Writers Tricks of the Trade Volume 6 Issue 3 | страница 16

WRITING DEEP POV
AUTHOR, EDITOR CINDY DAVIS

Author, Editor
Cindy Davis

Writing deep POV means putting yourself so totally into the character that all
traces of the author disappear. It’s adding depth of emotion in short bursts. It’s
weaving emotion through the scene, the action, and dialogue, to compel readers
with the true, rich, strong emotion that deep POV can provide. In this way, our
writing has the fire and spirit—a life all its own.

Make your dialogue tags disappear
While speech tags denote a speaker, they remind the reader he is reading, and
not living a story. In deep point of view, tags are often replaced by action, body
language, voice description, emotion. Replacing your tags makes the story feel
genuine.
How the words are said, and the actions behind the words, act as subtle clues to
reveal a character, his emotional state, and the story.
EXAMPLE:

Distant point of view: “I don’t want to talk about it,” he said.
His meaning is unclear. Does he really not want to talk? Or is he saying something he
doesn’t mean? Does he want to talk but not know how to talk?
Deep: “I don’t want to talk about it,” he said, shredding the napkin.
Closer. Shredding the napkin gives a clue that whatever he doesn’t want to talk
about upsets him. However, the he said isn’t a blip reminding the reader she’s
reading. He said is also redundant. It’s already clear he’s the speaker.
Deeper: “I don’t want to talk about it.” Focused on his fingers, he tore a strip from
the edge of the napkin, and then another and another, until a paper mountain
stood between them.
This character is closed. He’s focusing on something other than the person he’s with.
The paper mountain gives us a bigger context of story. He doesn’t just shred the
paper, but tears it into strips. This takes time. This takes concentration. This tells a
lot.
Deeper still. From his point of view. “I don’t want to talk about it.” Focused on his
fingers, he tore a long strip from the edge of the napkin and then another and
another, until a paper mountain stood between them. How could he tell her about
their mother? That her whole life had been repo-ed…that she was contemplating
suicide. How did you break that sort of news to your baby sister?

Make your thoughts and sense words disappear
Thought words/sense words are telling words. They not only put the author on
MAY - JUNE 2016

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WRITERS’ TRICKS OF THE TRADE