‘I’ is the Greatest
Well, changing a scene from third person to first in my head to correct point of view problems is working like a charm. Not only does it concentrate my mind on POV, it has also opened opportunities for more drama. I seem to see more clearly if ‘I’ am involved; I feel the wind and how hard the seat is and smell the roses at the same time.
When I thought it over, I realised that one, and only one, remember, of the reasons why Hornblower, Sharpe and Utred of Bebbanburg read so easily is that they have only one point of view. We don’t see Hornblower through Bush’s eyes, we feel Hornblowers reaction to Bush’s look of admiration and it enlarges Hornblower’s character.
So, I must use the same trick. Unfortunately, I can’t do it with The Cauldron Bubbles because one character is making their way to Glasgow through Paisley and Greenock, while the other is getting there via Kilmarnock and the Clyde. In any case, I am enjoying their journeys and want to share their experiences of living through the 1820 uprising in the industrial belt of Scotland, something more widespread than Peterloo. However, in the next Cairndhu or Oakhaven sagas, there will be only cameo appearances by very strong characters like Miss Kirkwood, or Mrs Boniface, who sometimes insist on speaking for themselves. I sometimes think of using them as the protagonist but they are better used in small doses like spices.