Exceptions on starting the novel with main POV?
Asked by Ben Ransom on February 23, 2020
Jerry,
My fiction novel starts with my main character's predecessor on his death bed. This man's death will hint at the terrible trouble my POV will inherit when he fills the role. It also sets up some major promises to be paid off. I clearly state my POV's name in chapter one so the reader doesn't feel surprised or fooled when chapter 2 starts in his POV. (Note: the main POV doesn't know he is the successor so I can't really put these two in this scene together).
I know you teach us to start with the main POV, and I'm not sure if what I've done violates that rule. This scene could fit into a prologue but I know prologues are not very popular these days.
What are your thoughts on beginning this way?
Thanks for your guidance,
-Ben in Chicago
Jerry's Answer
Hey, Ben. Welcome!
I think I'd start with your main character, if only in a one paragragh bookend that establishes where he is or what he's up to when this deathbed scene is going on. Of course you want to avoid the cliche POV violation of "Little did he know..." but perhaps he's in the middle of planning something for his own future when you add extra space between paragraphs and a typographical dingbat like ### and do the deathbed scene. Then at the end of that scene you can finish the chapter by switching back to your MC briefly, just to move us seamlessly into the next chapter.
Be careful not to refer to your novel as a fiction novel when pitching it. Fiction is what a novel is. :)