When you’re writing an epic fantasy novel with more than one point of view, the temptation to hand the mic to every character you love is real. Trust me—I’ve been there.
But if you’re not careful, too many POVs can turn your story from a page-turner into a tangled mess. Readers start to lose track of who’s who, the pacing falters, and the stakes get muddy. In my upcoming Final Book in the Legion of Pneumos series—my biggest multi-POV novel yet—I had to be ruthless about who got a voice and why.
Over the years and books in this series, I’ve learned a few principles for deciding which characters truly deserve their own POV chapters.
1. Do they have unanswered questions central to the main conflict?
Sometimes, a character holds a mystery only they can answer. Their journey is so intertwined with the overarching plot that keeping their perspective locked away would rob the story of its tension.
In the Legion of Pneumos universe, Keira and Danny are perfect examples. Keira’s search for truth has driven this entire series, and Danny’s history is inextricably tied to the nature of the Legion itself. Without stepping into their heads, the reader wouldn’t have the full picture—or the emotional weight—of what’s at stake.
2. Do their personal stakes tie directly into the overarching stakes?
A character’s POV should never exist in isolation. Their fate must matter to the central conflict—otherwise, their chapters risk feeling like detours.
Take Raina. She’s not just dealing with her own ambitions and challenges; her choices reverberate through the main storyline. If she fails, the ripple effect could alter the outcome for everyone. That’s the kind of POV that earns its place.
3. Can their POV create tension or reveal key information at the right moment?
Sometimes, a character’s greatest value to the narrative isn’t about what they do—it’s about what they see. Their position in the story allows them to witness, uncover, or experience events that the other POVs can’t.
In my world, Basha is one of these characters. If you’ve read The Remnant, you know she believes Keira killed her sister. That belief makes her a perfect source of narrative friction—especially when she and Keira are working toward the same end from opposite sides of the cultural divide.
4. Without their POV, would the emotional payoff fall flat?
This is the “gut check” question: When the story reaches its climax, will the reader need to hear from this character directly for the emotional impact to land? If the answer is yes, then that POV isn’t optional—it’s essential.
That’s Neval’s slot. His redemption arc—and the reckoning it requires—needs to be told from inside his head to land with the weight it deserves.
Pitfalls of Multi-POV and How to Avoid Them
Writing five (or more) POVs is like spinning plates—drop one, and the whole rhythm wobbles. Here are the traps I watch out for:
- Head-Hopping Chaos: Stick to one POV per scene or chapter. Readers need clear boundaries.
- The “Pet Character” Problem: Just because you love writing them doesn’t mean they deserve a POV. Ask: Does this chapter serve the main plot?
- Info-Dumping Disguised as POV: A perspective should be lived-in, not a lecture.
- Uneven Pacing: If one POV feels like a breather every time it appears, readers might start skipping it.
The POV Balancing Act
The trick with multiple perspectives is weaving them together so each chapter feels like a reaction to the last—pushing the story forward while deepening the reader’s investment in the characters. When done well, the hand-off from one POV to another feels less like a baton drop and more like a braid tightening with each twist.
It’s a challenge, but it’s one of the things I love most about writing epic fantasy. Because when all those voices come together—when every thread you’ve been spinning across hundreds of pages finally knots into something whole—the result is nothing short of magic.
Next time, I’ll be pulling back the curtain on how I shape individual character arcs using wounds, secrets, and limiting beliefs—the emotional core that transforms a POV from “interesting” to “unforgettable.”
