I just looked at the copyright date and that old story and it was written late 1996 early 1997. The events were Oct-Nov 1996.
That's SCARY.
It's interesting how I've changed as a writer. I thought I was writing "hypnotically" to parallel the main coming under a spell, but looking now it seems baggy and long-winded. I could cut 20% at least.
alx
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Hi Alex,
I liked 'The Man Who Learned to Love America', but I have a couple of questions..
Firstly, I was told to avoid swapping point of view between characters. I notice you have 2 POVs (Susan, Ray).
Why did you do this?
Would it have been better limited to just one?
And, leading on from this, in your opinion, who's story is this? The title suggests it's Ray's, the end suggests it's Susan's.
Thanks.
Marzipan.
Tricky Questions
I could argue it's simply an omniscient POV and the narrator goes where he likes... an OM-POV that's limited to two people.
That's how it feels to me. The opening has a sort of detached "overlook" feel almost like a voice-over from a fly on a wall documentary. I think either we have to say it's a limite OM-POV right from the start or it's two POVs being used in tandem.
It was never conscious. I just find the voice/setting to get me into the stopry and follow my nose.
As for the advice you were given, it's probably good when starting out but I'd prefer to say no ACCIDENTAL POV shifts.
I've an article at the IWJ "POV from my POV" which warns, but these days I mess around with POV and tense quite a lot.
Maybe that's why my stuff is harder to place than when it was simple and obvious.
alx
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