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Writers have many decisions to make about perspective. Shall I tell the story from first person point of view? Shall I use a narrator? Which set of eyes should I use to tell my story? Which viewpoint will tell it best? Or will more than one viewpoint shine a better light on my character?
And there’s a completely different question about perspective that must be answered: do I tell the story as if it’s happening now? Or as if the character is looking back on the events with the perspective of hindsight?
As a writer, I have to answer all these questions, and I have to do it in a way that’s fresh. I have to ask myself, like Orson Scott Card says, “How ELSE could it happen?” I must learn to not pick the quick, obvious answer, but look deeper.
I must learn to really look. See more clearly. With less tired eyes.
Look at the picture again. Change your viewpoint, your perspective. Imagine yourself high above the couple, looking down. Now they are lying on the concrete at the bottom of a flight of stairs.
How ELSE could it happen?
I love that picture. It's so true that perspective is an important decision in a story. It determines how much you can tell and what the main characer will or won't know.
So true! It's one of the first things to decide–perspective changes everything.
Very cool picture and perfect for the topic. Thank you!
It was originally for a wedding announcement. Fun, huh?
Scott sure asks good questions about writing, doesn't he? Love the picture.
I've learned so much from him. I'm reading “Pathfinder” right now. Have you read that one?
I haven't read that one yet. But I think it's on my to read list, which is getting way too long. I keep adding books to it.
It's classic Card, complete with a genius young boy, who speaks and acts way too old to be believable, yet you take it right in somehow and love it.
Fun picture! Great application to writing–thanks for sharing on Writing Wednesday!
Thanks, Jordan!