pov

When Your Supporting Character Starts Stealing the Show: How POV Drift Weakens Your Protagonist (and How to Stop It)

There’s a quiet problem I see in developing manuscripts all the time. It doesn’t show up in grammar. It doesn’t show up in plot summaries. It doesn’t even show up in outlines. It shows up on the page. Your supporting character is stealing the story. You didn’t mean for it to happen. You still believe your protagonist is the main character. But somewhere along the way, emotional gravity shifted. And now the wrong character owns … Read more

Why Stories Need One Protagonist (and Why Supporting Characters Should Stay Supporting)

One of the most common structural mistakes new writers make is confusing importance with point of view. Just because a character plays a significant role in the story does not mean they should carry POV. In fact, giving POV to too many characters—especially in books for younger readers—often weakens the story instead of strengthening it. At the heart of this issue is a misunderstanding of what a protagonist actually is. What a Protagonist Does A … Read more

How to Fix POV: Why Omniscient Openings Break Your Story (and How to Fix Them)

One of the most common point-of-view mistakes in fiction happens right at the beginning of a chapter. Writers often slip into third person omniscient without realizing it, especially when trying to introduce characters quickly or establish mood. The result is usually subtle—but damaging. Readers feel distance instead of immersion, confusion instead of clarity, and a sense that the story is being summarized rather than experienced. Let’s look at why this happens and how to fix … Read more

Choosing Point of View Characters: Why Fewer POVs Make a Stronger Story

One of the most common mistakes new fiction writers make isn’t sentence-level craft or weak dialogue—it’s choosing too many point-of-view characters. Adding POVs often feels like depth. In reality, it usually creates confusion, weakens the protagonist, and fractures the story’s emotional core. Choosing POV characters is not about fairness or variety; it’s about story leadership. Let’s talk about how to choose POV characters intentionally—and why restraint matters. POV Is Narrative Power When you give a … Read more

Stop Filtering Your POV: Trust the Scene to Speak for Itself

Once a point of view is established, you don’t need to keep reminding the reader who is seeing, noticing, or realizing things. Yet many writers do exactly that—over and over—by inserting the viewpoint character between the reader and the scene. This is called POV filtering, and while it’s a common habit, it weakens immersion, slows pacing, and creates unnecessary distance between the reader and the story. Let’s fix it. What POV Filtering Looks Like POV … Read more

Understanding Point of View: How to Avoid the Head Hopping Trap

As authors, we’re tasked with being the architects of entire worlds. We build settings, create characters, and weave narratives that transport readers to places they’ve never been. One of the most powerful tools in our storytelling arsenal is point of view (POV)—the lens through which readers experience our story. When used effectively, POV creates intimacy, builds tension, and establishes a clear connection between reader and character. When handled poorly, it can leave readers confused and … Read more

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