Can't Be The Only One Who's Done This...

VictoriaWrites · Oct 8, 2011

I wrote nearly half of my story, then started getting frustrated because my POV character's story didn't seem to start until what seemed to logically be the climax.

This morning, it occurred to me that I'm really trying to tell her stepsister's story. Now I have to go back and rewrite from the beginning, from this other character's POV.

I'm not the only one, right?

Witch_turtle · Oct 8, 2011

It's not exactly the same, but I invariably write epic plot holes (well, not even necessarily plot holes, just long courses of events that don't make quite as much sense as they should) which I then realize sometime during the second half of the novel and must go back and rewrite everything as if another choice had been made, or another set of circumstances had been present. It can lead to a lot of confusion/more plot holes, sometimes, but usually makes for a better story in the end. And that's what counts, right? At least you were only nearly halfway through, and not most of the way!

Snitchcat · Oct 9, 2011

No, you're not the only one. I've discovered that many times that I'm telling the wrong story, so I let the narration naturally evolve to correct the story I'm telling. Aftewards, I'll return to the beginning and rewrite as necessary.

No frustration there, though. I see it as a natural process for writing the story that I must tell.

mulcahy67 · Oct 9, 2011

this sort of happened to me with my current project. i got pretty close to the halfway point, writing around one main character, but one of the supporting characters with a deep connection to him was someone i was really formatting in an interesting way, and i thought the readers should be able to gain from his POV as well.

so i've gone back, and i'm now currently taking out some of the bits from the main character and adding this second person, because i now realize his story is just as important as my other MC in the grand scheme of the story.

everyone's book changes in some form as you go about writing it. very rarely does someone come up with a story in the beginning phase and write that exact story, or at least from my opinion, that seems to be the rare case.

aspiring great · Oct 9, 2011

Wow, I am writing my first and I was wondering why I have not yet stuck to a POV yet I am just thus far, writing and letting everything come at its early stages. Even though I have this huge story in my head bubbling around. What would you think about an entire narrative story. I don't like the idea because I believe that it give that little push over the edge depth in a story.

bearilou · Oct 9, 2011

VictoriaWrites said:
I'm not the only one, right?

Nope. While it's not happened to me, I have seen the advice on this board to change the PoV character when people talk about being stuck or having some other issue where their story didn't seem to be coming together for them.

Duncable · Oct 9, 2011

It's happened to me, too. In my current WIP, I realized pretty early on (luckily) that the intended MC didn't have nearly as much going on as two of the supporting characters. I was still in the outlining and plotting phase, so it was easy to change it up. Now I've got three main PoV characters; the first original MC still has a solid story arc, but she's no longer the only one.

Devil Ledbetter · Oct 9, 2011

That happened to me with my very first attempt at writing a novel.

nchahine · Oct 9, 2011

This has never happened to me as of yet, but I'm just curious: before writing out your story, have you ever tried doing something like a character interview? Or perhaps doing a one-page summary of each of your characters (background, history, likes/dislikes, etc)? That way you'll know who has the most at stake in your story, and what character is the most interesting to write about.

It doesn't work for everyone, but that may be one way to prevent this from happening in the future.

MadSquirrel · Oct 9, 2011

This has definitely happened to me. Got 40,000 words in on a project three years ago and realized that by telling the MC's story I wasn't going to get anywhere - it was the friend's story that was entertaining and fun. And to this day I still haven't gone back and written it. I just think it was because I didn't outline my story beforehand, which would have told me that I should have reconsidered my PoV decisions.

LadyDae · Oct 9, 2011

I've gone back and rewritten a story, but never had to change the MC point of view. Generally, I've never regretted a rewrite because it made the writing tighter and more compelling.

RHuszar · Oct 9, 2011

For my current WIP, I debated a long time during the early stages of whose POV I should use, the originally planned MC, or a different character. Even though it's a bit more difficult at parts, I stuck to the original MC, and he hasn't let me down yet. But choosing that voice was super hard. I doubt I won't be tempted to change later on...

VictoriaWrites · Oct 9, 2011

nchahine said:
This has never happened to me as of yet, but I'm just curious: before writing out your story, have you ever tried doing something like a character interview? Or perhaps doing a one-page summary of each of your characters (background, history, likes/dislikes, etc)? That way you'll know who has the most at stake in your story, and what character is the most interesting to write about.

It doesn't work for everyone, but that may be one way to prevent this from happening in the future.

Both characters are pivotal characters in the story. One of them will be unable to narrate what's going on for a period of time near the climax of the story, but I didn't realize this was a problem until now because I didn't realize this moment was the climax of my story.

