Christine Johnson - Author Interview: Narrative Style

Which narrative point of view (first person, second person or third person) do you use most in your fiction, or do you often use different points of view for different stories, and why?

Traditionally, I've used third person past tense in my stories. I like the close third POV because it allows me to follow one particular character, but also to give a view of the book's happenings that is wider in scope than the protagonist's personal experience. Interestingly, I recently began a project that works best in first person, which isn't something I've done before. It's scary to shift POV when one feels so comfortable! Sometimes, though, the story or voice calls so strongly for a particular structure that it would be a disservice to the project to hammer it into a different style.

Do you use present tense or past tense most in your fiction, or do you often switch tense for different stories, and why?

In third person, I prefer to write in past tense, though in first person, I think present is the ONLY way to go. I dislike first person past tense a great deal. As a reader, it creates the foregone conclusion that the narrator came out of whatever story they're telling. It bothers me particularly when a story involves an actual life or death struggle. It feels like a spoiler in verb tense form.

Pick one of your published stories. What combination of point of view and tense did you use for this story, and why?

Both Claire de Lune and Nocturne are written in third person past tense. With the structure of the story (mystery elements, trope recreation,) and pace of the novels, they both needed third past's ability to fill things in with a few quick brushstrokes. It just felt right for the voice and the story.

To what extent is the vocabulary and manner of speech of the narration in this story different from your own everyday expression, and what does this contribute to the story?

I think all of my characters/novels are in a different voice than my own. My characters don't sound like me. It's much like being able to hear how your best friends would say something - how they would react to the situation. It might not be exactly the words you would say, but it seems obvious when you know a person - or a character! - that well.

Did you tell this story with one narrator or multiple narrators, and why?

Claire de Lune has a main narrator with a number of asides from the rogue wolf in the story. Again, the mystery element made it necessary to break from Claire's experience, and the 3rd person POV allowed me to do it more smoothly, I think. Nocturne, however, is narrated entirely by Claire.

Did you make the narrator of this story a character involved in the main action of the story, or did you make the narrator one which is not a charcater in your fictional storyworld, and why?

I think third person automatically takes the narrator our of the main action, though a close third makes the reader feel involved enough to keep the story

What is one of your favourite fictional stories, in which you think is narration is written well, and how would you describe what makes the narration work so well for you as a reader?

I particularly admire stories with unreliable narrators, as it's so hard to keep the reader involved in spite of not quite trusting the source of the story. RJ Anderson's ULTRAVIOLET is a fantastic example of this style.

Do you usually provide direct access to the thoughts of characters in your stories? If so, do you usually provide access to the thoughts of one character or multiple characters in a single story or point of view, and why?

Occasionally I do, though I feel it's important to limit it in a third person POV narrative structure, and then only for the character that is the focus of the close third. In first person, it feels more natural to me to have access to direct thought.

To what extent does the narrative style of novels you read have an impact on why you read them, and why?

Actually, it doesn't. A well-written book of any narrative style is enjoyable. Other than my gripe about first person past tense, I like books of all styles, and even books with that structure are worth reading if they're otherwise interesting. Perfect example? Meg Rosoff's HOW I LIVE NOW. Hate the tense. Love that book.

Author website: http://www.christinejohnsonbooks.com/



Melissa Marr - Author Interview: Narrative Style

Which narrative point of view (first person, second person or third person) do you use most in your fiction, or do you often use different points of view for different stories, and why?

I’m a fan of multiple 3rd person limited point of view for pretty much everything I write. I was a fan of Robert Browning and William Faulkner (and student of their work and eventual teacher of it). That’s been foundational for me in that I embrace the idea of “truth” being between voices rather than contained by a solitary voice.

Do you use present tense or past tense most in your fiction, or do you often switch tense for different stories, and why?

So far, I prefer past tense because I can’t often buy into the conceit that the book in my hands is happening. (I can see the last page, ergo it has happened.) In this my taste as a reader is reflected in my writing. That said, I think present is appealing should I eventually opt to write straight horror.

Pick one of your published stories. What combination of point of view and tense did you use for this story, and why?

My answer is the same for every novel, and is answered in #1 and #2 here.

To what extent is the vocabulary and manner of speech of the narration in this story different from your own everyday expression, and what does this contribute to the story?

I think we often have authorial “leaks” in diction despite best efforts. That’s why I don’t use first person. I can contain my voice more fully by using third. As such, I need to focus on dialogue-which I find easier to differentiate-and my own speech patterns only reflect in the surrounding text, there by allowing greater individuality among character voices.

Did you tell this story with one narrator or multiple narrators, and why?

Always multiple! (See answer #1)

Did you make the narrator of this story a character involved in the main action of the story, or did you make the narrator one which is not a character in your fictional storyworld, and why?

My narrative characters are all players in the story. Typically, they all have conflicting goals or different backgrounds/morals/needs that conflict with the other narrative characters. Those variables result in tensions and discords.

What is one of your favourite fictional stories, in which you think is narration is written well, and how would you describe what makes the narration work so well for you as a reader?

All of Faulkner’s novels are brilliant in their narrative structure. In my (admittedly biased) opinion, he was the master of narrative. His novels rivet me because of his narrative choices. His characters live for me because of how he handled narrative.

Do you usually provide direct access to the thoughts of characters in your stories? If so, do you usually provide access to the thoughts of one character or multiple characters in a single story or point of view, and why?

I utilize brief first person character thoughts (demarcated by italics in text) for almost every narrative character in my novels. I do this sparingly, but I find that it gives the benefits of first person (immediacy, reader identification) without needing to resort to full first person.

To what extent does the narrative style of novels you read have an impact on why you read them, and why?

I read all over the library so I don’t know that I have an answer to this. I definitely read books because of narrative structure, but I read for story, for world, for character, and for sheer fun too. I’m an omnivore in this area.

Author website: http://www.melissa-marr.com/