Tag Archives: crime fiction

by Alexandria | 2 November 2018 · 11:52 am

Multiple Points of View

Don’t confuse Point of View w/ things that have nothing to do with POV: writing in past or present tense, using flashbacks or foreshadowing, good character development or realistic dialogue. None of those is POV & POV is not concerned w/ those separate writing issues #WritingTips pic.twitter.com/XlheSGvV9c

— Alexandria Constantinova Szeman, Ph.D. (@Alexandria_SZ) November 2, 2018

Don’t confuse literary Point of View with people expressing different opinions in real life. In writing, different characters’ views of the same events is Perspective, not POV. Point of View is HOW something is written, and there are very few POVs in writing. #WritingTips

— Alexandria Constantinova Szeman, Ph.D. (@Alexandria_SZ) November 2, 2018

Don’t confuse POV with how emotionally connected (or distant) your readers feel to your characters. If you have character development, your readers will get attached to your characters no matter what POV you’ve written the book in, as evidenced by many classics. #WritingTips

— Alexandria Constantinova Szeman, Ph.D. (@Alexandria_SZ) November 2, 2018

Unlimited POV, in grammatical 3rd person (he, she, it, they). Sometimes called “God” or omniscient POV. No limits to the information the author provides to readers, including ALL characters’ thoughts, motivations, feelings, pasts, & moral judgment. Can be ambiguous. #WritingTips

— Alexandria Constantinova Szeman, Ph.D. (@Alexandria_SZ) November 2, 2018

First Person POV, in grammatical 1st person (I, we). The only POV with a narrator. Everything in the story is LIMITED to what the narrator thinks, feels, etc and what s/he can observe about other characters’ actions/behavior. Narrators can be reliable or unreliable. #WritingTips

— Alexandria Constantinova Szeman, Ph.D. (@Alexandria_SZ) November 2, 2018

Inner Limited POV, in grammatical 3rd person (he, she, it, they). LIMITED to the INNER life (thoughts, feelings, motivations) of ONE character (or 1 character at a time, different sections). Similar to First Person POV limitations but creates more emotional distance. #WritingTips

— Alexandria Constantinova Szeman, Ph.D. (@Alexandria_SZ) November 2, 2018

Second Person POV, in grammatical 2nd person (you), directly addresses a “you” but NOT in dialogue. The default audience for “you” is the reading audience, and it is always up to the author to make it clear who is being directly addressed if it is NOT the readers. #WritingTips

— Alexandria Constantinova Szeman, Ph.D. (@Alexandria_SZ) November 2, 2018

Outer Limited Point of View, written in the grammatical 3rd person (he, she, it, they), is LIMITED to the OUTER life of ALL the characters in the story. Sometimes called the “camera” or “fly on the wall” POV. The most challenging POV for any author to master. #WritingTips

— Alexandria Constantinova Szeman, Ph.D. (@Alexandria_SZ) November 2, 2018

Outer Limited POV only reveals the external, observable behaviors of ALL the characters in the work. NO thoughts, feelings, motivations, or memories are revealed to readers unless they are expressed in dialogue, letters, etc to other characters at the same time. #WritingTips

— Alexandria Constantinova Szeman, Ph.D. (@Alexandria_SZ) November 2, 2018

To write in Multiple Points of View, you must know the difference between Perspective and Point of View in literature and writing. Point of View is HOW something is written. Perspective gives different views or versions of the events in story. Perspective is not POV #WritingTips

— Alexandria Constantinova Szeman, Ph.D. (@Alexandria_SZ) November 2, 2018

If you have 3 different characters telling their version of the story, each in a different section, each operating as a narrator, i.e., in First Person POV (written in grammatical 1st person: I, we), you have ONE POV in book, but 3 different Perspectives of events. #WritingTips

— Alexandria Constantinova Szeman, Ph.D. (@Alexandria_SZ) November 2, 2018

Epistolary novels, in which all characters communicate through letters, present the story through several characters’ letters to each other, each writing in First Person POV, with each letter writer as narrator while reader is reading his/her letter. That is ONE POV #WritingTips

