POV changes

[stripyeyes]

Has anyone ever written a whole book, and then changed the POV?

I've written something that shifts between 3rd person limited (90% of book in this style) and 1st person (the remaining 10%). I like it. It's different, but it's meant to emphasise the differences between the two main characters. Both are quite self-unaware and I hoped this device would show this.

But a few people have read the first three chapters and found the shift "jarring", "unusual," or "against the rules". I'm wondering whether to go with popular opinion and shift it all to 1st, or leave as is. I'm meeting with some agents and tutors in a few weeks and need to decide which version to submit!!

All opinions welcome, thanks!

It's not particularly uncommon - I have read loads of books where eg one chapter was told by the villain, the next was 3rd person perspective of a victim, then there would be one by the hero, etc.

I think maybe (obviously have not seen your story so this is just an assumption) the problem is the balance - eg having read three consecutive chapters with one POV the change seems more jarring because the reader has started expecting the whole story to be that initial POV, so maybe the answer is to bring in the other POV sooner.

There must be a reason people are finding it jarring.

This is a good resource: emmadarwin.typepad.com/thisitchofwriting/2014/11/ten-ways-to-move-point-of-view-and-dont-let-the-self-appointed-experts-tell-you-otherwise.html