Critter Point Of View

The video clips posted below were filmed using a critter cam that had been attached to an animal or insect. Watch one of the videos and write a story from the point of view of an animal.

Writing from the POV of an animal has helped some author's create fantastic works of fiction. Watership Down by Richard Adams and Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White are two examples of books written from an animal's point of view.

Consider the following when choosing your point of view:

First Person. “Unites narrator and reader through a series of secrets” when they enter one character’s perceptions. However, it can “lead to telling” and limits readers connections to other characters in the short story.

Second Person. “Puts readers within the actual scene so that readers confront possibilities directly.” However, it is important to place your characters “in a tangible environment” so you don’t “omit the details readers need for clarity.”

Third Person Omniscient. Allows you to explore all of the characters’ thoughts and motivations. Transitions are extremely important as you move from character to character.

Third Person Limited. “Offers the intimacy of one character’s perceptions.” However, the writer must “deal with character absence from particular scenes.”