WRITING EXERCISE: POV Switches

Well, I remember reading about how multiple POV books can be fun because of the differences in how different people view the world and each other. Since I'm writing a 3rd person restricted viewpoint (one viewpoint character), I don't get to do this but it would still make a fun exercise. I'll use the characters near the start of the Butterfly Lady for the writing exercise. I suggest you all give this a go as well, especially with minor or secondary characters that you don't much understand. I'll set the subject at fishing somewhere between Chapter 2 and 3. After Jason's 6th birthday but before his 12th, so, let's say, 10.

***

Lirrian Verdan couldn't stand fishing. She didn't understand how so many men could sit or stand for hours and stare at a piece of glorified string dangling in the water. To make matters worse, even boys, who otherwise would be off in the trees, playing games, chasing each other, and doing other sensible things, could somehow turn into statues at the lure of a fish. Well, boys who weren't Jason. At least that was a kid you could count on. A bona fide, excitable, chit chatty kid. Unlike Ongar who was so happy to sit and stare at string that she was surprised a bird hadn't turned his hair into a nest. Lirrian wanted to throw the whole rod into the creek but that wouldn't be the nice thing to do so she sat and drew in the dirt and made only a few comments about how boring this was. How could Jason not see how dumb this was and how stupid Ongar was?

***

Compromise. That's all it took. Ongar wanted to fish and Lirrian wanted to play so maybe they could spend half their time fishing and the other half of their time playing. At least, that's what Jason wished would happen. Lirrian complained and stretched and yawned and fidgeted the whole time and tried to get him to side with her about a game they should play. Sure, she'd be quiet for a time but it was a hunter's calm ... quite and poised and waiting to strike. Of course, it didn't help that she was right and this was boring. Still, it was what Ongar wanted to do and as friends they should help him do it. So he tried to distract her and play with her quietly and all the while Ongar calmly ignored them like they weren't even there. It was so getting so frustrating he wanted to scream but that wouldn't help anything so he kept running back and forth and trying to keep his two friends from having another fit at each other.

***

It was a shame girls didn't have deep voices like men. That way Lirrian's voice could lull him to sleep rather than set him on edge. Constantly whining and changing her pitch to make sure he couldn't drown her out. How was a boy supposed to relax and unwind with that galah squawking in his ear? Fishing was peaceful and practical and meaningful. The Divine Son was a hunter, after all. A boy should be able to just sit and enjoy and not worry about irritating girls threatening to pull their stupid hair out. At least Jason seemed content to deal with her prattle. There was a boy you could rely on to never have his feathers ruffled.

***

Hmm, well, that was surprisingly fun considering the topic. Which one did you pity the most?

Oh yeah, and by the way, I'm actually figuring on Dark Fantasy, or Fantastical Horror, for this one so don't let the youthful protagonists fool you.