Bring in different POVs

[Rachel Caldecott]

In my historical time-slip novel I've written the whole thing, so far, in two POVs. Jolana's in 1849, and Maya's in 2015. But I'm wondering whether to have chapters in the secondary character's POV, to increase the tension. Maya is going to be betrayed by her best friend, and I think it might improve the tension overall if we see the friend's POV, rather than Maya just seeing the end result of the betrayal. (So the reader knows the betrayal coming, and watches Maya stumble into it).
Views/opinions, please.

• If I don't mix up too many different people and I make sure that the chapter headings and the writing make it clear that I'm changing POV from one character to another, is there any reason I shouldn't do this?
• If I only add chapters for some other characters, but not others, would that be weird?

 

[Dorm Ant]

I had two chapters of my novel in a different POV to my main protag, because I kept reading advice that all POV should be with my main character unless they aren't present. The feedback that I got was that it didn't work, because the first POV change cam about halfway through the story and people found it too jarring. I edited to make a third of the story in the secondary POV and people liked that far more.

All I can suggest is... try it. See if it works. And have it happen fairly early in the story.

 

[Rachel Caldecott]

I had two chapters of my novel in a different POV to my main protag, because I kept reading advice that all POV should be with my main character unless they aren't present. The feedback that I got was that it didn't work, because the first POV change cam about halfway through the story and people found it too jarring. I edited to make a third of the story in the secondary POV and people liked that far more.

All I can suggest is... try it. See if it works. And have it happen fairly early in the story.

Good advice, especially about bringing it in early on. The other POVs would happen in scenes where the main protagonist isn't present... sneaky goings on behind her back. I suppose one way to deal with it is to rewrite it all with an omniscient narrator. At times like this, I wish I'd studied creative writing and not fine art. Thanks again for your help.

 

[Hannah Faoileán]

I've read books where a secondary character's POV is included and it has worked well - leaving the reader aware but the protagonist(s) unaware. I agree with @RG Worsey about bringing in that POV early so it doesn't read too much like a writer-device (even though it is). I've also read others where the reader gets the reveal when the protagonist does but then backstory gives the lead up to (in your case the betrayal) from the secondary character's POV. That works too, again if done well.
Your decision: do you want the reader to be shocked alongside the protagonist? Or do you want the reader to experience the tension of the lead-up but not the shock to the same extent?

I wouldn't do it all in omniscient. I don't think that would work as well for your story.

 

[Stacey]

I agree with @Hannah F . Your story works well in close third. Bring the second POV in early. One way to keep your readers from being confused is to name the new POV in the first sentence of the new chapter.

 

[James Charles]

In my story, I lable at the top of each chapter the Character whose POV it is.


Bestseller The Lincoln Highway, by Amor Towles, did this. But he also numbered his chapters in reverse.

 

[Stacey]

But he also numbered his chapters in reverse.

Everyone's got to be unique... *sigh*