Your Next Draft

Multiple Points of View: How Many POVs Does Your Novel Need?


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You can tell your story from any point of view you want. In fact, you can tell it from multiple points of view.

So how many points of view should you use? What will most effectively communicate your story to your readers? And how many points of view is too many?

That’s what this episode is all about. I’m breaking down the strengths and pitfalls of using multiple points of view.

You’ll learn:

  • How using multiple points of view can enhance the story
  • 2 pitfalls of having too many point of view characters
  • A simple principle to help you find the perfect number of points of view for your novel
  • 4 qualities of great point of view characters
  • And more!

Plus, I’ll share examples of some multiple point of view novels I love—and what makes them work so well.

Are you working on a multiple point of view novel? Use the questions in this episode to make sure every single point of view is serving your story well.

And be sure to download the worksheet to get all those questions in one place. Grab the worksheet at alicesudlow.com/multipov.

Links mentioned in the episode:

  • THE GUEST LIST by Lucy Foley
  • WONDER by R. J. Palacio
  • Ep. 16: The Critical Point of View Mistake to Fix in Your Second Draft
  • Download the Multi POV Quiz: alicesudlow.com/multipov

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Get started by telling me about your story here.

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Your Next DraftBy Alice Sudlow

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