I pose a question in regard to my POV characters in a sci-fi dystopian epic series. I have a small mix of multiple character perspectives that serve as voices/viewpoints throughout my series, but there is one character in specific: the "Protagonist Villain" who I'd prefer not to reveal his inner perspective. While I like both, I typically prefer 3rd person sci-fi over 1st but my main Protagonist character (not to be confused with the Protagonist Villain) in the first novel's voice is so rich I couldn't help but continue on with the development of his voice I have (in 1st). So I'm developing the first novel in a manner similar to The Bone Shard Daughter and Outlander with a mix of 1st & 3rd perspectives. If Protagonist A (who is written in 1st pov) were to die (ie. think Ned Stark GOT season 1) in the first novel of a series, that is written in multiple perspectives. Do you think you could transition easier to the 2nd novel/rest of series, if: A) all the other characters POVs were written in 3rd person (in that first novel) and the following sequel(s) entirely written in 3rd, abandoning that 1st person pov with that Protagonist "A" character? Or B) if the first novel were to have all characters in the 1st pov outside the "Protagonist Villain" (who would be in 3rd pov). And the following sequels written with the same approach as that first novel, the [new main] Protagonist "B" in 1st pov along with all other main characters outside of the (3rd person) "Protagonist Villain"? For context, Protagonist B, along with the next closest supporting protagonist in the series are main characters in the first novel, so we're not absent of their voice or viewpoint in the First novel. The series is a split dual line following Protagonist A and a small mix of perspectives in the first novel and Protagonist B & the Protagonist Villain, with a small mix of supporting perspectives through the remaining series. In each novel there would be about 1 - 3 crucial characters outside the Protagonist & Protagonist Villain that can serve a voice in 1st pov or help serve a perspective in 3rd.
If the description hurts my head, it's possible the execution might confuse readers. I think this is all about execution actually. There isn't a right or wrong answer to what mix of 1st and 3rd viewpoints should be used, it's whether they are articulated and signalled clearly to the reader. In B) all characters except one being in 1st is something I'd avoid because I think a change from one 1st-P to another needs to be reinforced with other structural markers. Even the 1st-P changing in consecutive chapters would seem like too much to me - I'd want a major section break and for all the 1st-P in a multi-chapter section to be the same character. otoh I wouldn't have thought the first book's 1st-P character dying limits the second book. And I might find it stylistically strange to have a brief dalliance with 1st-P in the first book of the series but no similar 1st-P writing in the further books. The relationship between the 1st and 3rd povs ideally should be a factor of style and consistent across a series. Why is 1st-P used: is it on an axis of intimacy vs unreliability? How are the transitions marked? It's rarely just the pronoun changing. It's all execution though - so long as it's clear to the reader the pov can flip round all over the place. At the extreme we could even put a different character's name in caps at the top of every scene. I wouldn't like that, but it's allowed. I'd suggest to keep the first book as mostly 3rd-P with a 1st-P who dies. And then pick one of the other characters to be the 1st-P in the second book. If they die as well that might be a new style convention: the fatal first-person (!), but it could also be used to imply to the reader that the new 1st-P might die like the one in the first book. I don't think I like A) or B) because to me they seem to place limits on the writing, without this contributing anything obvious to meeting conventions/style rules or improving the story for readers.
Thank you, this is actually really good advice. To make sure I'm on the same page, you're saying, Protagonist "B" who takes over as the main Protagonist in the remaining sequels, should fall into the 3rd person perspective along with all other characters for the first novel, and then take over the 1st person role for the remaining series?
yes I think that's easier to explain - which might mean it's easier to execute in a way that's clear to readers. But don't be limited - you'd be able to make anything work
My first reaction is that you should try writing entirely in 3rd. If your main concern is preserving your character's voice, a close 3rd person perspective can do a pretty comparable job to a 1st person perspective. The main difference between 1st and 3rd is in terms of intimacy. With 1st feeling like either you, the reader, is the character, or that the author is. Neither of which feels ideal if the character dies at the end, but that could just be me. Mind you, I am biased against 1st person in a multi-perspective story. Especially if the author is attempting to treat the different POVs with somewhat equal weight. It is too telling of who the author thinks the main protagonist is, which can be annoying if the reader is more invested in one of the other POVs. Though obviously there are books out there written with a mix of 1st and 3rd so clearly there is a market for it, it's just not something I would do.
Thank you. I typically prefer 3rd but tested out the protagonist voice in 1st and it emerged to be a really intriguing one. The other characters in the first installment aren't of equal weight, they become more integral as the story progresses, the only reference I know of to give is GOT (show o never read the books) where Ned Stark was the clear lead and his kids took over his protagonist role the rest of the series after he was slain. But I do like the idea of a close third, my favorite book To Sleep in a Sea of stars had a real intimacy to it through a close 3rd perspective.
I wish I had advice to impart, but I wanted to say that this is the first time I've ever heard of a book being written with a mixture of 1st and 3rd PoVs. I never knew such a combo existed - I always assumed books are written either entirely in 1st-person, entirely any of the types of 3rd-person...or on occasion the odd 2nd person PoV. And now hearing this, it makes me consider taking such a mixed approach for a possible sequel to a story I'm getting close to finishing, where the whole story is in 1st person PoV from a single character. The sequel, in my mind, would be years later and would focus on other characters in addition to the first story's protagonist...and now hearing how your story is being written, you're encouraging me to consider writing the sequel with the 1st story's protagonist keeping her 1st person PoV but all the other characters, in their own chapters, being written in 3rd... Sorry if this doesn't help you at all, OP, but I really wanted to type this out since it's kinda relevant to the core question at hand.
Check out the Bone Shard series by Andrea Stewart, I haven't read Outlander but I also heard that's another series to reference with mixed 1st and 3rd within the same book, there are other series that mix pov styles by each installment in the series. It works in Bone Shard, you just need to be very specific with which character and why and map it out ahead of time, especially in a series. In mine I'm using it for my Protagonist cause he carries such an interesting internal voice/perspective on other people, that I don't want to leave out. But even then, because it's a series I may have to turn his into close 3rd because it can lead to a lot of complications and confusion down the road where if it was a one off book I'd easily make the decision to continue writing him in 1st. So make sure you look at the entire pov of the series and that that one change in perspective won't hinder further sequels if you are planning any
