Writer Advice Wanted

[Minuteman75]

Hey gang on this occasion I would to seek some help in the form of input/advice regarding a fan works story I'm writing else where. Don't worry I'm not trying to advertise or anything like that, just looking for some help with story development. The plot basically deals with members of a warship in space during the last months of a brutal galactic war, going on a mission that is suppose to be a mop-up operation. Instead it becomes a life or death struggle for them all, against an hated enemy that won't admit defeat just yet.

The theme I'm going with is like something out of the miniseries Band of Brothers, dealing with diverse characers in the midst of a crisis. So far I got a young squadron leader who inherited his position while back because the last one died in combat and about to introduce a special forces sniper, dealing with her own personal demons gets reassigned to the same cruiser.

These two will be my main characters, but was wondering if it is alright to do temporary POVs from different crew members as well? Or should I just strictly focus on the main cast?

 

[Herrith]

Branching off with surprise crewmembers would be pretty cool in my opinion.

Halo books did it.

It worked.

 

[Logan]

Separate PoVs can def work but there's a line to be walked as with most things. I'd use them as framing devices to give insights into events the MCs are also experiencing to offer contrasting interpretations. This can give the reader a moment of pause sometimes, perhaps after finding themselves agreeing with the MCs actions but when suddenly presented with an alternative viewpoint they aren't so sure.

It might also be an interesting spin if at a pivotal moment in the story you change PoV to one of the enemy soldiers. Valuable insight to be gained there too.

 

[Undine]

Since the overall plot seems to revolve around the crew as a whole, showing what various members of the crew are doing and/or going through can be a nice way to stay true to that plot as well as add variety. Your main characters would be the ones that really ground the plot and give it a central focus. A mix of both would do your story good. Star Trek had it's main cast, but now and then it also showcased the life or lives of secondary characters to give the ship a sense of community that wouldn't have been there if it only ever focused on the main cast. That's my two cents, for what their worth.​