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I'm generally all for a consistent point of view. That is, if you're going to write a tight third, start that way and stay that way, if you're going to write head-hopping omniscient, start that way early and stay that way, etc.
But I'm finding that this started with an omniscient narrator who knows what everyone thinks and feels but isn't climbing right into their heads that often, and now it's gradually closing in on the protagonist's point of view -- I suppose, as he gradually develops one, being that he can only talk in brief sentences at this point. I've been writing without chapter breaks so far (14 K by the end of today), but I think at the point where Yanek's point of view takes over, which will be soon, I need to start a new part. Then I have to decide whether I'm going to eventually break this first part into a few chapters. There are little subheads here and there.
I remember that a lot of old editions of books like Gulliver's Travel's -- nineteenth century and early 20th century -- used to have subheads at the top of every page indicating what was going on in the book: very handy for finding your place. Some would be longer, and say things in that "in which" formula: "in which our Hero discovers his head is an apple," or whatever: other books would have shorter versions: "discovering my Head is an Apple," or whatever.
I wonder if I would like to use that sometime. I don't know if it could be done in a way that is not coy, but I also don't know if it really matters, given the right story.
I'm pretty sure this is not the right story. I think it would have to be a fast-paced one, or it would make the story seem to lag horribly.
But I'm finding that this started with an omniscient narrator who knows what everyone thinks and feels but isn't climbing right into their heads that often, and now it's gradually closing in on the protagonist's point of view -- I suppose, as he gradually develops one, being that he can only talk in brief sentences at this point. I've been writing without chapter breaks so far (14 K by the end of today), but I think at the point where Yanek's point of view takes over, which will be soon, I need to start a new part. Then I have to decide whether I'm going to eventually break this first part into a few chapters. There are little subheads here and there.
I remember that a lot of old editions of books like Gulliver's Travel's -- nineteenth century and early 20th century -- used to have subheads at the top of every page indicating what was going on in the book: very handy for finding your place. Some would be longer, and say things in that "in which" formula: "in which our Hero discovers his head is an apple," or whatever: other books would have shorter versions: "discovering my Head is an Apple," or whatever.
I wonder if I would like to use that sometime. I don't know if it could be done in a way that is not coy, but I also don't know if it really matters, given the right story.
I'm pretty sure this is not the right story. I think it would have to be a fast-paced one, or it would make the story seem to lag horribly.
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