In the third episode in the Point season of Elements, I talk to Cassie Hart about point of view and what it is to write it. We use as starting point for this discussion Cassie’s new novel, Butcherbird. Here’s a link to more information about Butcherbird

Again, I am still working out what I mean by this. I’m interested in the vantage point that we tell our work from. I’ve always called this ‘Point of View’ but I’m slowly wondering about how this term privileges sight. So, in this season I’m interested in ways of breaking this idea a little but to see if I can get at something interesting.

• 

• 

Some of the things we talk about are:

Here’s a link to Cassie’s website which includes information about all of Cassie’s work

Exercise:

Cassie and I talk about using existing structures. Maybe you could think of a ‘type’ of story – a romance, a whodunit, a first contact novel. Now spend 30 seconds writing everything about that type of story that you know. Now take another type of story and write it in using your list. So, you might end up writing a romance using the rules of a murder mystery, or a first contact novel as a noire detective story.

Here’s a link to Pip’s article ‘The story of a take-down’

Thank you Copyright Licensing New Zealand for funding the Elements series.

Better off Read is available on iTunes and Spotify and most podcasting apps.

Better off Read is also available on PodBean where you can subscribe by clicking here

Or listen to it here: