Viewpoint 👁️

Do you seek a certain perspective in your prose?

To make a living writing books, authors seek audiences who will collect and share as many of their titles as possible. There are other paths to success, but none as rewarding as earning reader loyalty. The easiest way to forge such bonds is to specialize in a writing style or genre that forges and excites your audience. 

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For some reason I chose a different method. My books vary in perspective and style from title to title, depending on what each plot requires. I like the unique reading experiences this tactic provides.

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Take The Road to Renewal, a tragicomedy about two men stumbling into an avalanche of trials and tribulations. This almost-contemporary novel utilizes third-person narrative interrupted time to time by first-person columns our protagonist/reporter pens for his newspaper. That structure sets The Road to Renewal apart from my other books – which fits my goal.

With my Biblical/historical fiction series The Jonah Cycle, all four novels utilize limited first-person narrative, their viewpoint characters changing from book to book. An old slave tells The Prophet and the Dove to his students (and thus our readers). He also narrates book four, though from a far different standpoint. Book three draws its perspective from an aging shepherd who first appeared in book two, while that title, Lions of Judah, comes through the eyes of a most surprising observer!

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I know some readers prefer multiple viewpoints. The marketplace embraces this, with many books and films sharing diverse protagonist and antagonist positions to reveal vital insights. As Hitchcock often noted, this helps generate audience sympathy and tension. But I prefer writing with a more limited perspective, where only God knows what every character sees or thinks. Since I live with but one viewpoint – my own line of sight – I find maintaining this in my books keeps my writing more realistic. 

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The Road to Renewal again provides a good example. Limiting readers to a single viewpoint retains the mystery and uncertainty of life. It also helps explain why honesty, trust, and love are crucial to society and survival.

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God’s Furry Angels is an exception. Since I wrote that for my kids, GFA employs a classic storyteller format where a central narrator weaves many viewpoints into his tale. The most prominent character in God’s Furry Angels is a youngster naturally excited by discovery and learning, so to her, unraveling the mystery and uncertainty of life is but one aspect of growing up. The reader shares that journey with her!

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A Year in the Lives of God’s Furry Angels uses a stripped-down third-person narrative, its tales broken into concise nuggets presented in a calendar format. That tight style provides readers with yet another unique reading environment.

I hope readers will embrace these differences and follow all of my books. We’ll see!

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