The point of view (POV) is a critical element in storytelling, determining the lens through which readers experience the narrative. Whether in fiction or non-fiction, POV influences how a story unfolds, how characters are developed, and how themes are conveyed. Writers can choose from several types of perspectives, each with its own set of advantages and disadvantages. Understanding the strengths and limitations of different points of view is essential for writers, as it can shape the tone and depth of their stories. Here, we’ll explore the pros and cons of different points of view and examine which literary genres each POV is most common in.

First-Person

In the first-person POV, the story is told from the perspective of one character using “I” or “we.” This allows readers to get an intimate look into the narrator’s thoughts, feelings, and perceptions.

Pros:
1. Intimacy and Personal Connection: First-person allows readers to connect deeply with the narrator. By sharing their internal thoughts and emotions, the narrator becomes a vessel through which readers can experience the world.
2. Subjective Experience: The first-person perspective offers a unique lens on the story, providing a more personal and sometimes unreliable take on events, which can add intrigue or mystery to the narrative.
3. Voice-Driven: This POV gives writers the opportunity to craft a distinctive voice for the narrator, adding richness and authenticity to the storytelling.

Cons:
1. Limited Scope: The biggest limitation of first-person POV is that it only presents one character’s view of the world, restricting the reader’s understanding of other characters and events. This can make it difficult to explore multiple perspectives or fully develop a broad narrative.
2. Unreliable Narrator: While an unreliable narrator can create compelling twists, it can also lead to confusion or frustration if not handled effectively.

Genres: First-person is particularly common in literary fiction, young adult (YA), and memoirs, where emotional depth and character introspection are central.

Second-Person

The second-person POV is less common, where the narrator directly addresses the reader using “you.” This makes the reader an active participant in the story, as though they are the protagonist.

Pros:
1. Engagement and Immersion: Second-person creates a unique, immersive experience. By directly addressing the reader, it blurs the line between reality and fiction, drawing the reader into the world of the story.
2. Unconventional Appeal: Because second-person is rare, it can captivate readers with its novelty, making the story feel fresh.

Cons:
1. Potential Alienation: The second-person POV can be jarring or uncomfortable for some readers, who may not appreciate being directly included in the narrative.
2. Limited Usefulness: Second-person is difficult to sustain for long stretches, as the constant “you” can feel repetitive or forced in longer narratives.

Genres: The second-person POV is most often seen in experimental fiction, interactive fiction, and choose-your-own-adventure (CYOA) books.

Third-Person Limited

Third-person limited follows a single character’s experiences but uses “he,” “she,” or “they” instead of “I.” The narrator knows only the thoughts and feelings of the protagonist.

Pros:
1. Balanced Perspective: Third-person limited allows for a more flexible and expansive narrative than first-person, as the writer can explore multiple characters but still maintain focus on one.
2. Character Depth: This POV allows for deep exploration of the main character’s internal world without the constraints of first-person, giving more room for complex emotions and motivations.
3. Objectivity with Empathy: The third-person limited POV lets the writer introduce some objectivity, while still creating a strong emotional connection with the protagonist.

Cons:
1. Less Intimacy: While third-person limited offers deep insight into a character’s mind, it lacks the same personal connection that first-person provides.
2. Possible Confusion: Switching between characters or perspectives in third-person limited can sometimes confuse readers if not done skillfully.

Genres: Third-person limited is common in fantasy, science fiction, and historical fiction, where multiple characters and complex worldbuilding are often involved.

Third-Person Omniscient

In this POV, the narrator knows everything about the story, including characters' thoughts, backgrounds, and even future events. It is a god-like perspective that can shift between characters and locations freely.

Pros:
1. Comprehensive View: The omniscient POV offers a panoramic view of the narrative, providing insights into all characters and events, making it ideal for stories with a large cast or sweeping storylines.
2. Narrative Flexibility: The narrator can offer commentary, explain backstories, and even inject humor, enhancing the richness of the narrative.

