WRITING - POINT OF VIEW - Addendum

Saturday, June 14, 2025 - 11:15 p.m.

HURRAY! FOR THE MILLIONS WHO MARCHED - 

PEACEFULLY - IN "NO KINGS" PROTESTS 

FROM COAST TO COAST.

~  *  ~  

 Gallery:

My mother is featured in my POV post below, from back in the days when she wrote serial romances for Dell's Modern Romances. She told me that the day she paid the tuition for my last semester of college, she put aside the "pulp fiction" that had paid for my education and began to write children's books.

In my Facebook Memories this week—this pic of my mother's many children's books lying on the dining room table in my new home in Longwood, waiting for me to shelve them (May 2015). They ended up in a giant wooden bookcase in my bedroom. Looking back, I wonder how my volunteer (mostly family) crew managed to wrestle my many heavy pieces of furniture into the house. FYI, my mother, like so many female authors of the period, included her maiden name on her books:  Wilma Pitchford Hays. 

 

Below, two FB posts from this morning (6/14/25). How very sad that FB posts have shifted from kids, travel, and chit-chat to instructions for keeping protests peaceful. VITAL instructions as right here in Florida, a local sheriff (shown on the TV evening news) promised (not threatened, promised) to KILL any protestors who turned violent. NOT that I am advocating violence, but talk about going too far . . .

 

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WRITING - POINT OF VIEW

Addendum

  

A Note to Authors of Fiction other than Romance 

Since all my books, whether Regency or Contemporary, are some form of Romance and most of my Blog followers are Romance authors, my posts on Point of View have been geared to Romance Fiction. There is, however, little difference in Point of View when writing other genres. Third Person tends to be the norm, as well as Multiple POV. Which does not mean there are no Mysteries or Thrillers written in First Person or Third Person from just one person's Point of View. 

A story occurred to me about my third book, the Romantic Suspense Shadowed Paradise and first Contemporary, written more than twenty years ago. I edited and re-edited that book (as I do with every book), but I never a touched a word of the scenes I wrote in the Villain's Point of View. It was as if they poured out of the mouth of a real person, and I was privileged to write his words down. And then I recalled my mother's story from her days writing serial romances for the Dell magazine Modern Romances. 

My mother had her story all worked out and then somehow at the end of the next-to last installment the three main characters all ended up in a lake together. "I never meant that to happen," my mother wailed. Interestingly, in the end Dell took advantage of this unexpected event and asked readers to choose which "hero" was saved. 

Which leads me to another example of what happens to those of us who write "out of the mist." I am NOT a planner. Always keeping my mother's experience at the forefront of my mind, I just love sitting down at the keyboard and letting my fingers tell me what is happening in my story today. Yes, of course, I've thought about it, sometimes even "worried" several different approaches, but 90% of the time my fingers type something out of the blue. From a link that should have been there to a new and wonderful tangent that had never even occurred to me. I LOVE surprises. Love how they unfold naturally from the story, making it much better. 

As an example, since the beginning of The Stone Soldier and the Lady, I have been determined to have the final dramatic action scene take place at Stonehenge. Except when more closely examined, the details of each idea simply didn't work. Today was Big Scene day, and my head was blank. Grimly, I sat down on my bed with a legal pad and pen in hand, and invited inspiration. And almost immediately it came to me:  I needed to leave the POVs of the Hero and Heroine behind and insert a scene from the Villain's POV. Notes flew, filling two pages. I'd done it! I rushed to my keyboard and translated my notes into the set-up for the Big Action Scene, which I have yet to write. Yes, this was a Close Call for a "seat of the pants" author, but in the end my system worked. Sigh.

Grace note:  Today, more villain POV. I had intended to switch back, but no way, no how—my villain had more to say.  (Fun, isn't it, when your charcters take over?)

The moral of this tale? 

Whatever corner you write yourself into, consider a change of POV to get you out.

SERIES SUMMARY.

Never forget that whether you are presenting your work in First or Third Person, there are multiple ways to do so. Write from the Point of View in which you are most comfortable, but never fear to branch out, try something new. Maybe the scene that doesn't quite work might be stunner from a different POV. And above all, never scorn other's people approach to POV. Something you hate may be just what readers love. (I've certainly shaken my head more than once over a "best-seller.")

Be brave. Branch out. (Unless being adventurous will make your editor scream.)

For indie authors and those who work for more enlightened editors, feel free to experiment. There's nothing more deadening to creativity than same-old, same-old.

