POV (Point of view) is difficult for new writers to master.
–  Use all of your POV character’s senses not just sight.
–  What does he smell, hear, taste, and feel?
–  Don’t jump from POV character to POV character (aka head hopping).
–  The POV character can’t know what others feel, he can only observe reactions and facial expressions.

Then, just when you think you’ve finally got it down, someone throws the term ‘Deep POV’ at you. What the….?

So, during a recent trip to Romance University when I read a post by author Karin Harlow in which deep POV was mentioned, I took the opportunity to ask about it. And this is Karin’s response:

Straight POV is where the character thinks and sees on the surface. i.e. It was raining, and she didn’t like the rain.

Deep POV is: The rain always brought back the haunting memories of her little sister, and the day she died. The scent of damp leaves, the feel of the accusing, cold rain digging into her skin, the rumbling thunder in the sky that somehow made its way into her heart, a constant reminder that Jenny would be alive today if she had just done her job.

Wow!

Deep POV is also referred to as Limited Third Person. It takes you deep inside your character, showing not only what he feels in response to a situation, but why he feels that way. It adds a depth of emotion to a scene. In order to achieve deep POV a writer must dig deep into their characters’ personalities and motivations. In a sense they become the character, allowing the reader to view the inner workings of the POV character’s mind and thus experience the scene as the POV character does. The reader does more than read a story they live it.

These are the types of stories I want to write!

What’s your experience with deep POV? Do you write in it? Do you have examples of regular POV vs. deep POV you’d like to share? Can you recommend authors who excel at deep POV?