Cons:
1. Overwhelming Information: The abundance of knowledge in an omniscient narrative can overwhelm the reader and reduce the emotional focus on individual characters.
2. Detachment: While omniscient POV offers breadth, it can also create a sense of distance, as it may be harder for readers to emotionally connect with a single character.

Genres: Third-person omniscient is commonly found in classical literature, epic novels, and historical fiction, where the broad scope of the narrative demands a wide-reaching perspective.

Conclusion

The choice of point of view is integral to a story’s tone, pacing, and reader engagement. While first-person offers intimacy and a deep connection with a protagonist, third-person provides more flexibility and a broader scope. Second-person is an experimental POV that can provide a unique narrative, though it may not resonate with all readers. Each perspective comes with its own set of strengths and challenges, and the decision of which to use often depends on the writer’s goals and the genre of the work. Whether in literary fiction, YA, or historical epics, the POV chosen will shape the way readers interact with the story and its characters.

Point of View is one of the trickiest aspects of writing, even for professionals. Deciding who should tell the story (or chapter/scene) can radically change your work. We’ll talk more about the different perspectives and their pros and cons in another post. Today, I want to focus on what can happen after you’ve chosen your POV and accidentally violated it. Editors call it head hopping, and it is a serious bugbear.

I’ve seen a lot of questions asking about the difference between a line editor and a copyeditor. Although I’m oversimplifying a bit, a line editor will actually rewrite your content whereas a copyeditor typically will not. There are other areas where a copyeditor excels.

Copyeditors ensure consistency with the house or preferred style guide, dictionary, and internal consistency (or factual, in nonfiction works). They go beyond a proofreader by looking at things that, while not grammatically wrong, may confuse or annoy the reader.

One popular example is the word "gray" or "grey." Most dictionaries and style guides equally recognize both spellings. Unless the publisher specifies, it'll be up to the author how it's spelled. But, sometimes authors can be inconsistent.

Many copyeditors have a checklist of things to look out for beyond spelling and punctuation conventions. Of course, every editor has their own list, and lists may differ per author, publishing house, or project, but here are a few examples you’re likely to see on every list.

• Inappropriate verb tense shifts
  • This is most common when the writer is working in the present tense. We’re used to stories being told in the past tense so it’s easy to slip up.
• Multiple sentences in a row starting with the same word
• Sentences lacking parallelism
  • “I like to pet my cats and watching Law & Order.” vs “I like to pet my cats and watch Law & Order.”
• Overuse of adverbs modifying weak verbs
  • Instead of “She spoke quietly” or “He walked very quietly” a copyeditor may suggest “She whispered” or “He crept”. For cases like “She whispered quietly” see the bullet on textual redundancy.
• Inappropriate use of the word “suddenly”
  • It’s tempting for newer authors to rely on “suddenly” to startle or surprise the reader, but much more effective to get right into the action.
• Overuse of expletive sentences
  • Sentences that start with “There is” or “There are”
• Overuse or inappropriate use of the passive voice
  • This is a complex and highly subjective matter. I want to go on record as saying that the passive voice doesn't bother me nearly as much as many copyeditors. In academia, or when the focus of the sentence shouldn’t be on the subject, the passive voice is often preferred.
• Using quotation marks for emphasis
  • I’m not sure when people started doing this or why, but I find it an especially baffling quirk.
• Acronyms without clarification (unless they have been generally accepted as words or are widely known)
• Jargon (unless appropriate for the audience level or purposefully used for characterization)
• Overly long sentences or paragraphs
• Textual redundancy
  • “She nodded her head” would become “She nodded” because, under normal circumstances, you can’t nod anything other than your head.
• Awkward text

Everyone’s heard those three ubiquitous words before. It seems like English teachers can’t help themselves. Nor should they! It’s great advice, no matter what kind of story you’re writing. But just saying “Show, don’t tell” doesn’t always explain the problem, leaving writers thinking they’re showing when they’re still telling.

Instead of listing endless examples, let’s look at a few specific problems you’re trying to avoid in your writing. Knowing why you don’t want to tell makes the adage much easier to extrapolate from.

