Novel POV vs. short story POV

[Christa M. Miller]

I was trying to figure out why I write my novels from the cops' POV, and my short stories from the criminals'. I can only guess that a novel lets a mystery unfold - it takes time for cops to piece together the evidence enough to find the perp and make an arrest - whereas a short story is a good venue to show the rashness of most criminal acts: crimes not planned, but committed (or at least conceived) in the heat of a moment.

Anyone else notice this trend in their own, or others', writing? Or do you see different patterns? What do you make of them?

[Laura Benedict]

Thanks, Christa. I don't know why I've avoided "American Psycho." I think I was in a really insecure place in my writing when it came out and I was jealous. I should probably read it. That's creepy about the person you know...

I think that Thompson's criminal is both cop and psycho!

[Christa M. Miller]

Thanks for all the great comments! Laura - two books that spring to mind are Bret Easton Ellis' "American Psycho" (did not read the whole thing, though) and Dostoevsky's "Notes from Underground" (which I realize isn't necessarily a criminal per se, but I actually had to put it down because the voice was so scarily similar to someone I know very well (someone who, I always imagined, could be pushed into criminal acts if given the right set of circumstances. I mean, we all could - but this person's boiling point is especially close to the surface).

[Laura Benedict]

Thanks, Nikki! And let me give myself a big "duh" when I add Jim Thompson's "The Killer Inside Me!"

[Patricia Abbott]

I also think it's about pace. The pace in a short lends itself to someone you're not going to know for long.

[DADavenport]

I find it much harder to sit and concentrate on the police point of view in my WIP. In my short stories, where I gravitate naturally to the twisted amoung us, I find my evil characters much more fascinating than the good guys in the piece. Consequently, I want to spend more time with the killer in the novel. But I do feel, despite this, that my protagonist must be the focus. I agree, crazy is good in small bursts, while the sane, normally a little dull for my tastes, have the staying power to anchor a novel. A struggle, but as I go, I am becoming much more focused on her than I imagined I would be. A good thing, since liking your protagonist is kind of a must!

[Laura Benedict]

What a though-provoking post, Christa. I have to say that I'm with you guys on this. It's easier to sustain the weirdness in the short form. But my novels tend to be ensemble pieces, so each character gets his or her own space for several chapters.

Also, writing a short story is right up there with giving birth as to level of difficulty for me.

Criminal acts are often so rash and irrational. Would a reader be able to sustain his or her disbelief for a novel's-worth of them? I'll bring up Highsmith once again--One of the reasons Ripley (written in a limited third person) is so readable is that he is almost rational in his sociopathology. Almost predictable. There's much to like about him. I, for one, hold a great affection for him.

Can anyone else think of good criminal POV novels?

[Libby Hellmann]

I never thought of that before, but it makes perfect sense. I do notice that I create more unique characters and voices in my short stories than novels... I've always figured it was because I could sustain a weird character for a limited time (a few weeks of writing) but not indefinitely (ie the year I'd spend writing a novel)... but what you're saying about the passion of the moment vs the process of solving a crime works well, too...

[Sandra Ruttan]

My novels thus far are (essentially) police procedurals. But most of my short fiction is a look inside the mind of a psychopath, hitman or nutjob.

In fact, I haven't written one single police pov short story.

I think I find it more fun to experiment with short stories and try different things. Perhaps when I write a book from the criminal pov I'll write short stories about cops.