Mixing Objective Omniscient and Third Person POV?

[Seth Kelley]

JK Rowling does a good, subtle job of mixing 3rd limited and 3rd omniscient, which is a big part of her voice as a writer. Specifically, look at Chapter 2 of the Philosopher's Stone. Throughout the series, 3rd limited is the primary POV, but she does toss in little omniscient bits here and there.

 

[Brian G Turner]

JK Rowling does a good, subtle job of mixing 3rd limited and 3rd omniscient

Welcome to the chrons forums, Seth Kelley.

 

[zmunkz]

JK Rowling does a good, subtle job of mixing 3rd limited and 3rd omniscient, which is a big part of her voice as a writer. Specifically, look at Chapter 2 of the Philosopher's Stone. Throughout the series, 3rd limited is the primary POV, but she does toss in little omniscient bits here and there.

Yeah she also has a few places where she starts a chapter zoomed out then pulls in and stays close thereafter. She does other weird things too... in book 2 somewhere she does one of those, "In years to come Harry would never know..." which is certainly omniscient and almost giving the narrator a voice of their own. All these things are just tools in the writer's toolbox and the key is knowing what they can do for you and using them appropriately. If you are stumbling around 3rd omniscient without knowing what you are getting into, more likely than not it will hurt your story. If you do it deliberately it is probably just fine.

 

[Jo Zebedee]

I'd love to do the odd omni bit for tension but my style is too, too close to get away with it.