A writer experiments with point of view with the help of a freelance creative writing coach.

The choice of point of view (POV) is a critical decision in fiction writing, as it directly influences how readers experience a story. Each POV—whether first person, close third person, or omniscient narration—shapes the reader's understanding of characters and events, controlling the flow of information and determining the level of emotional connection. A freelance writing coach can guide fiction writers through exercises that reveal the unique effects of each POV, helping them decide which perspective or combination of perspectives best suits their project. This process allows writers to explore how narrative depth, character development, and tension are affected by POV choices.

First-person narration allows the reader to experience the story through the eyes of a single character, often the protagonist. This POV provides an intimate connection with the narrator's thoughts, feelings, and perspectives, making the reader privy to their inner world. The advantage of first-person narration is its immediacy and personal tone. The narrator's biases and limited knowledge shape the reader's perception, which can create an unreliable or subjective view of events. This adds layers to the storytelling, as readers may have to question the narrator's truthfulness or interpret situations differently than the narrator does. First-person narratives often foster a strong emotional connection, immersing the reader in the protagonist’s personal struggles and experiences.

Close third-person narration, often called third-person limited, maintains a degree of intimacy with a single character but offers more flexibility than first-person. The story is told from the viewpoint of one character at a time, and the reader is granted access to that character's thoughts and emotions while retaining an external narrative voice. This POV allows for a deep psychological exploration of the character without the restrictions of being entirely in their head. The third-person limited perspective can shift between characters (often between chapters or scenes), providing multiple angles on the story while keeping the reader grounded in the experiences of specific individuals. However, the focus remains on one character at a time, limiting the reader’s knowledge to what that character perceives. This creates suspense and room for dramatic irony, as readers may know things other characters do not.

Omniscient narration, in contrast, offers a broad, all-knowing perspective. The narrator has access to the thoughts, feelings, and experiences of all characters, as well as information about the broader world and events that may be hidden from the characters themselves. This allows for a comprehensive view of the story, providing readers with insight into multiple characters simultaneously. The omniscient narrator can comment on the action, reveal information about the past or future, and give context that individual characters may not be aware of. While this approach allows for a more expansive and multifaceted narrative, it can also create emotional distance between the reader and the characters, as the focus is not tied to any one individual's subjective experience. This POV often feels more detached or objective, though it can still provide deep philosophical or thematic insight.

The point of view an author chooses determines how close the reader feels to the characters, how much information is available to them, and how they interpret the unfolding events. A freelance writing coach can play an instrumental role in helping fiction writers understand how different points of view affect the release of information in a story. Through targeted exercises, a coach can guide writers in experimenting with various POVs, allowing them to see firsthand how each one influences narrative depth, tension, and character development. These exercises are designed to illuminate the strengths and limitations of first person, close third person, and omniscient narration, enabling the writer to make informed decisions about which POV best serves their particular project.

One effective exercise is for the writer to draft the same scene using different points of view. The coach may suggest starting with first-person narration, encouraging the writer to explore how the character's voice, thoughts, and biases shape the reader’s perception. As the writer dives into the character’s inner world, they will notice how much control this POV exerts over the flow of information—what the character knows and feels becomes the reader’s only source of knowledge. A coach might ask the writer to reflect on how this approach limits or enriches the story, particularly in relation to emotional intimacy or narrative unreliability. This exercise helps the writer experience the potential of first-person narration to create a highly personal and subjective perspective.

Next, the coach may have the writer rewrite the same scene in close third-person. This allows the writer to maintain focus on a single character while adopting a more external narrative voice. Through this exercise, the coach can help the writer experiment with subtly shifting between the character’s inner thoughts and the broader scene, showing how close third-person allows for moments of introspection while also offering more narrative control. The coach might prompt the writer to notice how close third-person provides a balance between character insight and narrative flexibility, allowing for a more varied release of information. This can help the writer assess whether close third-person strikes the right balance for their project, particularly if they want to explore multiple characters over the course of the story.

Finally, the coach could guide the writer through an exercise in omniscient narration. By rewriting the same scene from this all-knowing perspective, the writer can explore how omniscient narration provides a broader scope, revealing information about multiple characters and events that may be unknown to individual characters. The coach might encourage the writer to experiment with shifting focus between characters’ thoughts or even incorporating narrative commentary. This exercise demonstrates the expansive nature of omniscient POV and how it allows for a wider distribution of information, but also shows the emotional distance it can create. The coach may then engage the writer in reflecting on how this form of narration influences the reader’s engagement with the story’s characters and themes.

In addition to these rewriting exercises, a writing coach may also suggest activities that focus on POV in action. For example, the writer might create a timeline of when key pieces of information are revealed to the reader in each POV and compare how the timing and delivery change. The coach can help the writer analyze how suspense, tension, and pacing are affected by different POV choices. This kind of structural examination helps writers see how the release of information is a critical part of the narrative and how POV shapes that process.

Through structured exercises, a writing coach can help authors experiment with various points of view, giving them firsthand experience with how each one controls the release of information and impacts reader engagement. By encouraging writers to draft scenes in different perspectives and reflect on the results, coaches enable writers to understand the narrative mechanics behind first-person, close third-person, and omniscient POVs. Ultimately, this guidance empowers fiction writers to make informed decisions about which POV best serves their story’s goals, enhancing both the structure of their narrative and the reader's experience.