Close Encounters of the Third-Person Kind [Raymond Fleischmann]

Point of view is one of the most complex elements of writing fiction, and third-person POV can be especially nuanced in tone, language, and narrative distance. We’ll study the qualities that comprise so-called “close third-person” POV—POV that has full access to the main character’s thoughts, feelings, and perspective, sometimes to a greater degree than the character him/herself. We’ll read a number of short stories to aid understanding generate new work with several exercises to hone narrative skills.