Quite comprehensive explanations of deep POV. Thank you. For me, what works best when writing in deep POV, is that I'm not writing about the character, I'm being the character. Not only I find writing in deep POV easier that way, but also the experience of writing is like living my character's life!
The few examples you gave here were superb and helped me personally on many occassions. More examples, perhaps of yours other authours' using this style? It would be a feast. One problem I've been having for a few years is how to stay out of physically describing the POV character's emotion reactions without mentioning his guts, trembling hands, muscle twitching, etc. Your examples were superb and I wanted many more! Thanks again! I look forward to your next video!
Thank you so much for making this! I've been looking for a breakdown of deep POV this comprehensive everywhere. Something that's always been a barrier between me and writing with a deeper perspective is a fear of character introspection coming across as veering into telling as opposed to showing. I was wondering if you had any pointers on how to keep introspection engaging and not like you're spelling things out for the reader? Thanks so much again - this video is an absolute life-saver.
Introspection can be scary but it's easy to fix telling in introspection. A common I trick I use when writing introspection is I think: "Why does this character feel this way specifically?" Usually "telling" is a symptom of being overly generic. So if you find yourself telling, instead be specific. Give an example. For instance, this would be telling: James wanted Rachel for his prom date. She was hot. Which incidentally, also doesn't reveal a lot about James' character nor describes Rachel very well. Here's a showing example: She lit up a room with the lilt of her smile and warmth of her laugh. It was difficult to say exactly what made Rachel Graham so attractive. Maybe it was the gap in her two front teeth that made her approachable. Maybe it was the way her cheeks welled into her eyes whenever she grinned. She was the type of girl who'd even impress Mom, who judged every girl James dated. Rachel had to be his prom date. So this introspection is longer but it also shows so much more. We get a ton of details but we're not told what the details are. Not only do we see Rachel's appearance described, but we get characterizations of what James is like. He cares a lot about what his mom thinks or says, but he might not even realize that he does care. It seems James is more interested in impressing his mom rather than actually going to prom with Rachel Graham. By using introspection, you can really flesh out a character over time and people will learn about that character more and more, and they might not even realize it! Hope that helps.
Thanks for your explanation! I think this aspect of character voice comes to a lot of writers on instinct so it's been difficult to find such useful advice anywhere else. :)
This is definitely the best video I've seen on Deep PoV. It taught me some things and validated my usage of certain techniques. I've been doing the introspection thing for as long as I can remember so it's good to know I was on the money with it lol. I think thing I'll have to work on a little more is utilizing more sensory details. Overall, good video. I'll be adding this to my favorites in case I need to reference it again.
Excellent! As I watched, I had my MS open and was looking for these faults. (Special unrelated "thank-you!" for allowing me to see "she wondered off..." when I meant "she wandered off...") Liked and subscribed; I'll look for more from Nick.
That was great, Nick. Not just a repeat of what everyone else says about deep POV. I particularly like the part about favoring introspection over visceral. Most people explaining DPOV go crazy with visceral. That would be horribly repetitive throughout a novel. The only bit I am unsure about is 'don't hide stuff from the reader for dramatic purposes.' I see a tradeoff here. Couldn't you vary psychic distance even in 1P DPOV, by what you choose to reveal, or the level-of-detail you use?
Hiding stuff can be effectively achieved in Deep POV. My complaint is mostly from examples where this is lazily done. Like all writing rules, these are general rules, but exceptions do exist. :) An example where this is poorly done is if the character makes a big elaborate plan to take down the villain then we get a few scenes where the characters conveniently omit details in such a way where they're able to discuss (or think about) without revealing any details to the readers. It can be tedious for the audience. Hiding from the audience is better done in movies and TV because we're not being delivered a stream of consciousness from the characters. Instead, we're outside observers. In this case, the hiding is more natural.
@@nickslessonsonstory355 Hiding can also be done less for dramatic purpose than to avoid repetition. Having the character first think of a plan and then exeute it just states the same thing twice. At least if things work out according to the plan. If he makes a plan that then goes horribly wrong it's another matter.
Right, if the VPC doesn't know what the plan is, then it makes sense that the reader wouldn't either. The problem is when the VPC knows something critical, but it's intentionally written in such a way to hide what that is. There might be cases where this is executed well, but the times it stands out to me, is when it's a desperate attempt to create suspense.
Quite comprehensive explanations of deep POV. Thank you. For me, what works best when writing in deep POV, is that I'm not writing about the character, I'm being the character. Not only I find writing in deep POV easier that way, but also the experience of writing is like living my character's life!
Wait!!! HOW did Jeff kill the raccoon with a toothbrush??? 😂
Legit the best the best video about deep POV I've found so far, even though it's 6 years old, I've seen no-one explain it better.
This is one of the BEST vidoes on Deep POV on the web!
Wish you'd publish more!
Thanks! I have a few ideas for future videos.
The few examples you gave here were superb and helped me personally on many occassions. More examples, perhaps of yours other authours' using this style? It would be a feast. One problem I've been having for a few years is how to stay out of physically describing the POV character's emotion reactions without mentioning his guts, trembling hands, muscle twitching, etc. Your examples were superb and I wanted many more!
