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Double Perspective

Angel_Of_Darkness
Rune L
Fire of Insight
United States 2awards
Joined 22nd Feb 2013
Forum Posts: 608

So I had an idea. Myself and the girl I'm interested in are going to write a book together, each of us determining our own character's actions. I'm wanting to write this book in first person from the perspective of BOTH characters. Two questions:

1. Anybody know what it's called when the point of view changes throughout the book?

2. Any creative ideas on how I can differentiate between the two perspectives? My best idea is to use a more feminine font for the female character and a standard font for my own character, but I want ideas.

hemihead
hemi
Dangerous Mind
New Zealand 13awards
Joined 1st Nov 2010
Forum Posts: 1749

You'll need to be careful, or it will be a mess. There is a book called Sexing the Cherry that was written from a male and female perspective (I'm sure there are more), essentially alternating. The author did not bother with 'tricks' like playing with fonts, as the tone and colour of the language made it clear who was speaking. Focus on the quality of the story, and of the writing, and the idea works fine…don't bog down on things like fonts….wrong end of the stick and all that.

The difficult part of having two authors is likely to be each will have a slightly different take on what the goal and story line are…suggest you write that down, and then do a chapter brief for each chapter, so you can both refer to it as you go….easy to get off the path, especially because the thing will naturally evolve anyway...

h.

Angel_Of_Darkness
Rune L
Fire of Insight
United States 2awards
Joined 22nd Feb 2013
Forum Posts: 608

Thanks for your input, Hemi, your advice will certainly be taken into consideration.

MadameLavender
Guardian of Shadows
United States 86awards
Joined 17th Feb 2013
Forum Posts: 5594

I can't remember the author, but the book "Death of Bees", does this sort of thing, but the chapters themselves alternate between characters.  The situation is told from each character's viewpoint, a chapter at a time, so that could be an option too--keep your characters separate in their own chapters.  Just a thought! :)

poet Anonymous

i agree that you don't need to worry about fonts and all that. two people will already have different voices and language.

in each chapter of The Game of Thrones is told from a different character's perspective. kinda like what madamelavender was saying.


Angel_Of_Darkness
Rune L
Fire of Insight
United States 2awards
Joined 22nd Feb 2013
Forum Posts: 608

As of right now we have each contributed a paragraph. There's a lot of planning going on right now while we are in the early stages. When she goes to bed in less than an hour, I will (given her permission) post what we have right now for your entertainment. I know for a fact that our writing styles vary enough that you will be able to distinguish who wrote what.

Angel_Of_Darkness
Rune L
Fire of Insight
United States 2awards
Joined 22nd Feb 2013
Forum Posts: 608

The clock on the wall read midnight. The moonlight shone perfectly through the window such that the clock was the only illuminated object in the room.  The gentle ticking of the second hand usually was consistent enough to keep me asleep through the night; tonight, however, something had awoken me. In that moment in which you first awake to a noise, it is very rare that you recall what noise awoke you. The noise to follow left no doubt,  though. Somewhere in the house, a door shut rather loudly.
_____

I had been laying around in my apartment all day, midnight definitely called for a bit of entertainment. My legs landed me at Jared's doorstep around midnight, hungry for, well... whatever his fridge contained. My small hand crawled into the pocket of my slightly torn jeans and fished out a key designed to fit the lock of his apartment door. As I managed to achieve a peaceful opening of the large rectangle, it didn't promise a similar closing. The door decided it was appropriate to slam right behind me--how rude. Giving a frustrated sigh, I felt my eyes instinctively roll as I padded in the general direction of the kitchen. Allowing my eyes to adjust to the setting in silence, I felt my ears prick at the sound of a clock. Why he didn't just get a digital clock... who knows?

The vibrant varying-in-color orbs occupying the space on either side of my nose flickered around the apartment before landing on what I was searching for. My hand slipped around the handle of the door and pulled as I scanned the contents of Jared's fridge.

"Oh, God," I happily groaned... he had pickles.
_____

I quickly removed the covers, sat on the side of the bed and reached for the handgun on the nightstand. Quietly I put it back, having heard the refrigerator door seal break, making that distinct sound that only refrigerator doors make. Sasha had decided to pay me a visit. Only she could be thinking of food as she walked through my front door this late at night.

My steps were light as I rolled my feet heel to toe through the living room. The refrigerator door hid all of her except those dainty feet as she sat with her back against the shelves. The refrigerator was a standard model with a large lower door and a smaller one on top for the freezer. I poked my head over the lower door and let my long hair hang just over her head.

"Good morning," I said sarcastically, allowing my smooth voice to cut through the silence obnoxiously loud. She slowly turned her head upward to face me, pickle juice running down her chin.
_____

If it weren't for the fact that I was expecting Jared's wake any moment now, his sudden appearance would have caused a broken refrigerator door. My gray-blue eyes met his own, glittering with amusement, "Oh..." A long hiatus led into my next statement, "Good morning indeed." A grin tugged at the corners of my raw lips as the three words exited my mouth playfully, my hand rocking the jar of heaven side to side in addition. I decided it was a good time to stand--yes, standing would have been great right then. So I stood, still needing to tilt my head the slightest to meet his eyes. I just couldn't wipe this half grin off my face. Maybe it was because I had been caught? Oh well. I leaned casually against the counter and slipped my hands into my pockets, continuing to grin at him. An intelligent string of the most intricate words flowed comfortably from my slightly parted lips.

"You had pickles."
_____

"Yes, I believe that I did."

The refrigerator door shut between us and suddenly I became aware that I was in my boxers. More than I usually sleep in, and more than I needed to be comfortable around Sasha, but I took note of this anyway.

It was midnight on a Friday, and although I ought to have been in bed for a business meeting in the morning, which took place at seven, I could not ignore Sasha's presence--or her hunger. I heard a switch flick and the kitchen light came on. I grabbed my wallet from the counter and peeled a refrigerator magnet from the door, tossing both at the somewhat unsuspecting girl leaning on the counter.

"Delivery. I can't tell if you're drunk or pregnant, and I don't want you driving to pick it up." Sasha had always been a bit on the crazy side, so it was likely that she was neither drunk or pregnant, but I wasn't taking chances. "Save me a couple slices for breakfast, and don't leave this apartment unless your sober." I doubted that she was planning on going anywhere but my bedroom after she had eaten her fill of pizza, but I could never tell with her.

"Good night," I almost laughed. Sleeping was going to be next to impossible, especially if she was drunk.

snugglebuck
Dangerous Mind
United States 77awards
Joined 3rd Feb 2014
Forum Posts: 1873

I think it's a great idea. But consider what I've been trying. Something I call 'dialogue free verse.'  Present your work as opposing dialogue without a narrative. Sort of like a script for a play.

Though I know my work is not a model for poetry, check out how I tried this in my poems, 'Jimmy Dafoe,' She Loves Me, She Loves Me Not' and my entry for the recent Split Personality challenge. I'm sure any attempt you make will be much better than mine.  But be careful, like Hemi and Madam pointed out, as a collaboration, your individual perspectives must mesh in your finale draft. Else you'll have nothing but a convoluted mess.
Good luck, kid!

Angel_Of_Darkness
Rune L
Fire of Insight
United States 2awards
Joined 22nd Feb 2013
Forum Posts: 608

Thank you, snugs.

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