Rant from a Certain Point of View
I'm being driven bonkers.
I keep reading all of these texts, listening to all of these professors say that in children's literature, a writer MUST tell the story from the protagonist's point of view. No jumping to someone else's perspective unless they are given a separate chapter...and even this is only allowed in adolescent novels. THERE ARE NO EXCEPTIONS.
I'll admit, I have a personal stake in this. The story I've been working on for two years does jump point of view between characters and is intended for a middle grade audience. Big no-no according to the powers that be.
But I think the little kiddies of the world can handle the jumps. I think they can still identify with one or both of the characters despite "the jerk of a jump in perspective."
I remember reading books that went outside of the main protagonist's point of view and having no problem.
In fact, I think some of the best books go beyond the protagonist's ability to perceive. Don't the Chronicles of Narnia follow several children? How about The Dark is Rising series? The Redwall books would leave the protagonist to show what was happening with the villain. The first and second chapters of the last Harry Potter book completely left Harry.
I rant because I'm now internally debating to what extent I have to change my own work. I mean, is there still a chance I can get published without conforming to this "law"?
I think I just might have to schedule an individual talky-talk with one of my professors.
I keep reading all of these texts, listening to all of these professors say that in children's literature, a writer MUST tell the story from the protagonist's point of view. No jumping to someone else's perspective unless they are given a separate chapter...and even this is only allowed in adolescent novels. THERE ARE NO EXCEPTIONS.
I'll admit, I have a personal stake in this. The story I've been working on for two years does jump point of view between characters and is intended for a middle grade audience. Big no-no according to the powers that be.
But I think the little kiddies of the world can handle the jumps. I think they can still identify with one or both of the characters despite "the jerk of a jump in perspective."
I remember reading books that went outside of the main protagonist's point of view and having no problem.
In fact, I think some of the best books go beyond the protagonist's ability to perceive. Don't the Chronicles of Narnia follow several children? How about The Dark is Rising series? The Redwall books would leave the protagonist to show what was happening with the villain. The first and second chapters of the last Harry Potter book completely left Harry.
I rant because I'm now internally debating to what extent I have to change my own work. I mean, is there still a chance I can get published without conforming to this "law"?
I think I just might have to schedule an individual talky-talk with one of my professors.
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home