You decide, and very early in the story you signal to the reader what degree of omniscience you have chosen. You may know every universal and eternal truth you may know what is in the mind of one character but not what is in the mind of another or you may know only what can be externally observed.

As an author you are free to decide how much you know. Notice that since this is a matter of degree, the subdivisions are again only a crude indication of the variations possible. THIRD PERSON Third person, in which the author is telling the story, can be subdivided again according to the degree of knowledge, or omniscience, the author assumes. Third- and second-person stories are 'told' by an author first-person stories, by a character. (She walked out into the harsh sunlight), the second person (You walked out into the harsh sunlight), or the first person (I walked out into the harsh sunlight). This is the simplest and crudest subdivision that must be made in deciding who speaks. Who Speaks? The primary point-of-view decision that you as author must make before you can set down the first sentence of the story is person. With What Limitations? Reliable Narrator (or 'Author') Unreliable Narrator (or 'Author') on any of values listed above 7 5 percent of the selections are new High-quality video- Narrator Characters Complete Identification * > Complete Opposition Temporal, Spatial, Moral, Intellectual, Aesthetic, Physical, Educational, Experiential.how to treat criticism, and the possible pleasures of the rewriting process A new chapter on revision that includes what to look for.Exercises after each chapter geared to helping the student face the situations and problems fiction writers face in each area.Suggestions for discussion that include retrospective questions linking stories back to elements discussed earlier.Chapters analyzing the elements of fiction that include short examples from published and unpublished work and 2 5 whole stories that illustrate narrative craft.Important features in the third edition include: In its third edition, it continues to range from intuitive freewriting to revision, treat the elements of fiction from the writers point of view, and offer solutions to structure, imagery, and style. I riirersityoflowaĪ widely used guide to narrative cnlt, H riling Fiction is an elegant, informal, and practical text/anthology. just as good fiction itself does, goes straight from the idea to the fleshy examples.' - John Leggett. It tells the essentials, the importance of conflict and character and voice, how you must never kiss and tell but rather kiss and show and. It flows with the juice of good humor and good sense. Janet Burroway 'Janet Burroway has written a textbook that, for an old pro or a curious tenderfoot, is a sheer joy to confront. A Guide to Narrative Craft Janet Burroway

A guide to narrative craft