Repetition
One of the most common issues is authors who are showing and telling. For example, a character who desperately tries to explain her situation to the police suddenly stamps her foot and screams in a scene. The author doesn’t need to clarify that she’s frustrated; we get it. So the line:

She stamped her foot and screamed in frustration at the idiocy surrounding her.

isn’t necessary. We’ve just read a back-and-forth with her becoming increasingly frustrated (which we inferred through the dialogue). The action beat of stamping her foot and screaming doesn’t need to explain why. Well-written dialogue plus behaviors everyone can relate to are enough to convey the emotion. That kind of repetition isn’t wrong per se, but it clutters the text and demonstrates the author’s lack of confidence in their writing.

Narrative Distance
Another reason to focus on showing is that telling instills a greater narrative distance between the reader and the character(s). Plenty of other things affect narrative distance, such as point of view and tense. And again, this isn’t always a bad thing, but for many genres, it’s better to get the audience as close to the action as possible.

Looking at the line I used above again, the reader is somewhat removed from the situation. By explicitly noting that she’s frustrated, the author has inserted a narrator’s observations (even if the narrator isn’t a character and is omniscient). Consider the lines below.

She stamped her foot and screamed. The sheer idiocy was unbelievable!

There’s nothing separating the audience from the events described. You know what she’s doing and what she’s thinking without ever needing to spell out her emotions. The proceeding dialogue (hopefully) clearly showed this frantic woman explaining her situation over and over to an officer who, for whatever reason, wasn’t paying much attention. In a tense scene, you want to keep things moving.

Head Hopping
One of the biggest mistakes writers make from telling instead of showing is called head hopping. It’s most common in third-person limited POVs and happens when the reader is given direct insight into a character’s motivations or thoughts when they shouldn’t be.

Continuing my example, let’s say that we see the line in a book where the detective is the protagonist and his thoughts are the only ones shared with the reader.

She stamped her foot and screamed in frustration at the idiocy surrounding her. Detective Tanner politely averted his eyes, not wanting to make things worse.

While it’s possible that the detective figured out she was frustrated and assigned that emotion to her actions, when the narrator explicitly states it is because of her perception of idiocy, they’ve hopped into the woman’s head. Detective Tanner has no way of knowing for sure where her frustrations lie. The detective isn’t thinking here; the narrator is telling us.

Have Some Faith
While it’s usually best to give your writing (and your audience) a little credit, authors occasionally still want to show and tell. One way to do this is by having the protagonist do the telling.

She stamped her foot and screamed. Detective Tanner politely averted his eyes from the hysterics, not wanting to contribute to her obvious frustration.

Here, we see the action and the detective’s assumptions: that she’s acting out of frustration and it's unwarranted. This neatly avoids hopping into the woman’s head while also giving us some characterization of Detective Tanner. Like all tricks, you don't want to overuse it. No one wants to constantly have the protagonist weighing in like this on every action, but it is effective in moderation.

Editing is an essential part of the writing process, transforming a rough draft into a polished piece ready for readers. But with various types of editing available, it can be confusing for writers to know when to seek professional help. Remember, not every editor offers the same services! Even if they offer everything, you may not want (or be able to afford) every phase.

Here’s a breakdown of the different editing stages—developmental editing, line editing, copyediting, and proofreading—along with guidance on when to hire each service.

Developmental Editing

What It Is:
Developmental editing focuses on the big-picture elements of your manuscript. This includes plot structure, character development, pacing, and overall coherence. A developmental editor helps you shape your story and ensure that your ideas are effectively communicated.

When to Hire:
This is typically the first stage of editing, and it’s best to hire a developmental editor after completing your first draft. If you feel stuck or unsure about the direction of your story, a developmental editor can provide invaluable feedback and guidance.

Key Considerations:
- Feedback on structure: Are your plot points compelling? Are they in an order that makes sense?
- Character arcs: Do your characters evolve? Do their motives and actions align? Do their roles make sense? Do they enhance the overall themes?
- Pacing issues: Does your story drag in places? Does it move too quickly? Should you spend more time on a particular scene?

