How to Write Multiple-POV in Fantasy: Avoid Newbie Mistakes
Bella Rose Emmorey
book editor, rogue behaviorist, digital marketer, writer, brand builder, plant aunt, and cheese enthusiast.
Fantasy writers are including more than one point-of-view more and more often. But learning how to write multiple-POV in fantasy isn’t as simple as just throwing in a viewpoint.
There’s a strategy to it, $ rules of fantasy$ , if you will. The choice should be intentional, and not something that’s done just because it’s common.
That is one of the mistakes newbies make.
Let’s take a look at more mistakes to avoid so you can learn how to write multiple-POV in fantasy properly.
A Note On Point of View: First or Third?
Most multiple-POV books in fantasy are written in third person, for good reason. It’s difficult for writers to include multiple distinct first-person voices in a single book and do a good job of it.
That’s not to say you can’t do it. It’s just a word of caution that it can really hurt the chances of your book’s success.
Most commonly, you’ll write multiple-POV in fantasy in third person, with an exception being with $ romantasy$ , as those readers like to be in the mind of the love interests.
Be intentional about which you choose and don’t just go with whatever. If you know $ how to write a fantasy novel$ well, you’ll understand the impact these can have on the overall story.
How to Write With Multiple-POV in Fantasy
The challenge with learning how to write multiple-POV in fantasy stems from the fact that each point of view has a character that will have their own arc, plot, and voice separate from one another.
Someone once said that it’s similar to writing a few novellas and mashing them together. Now, there’s more nuance and strategy to it than that, but it’s a good way to think about it.
This is a challenge for new writers who don’t yet have the experience of writing a full story with only one point of view. But it’s not impossible to learn.
Just make sure to avoid these common mistakes when learning how to write multiple-POV in fantasy.
Mistake #1 - Too many characters
Taking on too many points of view (characters) can become confusing and convoluted rather quickly. The more experienced you are as a writer, the easier it’ll be to balance all the viewpoints.
That said, it’s a big mistake to try to have a cast of several instead of only writing 2-4 POVs.
Remember, all of these characters have to be $ fully developed$ , each gets an arc, and you’ll have to write through the eyes of all of them.
Part of learning how to write multiple POV in fantasy is determining the necessity of which character gets a viewpoint. You don’t have to show every single piece of the story, and in fact, the novel may be better if we don’t see some.
Mistake #2 - Side-by-side stories
The draw of multiple-POVs in fantasy comes from the different stories taking place with each character. It’s hard to write many points of view if they’re all experiencing the same events at the same times without their own stories happening.
This doesn’t mean you can’t have characters in the same location at the same time, but you do need to make sure your characters have a reason to require their own point of view. Which means their motives throughout the same story have to be different.
But what makes a multiple point-of-view story the most interesting (and why Game of Thrones blew up) is when they have separate stories and settings that later merge, with the reader needing to guess as to how they’re connected.
Mistake #3 - Lack of diversity between characters
Each POV should have the feel of the character. A huge mistake many make when learning how to write multiple-POV in fantasy is making all their characters act (and sound) the same. It’s just one character with different names, basically.
A reader should be able to determine which viewpoint it is by reading just one paragraph. You can still label the chapters with their name, obviously, but you shouldn’t need that. This is what makes writing distinct.
Each character has to be fully rounded. They should have different world beliefs, different actions, and different ways of operating. You should not be able to place each character in the others’ shoes and tell the same story.
Think about Jon Snow VS Daenerys VS Cersei, for example. Wildly different reactions, thought processes, and ways of navigating their world.
Because we get close to multiple characters, it’s more work and maintenance to make them feel as alive as if they are the only main character.
Mistake #4 - Unnecessary viewpoints
Not every character gets a viewpoint. That’s a huge rule when learning how to write multiple-POV in fantasy. It’s tempting to include your favorite side character, even for a couple chapters, but it’s not necessary, and you’ll only make your book confusing.
Many writers make the mistake of adding a point of view to make their story more complex, but it just becomes convoluted with readers wondering why they’re even seeing this character perspective.
If there’s something you want readers to know but can only do so through another point of view, think harder about how you can show that. There is another way, and you’re creative enough to come up with it.
Mistake #5 - Doing it unintentionally
Many fantasy writers just want to write a multiple-POV fantasy novel because they’re popular right now. But sometimes, they develop a story that just doesn’t need more than one.
Multiple-POV in fantasy is a device to tell a specific story. It’s not a gimmick to throw in just to market it as such. Sometimes, there’s not a reason for us to even see that part of the story that you're showing us with an extra viewpoint.
It should be a strategic decision that’s necessary for the plot and the story you want to tell.
Mistake #6 - Even distribution
There are no rules to how many chapters each main character "should" get. You don’t have to make it even.
A lot of newbies make the mistake of trying to force an every-other chapter type of structure on their stories, only to end up with scenes that seem pointless and are wholly unnecessary. This leads to $ overly long books$ that feel like a slog.
Whatever the story needs next is which POV should be written. Plus, it can help with read-through to make a reader curious about the goings on with a character they haven’t seen in a while.
Learning how to write multiple-POV in fantasy can be tricky. It looks easy, but proper execution can take time and experience. Avoid these mistakes and you’ll be well on your way!
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