POV Questions

We can all use a little help guiding our revisions, yes? Especially the things we should look out for regarding VOICE <--(my current sore spot)

These questions come from Sol Stein's On Writing (pg 141) and they really resonated with me as ways to ensure I'm crafting GREAT scenes:


-Is your POV sufficiently subjective to involve the reader's emotions? Have you been too objective?


-Have you avoided telling us how the character feels? Have you relied on actions to help the reader experience emotion?


And here's where the enlightenment comes in: There is a difference between being subjective and editorializing. One is an ATTITUDE, which we WANT--the other is uselessly telling me that Bobby's heart is racing like Chris Johnson to the end zone...

...uh...I figured...since Bobby just watched his house blow up into pieces, revealing an elephant grave yard in the middle of Iowa and now vampires are descending on him with their teeth bared and blood dripping from their chins.

Don't tell me his heart's racing. I get it.

Tell me Bobby's HOPING the elephant bones can bring him big bucks in the black market and ANNOYED that the vampires are showing up once again to convince him to market their new line of vein scented perfume...

Now you're giving me attitude.