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Wednesday, March 6, 2019

#IWSG: Differing Perspectives


Happy Insecure Writers Support Group Day. IWSG is the brainchild of Ninja Captain Alex J. Cavanaugh.

Purpose: To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds! Thanks, Alex, for starting this group and keeping it going. 

Thanks to this month's awesome hosts:  Fundy Blue, Beverly Stowe McClure, Erika Beebe, and Lisa Buie-Collard!

I am so grateful for this month's question. I'm neck-deep in edits for my middle grade science fiction adventure, RESCUING MARA'S FATHER. Although the revisions aren't onerous, the nit-picky edits are a pain in the you-know-where. I'm more than halfway through and getting to the exciting part of the story, where the MC finally learns the reason for prior events.

Consequently, I was at a loss as to what to write for this month's post. The optional question is a life saver.



 


Whose perspective do you like to write from best, the hero (protagonist) or the villain (antagonist)? And why?




Definitely the protagonist. In a few of my stories, I've included a few paragraphs from the villain's POV, just to give some info that the reader needs to know (to up the tension) but keeps the MC in the dark. Usually, I write third person POV, that way I can alternate between the hero and heroine. But my adult cozy mysteries and my latest, the MG sci-fi adventure, I write in first person. And I love it. Readers have commented on my "voice" that works well. A little snarky, self-deprecating, laughs at one's self. It's easy for me to slip into the character's mind and "become" her. And it's fun, too. Since I write light-hearted stories--no dark and dangerous thrillers for me--I enjoy writing from that perspective.

                RESCUING MARA'S FATHER BLOG TOUR

With regard to my upcoming release: would you be willing to host me on my blog tour? If yes, please click here to sign up. Thank you in advance. When you have a new release, I'm happy to repay the favor.

Here's more about the story.

RESCUING MARA’S FATHER
A Middle Grade Science Fiction Adventure
By D.M. Burton
Approx. 75,000 words

Blurb:

Her father is gone! Taken by the Queen of Compara’s agents. Mara has to rescue him before the Queen tortures and kills him.
Instead of the kind, loving father she’s always known, he’s become demanding, critical, with impossible expectations—not just as Father but also as the only teacher in their frontier outpost. Mara would rather scoop zircan poop than listen to another boring lecture about governments on Central Planets. Give her a starship engine to take apart or, better yet, fly, and she’s happy. Now, he’s gone.
Never mind, they’ve had a rocky road lately.
Never mind, Father promised she could go off planet to Tech Institute next month when she turns fifteen, where she’ll learn to fly starships.
Never mind, she ran away because she’s furious with him because he reneged on that promise. Father is her only parent. She has to save him.

Along with her best friend, eleven-year-old Jako, and his brother 15-year-old Lukus, Mara sets off to find her father. Her mentor, old spaceport mechanic, seems to know why the Queen captured Father. In fact, he seems to know her father well. But, does he tell her everything? Of course not. He dribbles out info like a mush-eating baby. Worse, he indicates he’ll be leaving them soon. And Lukus can’t wait to get off our planet. Mara’s afraid they will all leave, and she’ll be on her own. Despite her fears, Mara has to rescue her father.


Now, back to our regularly scheduled program. Click here to find others on the Insecure Writers Support Group Blog Hop. Or go to IWSG on Facebook to see who’s blogging today.


35 comments:

  1. I have only written from the hero's point of view. That's awesome that you can write in first and third POV. I haven't tried first.

    I'd be glad to shout out about your book in follower news. E-mail me if you're interested so I can tell you what I need. Congrats on your book!

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  2. First person is something I tried (very briefly) but I LOVE weighing in on different POVs (including the villain's!) too much to narrow it down to one. I adore the way you handle it and am ubber envious! Happy editing!

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    1. Thanks, Nancy. I enjoy 1st person so much that 3rd person (even deep pov) seems distancing. But I sure wouldn't do 1st person in the villain's head. Don't want to go there!

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  3. Keep me posted about your book. Sounds interesting.

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  4. Totally get why you write from the MC's pov. You don't really need to be in the villain's head in cozies!

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    1. Exactly. The villain can speak his/her own story.

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  5. I signed up for your blog tour for a later date in April. :)

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  6. I've a light-hearted voice too. I was told off on a writing course for it - after writing a poignant and moving scene I can't resist throwing in a jokey moment. Which when you think about it is what we do in real life.

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    1. Liz, you are so right. Ignore those nay-sayers. We go for the humor when the emotion is too much. I do it all the time--in my stories as well as real life.

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  7. Voice is the key to keeping me reading. I'm sure your readers appreciate yours. :-)

    Anna from elements of emaginette

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  8. I enjoyed reading the blurb of your upcoming book, Diane! Good luck with the edits!

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    1. Thanks. I took a break today to focus on IWSG. Back to work tomorrow.

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  9. Throwing in fun moments is a great thing to do, even it more dark reads. When you're ready to send your book into the world, feel free to poke me and I'll do a shout-out on my childrens book review blog.

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  10. Good answer. And best of luck with the book tour!

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  11. Reading around the blogs it seems that the protagonist's POV is the most popular. Good luck with all your editing and writing.

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    1. I noticed that, too, Suzanne. Thanks for the good luck wish.

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  12. I haven't tried writing in first person yet, because third is my preferred reading POV. With that said, however, I've dabbled with the idea of writing my story in first person to get closer to the character, than switching it all back to third later.

    If you've got a good voice, first person can definitely be the way to go.

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    1. Most people say my voice is distinctive. I'm glad of that. It's fun to write in 1st person. Try it. If you don't like it, switch back. Global find-and-replace is wonderful. Good luck.

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  13. Glad you found your voice! Be happy to help with the tour.

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  14. I find 1st person pov SO HARD to write without sounding cheesy! So impressed you can do it! :)

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    1. Thanks, Jemi. I let my inner child (middle grade) loose and say all the things I wished I'd said back then.

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  15. You know, I've never written anything long in first person. Maybe I'll have to try that next :-) @mirymom1 from
    Balancing Act

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  16. I usually write from third person, but it fun to take on a character's personality in first person for some of my stories.

    Your sci-fi book sounds interesting, I hope the blog tour goes well!

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    1. Thanks, Elizabeth. My first several stories were written in 3rd person. For mu adult sci-fi and romantic suspense, 3rd feels right. But the cozies called for 1st person and that was so much fun. It felt "right" to write this story entirely from Mara's pov, in her voice.

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  17. I signed up! Loving the snippets and what we've seen so far. Good luck on the rest of the edits.

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    1. Thanks, Nick, on both counts. I finished the edits. Now to proof and catch everything I missed.

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  18. Congrats on the new release, Diane! That's exciting. I hope all goes well. If you need any other support, please let me know.

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