Line Editing

What It Is:
Line editing hones in on the writing itself. This process focuses on clarity, style, and flow. A line editor examines each sentence, ensuring that your prose is engaging, concise, and consistent. They’ll help you refine your voice and improve readability.

When to Hire:
Once you’ve addressed the developmental feedback and are satisfied with the overall structure and flow of your manuscript, it’s time to consider line editing. Hire a line editor after making major revisions based on developmental suggestions but before polishing your work. You don’t want to spend a ton of time tweaking things that will end up being rewritten during this phase.

Key Considerations:
- Sentence structure: Are your sentences varied and fluid? Are you using the length to convey tension, suspense, and action appropriately?
- Word choice: Is your language precise and evocative? Is there a better way to say something? Are you picking appropriate vocabulary for your target audience?
- Consistency in tone: Does your voice remain steady throughout? Are you catering to the genre’s expected tone?

Copyediting

What It Is:
Copyediting is the process of correcting grammar, punctuation, spelling, and formatting. A copy editor ensures your manuscript adheres to specific style guidelines (like APA, MLA, or Chicago) and checks for consistency in elements like character names and timelines.

When to Hire:
Once your manuscript has gone through developmental and line edits, it’s time for copyediting. Hire a copy editor after your manuscript is nearly final, ensuring that all major content and stylistic decisions are complete.

Key Considerations:
- Grammar and punctuation: Are there any lingering errors?
- Formatting: Does your manuscript adhere to your chosen style guide? [NOTE: This is not formatting bibliographies, appendices, margins, headers, footers, etc. Some copyeditors will also do that, but talk to them first about what their formatting entails beyond a style guide.]
- Consistency: Are character names, places, and timelines consistent throughout?

Proofreading

What It Is:
Proofreading is the final step in the editing process. It involves a meticulous review of your manuscript to catch any remaining typos, errors, or formatting issues. A proofreader ensures your work is polished and ready for publication.

When to Hire:
After copyediting is complete, hire a proofreader just before publication. This is your last chance to catch any mistakes that could detract from the reader's experience.

Key Considerations:
- Final errors: Are there any typographical or grammatical mistakes?
- Formatting issues: Is your layout clean and professional?
- Readability: Does your work flow smoothly as a finished piece?

Conclusion
Understanding the different types of editing and knowing when to seek professional help can make a significant difference in your writing journey. By following this editing hierarchy—developmental editing, line editing, copyediting, and proofreading—you’ll ensure that your manuscript receives the attention it needs at each stage, ultimately leading to a polished and engaging final product. If you don’t want every phase, that’s okay! Hiring a professional for even one stage can really elevate your writing.

For many emerging novelists, the path to publication is a thrilling yet challenging journey. Crafting a novel is a feat in itself, but once the manuscript is complete, the next crucial step is often to enlist the help of a professional editor.

A lot of writers panic when they see how much editing costs. You don't have to! While this can be a significant expense, there's good news: in many cases, hiring an editor can be a tax-deductible business expense.

Here’s a guide on how emerging novelists can navigate this aspect of their taxes and maximize their deductions.

Understanding Tax Deductibility for Writers

Firstly, it’s important to grasp the concept of tax-deductible business expenses. In the realm of self-employed individuals and freelancers, business expenses are costs incurred in the process of generating income. For novelists, these expenses can include a wide array of items such as research materials, marketing costs, and yes—editorial services.

The Basics of Deducting Editorial Costs

Business vs. Hobby: The IRS differentiates between a hobby and a business. To qualify as a business, your writing should be conducted with the intent of making a profit. If you’re actively working towards publication and earning money through your writing, it’s likely considered a business. Editorial costs can only be deducted if your writing is classified as a business rather than a hobby.

