Tying in multiple POVs

[sozme]

If you are writing multiple installments in a series with many POVs, how do you know what the big story is? Or is it permissible to have several individual stories in each installment, and then eventually tie everything in later.

Stupid question, but something I've been thinking about.

 

[Shorewalker]

No problem with multiple POVs here...use them myself. To my mind, it's also acceptable to have them working on their own storyline for a decent time, before linking them all together. However, what gives the story more cohesion is for cross-referencing to be used, connections to be made. I think a reader will go along with something that appears on the surface to be seperate so long as they get the feeling that things will merge and become clearer at some point.

 

[Cathbad]

I'd rather not read a story with multiple POVs, but it can be done well.

 

[Jo Zebedee]

If you are writing multiple installments in a series with many POVs, how do you know what the big story is? Or is it permissible to have several individual stories in each installment, and then eventually tie everything in later.

Stupid question, but something I've been thinking about.

You should have an overarching arc for the whole piece (will the ring of power be destroyed?!) and then smaller arcs for each character (will Samwise make it Home? Will Aragorn reclaim his birthright?)

If you’re writing a series each book should have its own satisfying arc (will a group be formed; will the allies come together; will Frodo do what’s needed) with all loose ends tied up by the end of book 3.

 

[Ursa major]

If you’re writing a series each book should have its own satisfying arc (will a group be formed; will the allies come together; will Frodo do what’s needed)

Bearing in mind that LotR was written as a single book, it seems that having a number of less-than-book-length arcs within a book is no bad thing either.

 

[Reivax26]

I like multiple pov writing and that includes from the villains point of view.

 

[Paul Meccano]

I like multiple pov writing and that includes from the villains point of view.

Funniest villan point of view here!! Ming the Merciless at Home.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g5xqukXdkmY

 

[janeoreilly]

I've got increasing numbers of POV's. Current WIP has 6. (I may have overstretched myself a bit here). I do have an overarching story thread as they are all working towards the same end goal (move humans from Earth to a new home planet) but they are on different sides and bring different things to the table. This is where theme becomes really important so if you can pinpoint that, it makes it easier to work out story arcs that are different but still linked together.