I haven't posted in a while so a quick recap- I'm writing a YA fantasy. Writing from (fairly) close 3rd, with the occasional chapter done in a secondary character's POV. 98% of the story is told from MC's POV. This is still ok, yes? I mean, I remember reading YA books that did this (Tamora Pierce's Lioness quartet springs to mind) but, well, I am in my 30s and the YA books I read are probably a bit dated now. I know a lot of recent YA is in first person, but I just can't get into writing that way. Yet. Also...in this POV, when my MC is thinking to herself...which do you think is better: (MC is Kaelie) a) How dare Elodie tell on me! Sure, she probably thought she was helping me, but she was really just being an interfering busybody. b) How dare Elodie tell on her! Sure, she probably thought she was helping Kaelie, but she was really just being an interfering busybody. Can I switch to first person when writing my MC's thoughts to herself, or do I keep it in 3rd?
When I write in 3rd POV I usually proceed with option b) as it just seems more consistent for me to write. But as a reader, I've seen a lot like your option a) examples, and it sounded pretty natural... Just keep it in quotes, as direct speech (maybe, a different kind of quotes or text in italic, not sure what the grammar rule for thougts in English is)
If you switch to first I'd definitely use italics. B is fine. I don't really have a preference for reading, but B is how I write. Can't really comment on the first issue -- it's been a while since I read YA too and no examples come to mind. I think it'd be okay so long as the POV was clear, but I don't know if it's common.
I’d stick with B as well. That’s conventional in 3d person unless you’re intending to give direct internal monologue (which I don’t like as much).
With regards to the switching to another person's POV- I've been doing it in chapter blocks, so that only one character is the POV in a single chapter, to make it clearer.
My quirky preferences as both reader and writer are showing again here. I prefer A. If it's someone's inner thoughts, the closer the better. When I read B it confuses me, but I'm dyslexic so I'm easily confused.
As well you shouldn't. I can't count for shit. Don't let him schedule the deliveries, either, unless someone double checks. ;-) Back on topic, I'm sure it affects my POV choices greatly. ETA: If anyone's offended, I'm only laughing at myself, no one else. edited for clarity, because...dyslexic.
Both work in my opinion. For the first example I would actually put the first line, first person, in italics. For the rest, I'd start a new paragraph and go back to third person. How dare Elodie tell on me! Sure, she probably thought she was helping, but she was really just being an interfering busybody. For option two, I'd suggest removing 'Kaelie'. We should already have established that 'her' and 'Kaelie' are one and the same. How dare Elodie tell on her! Sure, she probably thought she was helping, but she was really just being an interfering busybody.
It really bugs me when 3rd person POV switches to first for direct thoughts, but then I have a very strong preference for 3rd person deep POV where everything is the MC's thoughts. I also generally find infrequent jumps into another POV jarring. I adjust to frequent jumps, but when I've spent 40,000 words with one character and suddenly I'm in someone else's head? Yeesh. It's all in the execution, but I wouldn't do it myself.