~ * ~

Two books featured this week—the companion Romantic Suspense, Shadowed Paradise and Paradise Burning, both set in Venice, FL, where I lived for 25 years (and kept watch over my elderly mother, who lived to the amazing age of 98) before moving to the Orlando area to be near the grandchildren. 

    When Claire Langdon's affluent, near-fairytale life in New York is shattered by scandal, she and her eight-year-old son Jamie take refuge with her grandmother in Florida. Once a bright, confident young woman, Claire has been so badly hurt that when she stumbles onto a genuine downhome hero, learning to trust, to love again, seem beyond her reach. She is also forced to deal with the discovery that there are more serious dangers in Florida than alligators, snakes, spiders, and macho males. Like a serial killer, with her name on his list.

Reviews:

"Marvelously versatile, wondrously creative, intelligently written and sensuously inventive, Bancroft's Shadowed Paradise adds new meaning to the therm 'romantic suspense.' . . . as fresh as tomorrow and seriously scary. I loved it."
Celia Merenyi, A Romance Review

"Shadowed Paradise contains all the elements I so enjoy in a book, excellent dialogue, great character development and fine descriptive scenes. The romance is steamy, the suspense is taut and exciting, and the result is a supremely satisfying, well-developed read, guaranteed to keep you glued throughout."
Astrid Kinn, Romance Reviews Today 

 

     Suffering from burn-out, Mandy Armitage, a vital member of her family's international investigations agency, is sent on a working vacation to Florida—as research assistant to a best-selling author. The only problem: the author is the husband she hasn't seen in five years. As if that weren't enough of a challenge, her assignment plunges her into the darkness of international human trafficking and the ruthless men who run it. As the world around her literally goes up in flames, the girl once known as Mandy Mouse metamorphoses into a dynamic, independent woman as she discovers how easily black and white can dissolve into shades of gray.

Author's Note: Although Paradise Burning is a stand-alone book, reading Shadowed Paradise first (which contains several cross-over characters) may add to your enjoyment.

~ * ~

For a link to Blair's website, click here. 

For Blair's Facebook Author Page, click here.*

 

For recent blogs, scroll down. For Archives, see the menu on the right.

 

Thanks for stopping by,

Grace (Blair Bancroft) 

 

WRITING - POV, Pt 4 - Third Person

 A Special Welcome and Thank You to my multitude of new readers

in Vietnam, Brazil, and Hong Kong!

 

Below, Big Cypress National Preserve. I drove through there on a dirt road way back when, so far from anywhere that I was really glad I was carrying an early version of the cell phone. (Of course, looking back, there likely wasn't any service in the middle of the Everglades.) In any event, I'm glad to see this vital part of our ecosystem hasn't changed. Photo posted to Facebook by Dennis Ludwig, June 2025.

 
 

Florida Sunrise by Martha Riegart West

Found on Facebook, 6/25

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WRITING - POINT OF VIEW, Part 4

Third Person  

 

Third Person is by far the most common Point of View in Fiction. It's what seems to come naturally when someone sits down to write. Below, a few of the various approaches to using Third Person.

1.  Third Person (he/she) but told from only one Point of View. Essentially, the book would be little changed if written in First Person (I/we). 

2.  Hero and Heroine POV. The story is told from the viewpoint of both main characters. Back in the day, when I first joined RWA at the end of the 20th c., I saw this approach carried so far that one chapter told a scene from the POV of her heroine, then the EXACT SAME SCENE was rehashed from the POV of the hero. Aargh! Rejected it then; my lips still curl in derision at the thought. However . . .

It is perfectly acceptable for the Hero and Heroine to each have their own chapters, usually carefully labeled with their name at the top, as long as the story keeps moving forward and does not repeat itself! 

This strict One Chapter for Each Character was mostly practiced by Harlequin, the expected publisher for new authors, so it was one of the many "rules" budding authors had to learn.

3. Hero and Heroine POV within the same Chapter. Most publishers were a bit more flexible, allowing the POV to change if a double space was inserted between the two POVs. This is an attitude, if not a strict "rule," which still prevails in the industry.

4.  Multiple Points of View. (We are now getting into my territory. I began writing with Multiple POVs, paused for a while to conform to the print market of that time, before happily leaping into indie publishing and throwing all rules out the window.)

Multiple POVs does not mean "equal time." It simply allows someone besides the Hero and Heroine to express their opinion, whether it's a one-liner or a few paragraphs giving us a slightly different angle on the story. As an example, in my most recent WIP, I begin the book with an entire scene in the POV of the Hero's brother. 

