Choose the Correct Point of View For Your Children’s Book

 
 

The point of view—how you choose to tell your story—determines the voice of your writing. Children’s stories are usually told from the viewpoint of the main character. Who this character is—his or her personality, temperament, strengths, and weaknesses—will affect how the story is told.

Whichever viewpoint technique you choose also affects how you develop your main character for the reader.

If you’re still shaping the core concept for your book, start here:
Turn Your Idea Into a Book.

 

First Person

The first-person viewpoint uses the pronoun I. Your main character tells the story in his or her own words.

This point of view allows the writer to show personality very naturally because every thought, feeling, and opinion in the narrative comes directly from that character.

Because of that, the author must know the main character very well before starting the story. A flat or undeveloped character will not hold the reader’s interest.

First person also has limitations. The main character must remain actively involved in the story at all times. Otherwise, the character can end up standing on the sidelines, describing action in long, dull passages instead of truly living through it.

Physical descriptions of the main character usually come through dialogue from other characters or through comparison. For example:

• “I’ve always loved your curly hair,” Sue told me.
• I have my dad’s blue eyes.

Rarely does a believable character stop for no reason and describe himself or herself in detail.

When writing in first person, you can only show:

• Your main character’s thoughts
• The events your main character personally experiences

The thoughts of other characters must be revealed through dialogue, actions, or what the narrator observes.

First person past tense is the most common and effective form of first-person narration.

Some young adult novels use first person present tense, but this is usually less effective for picture books or stories for younger readers because it can sound awkward or overly immediate. For example:

I am running down the walk. I open the gate and step into the yard.

 

Third Person Subjective

In third person, you use pronouns such as he and she, but you are still telling the story through one character’s perspective.

You stay close to your main character by showing only that character’s thoughts and feelings and by following that character through the story. However, the narration does not have to sound as though it is coming directly from the character’s mouth.

This is often the easiest point of view for beginning writers to master.

Be careful not to intrude as the author by doing things like:

• Commenting on the character’s actions
  Billy should have known better.
• Speaking directly to the reader
  Can you guess what happened next?

The author should remain invisible so the reader can stay immersed in the world of the story.

If you’re having trouble deciding how to tell your story or your draft feels clumsy, this page may help:
I’m Stuck.

 

Omniscient Point of View

The omniscient point of view is like looking at the story through a movie camera. You can show the reader what is happening in several places at once, but you do not get very close to any one character or experience private thoughts in the same intimate way.

This can be useful at the beginning of a chapter to set the scene, but after a paragraph or two it usually works best to move back into the viewpoint of your main character.

An entire book written in omniscient point of view can make it harder for readers to connect deeply with a single character or know whose story they are really following.

 

Using More Than One Point of View

Most children’s books focus on one main character and one point of view.

Some young adult novels alternate between two or three main characters. This usually works best when entire chapters stay with one character and one viewpoint at a time.

Doing this successfully in books for younger readers is much more difficult unless each character has a clearly different role and voice.

If you already have a manuscript and want help strengthening structure, point of view, or readability, visit:
I Have a Draft.

 

Match Point of View to the Reader Experience

The best point of view is the one that helps the reader experience the story most clearly and emotionally.

Ask yourself:

• Whose story is this?
• Who changes the most?
• Which viewpoint gives the reader the strongest emotional connection?

Choosing the correct point of view early can make the rest of the writing process much easier. It shapes your voice, controls what the reader knows, and affects how deeply readers connect with your characters.

And when your manuscript is polished and you’re ready for next steps, start here:
I’m Ready to Publish.

 
 

Related topics

 
Learn more with these free guides:

• Master the Five Types of Children’s Book Plots
• Develop Great Characters
• Show, Don’t Tell