Do You Want to Save Time and Money on Editing?

Let’s Step Back and Get Some Perspective.

Whose perspective shall we get?

As readers we naturally get the perspective the writer has given us at any given moment within the text. When I read, I hope the writer has given some deliberate thought to the lens through which I receive the story or information. As an editor, I find that writers often have not thoroughly thought through perspective or point-of-view issues within their manuscripts.  Insufficient attention to this aspect of writing tends to produce confusing content, making it difficult for readers to stay engaged with the material.  In fact, I have found that carelessness in the handling of viewpoints is one of the most prevalent concerns editors express when evaluating manuscripts for publication. Unfortunately, it also tends to be one of the most challenging problems to fix, usually requiring nothing short of editorial surgery.

As the writer, you control the perspective the reader gets in every scene, in every section, and in every chapter throughout your entire book—whether you are aware of it or not—as you write.  While this subject is particularly relevant in fiction, point-of-view is actually an important factor in nonfiction as well, and is one indicator that helps to quickly separate those who have more thoroughly mastered the art of professional writing from those who take a more casual approach to writing. It can also influence a reader’s perceived credibility of an author. In addition, the competency with which a writer handles point-of-view also affects the likelihood of achieving the goals that were established for the writing project.

There is good news though. If you suspect that your writing could use strengthening in the point-of-view department, you have options. You can either educate yourself so you are better able to deal with point-of-view issues, or you can enlist the help of a professional book editor to help you deal with that aspect of your book. The choice is certainly yours, but authors who understand point-of-view and make conscious decisions about it are likely to get their manuscripts though editing faster and at a lower cost than are authors who need more help in that area.

This is to say that the editing of most any book requires editors to deal with such a wide range of issues, that challenges regarding point-of-view generally take the editing assignment to a higher level of complexity. This may translate into a somewhat longer timeline and some additional cost for the editing process. Depending on you and your talents, interests, and circumstances, deciding to leave some point-of-view issues for the editor to deal with may be a fine solution. Those of you who would like to minimize the need for your editor to address such issues have clicked to the right place.

Basic Points-of-View:

Omniscient: The all-knowing, all-seeing narrator delivers the story or concepts to the reader.
First Person:  One of the characters or the author himself shares the story or information with the reader from her viewpoint only.

Limited Third Person: The story is written from the viewpoint of an outside observer who is close to one of the characters, using only information that particular character can know.

Second Person: The author addresses the reader directly, as in a “How To” book.

Point-of-view initially orients the reader to the content first by letting him know who is delivering the story or information. Secondly, it provides the reader with cues as to how the story or concepts will be conveyed. So establishing a consistent perspective early on helps to solidly engage the reader from the start. The point-of-view can sometimes be shifted within the content, but there are some important factors to consider when doing so. Tips on dealing with tricky situations, common errors, and some finer points on handling point-of-view shifts will be offered in upcoming articles.

Ultimately, stepping back to think about the viewpoint you are providing to the reader and how that will or won’t work for the reader can be of great help in dealing with point-of-view. If you find this challenging, a professional book editor can be a good resource in helping you gain some perspective on your point-of-view challenges.

Carolyn Madison

Carolyn is the Editorial Coordinator at Self Publishing, Inc. Having a background in research analysis, she has spent more than twenty years writing, editing, and consulting. While director of editing and quality assurance at the Gallup Organization, Carolyn helped to establish Gallup Press and led its editorial staff in preparing such bestsellers as First, Break All The Rules; Now, Discover Your Strengths; How Full Is Your Bucket?; and Vital Friends.

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