: Re: How important is it for multiple POVs to run chronologically? The way I am currently designing a story with three distinct POVs. An issue I am running into, however, is that one of these has

@LarsenBagley300

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I believe the importance of chronological POVs is directly related to the tension of the story.

My first attempt at a thriller required me to have everything in strict chronological order because there were three different characters/heroes (and POVs) working on three different levels of the story. The success of the heroes as a whole depended on each independent character being successful within a set time frame.

Jumping from one POV to the next created the effect of ticking clock and constantly left the reader wondering if they'd be able to do what they had to do despite the different set backs they were experiencing.

So, respecting the chronology added to the tension.

However, at the same time, I was reading a thriller that required the opposite approach. The tension was added by the fact one didn't know what the other character was doing. So you had a single POV as much in the dark as the reader and simply hoping someone else would show up at the right time. Being in the dark alongside the character added to the tension. When we finally got to the point of 'this is it - will someone show up or am I dead?' we went back to the second character and followed their fight against time. We already knew the first MC was waiting and would die if the second failed. All we needed to find out was if the second MC would make it there.

So, look at your story and see which approach will heighten the tension.

I see no problem with having an MC's POV occupy most of the first half of a book, then to change to another for a few chapters and end on a third POV for a few other chapters. It isn't the quantity of chapters within a certain POV that matters, but whether those POVs help the story progress and add to the tension and climax.

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