Novel Revision Series: Point of View & Voice

“Storytelling is not just important for the human mind,” E.O. Wilson has said; “it IS the human mind.” If this is true, then voice and point of view are the storytelling modes in which the human mind is made manifest. And sometimes, a minor shift or adjustment in one of these modes can make the difference between a story that doesn’t quite work and one that really “clicks.”

In this craft-oriented seminar, we’ll analyze passages written by a number of classic and contemporary fiction writers as a way to explore the advantages and pitfalls of different voices and points of view. We’ll make an important distinction between point of view and psychic distance, and we’ll discuss the struggles, dilemmas, and opportunities relating to the perspective and style in which a story is written. In a series of targeted writing exercises, we’ll have a chance to apply what we’re learning to our own novels. Participants should bring in a selection of scenes or passages from their works-in-progress that they don’t mind rewriting.

Part of GrubStreet's Novel Revision Series, led by Tim Weed and designed for those who have either finished or are nearing completion of a novel draft. Take every class in the series or simply choose the craft topics that are relevant to the revision challenges you face with your novel in progress. Fall classes include:

• Novel Revision Series: Descriptive Writing and Image Systems
• Novel Revision Series: Interiority, Backstory, and Flashback
• Novel Revision Series: Point of View and Psychic Distance
• Novel Revision Series: Minor and Supporting Characters
• Novel Revision Series: Dialogue and the Scene
• Novel Revision Series: Killer Openings & Symphonic Endings (coming soon!)