. Take care and have a good day…”
I told my Sis as I accompanied her to the Bus Stop that the Interview, in my modest view, had gone off well. The only thing worrying me was whether the elderly man got offended as I frequently asked him to repeat his questions during the interview.
“Those people with that American accent, are very difficult to understand.” My Sister, arranging the folds of her sari, remarked while we waited for a Science-City bound bus.
“I don’t mind American accent but he was not an American. Most probably, someone from Singapore.
I came back home. I haven’t been on speaking terms, kinda, ( my wife called me only yesterday to enquire if that horrible Sharmistha, the Manager of her previous Company bothered me with any more calls or not) with my family, lately. Otherwise, I was too ecstatic to share the news with them.
I felt sorry for my wife. She looks at her best when she is happy. She loves being a homemaker. But she has been working in the Insurance Sector since my return to Kolkata. To ensure the smooth running of the family, you know.
How I wished I could land up with a last job that pays me handsomely. Singapore will be a perfect destination, therefore. They pay in dollars. I can take her along with me, pay her a handsome pocket money. Be good to me, God. Help me make my dreams come true.
I am holding the email from Hitachi Company in my hand right now. I got selected for the final round of interview on 2nd June. They have asked for my passport, my academic and work experience certificates and Last Pay Slip.
God! I don’t have any of these. I talked about the fact that I don’t have a passport in the interview yesterday. The elderly man replied that they would take care of it. My academic transcripts have been eaten by moths with the passage of time! (Not a very believable proposition. But believe you me, Dear Reader, the marksheets were handwritten in our days!)
And regarding my Experience Certificate and Last Pay, I don’t want to contact my last employer. No, don’t get me wrong. They are nice people really and would go out of their ways to help me out. But me being what I am, I won’t ask for it.
My spouse, Jaya, will have to work with Managers like Sharmistha for a couple of years more, whether she likes it or not.
The End
Rathin,
Are you 63? I wouldn’t have picked it as ‘read’ a lot younger.
Note I took inspiration from your writing today for what I produced – I’ll post shortly.
Andrew
A writer of your calibre telling me that you got inspired by my story today! That’s a compliment I’ll take to my grave, Andrew!
I am looking forward to reading your story. I hope this time WordPress won’t betray me.
Stay happy.
God bless you.