In a post on Writer Unboxed, Barbara Linn Probst examines the use of multiple points of view in a single story, and how you might use them. “There can be two, three, four, or even more POV characters, although two and three seem to be most common,” Probst writes. “When two perspectives are used, they tend to carry equal weight and alternate chapters.”
to create a cohesive story, the two POV characters need some kind of connection. They may be family members or adversaries. They might be experiencing the same event from different perspectives. In dual POV novels, each protagonist usually has equivalent importance. When three or more POV characters are used, some tend to take on a primary role, while others are secondary. Some writers mix tense, writing one protagonist in first person present, for example, and another in third person past. Usually, however, writers choose one tense and perspective, unless they have a good reason not to.
“According to the authors I spoke with, multiple POV adds complexity, nuance, texture, misunderstanding, and intrigue,” Probst writes. To help the reader keep track of who is speaking, authors may label each chapter with the name of the POV character, or use clear orienting language cues at the beginning of each chapter.
Of course, you should carefully consider which and how many POV characters to use. It’s easy to add unnecessary characters when you get stuck in a chapter and need to convey information that none of the current narrators could know. Better to find another solution than add unnecessary narrators or POV characters that lead only one or two chapters or scenes. Further, each character must speak in their own voice and contribute something to the story that the others cannot. “The ‘chorus’ of voices needs to serve the story, and the transitions need to be seamless and organic, necessary for the story to move forward,” Probst says.
