Monday 1 April 2013

Welcome to My Guest Author: Carla Caruso

Today I welcome Author  Carla Caruso to my blog!  

Carla is giving away an Amazon Kindle copy of Second Chance to one lucky commenter!  So over to Carla...
 
First vs. third-person POV
I recently made the switch from writing in the point of view (POV) of first-person to third-person. It was difficult for me to do as first-person is something I have written in since a teen when merely dreaming about being a novelist! The last time I did something that even looked like third-person was way back in primary school.

A lot of my favourite chick-lit authors (hello Sophie Kinsella) also write in first-person, so it’s something my brain is used to seeing.
However, first-person seems to be something that is going slightly out of favour as happens with book trends (unless you’re E.L. James or Stephenie Meyer, of course). And the term, chick-lit, is definitely so last century, seeming to have a nineties/Bridget Jones whiff about it…

Some of my other fave authors, like Maggie Alderson and Zoe Foster, have also recently gone to the other side too, now writing in third-person. So I thought it was high time I gave it a go, seeing it seems to be what readers prefer.
At first, I found it really, really difficult to make the switch. Everything I typed came out sounding clunky and I had to revise each scene half a million times. It felt extremely tough to get inside a character’s head without being able to write their every thought and reaction.

I wrote that first manuscript in third-person – it sucked – and then I attempted a second. Suddenly, something clicked. I actually began to ENJOY writing from this new perspective – so long as it was deep POV, and thus, not far a stretch from first-person. Plus, I now relished also being able to write from the viewpoint of the hero.
Being a chick-lit devotee, I’ve always been inclined to keep Mr Silent Brooding Type more mysterious rather than getting inside his head. But now I’m loving being able to go between scenes in the eyes of the heroine and her love interest.

In another change, I also swapped from present tense to past. Whew!...
So, now what the fun is going to be? It’s seeing whether I can swap back to writing in first-person and present tense for a sequel to Cityglitter (another book of mine), so that it looks consistent. Wish me luck! I’ll need it.

Hugs,
Carla

Bio: Carla Caruso



Carla Caruso was born in Adelaide, grew up amid a boisterous extended Italian family – yet somehow managed to become a bookworm...
Carla always wanted to be a novelist, annoying the kindergarten teachers by dictating long, detailed stories to them. It just took her a while to realise her childhood dream - journalism seemed a more practical course. Her media career has included stints as a newspaper and magazine journalist, government PR and fashion stylist. These days, she works as a freelance journalist and copywriter. She began seriously writing fiction three years ago when she went freelance full-time.
The romance genre appeals as she is a sucker for rom-coms (especially if Channing Tatum is in the mix) and likes to think her Italian ancestry means she lives with passion. Hobbies include watching trashy TV shows, fashion (her mum named her after Carla Zampatti!), astrology and running. She lives in Adelaide.
Carla Around The Web:
 
Blurb: Second Chance

On the night of her 36th birthday, Flora Brunelli is full of regrets. The celebrations have turned sour 
and life hasn’t gone according to plan. Then she finds herself zapped back in time, landing in the summer of 1998 when she was 20 years old. The Spice Girls are at the top of the charts and The X-Files is the hit TV show. It’s also the week Flora’s life unravelled.

For Flora, this is a chance to change her future: win back the love of her life, stay friends with her former best mate and succeed in landing her dream job. It should be easy. But her ex’s best friend, Lance Devic, who she never really noticed before, keeps popping up and messing with her head. And after a while Flora begins to wonder if living in the past really will deliver her the happiness she seeks?

14 comments:

  1. Hi Carla,
    That's so interesting. I've never tried to write in first person so have never thought about making the transition between the two. Personally, I love writing from the hero's POV and really trying to get inside a man's head. Not easy :-)
    All the best with Second Chance!
    Thanks for having Carla on your blog, Serena.

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  2. Hi Louise,
    I have to admit that I love having the POVs of both hero and heroine (and the bad guy in suspense books!)
    Thanks for dropping in , Louise and good luck with your sales of Her Italian Aristocrat, also a Destiny release :)

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  3. Hi Carla,
    I must admit that I wasn't a fan of stories in first person, largely because it was usually written in the present tense (and often changed from simple present, to present continuous, to progressive present, to past tenses—confusing!!). I have changed my mind in the last few years because I believe writers are getting better at their craft.
    Your book sounds wonderful. I can't wait to read it. Thanks for coming in as guest blogger. Lovely to have you here.

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  4. Hi Carla,

    I'm also not a fan of present tense, first person POV. It somehow throws me off the story. Or maybe I'm just not used to it.

    Congratulations on the release of CITY GLITTER and SECOND CHANCE!
    All the best!

    Thank you Serena for hosting Carla at The Story Editor today!

    ~Nas~

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    Replies
    1. Hi Nas,
      I used to feel the same as you about First Person POV, but now it's seems to have grown on me :) Thanks for dropping in.

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  5. Carla and Serena, thank you for a great post. I like first person past tense but I agree, it is hard to stick with one form of present. Young readers and many chick lit or whatever we call it, readers seem to buy books written in first. I really hate third person omniscient except in classics.
    In romance I love multiple POV.

    Thanks again

    Denise

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    Replies
    1. Hi Denise,
      First person, present tense used to always remind me of those old 1920's detective stories where the detective is always in his office in the middle of the night. He's wearing a trench coat and smoking when "some broad walks in".

      I also don't like omniscient POV, "little did she know that the murderer was just around the corner". Way to go giving the story away!

      Thanks for coming in.

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  6. Thanks Louise, Serena and Nas - I've strayed over to your side (third person/past tense) and have to admit, I'm loving it. Not sure what took me so long. I agree, Denise - I'm not a fan of omniscient either!

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  7. Congrats on your release !

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  8. Hello Serena and Carla,

    I thoroughly enjoyed the book. Carla, I think when you stretch yourself as a writer you increase your skill as a writer. Congrats for stepping out of your comfort zone.

    Thanks for hosting Carla today, Serena. Great post.

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    Replies
    1. Hi Desere,
      Thanks for coming in and commenting.

      Hi Maria,
      I agree with you. It's a huge step to move out of your comfort zone. Isn't it wonderful that it worked!!

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  9. Hi Serena and Carla. You're brave trying a new style to you. Interesting that a story may come out completely different if written in a different POV, I am really gaining a huge appreciation of the effort authors put into writing their story, thanks for sharing. Good luck with the sequel to City Glitter :)

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    Replies
    1. Hi Tash,
      People who say that writing a book is easy have probably never written one!
      Thanks for stopping by.

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  10. Thanks for dropping by, TashNZ, Maria and Desere!

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