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Margaret I. Carr

Omniscient

It isn't really an offensive word. Rather appealing in its way. Nice vowel consonant combination and then there is the meaning. All knowing. Now there's a talent most of us would like to have!

If Aunt Jane had just been a little bit omniscient, she would have caught on to that 'nice' young couple's true nature in the beginning instead of trusting them to help her with the work her arthritis made so difficult. Maybe she would still have her home. As it is, by the time she realized what they were doing, it was too late. She could take some satisfaction out of the prison terms they were sentenced to. They weren't omniscient either. They couldn't resist pushing it a little too far, not realizing their victim was alerted. However, as a story, and this is complete fiction, it would either be no story at all if Aunt Jane had known or if the couple had been omniscient they would have realized and escaped as soon as Aunt Jane started to catch on.

The omniscient viewpoint is one that appeals to many writers. Although the characters do not know everything, the author does and lets the reader in on it. This does reduce suspense but whether this is a drawback depends on how much suspense you want. The author does need to be careful not to let a character show knowledge he shouldn't have. The author may know what is in Sally's purse but for the new man she has just met to be aware of the contents may jar the reader.

If you don't think the reader will notice, I suggest you search on some of your favorite authors until you find a couple of mailing or discussion lists. Join the lists and watch what is discussed. As a writer, I have found reader's acuity, as displayed on the lists, downright alarming! They count days more assiduously than the village busybody does after a sudden marriage, apply skills of many occupations to check the practicality of devices and events and even draw maps correcting the author's geography! I do love the lists I've stayed on and have learned a lot from them. It really helps to get back to a reader's perspective sometimes.

It might help if we had some guidelines about how to chose the areas an author should be expected to be all-knowing. Is it more important to have the setting details right, or to know all there is to know about the characters or is there some particular profession or technology we have to present properly?

Setting can be very important. If you use a real, existing location, preferably one you are familiar with, it should be easy enough to check details. Let's try a little exercise. Suppose we want to include a quiet scene where two characters are getting better acquainted. They may be business acquaintances, social contacts or even distant family. Seems like a restaurant setting would be good for this. So pull up the details of a favorite restaurant from your memory and use them to build the scene.

For some reason the restaurant I think of first is one I haven't visited for a long time. I did stop there frequently and the memories are very pleasant and very suitable for this scene. So....

My characters walk in off the busy street. What street was it? It was near Boston Common, I think. Or maybe it was Boston Garden. Uh-oh. Better check that out. There are undoubtedly maps that show where restaurants are in relation to significant sites. Confusing those two might not mean anything to the rest of the world, but I don't want to be 'banned in Boston'!

Never mind. The scene is inside so those are the details that are important. I seem to remember comfortable booths off to the right and further on steps(?) leading to a more formal dining area. Hmm, were there steps? Does it matter? No problem, I won't use the name and I can make the details fit what I want. (I, the author, am not just omniscient, but also omnipotent!) Steps. Three of them and a curtained doorway. The sound of cutlery and quiet conversation muted by the curtain help create the atmosphere. My characters are going to sit in one of the booths.

Are the seats padded? What color are they? Are the booths rectangular or rounded? What is visible on the walls? (As I remember, after the name change fishnets with seashells and other Hawaiian theme objects were added to the decor. This could help indicate the time frame.)

This is an important scene and I'll have references to it later on. Perhaps I'd better do a sketch of the layout so I won't get things mixed up. Better find or draw maps of anything that is important while I'm at it. (It's hard to be All-Knowing when you are stuck with an ordinary, fallible human memory!) Not that I have any talent in drawing or map-making but even crude sketches will serve the purpose. Some writers are very adept with maps. Holly Lisle is one who uses them for many purposes and there is a Maps Workshop in her Mugging the Muse... I highly recommend to anyone interested. (See Announcements for how to get a FREE copy of Mugging the Muse)

How is your scene coming along? Did you get all those necessary details down so you can refer to them later?

Me? I think I've decided to limit setting details to absolute essentials. I'd rather spend the time concentrating on Character. If there is any single area in which I want to be omniscient this is it. Knowing all about my characters will be a big boost in plotting, too. I'll know how they will react to whatever situations arise and what the 'worst possible thing' that can challenge them will be and how to time everything. I will, won't I?

Let's try a scene with the stress on knowing all about our characters. We start with a group standing in line outside a ticket office. It is five minutes until the office opens and most of the group have been waiting all night. Someone walks up and hands an envelope to the first person in line and then steps in front of that person.

Next month more on Omniscience and your Characters. For now, I leave a question: Even if you, the author, KNOW ALL do you want to TELL ALL?

Margaret I. Carr