What on Earth is This Thing Called Deep POV?

by Linda Glaz (Linda S. Glaz Literary Agency)

I hear it all the time: at conferences, on social media, and from other authors, but what is it? And why should I care?

What happens when you incorporate Deep POV into your novel?

The READER becomes completely immersed in the character’s point of view/voice rather than the author’s voice. So much so the reader will hear, taste, smell, touch, and experience everything the CHARACTER does as much as possible. The AUTHOR as story teller is mostly removed.

Recognizing Deep POV and 4 of the Basics:

• Filter words: he felt, she knew, he thought, she wondered “Say Good-bye to them!”
• Dialogue tags used in place of action beats, physical and emotional can bog down the
  story, especially old tired ones.
• Show vs. Tell, experiencing characters from the head, the heart, innermost feelings by
  showing the actions and feelings of the characters instead of telling … bor—-ing!
• Developing AMAZING characters with three-dimensional backgrounds, get to know
  them!

Well, it sounds good, but how do I do it?

Filter words really stand out as the author telling the story. She felt afraid. Author tells
the reader that she’s feeling something. But how about if we say something like this: “darkness and the smell of stale dirt surrounded her. First a shiver, then a memory of that time when she was ten. Bile raced up her throat as tremors skittered down her spine.”

Do you see how we showed the reader her fear? AND we brought up something from the past that will keep your reader turning pages to find out exactly what happened to her. Using showing instead of telling can be a powerful tool to engage your reader and get him or her into the character’s head.

Now, let’s take a look at dialogue tags. They are another prime example of the author telling us something about the character’s actions. He said. She asked. He barked (heaven help us) or she cooed (seriously?). When you use the generic he said, or she asked, those tags don’t interrupt the story that much. They are expected and we read right over them, but when you get creative with barking, growling, cooing and the like, it pulls the reader out of the read.

Sometimes, just because of laughing at the visual. How about surrounding the dialogue with action or internal thoughts, instead?
1. “I love you,” she cooed.
2. She wrapped her arms around his neck. “I love you.” Her lips, soft and sweet told him
everything he needed to know.

In this second example, we see her behavior. Feel it. Understand it much better than the worn out cooing.

Do you know who your character was? Is? Will be? If you don’t know who your character is, you can’t have him or her living their reality in your setting. In your imaginary world. You must know where they came from and where they’re going, not only where they are at any given moment on the page. They have to be real human beings for your reader to believe you. Before you start your story, create a page of physical traits, personality traits, and a past for each of your characters. Give them reasons to be where they are and why.

Okay, so you’ve had a chance to dabble a bit in Deep POV. Now, find out all you can about it
online (there are hundreds of wonderful sites with great info) and get to work creating a novel that will draw the reader right into the hearts and minds of your characters!

Linda Glaz understands authors because she is one. Speaking about books at conferences, she’s always looking for that next great, best-selling novel. She handles nonfiction and fiction in both the Christian and General markets (clean reads only). She loves suspense, historicals, and romance. No spec or children’s (including no YA), please!