Every book teaches a writer something.
Sometimes it’s about character.
Sometimes it’s about structure.
Sometimes it’s about discovering that the thing you thought would be easy turns out to be the hardest part of the entire project.
For me, This Time Around taught me a lot about point of view.
Before writing this novel, I’d already experimented with different approaches. Across the Brief used a split point of view, allowing readers to experience the story through multiple characters. Love on Wheels gave me a little more freedom to move around the story and explore different moments from different angles.
Generally speaking, that’s the style I enjoy writing.
I like having the freedom to move the camera around a story. I enjoy exploring different perspectives and showing readers things that the main character might not see.
Which is why This Time Around surprised me.
From very early on, I knew the story needed to stay close to Ben Carter, a former musician whose life was changed forever by a tragedy many years ago.
The more I worked on the book, the more I realised that readers needed to experience the story exactly as Ben experienced it.
If he didn’t know something, neither could the reader.
If he was uncertain, the reader needed to be uncertain too.
If he was afraid to take the next step, the reader needed to feel that hesitation alongside him.
The result was a novel written in third person close, with the entire story unfolding through Ben’s perspective.
As a writer, I won’t pretend that was easy.
In fact, there were times when I found it incredibly restrictive.
Because everything had to happen through Ben.
Every important conversation.
Every major revelation.
Every emotional moment.
If Ben wasn’t there, the scene couldn’t exist.
There were moments when I wanted to jump into another character’s head and show readers what they were thinking.
I couldn’t.
There were scenes where a wider perspective might have made my life easier.
I couldn’t do that either.
The rules of the story wouldn’t allow it.
And yet, looking back now, I wouldn’t change the decision.
Because the closer I stayed to Ben, the stronger This Time Around became.
The story isn’t about spectacle. It’s about one person’s journey. It’s about the things we carry, the things we avoid, and what happens when life forces us to confront them.
For that reason, Ben’s perspective wasn’t just the right choice.
It was the only choice.
Writing This Time Around reminded me that the best point of view isn’t necessarily the one that gives the writer the most freedom.
It’s the one that serves the story.
Sometimes that means letting the camera move freely.
Sometimes it means keeping it firmly focused on one person and trusting that their journey is enough.
After multiple drafts, rewrites, deleted chapters and more late nights than I’d care to admit, I’m incredibly proud of how This Time Around turned out.
And I’m looking forward to finally sharing it with readers.
This Time Around Releases 16 August
This Time Around will be released on 16 August.
If you’d like to be among the first to read it, you can pre-order your copy here:
I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments. As a reader, do you prefer first person, third person close, or multiple points of view?
And if you’d like to learn more about my books and upcoming projects, visit CMeewrites.com.