A Writer's Diary Podcast

What Point of View Are You Writing?

When you're working on a story, it's likely you'll begin with an instinctive go at POV. You'll feel you need to be close to the action, say, and will default to the first person. Later on in the writing, though, you may realise that you've been inconsistent. Sometimes you're writing as if your narrator can moralise about the action, and sometimes they're still having their head spun. These three simple questions, with explanations, will help you clarify any Point of View - and so make it easier to write consistently. Get full access to A Writer's Diary at awritersdiary.substack.com/subscribe [https://awritersdiary.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

Don't be Confused About Tone and Voice and Style

It's very easy, when you're starting to write, or starting on a new project, to get hung up on tone, style and voice. Are they different? Should you concentrate on one rather than the other? How do they fit with Point of View? Here are some simple distinctions between tone, style and voice, and some advice about how to sidestep confusion. Get full access to A Writer's Diary at awritersdiary.substack.com/subscribe [https://awritersdiary.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

Something I Promised Myself I'd Never Say About POV

When I started out teaching Creative Writing, I had a few things I promised myself I'd never say to students. For example, Show, Don't Tell. The main one was likening writing to painting, and telling my students that they needed to do the equivalent of learning to draw. I've turned round completely on that. You need to learn to draw, and for writers that means learning to understand and do different Points of View. Get full access to A Writer's Diary at awritersdiary.substack.com/subscribe [https://awritersdiary.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

How Good is Your Memory for Dialogue?

Point of View is deeply linked to Time - not just blank time passing, but time that's full of events in a character's life. Today's podcast demonstrates that with a memory exercise concerting dialogue. We're all happy to read long scenes recalled years later by First Person Narrators, but how good would you be at remembering all those he said, she saids? Get full access to A Writer's Diary at awritersdiary.substack.com/subscribe [https://awritersdiary.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

A Complete Guide to Point of View Begins Today

Why should you be bothered thinking about Point of View in writing? Why not just launch into breathless your close First Person Present Tense narrative? Well, in my experience because Point of View's going to become a major issue, and anxiety, and blockage in about two week's time - if it isn't already. A Complete Guide to Point of View will help you map out the territory ahead, and make some choices about what equipment you're going to need, and whether this is really the right mountain to climb. Get full access to A Writer's Diary at awritersdiary.substack.com/subscribe [https://awritersdiary.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]