Head Hopping

These lessons, by one of our most consistent FaithWriters' Challenge Champions, should not be missed. So we're making a permanent home for them here.

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CatLin
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Re: Head Hopping

Post by CatLin »

Random comment: I just finished the most uniquely written multiple-1st person POV novel. Each chapter was titled headed with the POV character's name (I think there were five), and was like a letter written to the MC (who's single narrative is saved for the twisty ending.) It was fabulous being inside the heads of all of the characters, despite that I didn't like the ending. :x
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Re: Head Hopping

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CatLin wrote:Random comment: I just finished the most uniquely written multiple-1st person POV novel. Each chapter was titled headed with the POV character's name (I think there were five), and was like a letter written to the MC (who's single narrative is saved for the twisty ending.) It was fabulous being inside the heads of all of the characters, despite that I didn't like the ending. :x
What's the title of the novel?
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CatLin
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Re: Head Hopping

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Handle With Care, by Jodi Picoult.
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Re: Head Hopping

Post by cgpeoples »

Lynn's POV

Lynn watched carefully as her foster daughter, Joelle, and her biological daughter, Kelsey, sat at the kitchen table playing Pop the Bubble game.

She couldn't help but notice Joelle's lack of enthusiasm. Her slender figure sat bent over with her elbow propped on the table, chin resting in the palm of her hand, as she stared off into space.

But Kelsey, on the other hand, expressed sheer delight as she moved the little yellow pegs around the board.

"See...watch," Joelle exclaimed. "It's fun!"

Lynn sighed with relief when, after several rounds, Kelsey reached over and popped the plastic bubble, moved a peg the proper spaces, and gently smiled.
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Re: Head Hopping

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cgpeoples wrote:Lynn's POV

Lynn watched carefully as her foster daughter, Joelle, and her biological daughter, Kelsey, sat at the kitchen table playing Pop the Bubble game.

She couldn't help but notice Joelle's lack of enthusiasm. Her slender figure sat bent over with her elbow propped on the table, chin resting in the palm of her hand, as she stared off into space.

But Kelsey, on the other hand, expressed sheer delight as she moved the little yellow pegs around the board.

"See...watch," Joelle exclaimed. "It's fun!"

Lynn sighed with relief when, after several rounds, Kelsey reached over and popped the plastic bubble, moved a peg the proper spaces, and gently smiled.
Well done--no head-hopping here, whatsoever! (I think you confused the two little girls, though, from the first paragraph to later ones. No biggie.)
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AnnaBanana
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Re: Head Hopping

Post by AnnaBanana »

I started out just wanting to say thank you for the lesson, but I went back through my some of my challenge entries to see if I do you this "head-hopping" and I couldn't find a place where I did. What I did find out is how little I reference what the characters think, at least in the 6 or 7 stories I looked through. How important is it to do that? I generally use dialogue or action although I do have some stories where I do it more.
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Re: Head Hopping

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AnnaBanana wrote:I started out just wanting to say thank you for the lesson, but I went back through my some of my challenge entries to see if I do you this "head-hopping" and I couldn't find a place where I did. What I did find out is how little I reference what the characters think, at least in the 6 or 7 stories I looked through. How important is it to do that? I generally use dialogue or action although I do have some stories where I do it more.
In ultra-short fiction, depicting characters' thoughts isn't absolutely vital. However, in longer fiction, thoughts help to develop "deep POV," which is definitely the contemporary standard.
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Re: Head Hopping

Post by AnnaBanana »

Okay, thanks!
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Re: Head Hopping

Post by hwnj »

Color me dense, but I'm having trouble getting a crisp understanding of the difference between third person omnicient and head hopping. Without going back to look, I think I mainly use asterisks to indicate a lapse of time or shift in location. I think I try to use dialogue to express characters thoughts.

If third omnicient is not favored, then I am toast this week. :D
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Re: Head Hopping

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hwnj wrote:Color me dense, but I'm having trouble getting a crisp understanding of the difference between third person omnicient and head hopping. Without going back to look, I think I mainly use asterisks to indicate a lapse of time or shift in location. I think I try to use dialogue to express characters thoughts.

If third omnicient is not favored, then I am toast this week. :D
That's probably because there's no crisp difference.

Third person omniscient is a valid way to write, and can be done well. There are times when it's the best way to serve the writer's purpose. But there are other times (like those in this lesson) when it's jarring or discombobulating to the reader, and can even lead her to think that Character A is thinking or experiencing something when in reality, it's Character B.

As with everything writing-related, it's more about the artistry than the 'rule.' Once this week's entries are judged, I'd love to know which is yours so I can look at your use of 3rd person omniscient. I've never been able to quite get the hang of it.
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