1. Point of View

2. Questions to ask. Who tells the story? How much is he allowed to know?
How many characters’ minds does he explore and to what extent?

3. Basic Points of view

4. First Person Point of View
One of the characters tells the story. “I” “We”
The author disappears into one of the characters.
It can be a major or minor character.
The author cannot help interpret the story.
The reader feels close to the character talking.

5. Third Person Point of view
The author tells the story as a person outside the story. “he” “she” “they”

6. Third Person Omniscient
The author knows the thoughts and feelings of all the characters
It is an unrealistic point of view.
Shifting from character to character can cause confusion.
It allows for the author to develop many characters as much or little as he wants.

7. Third Person Limited Omniscient
The author knows the thoughts and feelings of one or two characters.
The author knows everything about one character but can’t develop the other characters directly.
It is a more realistic point of view.

8. Third Person Objective
The author is like a roving camera which records actions and words but no thoughts or feelings.
The reader is like a spectator at a movie.
It is a good point of view for keeping people in suspense.
It is good for speed and action.
It is a bad point of view for character development.
Very few stories are written completely in objective point of view.

9. Shifting Point of view
The author changes the point of view as the story goes on.
He may switch who is narrating the story.
He may switch from first to third person or third to first.
He may shift whose mind he is in.