Thanks again! I look forward to your next video!
Thank you so much for making this! I've been looking for a breakdown of deep POV this comprehensive everywhere. Something that's always been a barrier between me and writing with a deeper perspective is a fear of character introspection coming across as veering into telling as opposed to showing. I was wondering if you had any pointers on how to keep introspection engaging and not like you're spelling things out for the reader? Thanks so much again - this video is an absolute life-saver.
Introspection can be scary but it's easy to fix telling in introspection. A common I trick I use when writing introspection is I think: "Why does this character feel this way specifically?" Usually "telling" is a symptom of being overly generic. So if you find yourself telling, instead be specific. Give an example. For instance, this would be telling:
James wanted Rachel for his prom date. She was hot.
Which incidentally, also doesn't reveal a lot about James' character nor describes Rachel very well. Here's a showing example:
She lit up a room with the lilt of her smile and warmth of her laugh. It was difficult to say exactly what made Rachel Graham so attractive. Maybe it was the gap in her two front teeth that made her approachable. Maybe it was the way her cheeks welled into her eyes whenever she grinned. She was the type of girl who'd even impress Mom, who judged every girl James dated. Rachel had to be his prom date.
So this introspection is longer but it also shows so much more. We get a ton of details but we're not told what the details are. Not only do we see Rachel's appearance described, but we get characterizations of what James is like. He cares a lot about what his mom thinks or says, but he might not even realize that he does care. It seems James is more interested in impressing his mom rather than actually going to prom with Rachel Graham. By using introspection, you can really flesh out a character over time and people will learn about that character more and more, and they might not even realize it!
Hope that helps.
Thanks for your explanation! I think this aspect of character voice comes to a lot of writers on instinct so it's been difficult to find such useful advice anywhere else. :)
@@nickslessonsonstory355 what's Ur author name I want 2 get Ur novel
Great video! The examples are so helpful, I’d love to see more videos like this with other examples for deep POV tips. 😊
This is the best deep POV video. Thank you!
Really great, thank you, but what does VPC stand for?
Viewpoint Character :) sorry, should've clarified. Sometimes I say that because the MC isn't always the perspective the story is told
This is definitely the best video I've seen on Deep PoV. It taught me some things and validated my usage of certain techniques. I've been doing the introspection thing for as long as I can remember so it's good to know I was on the money with it lol. I think thing I'll have to work on a little more is utilizing more sensory details.
Overall, good video. I'll be adding this to my favorites in case I need to reference it again.
As I look back at my favorite stories, I'm amazed.... This video made the invisible visible to me....Thank you! :D
The best video on Deep POV.
Wow, never knew how much mistakes I've been making! Thank you for this video. Very helpful. 😥😉
No problem! Glad it helped!
Excellent! As I watched, I had my MS open and was looking for these faults. (Special unrelated "thank-you!" for allowing me to see "she wondered off..." when I meant "she wandered off...") Liked and subscribed; I'll look for more from Nick.
This is really good, thank you!!!!
I'm glad it was helpful!
Is it possible to be somewhere between beep and shallow POV? I like the immediacy and immersion of deep, but also like the cinematic feel of shallow.
You're probably looking for 3rd person omniscient POV. It's better for multiple POVs and more "epic" style novels.
That was great, Nick. Not just a repeat of what everyone else says about deep POV. I particularly like the part about favoring introspection over visceral. Most people explaining DPOV go crazy with visceral. That would be horribly repetitive throughout a novel.
The only bit I am unsure about is 'don't hide stuff from the reader for dramatic purposes.' I see a tradeoff here. Couldn't you vary psychic distance even in 1P DPOV, by what you choose to reveal, or the level-of-detail you use?
Hiding stuff can be effectively achieved in Deep POV. My complaint is mostly from examples where this is lazily done. Like all writing rules, these are general rules, but exceptions do exist. :)
An example where this is poorly done is if the character makes a big elaborate plan to take down the villain then we get a few scenes where the characters conveniently omit details in such a way where they're able to discuss (or think about) without revealing any details to the readers. It can be tedious for the audience.
Hiding from the audience is better done in movies and TV because we're not being delivered a stream of consciousness from the characters. Instead, we're outside observers. In this case, the hiding is more natural.
@@nickslessonsonstory355 Hiding can also be done less for dramatic purpose than to avoid repetition. Having the character first think of a plan and then exeute it just states the same thing twice. At least if things work out according to the plan. If he makes a plan that then goes horribly wrong it's another matter.
Amazing video again :) you are criminally undersubbed
fl333r Thank you!
So helpful!! Could you make a video on plotting?
It's possible the writer might not be intentional blocking the reader might be that they just don't know.
Great vid. Thanks.
Right, if the VPC doesn't know what the plan is, then it makes sense that the reader wouldn't either. The problem is when the VPC knows something critical, but it's intentionally written in such a way to hide what that is. There might be cases where this is executed well, but the times it stands out to me, is when it's a desperate attempt to create suspense.
Great vid. Thanks for it. Can you share, with us, a favorite Deep POV book or collection? I am assuming that your novel is deep pov. Is this correct?
What isPOV? Person of volatility or piece of vomit?