When you are studying your novel, you may or may not realise that the author is presenting a certain point of view. This is not to be confused with the narrator’s point of view, although they can sometimes be the same.
Authors can do this in a number of ways: ✱ A character may provide a voice for the author. ✱ The author may raise themes.
✱ There may be a stark difference between the opening and resolution of the story. When we read a novel, we can only make suggestions about the author’s point of view on diff erent issues based on what we have read (unless, of course, we get to interview the author and ask them ourselves!)
Patrick Ness wrote The Knife of Never Letting Go, a novel about a world where everyone can hear what everyone else is thinking. Watch ‘Interview with Patrick Ness’ at the London Book Fair to hear him explain his point of view when writing this book.
‘Yes! Finally, land!’
‘Yes! Finally, a boat!’
Open and Closed Questions
In Collection 7, you will remember conducting an interview with an inmate. There you asked or answered open and closed questions.
OPEN QUESTIONS CLOSED QUESTIONS 432 FIRE & ICE 2
invite a longer and much broader response from the interviewee. ■ How do you feel about your main character?
invite a shorter and much more specifi c response. ■ Do you know what your next novel will be about?
