How to Write Third-Person Omniscient Point of View

Want to write like Aldous Huxley, capturing that atmosphere in which the reader skims the pages like God knowing exactly what transpires in each character's mind? Try writing in third-person omniscient (TPO). TPO offers an author the ability to delve into each character's emotions and to transcribe that on the page, increasing opportunity for irony or fully describing a world out of the ordinary.Many stories require a reader to know everything that happens. Though this can be difficult to maintain, it can create a unique story and setting because TPO is not utilized as regularly as First, Third Person Limited and even Second Person.

Things You'll Need

• Time to write
• Full knowledge of your characters and the setting

Instructions

Know the Background of the Story and its Characters

1. The writing process is different for every author, so modify these steps accordingly.

2. Outline your story. Writing TPO is difficult because you must balance so many details, cluing your reader in on the necessities and omitting the details that, though, important to you to write the story, are not important for the reader to know.

3. Delve deeply into your characters' traits. Know what each character thinks and hopes at each section of the story. This may not make it into the story but it gives you the opportunity to know how each character will behave.

4. Start writing.

Write in Third Person Omniscient

1. As the story progresses, utilize this point-of-view but don't obligate yourself to write every detail just because you can. As with any story, detail is important but action is the reason for the story.

2. Though this is TPO, pick at least one main character to follow. Many authors take TPO too far by making every character's point-of-view equally important. Don't do that. Limit some of them to minor characters. You can have a few main characters, but don't overwhelm the reader. Too much info and too much emotion may drown the reader in words so that he/she has no emotional connection to any of the readers -- BACKFIRE.

3. Keep the story moving. Don't dwell on thoughts or perceptions when actions speak louder. TPO is best utilized when presenting different perceptions of the same event or when playing with irony. But as already stated, actions and dialog are not only more interesting but inform the reader better. You could say "John was sad." Or you could say "John wiped a tear from the corner of his eye, sniffed then cleared his throat." Your writing style may use more sentences like the first example. But don't over do it. That blunt style can quickly become boring unless your story is so compelling the reader doesn't notice.

4. Edit. Edit. Edit. Go back and read everything and cut any thoughts from characters that are not essential. This is the problem with TPO. More often than not, when you edit, you realize the story would flow better with third person limited omniscience. You may have just devoted a year to writing TPO. But face it, if the story is better in a different point-of-view, make the change. You'll be happy you did.

Tips & Warnings

• Make sure TPO is the best point-of-view for your story before writing. That's why you should outline the plot first. Make sure the reader needs more than one character's thoughts and point-of-view. If not, don't waste your time. No editor or publisher is going to toss you book in the trash just because it's third person limited omniscient. An editor may however, toss your manuscript in the trash immediately once they notice it's TPO. So make sure it's good. Be honest with yourself.