How to prevent confusion when writing in two POVs that don't alternate between scenes?

Question

I'm writing a short story structured like this:

Character A's POV

* * *

Character B's POV

* * *

Character B's POV

* * *

Character A's POV

* * *

Character B's POV

* * *

Based on the first two scenes, the reader would expect to have Character A in the third scene.

How to prevent this kind of confusion?

Lauren-Clear-Monica-Ipsum · Accepted Answer · 2017-03-19 11:30:40Z

3

Make it clear that it's from Character B's POV.

Don't overthink it. It's okay to create a structure and break it for an effect.

answered Mar 19 '17 at 11:30

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You mean writing their name at the beginning of the scene? Or something else?
– alex
Mar 19 '17 at 11:40
1

Writing the name at the beginning of the scene is unusual, but acceptable. If the POV changes on a per-chapter basis, then putting the character's name in the chapter title would work well (it has been done before). A more subtle method is to begin the scene with something such as, "The last time B ordered anchovies on pizza was seven years ago. But she had the sudden urge for them today." Then, we know that we are about to see things from B's point of view. On the other hand, if the narrator is first person, use some self-identifying phrase.
– user23046
Mar 19 '17 at 19:29

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