Read that again: editorial costs can only be deducted if your writing is classified as a business. This is often the biggest challenge for writers, especially if you've never sold any of your work. That doesn't mean you can't do it, though. Plenty of businesses get started before they've earned a cent.

The IRS looks at, among other things, how much time and effort you're dedicating to your craft to see if it's a business.

Documenting Your Expenses: To claim a deduction, you must keep meticulous records. Save all invoices and receipts from your editor. Make a clear distinction between personal and business expenses in your accounting records. If you’re using a spreadsheet or accounting software, create a specific category for editorial costs.

Filing Your Taxes: When it’s time to file your taxes, editorial expenses are typically reported on Schedule C if you’re a sole proprietor or on the appropriate form if you’re operating through an LLC or other entity. Most people are sole proprietors. You’ll list these costs under "Expenses" as part of your overall business expenses.

Understanding the Types of Editorial Costs: The IRS allows for deductions on various types of editorial services, including developmental editing, copyediting, and proofreading. Ensure that the services you’re claiming are directly related to your writing business and not personal projects.

Practical Steps to Maximize Your Deduction

1. Separate Accounts: Consider setting up a separate bank account and credit card for your writing business. This separation simplifies tracking expenses and ensures that personal and business expenses are not mixed.

2. Detailed Invoicing: Request detailed invoices from your editor that specify the services provided. This helps in justifying the expense as a business cost and provides clarity in case of an audit.

3. Consult a Tax Professional: Tax laws can be complex and vary by location. Consulting with a tax professional who understands the nuances of deductions for writers can help ensure that you’re maximizing your deductions and complying with all relevant regulations.

4. Keep Up with Tax Laws: Tax regulations can change, and new rules might impact how you can deduct editorial costs. Stay informed about tax law changes or consult with a tax professional regularly.

In Summary

For emerging novelists, hiring an editor is not just an investment in the quality of their manuscript but also a potential tax deduction. By understanding the criteria for deductibility, keeping detailed records, and seeking professional advice, writers can make the most of this opportunity. Not only does this reduce the financial burden of editing costs, but it also allows writers to focus more on their craft and less on their tax concerns.

Remember, while the journey to publication is filled with many steps, managing your taxes effectively can make the process a bit smoother and more financially manageable. Happy writing!

Navigating the world of publishing can be daunting for emerging and indie writers, particularly when it comes to finding a professional editor. An editor can elevate your manuscript from a rough draft to a polished gem, but with numerous options available, choosing the right one is crucial. Here’s a rundown of different ways to find professional editors, along with their pros and cons.

Note that this post does not include simply Googling "[genre] editor" because of the massive influx of AI-generated results and scams.

Everyone knows that a book editor is paramount. A good editor can transform a rough manuscript into a polished masterpiece, but a bad one can leave you hanging. I’ve heard some horror stories from authors about editors who took their money and ran. Scammers bring down the entire industry. That’s why it's crucial to know what to look for to ensure you find the right fit for your project.

Here’s a comprehensive guide to help you choose someone who meets your needs.

One of the most crucial yet often overlooked skills is knowing how to give and receive constructive feedback. Theoretically, we all learn it in school. But, a surprising number of people never learn it, which can make any interaction uncomfortable, especially when it comes to authors and their editors.

Receiving With Grace
I get it; no one wants to hear that they’re doing something wrong. An author puts their heart and soul into a manuscript, hands it over to a stranger, and suddenly is faced with a massive amount of corrections. It’s easy to say, ‘thanks,’ and move forward when we’re talking about using a comma versus a semicolon, but hearing that your favorite scene doesn’t make sense is enough to make anyone defensive.

When someone gives you constructive criticism, you have to remember: they’re trying to help you.

It’s time to talk about the elephant in the writer’s room: AI. As an editor, I’ll admit that the growing trend of relying on AI for creative endeavors like writing (and editing) scares the hell out of me. But probably not for the reasons you think.

Okay, sure, there’s a nagging worry about AI driving editing prices down to unsustainable levels or completely taking jobs away from editors. Surprisingly, though, that’s not my biggest fear.