Finally picked a POV for my story after being stuck for a week

I was writing this fantasy thing about a messenger who finds a cursed letter. Couldn't decide if it should be first person from the messenger's view, or third person limited following the king who receives it. First person felt more immediate, but third person let me show the king's secret panic. I went with third person. Wrote the first scene last night where the king reads it and tries to act normal in court. It just flowed better, letting me hide his real thoughts from the other characters. Anyone ever get stuck on a basic choice like that for way too long? What made you pick one over the other?

3 comments

3 Comments

ray_burns1d ago

Oh man, that choice can totally freeze you up. I get stuck on those basic decisions way more than the big plot stuff sometimes. Third person sounds perfect for that, letting you play with what the king shows versus what he really feels. Glad it finally clicked and you got that scene to flow.

bell.jessica1d ago

Wait, the letter itself is cursed? Like the paper is magic bad? I totally missed that part, I thought it was just a normal letter with bad news. That changes everything.

ninar681d ago

Right, "normal letter with bad news" was my exact first take too. My brain just glosses over the fantasy details sometimes and goes straight to regular human drama. It's a real talent for missing the whole point of the genre.