I'm using two different years and one of my character's will be reading a diary, but the diary will also be telling half of the story. The author of the diary will be exposed throughout the story but even moreso after the diary is finished. I'm planning on using 3rd person POV and for the diary entries I want to use 1st person POV but the character out of the diary entires will be 3rd person POV too. Without giving too much of the plot away, do you think that could work if the diary is almost half the stroy? Before some of you say, read, read, read lol. I do read a lot, I love reading but I don't recall any books written that way from what I've read.
I'm going to say yes, if you structure it into chapters to make it clear that this is what is happening. The original Dracula was written this way to a degree (it was different journal entries written in 1st person), and others have done it exactly as you are proposing, though none spring to mind right now.
Yep it's fine. Just use a blank line with a ### in the middle of the line to signal a scene change each time the POV changes.
Don't read, read, read in this case. Write, write, write! If that's what you want for your story, just do it. Have fun!
Ha! thanks and I am, this story is just on my mind 24/7 and I realised that writing it this way is definitely the right way for it.
I say go for it. I've seen it done a lot in stories in the same fashion as you are doing. So it's not like it's a big no-no. Just have fun writing the story out. And if you don't like how it turns out in the end you can always go back and change how it works. But it seems fine to me. So go for it.
Oh yeah that could work well, just make sure to define what is diary and what is not, so readers don't get confused. I think that is a fantastic idea though!
It works perfectly well and I have read books that have done something similar before. Maybe split the POV into different chapters so it's clearer.
That sounds interesting. I might check it out, but not until after my first draft though, I don't want to subconsciously pick up any of his styles or anything. That's why I said it'll be telling half of the story, it's not going to be 'Dear Diary' chapters, that's why I asked for opinions. Thank you I don't think splitting it into chapters will work so I might just use **** or something, I guess I'll see how it goes while writing. Thanks
Sorry for the double post. (If I used the edit, noone would know I asked anything new so I hope it's ok :redface Would 3rd POV work for the journal too? or do you think it would be too odd? Using a journal is the only way I can think to tell both years of the story. I've seen books where someone has told them about different years and it's gone back to tell that story instead of diaries/journals.
I'd say it's a true test of your skill, but big risks can lead to big rewards. That or 99 Lottery Tickets.... 99' Problems, but a Jack Pot ain't one!
