Advantages and Disadvantages of Writing in the Outer Limited Point of View

I wrote in my blog titled, “What is Outer Limited Point of View,” that the outer limited viewpoint was the most difficult to write because you, the author, were not allowed inside the minds of your characters. You could only reveal the story through the actions and dialogue of your characters. But, as with any point of view, there are both advantages and disadvantages to using the outer limited point of view.

Advantages of Using the Outer Limited Point of View

One major advantage of writing in the outer limited point of view is the intellectual stimulation that comes from its complexity and challenge. Writers enjoy the sense of accomplishment that comes with writing a novel in the outer limited point of view because they know few have tried and few have truly succeeded.

Another advantage of writing in this point of view comes from the very nature of the outer limited point of view itself. Because connecting emotionally with characters in the outer limited point of view is much more difficult than with many of the other points of view, the outer limited point of view lends itself to novels with themes of isolation or spiritual alienation. So, the author wishing to symbolize the isolation of the human condition may find the outer limited point of view helpful.

Stories written in outer limited point of view sometimes require the reader to reread sections more than once to pick up on what is going on because it forces the reader to interpret what is going on on his or her own. This rereading in some cases may result in the reader becoming more invested in the story, giving the outer limited point of view another advantage.

Disadvantages of Outer Limited Point of View

The first disadvantage of the outer limited point of view stems again from its very nature. Outer limited requires the reader to do all the interpreting, something many readers don’t have the patience to do. And even if they do stick it out, they may not feel any emotional attachment to the characters.

For the writer, the advantage of the intellectual stimulation afforded by the outer limited point of view can quickly turn into a disadvantage of frustration and headache. Maintaining the outer limited point of view throughout an entire novel is indeed tedious and should only be tried by the truly committed.