5.  "Head-hopping." This is a term viewed in horror by much of the publishing community, the biggest no-no after Telling instead of Showing your story. This is particularly true of publishers catering to readers with little more than a grammar school education. But for readers who like to keep their wits sharp . . .

The secret in successful "head-hopping" is to make it clear whose head you're in in the very first sentence of the paragraph. That way, only the most sluggish-minded reader can miss who has the POV. I head-hop all the time, though I draw the line at head-hopping within a paragraph!

6. Dialogue POV. (Best title I can think of for this one.)  

There are a few books told almost entirely in dialogue, with only an occasional bit of narration. Definitely a form of Multiple POV, as the story stays so long in each speaker's head that we see the story from each character's Point of View. Personally, I find this a bit much. I don't like to stray from the main characters' heads for that long.

Note:  This POV could also be considered as writing in Multiple First Person, as each character is telling the story from the "I" Point of View. But since there is also narration in both Author and Main Characters' POV . . . 

SUMMARY.  There are a LOT of ways to write in Third Person. Beginning authors should study the style of the published novels in the genre they're writing, paying particular attention to the accepted practices of the print and/or e-publishers you are targeting. Indie authors, go for whatever works best for you. Just be extra careful if you're experimenting with head-hopping. Readers get really upset if they can't tell who's saying what to whom. Make your POV changes really clear.

~ * ~

This week's Featured Book was selected from the News Headlines. (You may recall the story about two Chinese arrested for bringing in a fungus that could harm our agriculture.) 

My Contemporary Adventure/Romance, Hidden Danger, Hidden Heart, is set in shoreline Connecticut, agricultural Spain, and agricultural Florida. Since I lived nearly thirty years on the Connecticut side of Long Island Sound, followed by forty years in Florida, and have at least visited the agricultural fields of Spain, I think I can say that I know the settings pretty well. I also have the experience of a WASP/Spanish-Catholic culture clash in the family. (I'll never forget the Christmas I made aprons for all my new Argentinian relatives and was told (apologetically), "We don't wear aprons."

All of the above, plus awareness of the danger of agricultural sabotage, plus a good bit of lively imagination went into the making of Hidden Danger, Hidden Heart (available from most e-vendors). I hope you'll give it a try. 

 

 When Ashley van Dyne, founder and president of an organic foods business, finds herself in the middle of a world-wide threat to the food crop, she has no choice but to turn to entrepreneur Rafael Guerrero, resulting in a resounding cultural clash on two continents. There is also the problem of Ashley's young sister and three other teens who have no idea they are being used for a terrorist's personal agenda. Hidden Danger, Hidden Heart offers Suspense, Romance, Drama . . . and a warning. 

~ * ~

For a link to Blair's website, click here. 

For Blair's Facebook Author Page, click here.*

 

For recent blogs, scroll down. For Archives, see the menu on the right.

 

Thanks for stopping by,

Grace (Blair Bancroft) 

 

WRITING - POINT OF VIEW, Part 3

 

Story-telling may have changed over the years but not Windsor Castle, which has clung to the English countryside for 900 years.

 

 

Photo by Susan Coventry

 

 

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WRITING - POINT OF VIEW, Part 3

Author Point of View

 It has occurred to me that I should talk about Author Point of View before getting into Third Person. When I joined the Romance Writers of America way back when, one of the first "rules" I learned—in fact, the most important rule was "Show, don't Tell"! Every would-be author had to learn the meaning of this and conform. Or else! This, despite the fact that a great many of the most admired Regency Romances of that era began with Author POV. For example, the description of a great country estate, a quick sketch of the history of a noble family, a characterization of a matriarch or elderly curmudgeon whose attitude affects the main characters in the book, and so on ad infinitum. 

So what does it mean?—"Show, don't tell."  (I wish I had a dollar for every time I tried to answer this on a contest I judged for RWA!)

WARNING:  Although I am going to tell you the meaning, that does NOT indicate I agree with a strict interpretation of this so-called "Rule." 

"Telling a Story" 

Think back to the days of ancient storytellers, those who kept both history and fanciful tales alive before written language existed. To the traveling bards and minstrels in later ages who did the same at a time when only a minuscule few could read and books (almost exclusively religious works) were painstakingly written by hand. "Telling" was the only means available to keep both vital information and entertaining stories alive. As the era of printing presses emerged, making books more readily available, and more people learned to read, books other than religious works began to appear. And something called "Dialogue" was born. Not the author "telling" us what someone said, but actual words coming out of characters' mouths as they said them. The presentation of "thoughts," however, still tended to be from the Author POV. Readers were told what the character was thinking instead of the author allowing us inside the character's head and letting he/she "show" us what they are thinking. As late as the mid-20th century—though Dialogue was definitely popular—fiction novels still tended toward the author "telling" readers the story.

