Tackling a New Point of View

By Carol Woolum Roberts

Paul and I have started reading the book “Les Miserables” by Victor Hugo.  We meet with our friend Peggy once a month to discuss the book.  This week will be our second time getting together to discuss his historical fiction novel.  There is so much good stuff to flesh out in this section we have just read.  I can’t wait for our discussion.

I read “Les Miserables” sometime in the last 1990’s.  I believe we were still living in Meridian, Idaho.  It was sometime after the birth of our daughter Cosette, (named after one of the “Les Miserables” characters, and before we moved to Kellogg).  I remember thinking it was one of the best books I had ever read. 

One of the reasons I like it so much is because it is written from the Third Person Omniscient point of view.  This means the narrator is like God.  The narrator knows everything.  I like how Hugo draws you into the story, like he is sitting right beside you, telling you the tale.

Here is a description of this point of view:

Third person omniscient point of view (POV) is a narrative perspective where the narrator may know everything about the events and characters in the world of the story.  Offering readers a “God’s Eye View” of the narrative, third person omniscient is often considered the most flexible storytelling style for authors.

My original thoughts about the book I am writing was to have three main characters and three books, and each book would focus on one of the main characters, and it would be told from that character’s point of view, first person.

But after reading Victor Hugo’s style of writing, I decided to try writing in Third Person Omniscient.  I wrote one scene this past week and shared it with my writing group on Monday.  I had some positive feedback.

I will go back, and instead of creating the world from only one point of view, it will now have an all knowing narrator tell the story.

I am looking forward to this new challenge.

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Do you have a favorite book written in the Third Person Omniscient point of view?  I am looking for examples to read, so if you have a favorite, leave me a comment below, or send me a message.

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