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Writer's picturekerrianne21

What's this POV thing and why am I upset?

Point of view (POV) is essentially who the story is being told by and how close the reader will feel they are experiencing the story. Are they right there, in the head of the main character (protagonist), or are they watching them from a distance? These two examples are called first person (where ‘I’ is used) and third person (he, she, they) POV. Second person is also a possibility, where the reader becomes an active participant in the story, being referred to as ‘you’.




So, now you have sat through my mini lesson, let me kick off at a recent trend that is making me want to hit, kick or smash something. What is it with all the social media reels, that start with text stating: ‘POV, you are a...’? Anyone else with me on this one in thinking this is ridiculous? I don’t want to be told the role being acted out, I’m happy to see this by the actions and dialogue of what has been choreographed. Or not. Either way – don’t tell me POV. It is like a blow fly that will not go away! And who started this crap anyway – it definitely wasn’t a writer, because this is the skill of writing. Not telling your audience up front what you are, but letting your skill of storytelling, allow them to take that journey with you and work it out. When I see: ‘POV: My mother on Christmas Day’ and then comes a two-minute montage of a young woman impersonating an older woman, posing for photographs with various alcoholic beverages, beaming from the kitchen, only to be passed out on the couch at 7pm, well, quite frankly, I want to write a letter of complaint to the Standards Board for ‘Digital Creators’ (DCs). 


Secondly, why are we using POV, when it is simply impersonation? Isn’t it? Impersonating my mother on Christmas Day, would be the correct set-up, not Point of View. I’m pretty sure that most of these reels are going for a parody angle, and impersonation has been around the comedy scene forever: court jesters poked fun at monarchs; and the ancient Egyptians used jokes to comment on society. Does Saturday Night Live start their skits with a text prompt saying POV: Donald Trump thinking impeachment was a fruit festival. No – they don’t! They act it out and we get this message without being smacked over the head in the first place.


My brief research at why content (or digital) creators use this technique (according to trustworthy Google) tells me this is to: ‘put the viewers in their shoes, allowing for a more immersive narrative experience’. Really? Can’t viewers work this out if you simply use a few props and maybe drop the person’s name in the dialogue?


As a writer I engage in social media to learn from others, and to receive communications about upcoming events or experiences that help me to grow. I am encouraged to post updates on my writing journey and to document the trials and tribulations of a pathway to publication. The writing community is extremely supportive of each other, even unpublished writers hoping to one day call themselves a ‘debut author’.  I have to admit, when I first saw the term POV, inserted into short clips and reels, I thought this was a great way to improve people’s capacity for breaking down the language of writing. But, now it seems to be on every single clip in my feed. I guess the only solution is to get off these platforms and go back to being entertained by the words and stories from writers, for readers. Substack is a fantastic way that writers can blend elements of a blog and an email newsletter, in an attempt to grow a following. I read my writer friends Substacks from time to time, but I haven’t actually gone there myself.


Time to put my money where my mouth is. Let’s do this.


And the next time you view a reel or a clip and POV pops up, think of me in the foetal position, willing these videos to die.

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