So, it's not really surprising that as the end of the 20h c. neared, a revolution occurred, particularly in Romance novels. Suddenly, the most important approach to writing was "Show!"

The idea of "Show" is to get inside the heads of the two main characters and, while maintaining Third Person ("he" and "she"), let them SHOW readers the story through their thoughts and actions. Authors were warned away from using the verb "was," (see * below)— to the point of total fright and confusion. I recall judging a contest in which the newbie author simply left out "was" without replacing it with any other verb. Sigh. I did my best to explain to her that deleting "was" was not the solution to the challenge of "Show, don't Tell."

[*As in, "It was a dark and stormy night." "It was the best of times; it was the worst of times."]

[Another famous Author POV opening line, added after hearing it used in a sermon on Sunday morning! "It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife."]

"Showing a Story" 

 "Show, don't tell" means getting inside the Hero's and Heroine's heads and presenting the story through their eyes. They give readers insight into their actions from their personal point of view. (Not the author telling how the Hero and Heroine feel or act.)

"Showing" led to some interesting disagreements. Harlequin went with the concept that all thoughts should be in italics. Most other publishers decreed that only "direct thoughts" (Merciful Heavens! Devil take it!) should be italicized. Small matters aside, editors wanted manuscripts with a Personal viewpoint, not manuscripts with the Author sticking in his/her two cents along the way.

Why "Show"?

It's more Personal, more easily grabs at readers' hearts. It's more Active, holding a reader's attention. Readers feel they know these characters, instead of standing back and being "told" who and what they are.

SUMMARY.

I like the concept of "Show." BUT like any other "rule," it can be carried too far. I see nothing wrong with a paragraph here and there from the Author's POV, such as often seen in the mother of Regency novels, Jane Austen, or the mid-20th c. Regency revivals of Georgette Heyer. It is possible to tell a story from the Hero's and Heroine's Point of View while allowing the Author to sneak in a word here and there. 

WARNING:  Before writing Word One, READ a good number of books from the publisher you're targeting, so you know if they require strict "Show" or are more tolerant. If you already have a publisher, ask your editor before you decide to go rogue and do something different. 

Indie Authors, happily, you can do as you please! My personal feelings? From the moment I first sat down to write, I bent the "rules." Partly, because I didn't know they existed; partly, because I don't believe in absolutes. What is Creativity if we don't tweak a rule here and there? But be careful! As the old saying goes, "Don't bite off your nose to spite your face." If following the rules means selling your manuscript . . .  (See next paragraph.)

At an RWA conference way back when, I attended a talk by the editor of Signet's Regency line, who announced she was looking for manuscripts. I listened, gritted my teeth, and told myself, "Okay, you can do that." I abandoned my Regency Historicals (which had been e-published only) and wrote what became The Courtesan's Letters, the first of six Regency Romances for Signet (Penguin Putnam). [Even though they changed the title to the innocuous (and inaccurate) The Indifferent Earl, because the Marketing Department thought "courtesan" wouldn't play well in the Heartland. Sigh.]

Next week:  Point of View, Part 4 - Third Person 

 ~ * ~

Though featured fairly recently, what other book could I use to accompany this particular blog but the book I wrote while disciplining myself to "follow the rules"?

 

Miss Abigail Todd, the very proper headmistress of an academy for young ladies in Boston, arrives in England to settle her grandmother’s estate, only to discover that her ancestor was la grande Clarisse, the most notorious courtesan of her day. And, to her even greater horror, she herself is the perfect image of her grandmother. Clarisse has left a series of letters detailing commissions Abby must carry out in order to obtain her inheritance (an amount far greater than anticipated). In order to do this, she must accept the assistance of Jared, Earl of Langley, grandson of the man who was Clarisse’s devoted lover for forty years. Has Clarisse created these letters because of love, nostalgia, mischief, vengeance . . . or is she perhaps more interested in matchmaking? The most likely answer: all of the above.

Author’s Note: The Courtesan’s Letters is suitable reading for Ages 14 & up. Under the Signet title of The Indifferent Earl, it was nominated for a RITA award by the Romance Writers of America and was awarded “Regency Romance of the Year” by Romantic Times magazine.