— Alexandria Constantinova Szeman, Ph.D. (@Alexandria_SZ) November 2, 2018

If your narrator finds a diary of some ancient relative and reads the story of the diary writer’s life, in which the diary writer is the narrator of that life, both sections are written in First Person POV. It is not Multiple POVs. #WritingTips

— Alexandria Constantinova Szeman, Ph.D. (@Alexandria_SZ) November 2, 2018

To write in Multiple POVs, you must change HOW the work is written. You must use more than one POV (e.g., First Person and Inner Limited, First Person and Second Person, First Person and Unlimited, First Person and Second Person and Unlimited, etc). #WritingTips

— Alexandria Constantinova Szeman, Ph.D. (@Alexandria_SZ) November 2, 2018

If you choose to write in Multiple Points of View, you must have a good reason for it, & each different POV must be successfully written or your readers will think you don’t know what you’re doing. Readers are very sophisticated: they know when you make mistakes #WritingTips

— Alexandria Constantinova Szeman, Ph.D. (@Alexandria_SZ) November 2, 2018

To successfully write in Multiple POVs, you should first read books that successfully use Multiple POVs. Faulkner’s The Sound and the Fury, for instance, has 3 First Person POV sections followed by a section in Unlimited POV = multiple Perspectives AND Multiple POVs #WritingTips

— Alexandria Constantinova Szeman, Ph.D. (@Alexandria_SZ) November 2, 2018

Henry Fielding’s Tom Jones has Multiple POVs. 90% of the book is Unlimited POV, where the author tells readers everything about every character. Fielding “interrupts” story frequently with First Person POV (I = Fielding as author) & Second Person POV (you = readers) #WritingTips

— Alexandria Constantinova Szeman, Ph.D. (@Alexandria_SZ) November 2, 2018

Crime fiction often has Multiple POVs. Inner Limited POV (he, she, it, they) is LIMITED to INNER life of 1 character, creating emotional distance. Crime writers use this POV for victims or killers or both, and use Unlimited POV or First Person POV for protagonist(s). #WritingTips

— Alexandria Constantinova Szeman, Ph.D. (@Alexandria_SZ) November 2, 2018

Tammy Hoag very skillfully uses Inner Limited POV for criminals/killers and for their victims, each in a separate chapter so readers do not get confused, and Unlimited POV for the crime fighters and investigators in Ashes to Ashes. #WritingTips

— Alexandria Constantinova Szeman, Ph.D. (@Alexandria_SZ) November 2, 2018

Crime writer Anne Frasier does the unexpected in her novel Play Dead, using Inner Limited POV for crime fighters (not First Person POV), anyone related to crime fights, & victims. She uses First Person POV for a serial killer, making that Perspective more “intimate.”#WritingTips

— Alexandria Constantinova Szeman, Ph.D. (@Alexandria_SZ) November 2, 2018

Despite the myth of “you can’t use more than one POV in a book,” Multiple POVs have been successfully used by many authors in many genres since fiction writing began. You can write in as many POVs as you wish in the same work, as long as you make all clear to readers #WritingTips

— Alexandria Constantinova Szeman, Ph.D. (@Alexandria_SZ) November 2, 2018

Successful books in Multiple POVs:
Stephen King, Gerald’s Game = Unlimited & First Person
Anne Rice, Queen of the Damned = Unlimited & First Person
Susan Krinard, Once A Wolf = Unlimited & Second Person
Stephanie Meyer, Twilight Saga = First Person & Second Person#WritingTips

— Alexandria Constantinova Szeman, Ph.D. (@Alexandria_SZ) November 2, 2018

Successful books in Multiple POVs:
Michael Crichton, Disclosure = Unlimited & First
JRR Tolkien, The Hobbit = Unlimited & First & Second
Virginia Woolf, The Waves = Unlimited & First
Herman Melville, Moby-Dick = Unlimited & First & Second#WritingTips

