When writing, point of view is very important. The main character is the most liked one, so it's important to pick your main character. I've written a short story from 3 different perspectives to show you what I mean.
Elizabelle's Point of View:
I stood in front of Colton with tears in my eyes. It was time to say "I do." It was time to be pronounced "man and wife." It was time for our first kiss. This was the most important moment of my life and everything was perfect.
"If anyone has a reason why these two should not be wed, speak now." I hear Pastor Phillips voice say. I waited for the moment to pass so we could finally be officially married. Then I hear "Please don't do this."
I turn suddenly and see everyone staring horrified at a man in the back row. I squint at the man's face, then gasp. It was Kade.
Kade and I had been best friends since we were 3 years old. We met on a playground when he helped me up onto the top of the monkey bars because I was too short to do it myself. We had been friends ever since. I had never felt any romantic attachment for Kade and assumed that the feelings were mutual. Until a year ago when I had started seriously dating Colton. Kade got really moody and we didn't talk much. When Colton proposed, Kade talked to me the very next day, begging me not to marry Colton. I didn't understand and at the time I didn't care. Colton was the only one for me and Kade would have to deal with my choice.
Kade ran up to the altar and grabbed my hand.
"Please, Ellie," He begged. "You don't understand. You can't do this."
I jerked my had away and said hotly, "Since when did you tell me what I can and can't do, Kade?" I couldn't believe that our friendship would end with such a bang. I studied Kade's dark hair, his dark eyes, and his pale skin. It was as though the life had been sucked out of him.
"You're making me choose between my childhood friend and my fiance?" I demanded.
With tears in his eyes, he whispered, "yes."
Then Colton grabbed my arm and ejaculated, "This man is causing a disturbance. I suggest we remove him from the premises immediately."
Colton's Point of View:
This imbecile was ruining everything. Elizabelle was incredibly naive and easy to charm. Getting her father to agree to the marriage was also easy, but this Kade fellow was insufferably difficult.
My plan had been laid out: Elizabelle's family owned a well-known insurance company, so she would come with a massive dowry. Plus, she had no brothers for her father to pass the company on to, so I'd probably get ownership of that eventually. Not to mention Lizzy's angelic looks.
"Lizzy, darling," I tried.
"HOLD ON," she shouted.
I stepped back, slightly shocked. I'd never seen Elizabelle with a feisty side.
"Kade," Elizabelle started. "What are you doing?"
"Lizzy," I tried again. "Let's finish this." He was going to ruin my chance if he stopped this wedding. I was so close to millions that I could taste it.
"Minister, if you could continue," I nodded at the minister. What was his name? Phelps, or something like that. Not that I cared, or course. I had better things to worry about. I needed to get this wedding over with, and get Lizzy away from everybody.
Kade's Point of View:
I could not let Ellie marry this nitwit. She'd been my friend since we were three, so I knew her better than anyone. Since I knew her best, I always knew what was best for her. Although I'd never felt anything romantic toward her (as people always assume), I didn't want her getting hurt. She was my best friend, after all.
There's no nice way to say it: Colton is a murderer.
Two days before the wedding, I learned Colton's real intentions for marrying my sweet Ellie. I won't mention how because it wasn't exactly legal, but I will say that his ideas were even worse. He was going to marry Ellie, take her father's company, blow it up, use the millions on impractical things, and eventually kill Ellie. I could not risk my little friend going through this, so the sensible thing to do would be to crash her wedding, obviously.
I grabbed Ellizabelle's hand and led her to the courtyard right outside the chapel.
"Kade!" She shrieked in protest. "Stop! What are you doing!?"
"Saving your life," I said, panting. We stopped in the gazebo. "Ellie, I need you you to run away from here! Don't trust Colton, he's a murderer. He's after your father's company. You have to believe me! GO! NOW!" I said this all very rushed.
"What?!" Ellie exclaimed. "That's ridiculous! I've known Colton for three years!"
"And I've known you for twenty-two years," I said softly.
She froze.
Colton's Point of View:
I came up behind Kade, pulled a gun out of my suit jacket, and promptly put a bullet through Kade's head.
