Once the go-to point of view for novels, the omniscient POV isn’t as popular as it once was, but it’s making a reappearance in modern fiction. Many authors assume omniscient is easier to write because of its broad range—you can jump into any character’s head at a time—but that’s actually what makes it so difficult.
What is Omniscient POV?
The omniscient perspective is the eye-in-the-sky, all knowing perspective that allows the reader to see any character at any time in any location. Even though it’s written using third person pronouns (he, she, they), it’s a shallow perspective. It doesn’t show the characters’ emotions or thoughts at a deep level because, even though the narrator knows what each character feels and thinks, the narrator doesn’t experience those feelings or emotions.
The difference between third person and omniscient POVs can be seen in the difference between listening to an explorer tell about his adventures and listening to a reporter tell about an explorer’s adventures. When using third person, authors live inside the point-of-view character, so they show everything as if they’re experiencing it. When using omniscient, authors observe the characters, so they show everything as if they’ve observed it.
How is Omniscient Different from Head Hopping?
The difference between omniscient and head hopping lies in the details. In the omniscient perspective, each scene shows what the narrator observes, which can include observing characters in different places in the house, city, or state at the same time. Head hopping, however, uses the third person perspective, showing each character’s emotions and thoughts, without including scene breaks to distinguish a POV change.
Why Does the Narrator Matter?
What truly sets third person and omniscient POVs apart is the narrator voice. In third person, each scene is shown from one character’s perspective, and each of those characters has a unique voice. Their upbringing, education, and life experiences determine their vocabulary, tone, and rhythm. Chapters in a male POV will sound different from chapters in a female POV. Scenes in a homeless dropout’s POV will sound different from scenes in a trust fund kid’s POV. In third person, each POV character has a unique voice.
In omniscient POV, there’s one voice—the narrator’s voice. It doesn’t matter if the narrator is describing male or female, young or old, rich or poor. The words and style used by the narrator to show each scene will sound the same. This isn’t a diverse perspective that shows how different races and genders view the same situation. It’s one perspective for all things.
When Would You Use Omniscient POV?
The omniscient perspective works well in stories where the focus is on the big picture and not on individual characters. Romance focuses intensely on the emotions and thoughts of a few specific characters; it’s the perfect genre for third person. Any type of coming-of-age or personal growth drama should consider third (or first) person. Mysteries and suspense—when the reader wants to see and feel exactly what the protagonist and antagonist feel—should stick with third. These all focus on the characters.
Omniscient works well in books that focus more on setting or theme. I don’t mean setting in the sense of the house a character lives in, but the whole setting—time and location. You see these frequently in historical and speculative genres. For theme, look to literary fiction.
For example, consider a novel that shows the lives of fifteen soldiers serving in Operation Desert Storm; the emphasis isn’t specifically on one character but on what this group of characters experienced during the early 2000s in the Middle East (time and location). Omniscient also works well when introducing a cast of characters in a made-up world (location). If a is story less concerned with how a character changes in a book and more interested in how that character observes and experiences forgiveness throughout her life (theme), omniscient can work.
This does not mean you can never use omniscient in a women’s fiction novel and you can never use third person in speculative fiction. These are merely examples of genres that work well with the omniscient POV. I’m seeing it more often now in modern fiction, so understanding its strengths and weaknesses can help you decide if it’s the right POV for you.
If you have questions about omniscient or any points of view, leave a comment or contact me at karin@writenowedits.com.
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For more information on point of view:
First or Third Person Point of View by Karin Beery
Writing Deep Viewpoint by Kathy Tyers
