Narrative Viewpoint Quotes

Readers tell me that my novels are filled with significant mothers. Do I realize this? Do I do it on purpose? The truth is, I don't. I think of myself as a writer of family stories. I write more often than not from a male point of view, and I usually begin by focusing on siblings, spouses, even fathers, before I think about the mothers.

You could tell 'The Handmaid's Tale' from a male point of view. People have mistakenly felt that the women are oppressed, but power tends to organise itself in a pyramid. I could pick a male narrator from somewhere in that pyramid. It would interesting.

When you're writing first person, all I can see and tell as the author is what that main character can see.

There's nothing wrong with a male's point of view, obviously, but it's just a different way of telling a story.

'The Princess and the Warrior' is looking at the same things as 'Lola' - just from a different angle.

I don't think writing fiction has changed my worldview.

The way I look at stories is often from far outside, like a god's point of view, and also very, very subjective.

With 'If I Stay,' I want you to feel that the whole story is being told from a larger, spiritual point of view. So the beginning is very theatrical.

To me, point of view is everything.