Lizzy screamed and ran to Kade's side.
"I see how it is," I sneered. "Well, if you loved him that much, you can be with him."
I raised the gun again.
"You're insane," Lizzy screamed. She lunged at me and knocked the gun out of my hands. "DADDY!" She screamed.
Perfect, I thought as her father ran around the corner. I shot him through the head, then turned to Lizzy.
"When the cops come, here's the story," I started. "Your father was shot by a strange man in black, your father had just enough time to pass on his company to me before he died, and we're going to finish this wedding."
"NO!" She screamed again.
"Fine," I said coolly. Then I pulled the trigger again.
~Molly
"You're making me choose between my childhood friend and my fiance?" I demanded.
With tears in his eyes, he whispered, "yes."
Then Colton grabbed my arm and ejaculated, "This man is causing a disturbance. I suggest we remove him from the premises immediately."
Colton's Point of View:
This imbecile was ruining everything. Elizabelle was incredibly naive and easy to charm. Getting her father to agree to the marriage was also easy, but this Kade fellow was insufferably difficult.
My plan had been laid out: Elizabelle's family owned a well-known insurance company, so she would come with a massive dowry. Plus, she had no brothers for her father to pass the company on to, so I'd probably get ownership of that eventually. Not to mention Lizzy's angelic looks.
"Lizzy, darling," I tried.
"HOLD ON," she shouted.
I stepped back, slightly shocked. I'd never seen Elizabelle with a feisty side.
"Kade," Elizabelle started. "What are you doing?"
"Lizzy," I tried again. "Let's finish this." He was going to ruin my chance if he stopped this wedding. I was so close to millions that I could taste it.
"Minister, if you could continue," I nodded at the minister. What was his name? Phelps, or something like that. Not that I cared, or course. I had better things to worry about. I needed to get this wedding over with, and get Lizzy away from everybody.
Kade's Point of View:
I could not let Ellie marry this nitwit. She'd been my friend since we were three, so I knew her better than anyone. Since I knew her best, I always knew what was best for her. Although I'd never felt anything romantic toward her (as people always assume), I didn't want her getting hurt. She was my best friend, after all.
There's no nice way to say it: Colton is a murderer.
Two days before the wedding, I learned Colton's real intentions for marrying my sweet Ellie. I won't mention how because it wasn't exactly legal, but I will say that his ideas were even worse. He was going to marry Ellie, take her father's company, blow it up, use the millions on impractical things, and eventually kill Ellie. I could not risk my little friend going through this, so the sensible thing to do would be to crash her wedding, obviously.
I grabbed Ellizabelle's hand and led her to the courtyard right outside the chapel.
"Kade!" She shrieked in protest. "Stop! What are you doing!?"
"Saving your life," I said, panting. We stopped in the gazebo. "Ellie, I need you you to run away from here! Don't trust Colton, he's a murderer. He's after your father's company. You have to believe me! GO! NOW!" I said this all very rushed.
"What?!" Ellie exclaimed. "That's ridiculous! I've known Colton for three years!"
"And I've known you for twenty-two years," I said softly.
She froze.
Colton's Point of View:
I came up behind Kade, pulled a gun out of my suit jacket, and promptly put a bullet through Kade's head.
Lizzy screamed and ran to Kade's side.
"I see how it is," I sneered. "Well, if you loved him that much, you can be with him."
I raised the gun again.
"You're insane," Lizzy screamed. She lunged at me and knocked the gun out of my hands. "DADDY!" She screamed.
Perfect, I thought as her father ran around the corner. I shot him through the head, then turned to Lizzy.
"When the cops come, here's the story," I started. "Your father was shot by a strange man in black, your father had just enough time to pass on his company to me before he died, and we're going to finish this wedding."
"NO!" She screamed again.
"Fine," I said coolly. Then I pulled the trigger again.
And you don't know who he killed. But that's what we love about these stories, right? At first, you think Kade was being a love-sick jerk. Then you realize that Kade is the good guy and he's trying to save his best friend. Then I decided to make it a tragedy just for funsies. Lesson for the day: Perspective has power.
"Laugh. It's worth it."~Molly
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