— Alexandria Constantinova Szeman, Ph.D. (@Alexandria_SZ) November 2, 2018

Remember that if you are using more than one POV, you must make it clear to your readers what you are doing and WHY you are doing it. Separate sections with different POVs or otherwise make it very clear to readers that you are changing POV.#WritingTips

— Alexandria Constantinova Szeman, Ph.D. (@Alexandria_SZ) November 2, 2018

Lapsing from chosen POV = author unintentionally makes mistake. Hemingway, who often wrote in Outer Limited (he called it “fly on the wall”) occasionally lapses e.g., writing “He saw the train” since that POV cannot reveal what characters see, only what they say/do. #WritingTips

— Alexandria Constantinova Szeman, Ph.D. (@Alexandria_SZ) November 2, 2018

Patricia Cornwell often lapses from First Person POV in the Kay Scarpetta novels: whenever Cornwell as the author tells readers something that ALL the characters already know, e.g., the meaning of VICAP, she lapses from her chosen POV. #WritingTips

— Alexandria Constantinova Szeman, Ph.D. (@Alexandria_SZ) November 2, 2018

If you use Multiple POVs, readers must feel that the work is enriched by these different POVs. They should not be confused and wonder what on earth you are doing. They may wonder why you changed POVs, but, if it’s well written, they should be able to figure out WHY. #WritingTips

— Alexandria Constantinova Szeman, Ph.D. (@Alexandria_SZ) November 2, 2018

Multiple Points of View:
• does not = multiple Perspectives
• does not = multiple First Person POV sections
• must change literary POV, First Person to Second, Unlimited to First, etc
• must enhance work
• clear to readers
• intentional POV change & not a lapse#WritingTips

— Alexandria Constantinova Szeman, Ph.D. (@Alexandria_SZ) November 2, 2018

An author CHOOSES which Point of View s/he wishes to write in. Only Unlimited POV has NO limitations to the information an author provides to readers. All other POVs are limited in some way. By choosing a POV other than Unlimited, an author agrees to its limitations. #WritngTips

— Alexandria Constantinova Szeman, Ph.D. (@Alexandria_SZ) November 2, 2018

All writing has POV, no matter the type — poetry, fiction, nonfiction — or genre within each type — fantasy, science fiction, literary, romance, action/adventure, etc — and you should be aware of POV itself AND of most common POV in the type/genre you’re writing. #WritingTips

— Alexandria Constantinova Szeman, Ph.D. (@Alexandria_SZ) November 2, 2018

Although all types and genres of writing are done in all the various POVs, some POVs show up more regularly in certain genres, e.g., Unlimited in historical fiction or science fiction since the author must give readers more information the characters already know. #WritingTips

— Alexandria Constantinova Szeman, Ph.D. (@Alexandria_SZ) November 2, 2018

If you choose to write your work in a POV that is not expected in that type/genre, your readers will be automatically “on guard” because you have gone against their expectations: you must be doubly sure that your chosen POV is done carefully AND successfully. #WritingTips

— Alexandria Constantinova Szeman, Ph.D. (@Alexandria_SZ) November 2, 2018

Any time you write in Multiple POVs, you are challenging your readers to both read the story AND to notice HOW the story is written. Multiple POVs challenge readers: it forces them to be more conscious of its artistry. They can’t skim or watch TV while reading.#WritingTips

— Alexandria Constantinova Szeman, Ph.D. (@Alexandria_SZ) November 2, 2018

If you write in Multiple POVs, readers are forced to be more conscious of HOW you are writing the story. Conscious readers are more “critical” readers: if you lapse from your POV, they’ll know it. If you confuse readers, they’ll be annoyed & leave bad reviews. #WritingTips

— Alexandria Constantinova Szeman, Ph.D. (@Alexandria_SZ) November 2, 2018

If you want to write a work in Multiple POVs, make sure you have mastered each individual POV before attempting to combine them. Some POVs are naturally easier than others (Unlimited, First Person, Second Person) and some are dreadfully challenging (Outer Limited). #WritingTips

