Thinking about Voice & Point of View in Fiction

May 27, 2026

 

  

May 28, 2026

By Melanie Austin, Freelance Editor

When we talk about voice in fiction, we mean the way a character (or a narrator) speaks, thinks, reacts, and so on. Word choice, sentence structure, dialogue, and interior voice all contribute to the development of voice in fiction.  We know an engaging voice when we encounter one, but creating a voice that draws readers in takes time and effort.

Voice and First-Person Point of View

Some writers suggest using the first-person (I) point of view (POV) to create a strong voice, just as Mark Twain does in his famous 1885 novel, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Let’s take a look at how this works in Twain’s novel. Can you hear Huck’s) voice in the passage below?

“I never seen anybody but lied one time or another, without it was Aunt Polly, or the widow, or maybe Mary. Aunt Polly—Tom’s Aunt Polly, she is—and Mary, and the Widow Douglas is all told about in that book, which is mostly a true book, with some stretchers, as I said before.”

Through his central character, Huck, Twain creates a strong and authentic voice that contributes to the subtle irony and satire that have often eluded readers.

Perfecting Voice Takes Time

In their helpful guide, Self-Editing for Fiction Writers, Renni Browne and Dave King point to the opening passage of Moby Dick as a good example of a strong, authorial voice:

“Call me Ismael. Some years ago—never mind how long precisely—having little or no money in my purse, and nothing particular to interest me on shore, I thought I would sail about a little and see the watery part of the world.”

Noting that it took Melville years and lots of practice to attain this strong voice, Browne and King advise writers to

• take the time to develop their own authentic voices.
• read their writing aloud as they hone their voices.
• remember that characters also need voices that reflect and project their personalities and motives.

Voice and Third-Person Point of View

Of course, a strong voice is just as beneficial to fiction written in the third person.  Some writers suggest using a close narrative style to engage readers’ interest by drawing them into the emotions and thoughts of the character. We see this approach working well in the third-person point of view in the passage below from K.M. Weiland’s Dreamlander:

“Maybe someday,” he said. The good thing about someday was that it was a long way away. And when it rolled around, leaving was a lot easier than staying—for everyone involved.

He crossed the kitchen. “I’ve got to go. I’ll probably be back late. Good luck with Brooke.”

In close narrative style or deep point of view, we don’t need to add a tag like “he thought” to get into the character’s head. We are inside the character’s head. By contrast, omniscient or third-person limited POVwould read something like this:

“Maybe someday,” he said. But someday, he thought, was a long way off and that was good. By the time someday rolled around, it would be a lot easier—for everyone concerned—to leave than to stay.

Voice and Omniscient Point of View

An omniscient narrator can also have a unique voice, as seen in the novels of Jane Austen or Charles Dickens. Today, it’s more common for writers to shift from an omniscient narrator to a close-third narrative style, as Gary Paulsen does in Hatchet:

For a time that he could not understand, Brian could do nothing. Even after his mind began working and he could see what had happened, he could do nothing. It was as if his hands and arms were lead.

Gradually, the narrative voice moves into Brian’s head, so we know what he’s thinking:

    Help. He had to help.

Although I often end up using third-person limited POV, I sometimes begin in first-person until I have a better understanding of my character’s personality and voice. I can always switch to third person in the next draft. After all, nothing’s written in stone until you’re on the last lap.

Are you looking for an editor who can help you fine-tune your use of POV and improve your dialogue? My editing services can be tailored to your specific needs.  For more about my services, see https://seattle-editing.com/services-4/.

 

Location: Port Ludlow, Wa, USA

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