Some stories stick to the point of view of a single main character, especially stories with a first-person narrative. However, telling broader (or “epic”) stories often leads to writing multiple perspectives in the third person. How a writer employs narrative perspective in a story will dictate the richness of the worldbuilding, character depth, and tension.
Many readers love the power of multiple perspectives in science fiction and fantasy, as this allows for a grand scope in both plot and character. Two prime examples of this are A Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin and Dune by Frank Herbert. Although the first is epic fantasy and the latter is science fiction, many of the same principles apply.
Below are a few things to keep in mind when writing multiple perspectives in your science fiction or fantasy story.
Why Use Multiple Perspectives?
1. Expansive Worldbuilding
Using different viewpoints allows you to reveal broader aspects of your story’s world. Your worldbuilding might include varied cultures, factions, and histories, and the best way to showcase these is to build various perspectives through your characters, who might come from different walks of life.
2. Complex Character Arcs
Using multiple perspectives gives you many opportunities to craft characters who differ greatly in motivations and biases. This gives your story depth beyond the basic plot points.
3. Pacing and Suspense
Being able to shift between perspectives allows you to control the tension in the story, whether to maintain it or to ease up on it. Jumping to another perspective can also help with suspense when you want to have a certain viewpoint character do something in the background to be revealed later.
Choose the Right Number of Perspectives
Opinions will vary depending on the genre or the length of the story, but I think the Goldilocks principle applies in most cases. Try not to have too few perspectives (which can be limiting or boring), but try not to have too many (which can be confusing or disorienting).
Two factors to consider include the scope of the story and how much investment you want the reader to have in each character. On the first point, if you’re writing epic fantasy, it’s almost expected that you will have several viewpoints. However, a cozy fantasy meant to feel intimate might have only one or two viewpoints. On the second point, not all characters are created equal. You might want to put more emphasis on a couple of main characters while putting less emphasis on secondary characters. In this case, it might not make sense to have only two main characters but several secondary characters who overwhelm much of the narrative. Try to keep the viewpoints in your story balanced with these factors in mind.
How Many Is Too Many?
Robert Jordan’s Wheel of Time is a popular example of a fantasy series with multiple perspectives that has a grand scope and variable reader investment. The series focuses on a set of main characters (or “rotating” protagonists): Rand al’Thor, Mat Cauthon, Perrin Aybara, Egwene al’Vere, and Nynaeve al’Meara (whom fans love to varying degrees). However, throughout the series of fourteen books (plus one prequel), the number of distinct characters who have at least one point-of-view scene grows to nearly 150. The main characters are all from a small and somewhat remote farming community called the Two Rivers. The other characters mostly belong to other regions of the world and belong to various groups and factions, such as the Aes Sedai, the Children of the Light, the Forsaken, the Seanchan, and the Aiel—and even among these, you have subgroups.
As you can imagine, with this many characters, many of them don’t get much in the way of reader investment. There is, however, no denying the scope of the story. (At the time of writing this, I’ve read up to the tenth book, Crossroads of Twilight, and it’s been quite the journey.)
Use Distinctive Voices to Differentiate Characters
When writing multiple viewpoints, it’s important to avoid blurring the perspectives. To do this, give each character unique speech patterns, internal monologues, and biases. This will help avoid having your characters all sound the same.
Another element to consider is how each character might differ regarding their worldview as informed by cultural and societal influences. This is tied to worldbuilding, where each character might be different in large part because they come from different geographical regions or social classes.
Specific ways to differentiate your characters include varying the dialect, jargon, and narrative tone. People hailing from different regions or who were brought up under different societal influences will have distinct ways of talking. They will communicate similar ideas using different words or expressions. They will also have different opinions on the same idea, whether positive or negative. Much of this will affect how the tone might shift from scene to scene.
One way to practice using distinctive voices is to try rewriting the same scene from two different perspectives. In reviewing what you have written, evaluate how well you have shifted the voice of each character while using the same scene elements.
Manage the Timeline and Pacing
When telling a story using multiple perspectives, you have two main options for revealing how the events unfold: chronological and non-linear. Regardless of which way you go, consider how you might go about using either parallel timelines or overlapping events with different interpretations. For example, in David Mitchell’s Cloud Atlas, there are multiple plots occurring during six different eras spanning hundreds of years. Conversely, when using overlapping events, be sure to avoid too much repetition. Be sure to show the key events from the most impactful perspectives.
One key advantage of writing multiple perspectives is the ability to transition from one to another, creating tension by using cliffhangers at the end of scenes or chapters. Be careful with this, however, as ill-executed cliffhangers can frustrate the reader. Be sure to go in with a plan. Don’t leave the reader hanging there for too long. Also, try to make the suspense feel natural and purposeful. At least give some hint at a possible resolution rather than leave the reader completely in the dark. Try not to be too abrupt in your approach, and avoid overusing this device. Putting a cliffhanger at the end of every chapter will probably either exhaust or frustrate the reader eventually. Remember, you want to leave the reader wanting more (rather than leave them behind).
Common Pitfalls When Writing Multiple Perspectives (and How to Avoid Them)
Below are some things to avoid when using multiple viewpoints.
1. POV Overload
Try not to introduce too many characters too soon. This can be overwhelming to the reader, plus it’s difficult to establish satisfying character backgrounds and motivations early on if you jump too soon to new viewpoints.
2. Unbalanced “Screen Time”
Avoid neglecting key perspectives by giving important point-of-view characters enough development time and enough contributions to the action as the plot unfolds. This will help build reader investment in the lives of the characters that matter most.
3. Head-Hopping
Jumping around with multiple perspectives can have unintended consequences. A common example is called head-hopping, where the narrative perspective shifts from one character to another mid-scene. The problem with this is it’s jarring and can take the reader out of the story. In the worst cases, it can be completely disorienting. Be sure to focus on one perspective at a time from scene to scene. It also helps to have clear transitions to indicate that a perspective has changed.
The best solution to the above-mentioned problems is to avoid them in the first place by outlining your point-of-view character arcs in advance. Beyond that, try to get good beta-reader feedback on the narrative perspective aspects of your story.
Characters Are Like Story Agents to the Reader
It’s important to create engaging and believable characters who contribute to the tension of the story. This is no different if you’re using multiple viewpoints beyond your central protagonist and antagonist. Having a good balance of perspectives while also creating distinct voices will draw the reader in and keep them engaged.
Keep the main points above in mind as you experiment with using multiple viewpoints. Try to read books that use a lot of viewpoints for examples of how authors have managed to pull it off. Take note of what you like and don’t like, or what you think works or doesn’t work. This will inform your own tastes and your own writing.
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