— Alexandria Constantinova Szeman, Ph.D. (@Alexandria_SZ) November 2, 2018

If you want to write in Multiple POVs, you need to be hyperconscious of the LIMITATIONS of each individual POV since all POVs are LIMITED in some way except for Unlimited POV, hence its name. #WritingTips

— Alexandria Constantinova Szeman, Ph.D. (@Alexandria_SZ) November 2, 2018

Never assume you know more about POV than your readers: there are many writers, authors, critics, literature majors & professors who read books in many genres & these people know POV. If you use Multiple POVs, they’ll certainly know what you’re doing right AND wrong. #WritingTips

— Alexandria Constantinova Szeman, Ph.D. (@Alexandria_SZ) November 2, 2018

Remember, an author voluntarily & consciously chooses the Point of View s/he wishes to write in. If you don’t want any limitations to the information you present to readers, use Unlimited POV. Don’t @ me & say “I want to write Unlimited POV w/ a 3rd person narrator” #WritingTips pic.twitter.com/CcENkU4q4I

— Alexandria Constantinova Szeman, Ph.D. (@Alexandria_SZ) November 2, 2018

Want no limits whatsoever to the information you present to your readers, including all characters’ thoughts, feelings, motivations, as well as your own moral judgments on all your characters? Then you want Unlimited Point of View. https://t.co/3kO8aslkUb

— Alexandria Constantinova Szeman, Ph.D. (@Alexandria_SZ) November 2, 2018

Want a narrator to tell the story? You want First Person Point of View, which limits all the information in the story to narrator’s internal life (thoughts, feelings, etc) and to what the narrator can observe of other characters’ actions. #WritingTips https://t.co/pPSstrcf6r …

— Alexandria Constantinova Szeman, Ph.D. (@Alexandria_SZ) November 2, 2018

Want to limit the story to the inner life of one character (or one character at a time, in different sections)? Want more emotional distance between readers and character than First Person POV provides? You want Inner Limited POV. #WritingTips https://t.co/Hl9IKxDP5u

— Alexandria Constantinova Szeman, Ph.D. (@Alexandria_SZ) November 2, 2018

Want to address the readers (or someone else who is external to the story) directly, or want the narrator to address someone (in or out of the story) directly and NOT in dialogue? Then you want Second Person POV, even if it’s only temporarily. #WritingTips https://t.co/2Ye2xVURlF

— Alexandria Constantinova Szeman, Ph.D. (@Alexandria_SZ) November 2, 2018

Want to pretend you’re behind a camera filming your characters without VoiceOver, never showing any of their inner lives, and limiting everything to what can be observed or heard? You want Outer Limited POV, the most challenging POV.#WritingTips https://t.co/56E7PLOFUG

— Alexandria Constantinova Szeman, Ph.D. (@Alexandria_SZ) November 2, 2018

Want to grow artistically or use other POVs in order to get over writer’s block or determine which POV would best suit your work? You want to try multiple POVs, making sure you master each individual POV before you try combining them. Good luck and Happy Writing! #WritingTips

— Alexandria Constantinova Szeman, Ph.D. (@Alexandria_SZ) November 2, 2018

The Sweet Smell of Murder: The Noir Film Classic, Double Indemnity

#NoSpoilers

In 1925, Ruth Brown Snyder, of Queens NY, who was having an affair with a married salesman, Henry Gray, decided to kill her husband. With the assistance of an insurance agent, who was later fired and imprisoned for forgery, Snyder purchased an insurance policy in her husband’s name, a policy that paid extra — double indemnity — if her husband died in an act of “unexpected violence.” Snyder then attempted to kill her husband at least seven times, finally succeeding with her lover Henry Gray’s assistance, and subsequently staging the murder as a robbery gone bad.

