How to Apply Perspective in Writing
To effectively apply perspective in your writing, you must always consider two crucial elements: understanding your characters and their backgrounds and how you intend to execute your work.
Hello, Neophyte, welcome. Please, don’t be afraid. The topic we’re delving into today is simple but holds a lot of depth—how to apply perspective. Did Timmy share any notes with you? No? Yes? No matter, you two should communicate more. After all, it’s just the two of you and me here. But I digress.
The subject of the day is the application of perspective, a concept deeply tied to several factors. The foremost among them is understanding your characters and narrators, considering whose point of view you are adopting, who comprises the general cast, and the concept of psychic distance. Wait, you don’t know what I’m talking about? That’s not surprising because I haven’t explained those terms yet. But I need to start somewhere, so for now, let’s simmer things down. Now, where was I? Right, perspective. As I’ve previously discussed with Timmy, perspective is of utmost importance. Consider this a primer on how to apply it. We will explore each element individually in due time, but perspective is a composite of many things:
First, let’s talk about your characters. Not all characters are created equal in a story. You have your main characters, secondary characters, tertiary characters, and so on. Some characters may serve as mere devices for exposition, or they might be introduced to execute a plot device (the deus ex machina comes to mind). But what’s truly crucial here is understanding your narrator character. Whose point of view are you adopting? This choice will influence how your audience perceives your work.
Remember that translating reality in an objective capacity is nearly impossible for most of us. We harness the power of the written word to translate feelings, giving chaotic elements shape with words. Everything is filtered through emotions; we don’t perceive the world in an objective and cold manner. For example, a dark and gloomy room might appear cozy and welcoming to some people. What holds true for us humans in the real world also applies to your characters in fictionland, Neophyte. Some characters may be more developed than others, but if you want your world and your story to feel alive, this is a crucial aspect to keep in mind.
Perspective—understanding who your characters are, where they come from, and how all the elements of their identity inform their decisions and actions. I’m not suggesting that you need a complete biography of every character, no matter how minor their role in your work. I’m simply urging you to keep these aspects in mind.
For example, consider a burly lumberjack from deep in the woodlands. At first glance, you might think he knows nothing about cosmetics, jewelry, fashion, fabrics, or other “girly” topics. However, you may uncover that he possesses an intimate knowledge of these subjects. Perhaps he keeps this hidden from his lumberjack buddies. Initially, it might seem like he’s ashamed of himself, but if you dig deeper, you’ll discover that his knowledge in these areas is a way of keeping the memory of his two daughters alive. They tragically perished in an attack in the city, and these girly topics were their passions. He conceals this knowledge because acknowledging the pain is just too much to bear. He probably has no real name and no significant role in the story, he is probably not developed beyond that point, but understanding these nuances can infuse your narrative with depth. Maybe your hero needs something in those woods, and the lumberjack is there because he doesn’t want contact with civilization due to his profound grief. So their different stories will inform their actions as they interact.
But perspective is most powerful when you use it to influence how the audience perceives your creation, something that you may have limited control over, as I discussed with Timmy. Nevertheless, Neophyte, I can’t stress this enough—perspective can breathe new life into your work. In the current fiction market, many authors are simply ticking boxes, and corporate committees often lack a deep understanding of fiction beyond what brings in money. However, if you’re here, Neophyte, it’s because you want to keep the flame of storytelling alive, and you must remember what others tend to forget: perspective colors everything.
The way the audience views your writing, through whose eyes they experience it, tints every aspect with that character´s beliefs, mistakes, fallacies, and virtues. The most effective plot twists are memorable because the audience is as blindsided as the Point of View character. Here’s where you might encounter a trap, Neophyte—the POV character isn’t always the main character. It could be someone who witnesses the events, an elder reflecting on them years later. Perhaps they’ve embellished the story, displayed humility by downplaying their role, or even lied to claim all the glory for themselves. While the number of story archetypes may be limited, what’s not limited is how we can write them.
Limitless, take a moment to savor that word, Neophyte. Embrace it and don’t succumb to existential despair. It doesn’t invoke terror but rather freedom—a freedom that allows all the archetypes and preconceived elements you’ve encountered to be constructed in an unlimited number of ways, as long as you consider perspective. However, a word of caution is in order here because the very first filter through which the story passes is you, yes, you, Neophyte. As I’ve mentioned before, the story and the author are intertwined, but a healthy separation should always be maintained. Otherwise, you might end up with a story where everyone is the same, speaks the same, and desires the same things.
