On 3rd person limited

This is a continuation of a previous post on my writing goals for my newest book, Seeds of Calamity. One of those goals was to limit the POV to Felton, the protagonist. This was to simplify the storytelling and tell a compelling growth arc for a single character from start to finish. Aside from the prologue, which is told from a secondary character's POV, I succeeded. Along the way, I learned a few things about writing.

Limited perspective has mystery and surprises built in. Much of the tension is in not knowing what will happen next, or not knowing what is really happening beneath the surface of the other characters' actions. In my first book, Tendrils to the Moon, the tension came from the reader knowing more than the hero did. In Seeds, it comes from the reader knowing only as much as Felton.

A small effect of this was my decision to not title Seeds's chapters. I did this for Tendrils's 12 sprawling chapters, and it made sense in the context of that story, where process and detail were featured as much as the plot and characters. The chapter titles I used back then gave a sense of progress as well as foreboding. With Seeds, chapter titles would have taken away the story's unpredictability.

This style demanded more from me as a writer. I had to stage scenes "off screen" without the benefit of showing them, so they had to flow by a logic that I didn't entirely have control of. I was tempted to explain things long after they happened, and there wasn't a lot of room to work with in the moment.

Whereas I could get away with more telling in Felton's POV, I had to find more direct ways to show the other main characters' growth and conflicts. I was forced to be efficient in their presentation, for too much information would have muddied those characters to the point that they wouldn't be identifiable.

It was fun writing minor characters who served their purpose after a couple of chapters—or one scene, as they case may be. It feels true to life. I liked adding dashes and quirks that I didn't feel pressured to sustain over the whole book.

Finally, the limited perspective imposed plotting discipline on me. I didn't have the option of cutting to another POV when a scene ran its course. I had to either advance the plot or cut to a new scene that did. The result was a dense, meaty plot and no real second act doldrums to speak of.

To see what I mean, read the first 4 chapters of Seeds of Calamity for free. If it piques your interest, get yourself a copy at Amazon. I appreciate the support!

For a free digital copy of my debut book, Tendrils to the Moon, sign up for the mailing list on the right side of the blog page. Or, if you're viewing this on the mobile site, click here.

And as always, let me know what you think in the comments. I'll reply as soon as I can.