Reviews:

"This story flows like fine champagne, full of sparkle, zest and energy."
Teresa Roebuck, Romantic Times

"The dialogue sparkles, the plot evolves at a brisk pace, and a diverse cast of secondary characters adds depth and texture to this well-written tale."
Susan Lantz, Romance Reviews Today

"I was completely and utterly seduced by this book. . . . The plot is exquisite, a sparklingly innovative, perfectly executed piece of craftsmanship. . . . It is books like this that restore our faith in the Regency genre. . . ."
Celia Merenyi, A Romance Review

~ * ~

For a link to Blair's website, click here. 

For Blair's Facebook Author Page, click here.*

 

For recent blogs, scroll down. For Archives, see the menu on the right.

 

Thanks for stopping by,

Grace (Blair Bancroft) 

 

 

WRITING - Point of View, Pt 2 / Cover Reveal

 

Doom and gloom still prevails on Facebook (not unjustified), so I did a quick run-through of My Pictures and came up with a potpourri of pics from the past. Firstly, one I missed in my tale of bell-ringing—a view of two of the bells in Harkness Tower, taken by my daughter on our visit in July of 2019.

 

 

Below, the extremely handy pic I found online, and which I used in two books set in Bath; most recently, The Abandoned Daughter.

 

Sydney Garden Maze

 One of my favorite typos (not mine, thank goodness):

 

 A truly funny pic to brighten your day . . . (Be sure you read every word.)

 ~ * ~

 

 WRITING - POINT OF VIEW, Part 2 

FIRST PERSON

Some years ago, I recall an author declaring she "hated" books written in the First Person (books written solely from the main character's point of view, usually female). Since I loved the classic First Person Gothics of Mary Stewart, Victoria Holt, and other Gothic authors of the 50s and 60s, I felt challenged to understand this negative attitude about First Person. My conclusion:  it stems primarily from not being allowed to see into the Hero's head. Yet in classic Gothic novels the whole point is to make the heroine feel vulnerable. That she is alone against the world. The reader suffers as the heroine suffers, suspense building as she feels threatened yet hasn't a clue from where or whom danger stalks. Or if it's all in her head. So, let's just say, "To each his/her own," and move on to the varieties of First Person.

Grace note for anyone who might have missed this in school:  "First Person" means the story is told using "I" and "We." "Third Person" means the story is told using, "He and she."  Third Person stories may be told from just one point of view, multiple points of view, and/or the author's point of view.

 

1.  Straight First Person. The heroine tells the tale. The reader knows only what she sees, what she hears, what she reads, what she thinks. NO OTHER POINT OF VIEW ALLOWED.

2.  First Person - Variant 1.  After a chapter (or two or three) written by the Heroine in her POV, the next chapter is headed with the Hero's name and the story continues in his POV. Which, however, is expressed in THIRD Person. (In more recent years some authors may have written the Hero's POV in First Person, but I have not personally seen it.) The majority of the book in this variant, however, remains in the Heroine's POV.

3.  First Person - Variant 2.  I find this a "fun" approach to First Person POV. Anne Cleeland uses this variant throughout her Doyle and Acton Scotland Yard series. In the first books the hero's brief comments were expressed in three or four lines in small type (centered) at the top of each chapter. As the series progressed, however, Ms Cleeland snuck in a few "ringers" - comments from characters other than the Hero of the series - challenging readers to figure out who is saying what to whom! 

Grace note:  if anyone knows of a different approach to First Person POV, I would love to hear about it. 

~ * ~

This week's featured book - the cover reveal and rough draft of the blurb for my Work in Progress, which was supposed to be another Gothic paranormal and somehow turned into a Regency Romance/Adventure (with ghosts), written in Multiple POVs! 

When the uncle of a six-year-old marquess threatens to take him from his widowed mother, as well as urging her to marry his rakish son, Victoire, Marchioness of Brynthorpe, hires a war-weary band of ex-soldiers as bodyguards. The resulting clash reverberates from Wiltshire to London as Captain Fox, the Stone Soldier, turns out to be far more than his military rank implies.

Violent conflict, an unexpected and rocky romance, close-held secrets—all to the tune of comments and advice from five resident phantoms. Yet even when our hero and heroine see sunny skies at last, one more stumbling block rears its ugly head. 

Grace note:  I grew very fond of the wounded major in my last book, The Abandoned Daughter. The Stone Soldier is my attempt at redemption for a lost soul.

~ * ~

For a link to Blair's website, click here. 

For Blair's Facebook Author Page, click here.*

 

For recent blogs, scroll down. For Archives, see the menu on the right.

 

Thanks for stopping by,

Grace (Blair Bancroft)