Snyder’s inconsistent stories about the robbery-murder, along with the police discovery of the stolen items hidden in the house, caused detectives to investigate Snyder more thoroughly. When police located her lover, Gray, he confessed in great detail. Snyder was found guilty and imprisoned. In 1928, she became the first woman executed at Sing Sing since 1899. Tom Howard’s dramatic photograph of Snyder in the electric chair mid-execution was printed on the front page of the New York Daily News the next day.

Ruth Brown Snyder, photographed mid-execution by Tom Howard, © New York Daily News

Many celebrities and reporters covered Snyder’s trial, including crime reporter James M. Cain, who subsequently based two of his novels on Snyder’s story: The Postman Always Rings Twice, about a woman who murders her husband with the help of her ex-con lover; and Double Indemnity, which more closely follows Snyder’s story.

The novel is a crime fiction classic, and the 1944 film of the same name, co-written by director Billy Wilder and crime fiction author Raymond Chandler, has since become one of the defining classics of Noir Film, with all the genre’s requisite essentials: a morally dubious male protagonist, Voice-Over narration limiting the audience’s perspective to the male’s version of the tale, and the dangerously duplicitous but always beautiful and sexually alluring femme fatale.

Fred MacMurray as Walter Neff, Double Indemnity © Paramount

Double Indemnity opens with a gun-shot insurance salesman, Walter (Fred MacMurray), sneaking into his company offices at night to record a Dictaphone message for a colleague, Keyes, a brilliant claims adjuster noted for ferreting out insurance fraud. Walter’s confession becomes the characteristic Voice-Over for the remainder of the film.

Fred MacMurray as Walter, and Barbara Stanwyck as Phyllis, Double Indemnity © Paramount

Wise-cracking, womanizing Walter relates his initial contact with Phyllis (Barbara Stanwyck), with whom he flirts outrageously though she’s already married and, furthermore, seems to be seriously offended by his behavior. Phyllis is not only physically striking: she’s a damsel in distress. Lonely and anxious, she’s worried about her husband’s dangerous job but helpless to protect him. When she discusses accident insurance, Walter becomes wary, but it’s too late: he’s already obsessed with the “dame.”

With Phyllis’ ostensibly reluctant help, Walter sets in motion a murderous plan to get the girl of his dreams and a huge pile of money from his own insurance company. To really reap the financial benefits, however, the husband’s “accident” needs to trigger the policy’s “double indemnity” clause, a provision for payment of double the face amount of the policy, payable only under certain specific and statistically rare conditions.

Walter’s colleague, Insurance Investigator Keyes (Edward G. Robinson, playing against type as an honest man instead of as a criminal or gangster) is immediately suspicious about the husband’s accident. Keyes intentionally stalls payment on the insurance policy to aggravate Phyllis, complicating Walter’s relationship with her.

Further, the victim’s daughter Lola (Jean Heather) knows some secret about Phyllis’ past that makes Lola also suspect foul-play was involved in her father’s death. While simultaneously side-stepping his colleague’s ongoing fraud investigation, Walter spends more time with Lola to keep her from going to the police with her suspicions. Though still sexually involved with Phyllis, Walter begins to have feelings for Lola. When she tells him that she thinks her stepmother Phyllis is involved with Lola’s own boyfriend Nino, Walter’s guilt about the murder and his burgeoning fear of Phyllis make him anxious for his own life.

With snappy dialogue and great acting, Double Indemnity is a “moody, pessimistic crime story with strong overtones of spiritual bankruptcy and moral cynicism” and is considered both a model and an archetype of the Noir Film genre.

Filmed in black-and-white, and

[b]rilliantly photographed by John F. Seitz, Double Indemnity’s use of ‘Venetian Blind’ lighting (creating a jail bars effect that foreshadows the likely, if not actual, fate of its protagonists) was to go on become a staple of the film noir look.

Nominated for seven Academy Awards, regarded as a “template” for Noir films, and considered by most critics and archivists to be one of the best American films of all time, Double Indemnity is available for rent for $2.99/3.99 SD/HD) from Amazon, iTunes, YouTube, GooglePlay, and Vudu.

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