Well, Art is Art, Isn't It?

Well, Art is Art, isn't it? Still, on the other hand, water is water. And east is east and west is west and if you take cranberries and stew them like applesauce they taste much more like prunes than rhubarb does. Now you tell me what you know.
Groucho Marx


I happened across a post at one of the blogs I regularly visit -Brazen Broads, and I've been thinking on it over the week.  The Broads welcomed a guest who defied the 'status-quo' within the romance genre.  She employed Dynamic Point Of View in her novel. 

What is dynamic point of view, you ask?  Simply, it is the inclusion of more than one point of view in a scene and/or the inclusion of more than only the hero and heroine's point of view within a novel.  I've heard it referred to as 'head hopping', but that just reminds me of a gang of bawdy sailors stopping in at various business establishments along their given path to ease the pain of too many beers at the last bar they invaded.  Maybe I know too many sailors.....but I digress....

As an avid reader whose tastes encompass many genres, I find it odd that romance is the only genre that holds to this restrictive standard.  This is especially disappointing as characters in love - and with misunderstandings abounding - are an ideal playground to employ the dynamic point of view.  I want to know what/how the hero is thinking and experiencing as well as the heroine.  And I certainly wouldn't mind getting into the mind of the villain, the butler, the love interest's rival, the protective father, or the scheming aunt.

Think of an empty room.  Now imagine that a designer fills that room with white flooring, white furniture, white window dressings, and white knickknacks.  Would there be some who thought that this room was stunning?  Of course!  But not many.  Most of us would probably say that the room lacked character or was too plain.  So, maybe the designer adds a splash of color with some blue throw pillows and a singular blue vase.  Now, even more would find the room to be appealing.  But we could certainly go on.

I think the written scene should be seen as the room.  Some people like minimalism.  So they are the ones who would like only one point of view in my analogy.  Others like a bit more, and they would like the room with just a splash of added color.  Still others, want a more layered effect, being thrilled with various shades of color mixed with contrasting textures.  Bulky, woven, natural fibers beside sleek, richly hued silks.  Chocolate faux fur atop a creamy, marble tiled floor.  These are the readers who would welcome and enjoy multiple points of view and remain comfortable transitioning from one to another seamlessly within a scene or story.  They like the rough feel of the hemp area rug underneath their feet while reclining on chenille throws atop a leather sofa. (That was a prepositional marathon...Whew!)


Now, would we dare to say that any of these room designs were wrong?  Not likely.  Because we understand that different people have different tastes.  We may prefer one over another...(we all have an ideal of beautiful, well-designed spaces)...but we accept that variety is the spice of life, no?  It's like that with books.  My favorite may be your flop, and vise-versa.  So why does the romance industry demand that we all be minimalists?

Absolutely, there are design faux-paux.  We've all seen a room that looks like a junkyard.  I don't believe anyone would say that was well designed (actually, we would argue that there was no design at all!), and that is true within the art of writing as well.  If no one can figure out who is doing the thinking or the talking or the scheming, then we have a problem.  But dynamic point of view can be done well.  It has been done well for many years by many authors - authors both outside the romance genre, and respected authors within it, too.

Progress on the Writing Front

Claiming The Prize is in the hands of my critique partner and beta readers!  I most readily heave a sigh of relief at having completed the typing and first read through.  Now, I wait.....Did I ever mention that I believe that waiting should be done by others?...(and what I mean by others is anyone but me)

Last night, I re-read the first half of Her Dark Baron, and resumed writing that juicy little tidbit.  I should have some goals drawn up for Sunday's post.  I must set a completion deadline. (Cracks the whip)

I continue to read my novel, Pilate's Wife, which grows more delicious by the page. 

That's about all I have to say....(it was more than enough I'd say)...for today, anyway.  Hope everyone at A Round Of Words in 80 Days check-in is having a knock-up week.  ~ Nadja