Thanks, everyone. I'm rewriting from the other character's POV now and trying to keep it in perspective: at least I realized what was wrong with my story!

ccarver30 · Oct 9, 2011

Thank goodness, I have never done this... yet!! At least you figured it out.

jjdebenedictis · Oct 9, 2011

Not exactly, but I had one book where I realized my main character was a flaming Mary Sue. She just had too much ability.

So I chopped her in two to make a protagonist and a side-kick, and that worked great because, mwa-ha-ha-ha, the two characters wound up not getting along. More tension, FTW!

Shadow_Ferret · Oct 9, 2011

It's never happened to me and to be honest, I'm not even sure I understand what happened. How can you write about the wrong character?

daydreameriam1 · Oct 9, 2011

I have had to go back and rewrite a few things. I got ahead of myself and wrote another part of my work where it wasn't supposed to be. But, you figured it out, that's the main thing.

Don't let that discourage you and keep writing.

AngelicaRJackson · Oct 16, 2011

I haven't done that with the character POV, but I have started my book in the wrong place about 5 times. Then something I write later completely negates the beginning, or it's just not working for pacing.

I work from outlines now and that helps; can't say that I follow them 100%, but it helps me discard subplots and characters that aren't working before I devote a lot of time and work to them.

Donald Maass's wRiting the Breakthrough Novel has some good exercises to help with getting to the heart of your story.

Inkblot · Oct 16, 2011

It's very common to only discover the real story WHILE you're writing it -- sometimes not until you've completed a whole draft (or even later). But all those "extra" pages aren't wasted effort; they're how you discovered the story. Some people plan out their stories in their minds and then simply write them down. But I bet many more people discover their stories as they write them. The creative mind isn't particularly linear -- and it doesn't care how messy the process is or how many extra words you have to type.

Thank goodness for computers -- at least we're killing fewer trees!

Namatu · Oct 17, 2011

I had an ensemble cast in a trunked WIP. Three characters got nearly equal time, but one was the main character and it was her story. Near the end, the third character started getting pushy and I shoved her back into her place. Beta feedback? She should be the MC. They're right. She's actually more interesting. I'll revise it eventually.

Wicked · Oct 17, 2011

I've got one where the story was even named after the MC.

I was a good third of the way into it before I realized my MC wasn't truly the MC, and couldn't be for a variety of reasons.
Mostly because no matter how sympathetic I made him, or how good his intentions, he was akin to Blue Beard, if Blue Beard thought himself an artiste preserving butterflies on a pin board, rather than just a wife-beating serial killer. (Non human character, so his concepts of "good" are a bit skewed)

It's another character who drives the action, whose consequences create change in the original MC.

BaldEagle · Oct 17, 2011

you're not alone

When I wrote my first draft it was 65,000 words. When I read what I'd written there were serious holes and underdeveloped characters. Now, four rewrites and nearly a year later its 82,000 words and fairly tight. Don't be surprised if you end up cutting large sections out after your first reread or even your forth or fifth reread.

Shika Senbei · Oct 17, 2011

Witch_turtle said:
well, not even necessarily plot holes, just long courses of events that don't make quite as much sense as they should

When this happens, simply label my novel "magic realism" to be done with it. No, my novels aren't really magic realism, but I'm just lazy.

Brukaviador · Oct 17, 2011

Inkblot said:
It's very common to only discover the real story WHILE you're writing it -- sometimes not until you've completed a whole draft (or even later). But all those "extra" pages aren't wasted effort; they're how you discovered the story.[\QUOTE]

Exactly right. I wouldn't even bother going back and making too many changes yet; just pick up where you're at and continue writing from the step-sister's POV until you do have a whole draft. Once you're done draft one, then go ahead and start rewriting all the "wrong" scenes in draft two.

AloneBadman · Oct 17, 2011

I wrote two POVs for my newest manuscript. Where the story started, how it was presented, and the events of the plot were more different than I imagined. Whose "story" you follow within an encompassing plot changes everything. Events that were referenced in one POV were developed in another and vice versa. I followed the second POV character because it made more sense to me.

Playing with POV is important to give you a sense of direction and form a plot.

Can't Be The Only One Who's Done This...

Typing away...

hanging around for a spell

Dragon-kitty.

Got the hang of it, here

Brains!

DenturePunk writer

I iz a lady, ppl. Srsly.

Come on you stranger, you legend,

Something should go here...

New AW user. Veteran Writer 8+

Time is a gift.

Typing away...

Nicole Castro

is watching you via her avatar

Court Jester

Angelic Muse

New kid, be gentle!

Lost in mental space.

Outcast Rogue

Me want a cookie!

What is a man?