I was encouraged to have more detail about another character in my all but dead novel and I was wondering if it is acceptable to change the POV and still be first person and if so how would that transition look
Like, change your POV character for certain chapters? You'd just... do it. At a chapter break, generally... maybe a scene break, but I think a chapter would be better. Some authors put the POV character's name at the top of each chapter, and it's generally a good idea to spend a little extra attention on the first few sentences of each chapter to be sure they make it clear whose POV you're in. Is there something specific you're wondering about?
Thanks for the quick reply. I will have to change a few chapters as my MC can't fill in when her husband is plotting against Spain. It's all good... Part of honing my skills. I have to keep reminding myself I chose this..........
You could have the new PoV character straight out state that the other guy asked them to contribute to the record by adding what they remembered. That would explain why both are writing in first person.
Does it have to be first person? You can certainly do it, but it's much more common to do it in third person.
This story started as a memoirs before I found out that a lot of publishers don't care for a historical fiction written as a memoirs. I'm at the end of my rope with this thing after three years I will have to hang it up to lessons learned. My new WIP is third person and in modern times. What a freedom I have like stepping out of an old vehicle and driving something nice.
I think it is dependent on how many main characters you have. You can head hop in 1st POV with each getting their own chapters, using time/space jump (***), or by labeling which looks funny in chaptered novels. As long as there is a distinct voice for each character, it should not be to hard to grasp each of the characters as they go about the story.
Multiple first-person perspectives would work very well in dedicated chapters. It could also work in the same chapter if the main FP character is doing something like reading a first-hand account from another character, or hearing a recording of them telling the account etc.
I have one first person POV, and multiple third person POVs. None of my six or seven readers have ever complained about it--I've even asked, and they've said it was no trouble for them at all. The characters have different vocabularies, and each POV starts with the character's name. If Zandakar is narrating, the part starts with "Zandakar sat..." or "Zandakar did..." Same for any other character. It starts with the name of the character, and it (hopefully) eliminates confusion. The only first person POV is the MC.
