Point of view (POV) is the lens through which the reader sees and hears the story. Whether it is the intimate “I” of the first person, the direct “you” of the second person, the wide-ranging “he/she” of the third person, or the all-knowing omniscient narrator, POV shapes what the reader knows and how they feel.
But POV isn’t just about perspective—it is about narrative voice. Voice is your narrator’s personality. It is what brings your narrator to life, turning them into the story's guide with unique observations and opinions. It is the basis of immersive stories. Know who is telling the story, and you will know how it needs to be told.
And how does that tie into “show, don’t tell”? Let’s analyze the common pitfalls.
PERSPECTIVE
For the story to be authentic to the narrator’s worldview, the reader must be anchored in the chosen POV. By infusing every description and interaction with a tone specific to the chosen narrator, we can transform static exposition into a gateway into the narrator’s inner world.
We cannot show without knowing who the narrator is because perspective is more than the narrator’s POV; it is the sum of their experiences, biases, and emotions that shape how they interpret the world. Consider the idea of “beauty”—it is in the eye of the beholder. So, whose eyes are they? A retired cop, after decades of sirens urging his attention, might find beauty in the quietness of the mornings or nature retreats. A golddigger could convince herself that a man’s beauty is synonymous with the car he drives. A toddler, proud of his drawing, can see beauty in his scribbles.
Generalities like “boring,” “cold,” or “great” are the downfall of a distinct narrator and “show, don’t tell”. But, by describing the details from a certain perspective, we add meaning and emotion. Unless our narrator is a toddler and we want to emphasize their limited vocabulary, we need to explore what they know and feel.
For example, if we have a scene in which the narrator is bored, we must ask ourselves, what constitutes boredom for them. And then bring it to life: “He slouched in his chair, groaning. No TV. No internet. No reason to live.” From this, we can easily deduce that the narrator is a teenage boy whose power is out or he’s grounded.
Perspective allows us to imbue our writing with unique interpretations of familiar stimuli. With it, we can turn “The room was cold” into “Her fingers curled against the porcelain mug. Steam rose from the tea, thawing her nose before it vanished into the gaps in the window frame.” Here, the cold is not just a temperature; it is an experience filtered through the narrator’s sensory perception. The reader doesn’t just understand that the room is cold—they feel it, too.
When we focus on the specifics of the perspective, we discard the abstract and highlight the tangible. Perspective enables us to make universal experiences personal. By grounding the description in the narrator’s subjective view, we can craft stories that aren’t told but felt.
BONUS TIP: To stay true to the narrator’s POV, we should avoid describing what they consider ordinary, regardless of our desire to showcase the intricate world we’ve created. On the other hand, anything the narrator does notice will not just describe the object but will also reveal something about the narrator themselves. We can think of it like gossip: we tend to judge the gossiper more than we recall the details they shared.
ORDER OF EVENTS
In storytelling, the order of events is not just a structural choice but a critical element that shapes the reader’s experience. By deciding whether to present events sequentially or in a jumbled manner, we dictate not only the flow of the narrative but also the emotional resonance of each moment. To be clear, we are not advocating for a strictly chronological plot. We are talking about presenting the cause before the reaction, such as writing “Sarah cried when Tom told her the news.” In reality, she cannot react before she receives his information.
If we switch the order of events, we call into question the legitimacy of the narrator because we create a distance and lessen the effect of immediacy—even in the past tense. While connectors such as “as” and “when” can add variety to our sentences, we recommend using these words only when events are happening simultaneously. An exception might be in a sentence like, “She hummed while she cooked” as she can do both at the same time.
Let’s look at each connector in a sentence:
“As the bell rang, the students rushed out the door.”
While this does sum up time, which is fine if you need a jumpcut, these two actions do not overlap. First comes the prompt (the bell), then comes the vivid part (books thudding to a close, chairs scraping), and the result (the students leave).
“She smiled when a message binged on her phone.”
This example can only be true if the character’s smile is unrelated to the message. However, we more likely want to show that she is happy because she received the message, in which case she has to check her phone before she smiles.
On top of that, failing to follow the order of events leads to “telling” Rather than describing an evocative moment, the narrator reports a summary of what happened. In contrast, “showing” the glass breaking—the sharp crack, the cascade of shards scattering across the floor—allows the reader to immerse in the scene. When the character then screams, flinches, or hastily apologizes, the reaction feels visceral, inevitable, and real. Creating a vivid scene hinges on the specifics being revealed in a way that they build upon each other. Using sensory details draws the reader deeper into the storyworld.
BONUS TIP: Using causative verbs leads to the same problem. If we write “I held his hand, helping him overcome his fear of heights,” the reader knows that the narrator extended comfort to a loved one during a vulnerable moment, but they cannot see what “overcoming fear” looks like. Does he sigh in relief, close his eyes, smile in gratitude?
RELATIONSHIP TITLES
A key aspect of maintaining a strong and immersive POV lies in the use of consistent relationship titles. Whether it’s “Mom,” “Dr. Jones,” or “Sarah”—even when the character is first introduced—the titles reflect the narrator’s relationship to the other characters in the story. If we change them, we risk shifting the POV into exposition, which disrupts the narrative flow and breaks immersion.
While some relationship titles, such as “Mom,” play into avoiding infodumps because the narrator provides the “name” and the relationship in one, most characters need actual names. So, how do we show “Sarah, my sister” without exposition or “as you know” dialogue? There are a couple of techniques:
A) Conflict
“Sarah slammed the cupboard door.
‘What a mess! Still waiting for Mom to clean up after you?’
Tom fluffed up a pillow in his lap. ‘See, not useless.’ He grinned.
‘No, not useless. Selfish, cold, irresponsible.’ She ticked off the insults on her fingers.
Tom glared. “I was working to pay for her care! While you—’
‘—moved back home because someone had to!’ said Sarah, grabbing the pillow and slamming it onto the couch.
‘Alright, “hero”. Not just an excuse to bail on college?’”
B) “Dumb” character
“‘Welcome, Mr. and Mrs. Harris. Your room is ready,’ said the hotel receptionist, handing Sarah a key.
‘And one for me?’ asked Tom.
‘Two rooms?’ The hotel receptionist clicked on the computer. ‘I only have one reservation.’ She scratched her head.
‘Same last name!’ Sarah covered a gasp with her hand. ‘I didn’t say we’re…’
‘Not married?’ said Tom. ‘Bunk beds are too much to hope for?’”
If the narrator changes how they address another character, it could confuse the reader. The inconsistency may create unnecessary distance between the narrator and the named character, or signal a POV switch. Even worse, it could highlight the presence of the author instead of the narrator.
Choosing the relationship title also shows the emotional tone. For example, if the narrator calls their mom “mommy,” it conveys love and immaturity, perhaps even dependency. But if they call her by their first name, we can demonstrate a strained relationship.
BONUS TIP: We advise against trying to swap relationship titles for descriptions in dialogue tags. For instance:
“‘It’s best to start therapy right away,’ said Dr. Jones.
‘What are the side effects?’ I asked.
‘Redness, bloating,’ the young woman with hypnotic blue eyes listed.”
While this technique might add detail to the scene, it ultimately disrupts the natural flow of the conversation. It can also confuse the reader as to who is speaking. Concise dialogue tags help maintain the rhythm of dialogue and ensure that the reader remains engaged without distractions or ambiguity.
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