As a writer, I have to stick to one POV per scene. This nothing to do with any rule (I don’t believe in writing rules — grammar rules, yes, but not writing rules). Rather, it has to do with how I construct a scene. For me, the core of the scene is the POV character’s experience with whatever is happening. If I switched POV in the middle, or tried to write omniscient, I would lose my ‘anchor’ on what the scene is about.

–June

I think I am because it was once of the first things that I got caught on when I joined my crit group. I don’t mind it in a book if it is done well, but writing… again purist

As a writer, if it happens, it happens.

Definitely not a purist.

I think one of the best examples of multiple POV is Diana Gabaldon’s books. She goes into quite a few, but they’re done really well.

As for when I’m writing? I tend to stay between h & H, otherwise I end up getting confused. LOL!

However…I’m of the “screw the rules” camp for the most part. I believe writers should learn the rules so they know how to break them effectively. There is nothing more distracting and annoying than badly done POV switches, and unfortunately, many people who THINK they do it well…don’t.

So for the most part, I’m a purist when it comes to POV. But I won’t throw the book across the room or judge it harshly for seamless POV switches mid-scene. It’s just that I don’t find seamless ones very often.

On the whole, I have to say I agree with Camy. It’s just jarring, especially when you have to backtrack up the page just to figure out whose head you’re in. That’s just poorly done.

I do believe “rules” can be broken. In this industry, we see this kind of thing done all the time. But if you’re going to do it, do it well. And be prepared to get the criticism that comes with it.

I love when omniscient POV is as it should be–a separate narrator from the action. The narrator’s distance from the story allows for a bit of tongue-in-cheek in the prose, or subtle commentary on the characters.

I’ve read head-hopping where I’m deeply entrenched in one character, then violently wrenched deep into another. There’s no gentle distance from the characters, which would make that transition smoother. I dislike the feeling of being in a person’s skin and then pulled away to be clothed as someone else.

Camy

It’s just the POV that comes naturally to me. I wrote it before I even knew the word.

As a reader I seldom realise its existence except if it’s done badly, and in those cases there’s usually more wrong with the book than only the POV. Like boring characters that don’t grab my attention away from the writing techniques. Or a combination of several stylistical pet peeves like elaborate speech tags, adverb overuse, wordiness and repetitions that sharpens my Reading As A Writer-senses and sends the books against a wall sooner or later. Sooner, most of the time.

My writer’s opinion–there are few absolute rules in writing. And those change depending on what’s being written. When I’m helping my son edit his college essays, I don’t suggest he use the same techniques or follow the same rules I’d use in writing fiction. My goal as a writer is to write the best way I can to communicate what I want to say.

The problem I find too often is that when authors hop around too much, it leaves me feeling a little clueless about whom I should connect to, cheer on, etc. I really enjoy getting deep into the characters, both as an author and a reader. Bad head-hopping drives me crazy because I don’t know where to ‘latch on.’

However, I love skillful, expert use of head hopping for humor, character development, and plotting. I agree, though, it can lead to laziness and distancing. But, then again, I love deep third perspective, so that could just be me

Warmly,
Jenny:)