Suzanne had to decide what perspective she would use in telling her story. She could be the reporter, exercising a God-like position by telling what happened.
She began to write: Jason slipped up behind Alicia, thinking he would surprise her. But Alicia wasn’t surprised at all. She had anticipated his coming and had the perfect words on the tip of her tongue: Get lost. Little did Jason know how lost the two of them would be.
Without exception, readers assume the position of the storyteller, either as an observer who watches what happens from a distance or as a participant who is worried about what might happen to her.
If Suzanne used an omniscient point of view, she could reveal what everybody was thinking and even tell about the future, which might be preferred by other writers. But if Suzanne wanted to really engage her readers, she couldn’t afford the easy, lazy way. She needed to show what happened by describing everything through only her main character’s mind and emotions, moment by moment, as her tragedy unfolded.
She began to re-write: Alicia leaned against the towering oak, facing away from the school, waiting for that perfect moment when Jason would walk up. As soon as she heard the crunching of leaves, she spun around and shouted, “Get lost.” Then she saw who it was: Dad.
Can you see the difference between observing the action and being a participant? For today’s readers, storytelling’s best point of view is limited to the main character’s senses, because that position makes the events personal and life-changing.
I’m kept on my toes by writing them.
Your Tuesday’s Tips keep me on my tip-toes. Thank you for that.