convergingpov

Converging Points of View

For this exercise you�re going to use one incident or a situation as the center point of the story, and then you�ll go into different character�s heads to tell a story from their point of view. The incident must appear in each character�s story or vignette. The incident need not have the same significance for each character. For some it might get only a background mention. For others, it might be part of the characters� conflicts. All characters must appear in the beginning scene where you introduce the central incident.

For example, the incident I�ll start with is a woman jumps from a third story window. The characters that appear (in addition to the victim) are Amy, Lois, Stuart, and Charlie. Amy and Lois are sipping coffee out of Styrofoam cups a few feet away on the sidewalk. Stuart is walking on his way to work. Charlie is waiting for the bus. I will add any physical or sensory details as needed to set the mood or tone. Once the scene is set, I will move into each character�s head. For instance, I could begin Charlie�s vignette as he gets ready for work, what goes on his mind�conflicts, worries, etc. As he hurries to work, he witnesses the woman plunging to her death. What does he do next? I�ll continue until his story is told. Then I move on to Lois with dialogue from her point of view. Maybe her mind is wandering as she talks to Amy. What is the context of the conversation? Amy�s and Stuart�s vignettes may start at different points as well. All characters are allowed to interact with each other or none of the others may be mentioned in each of the vignettes. It depends on what the point of view character perceives. As you write each vignette, imagine what their voices sound like and use their voices as you write. You should discover different styles of speech to distinguish each. You may not be able to do this in one sitting. Do this exercise in different sittings if you need to. As you do this exercise, let the characters guide you.

Another note: The central situation does not need to be a traumatic incident. It could be humorous or even mundane. Whatever it is, it must appear at the beginning of the story and somewhere in each vignette. Each vignette does not need to end with the situation. Here are some ideas for situations to help you get started. Use one of these or one of your own.
� A bride and groom cut the cake at their reception.
� A waitress drops a tray in a restaurant.
� A house catches fire
� A dog is running loose in a park, a neighborhood, or on the freeway
� A mime performs at an outdoor festival
As always, have fun with it!

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