How do you keep in mind your characters' individual voices when writing from different POVS

[cherrystark]

That is why I said context is important. If you've designed the story specifically to work with first person POV, then write it that way. There are so many issues writers face can be fixed by shifting away from the default first person, multi-POV.

One represents telling a story while the other is living it.

Hypothetical question - are you not able to emotionally connect with a character on a TV show when you're only "watching" their journey unfold? Because for me, one can like trying to listen to fifteen people all talking at once and you have to figure out what actually happened; and then the other is watching the story on the screen.

[Leyelle]

There are so many issues writers face can be fixed by shifting away from the default first person, multi-POV.

For me, this POV is not a default, and in fact I write stories in all three (1st, 2nd and 3rd person POV) according to what suits the story best.

Hypothetical question - are you not able to emotionally connect with a character on a TV show when you're only "watching" their journey unfold?

I am able to, actually, but they are still two different perspectives with different strengths.

One is, as you said, watching a story on the screen, the other is listening to people tell their stories.
I don't personally struggle to make sense of what actually happened in those contexts, though it certainly depends on how well the story was executed in all cases.

Whether it's confusing or convoluted is both a matter of how well the story is written and who is reading it.

Feeling characters' emotions is one of my favorite things about reading a story, and what multiple readers have expressed as their favorite thing about my stories. I consider dwelling on the feelings of individual characters a worthwhile use of my time. I could technically abbreviate the story at any point to what is literally 'required' to let people know what characters are thinking or feeling, but I prefer to give my audience the opportunity to feel it for themselves.

[cherrystark]

For me, this POV is not a default, and in fact I write stories in all three (1st, 2nd and 3rd person POV) according to what suits the story best.

I only call it "default" because I know a lot of amateur writers and paid writers who do default to that narrative type, no matter the genre.

Feeling characters' emotions is one of my favorite things about reading a story, and what multiple readers have expressed as their favorite thing about my stories. I consider dwelling on the feelings of individual characters a worthwhile use of my time. I could technically abbreviate the story at any point to what is literally 'required' to let people know what characters are thinking or feeling, but I prefer to give my audience the opportunity to feel it for themselves.

I feel there is some misunderstanding about what I'm trying to say. A writer's choice of POV is one of many tools a writer has to work with. One POV type isn't better than the others. I've heard a lot of writers say they use first for the "emotional connection" when emotional connection isn't mutually exclusive to first-person POV. Since writers learn how to write based on what they've read, they're going to use all the same "tricks" as their predecessors. It's SUPER easy to get copyright claimed in the KDP fantasy romance world because there are only so many ways you can write an alpha werewolf romance.

When I was talking to an editor friend of mine, the gist of our conversation was that a lot of problems writers have would be resolved if the writer made a conscious choice about the narrative style. A multi-POV first-person sci-fi adaptation of Romeo and Juliet told from journal entries, video recordings, reenactment models, and survivor stories is going to hit differently than a typical modern adaptation told in the same multi-POV first-person style. It's the same flavor of cake you always loved, it's just elevated.

[Leyelle]

I assure you my decisions are conscious choices to allow my stories their best lives. Emotional connection is certainly not mutually exclusive to one POV, it simply has inherently different effects when told from different POVs. One might consider a sci-fi adaptation of Romeo and Juliet an elevation, another may not. Whatever you consider better or worse is your opinion, and art is art, so you're entirely entitled to it.

[writerlamping]

For me, I genuinely just make my character's voices and say things out loud when writing dialogue. Maybe look into a mirror and do it too, so I can see my facial expression. Helps me keep track of a conversation.

[Leyelle]

now looking in a mirror while you do it sounds really interesting

[writerlamping]

Yes, that way I can see from two POVs on how I look when forming a conversation.

[Leyelle]

and it'll look like filming that song from Jekyll and Hyde the musical lol

[writerlamping]

I may have a little bit of a Mr. Hyde in me, yes!

[Leyelle]

Does anybody ever accidentally make their new leads voices sound too much like another characters voice from another story? Mostly when writing "Rigamarole" Leia's voice naturally stood out differently from Alicia's in "Damsel in the Red Dress." But occasionally some of her speech patterns will sound a little Alicia-ish, so I have to go back and rewrite it in Leia's narrative voice.

[skidiggy]

This might sound really weird, but I'll tell you how I do it...
You know the old Scooby Doo show from the sixties/seventies? The old one, with the goofy villains and the celebrity guest stars? Remember watching the gang walking together with Shaggy, Scooby, Fred, Daphne, and Velma?

Each of the roommates in Apparent Secrets was assigned one of their walk cycles. No joke.
When I'm writing for Byxx, I think of Fred, confidently walking with broad chest and big strides, pumping his arms for speed. When it's Khazmine's turn, she swivels like Daphne. Zayzann bobs and sways like Shaggy. Iris is careful and closed off like Velma, only looking at what's directly in front of her.

When it's time to write for one of the roommate's POV, I'll take a lap around my place like the character would. It puts me in the same headspace as the character, and I write more organically with their style and rhythm in mind. I hope that helps.

[Leyelle]

SOooooooo, yeah probably won't help, but that'll certainly sound good in master classes when you're famous.

[skidiggy]

Hahaha. I feel that. It's weird, but it works for me, lol.

[Leyelle]

Everyone has very different methods lol.

[Leyelle]

Another method I occasionally use is to listen to a song that fits the emotion being felt by the person narrating the chapter.

Unfortunately I don't know many songs where the emotion is 'dead inside' enough to be of much help with Essence, but it can be nice to do for chapters where characters are feeling stronger emotions, or emotions period rather.

[skidiggy]

That's a tough one. I search for "sad classical music" on YouTube and find something suitably morose to get through the tough chapters. I start with either Chopin's "Raindrop" or Mozart's "Lacrimosa" for a good sad. Tchaikovsky's "Valse Sentimentale" also gets a good sad going for me.

[Leyelle]

For sad I usually use James Arthur. For sweetly romantic things like "Sunday Crossword" by J. Maya

[Leyelle]

Working on my new story "A Dozen Morning Glories" has meant learning to speak in an entirely new narrative voice that is very different from Alicia's. It was pretty tricky at first honestly, because I naturally lean toward the more poetic and flowery, but it doesn't suit the character of Essence, which makes sense as she's basically the polar opposite of Alicia in nearly every way.

I got suggestions from quite a lot of people, including my editor (forever grateful to him) for how to make the narration suit her character best, but I hope it won't be too much of a shock for the people used to "Damsel in the Red Dress."

[Leyelle]

I think answering lots of different little Q&A and random questions as my characters really helps me almost like a sort of role play, or filling out a personality test as my character to help me figure out new things about my characters. often I'll learn something about them during the process that I didn't know about them, even if it's as simple as their favorite meals, but other times it will spiral outward to me learning more about their lifestyles because of these things. Perhaps a character whose favorite food is salad is a really awful cook, had a small appetite, or never has any time, things like this. other times it just helps me figure out how their personality can be represented through more parts of their lives, or the ways they can have nuances I wouldn't otherwise expect.

Just answering the question 'favorite song' from the perspective of my female lead in "A Dozen Morning Glories" who doesn't care for most things made me realize that she would still gravitate toward specific styles of music for her own reasons that have nothing to do with enjoying them.

[Leyelle]

working on a new story means new mindsets/headspaces. how long does it usually take everyone to adapt to writing a brand new character's mindset or to be able to fully write from their pov?