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I need to bust some myths today.

Because thinking about author careers is my job, and I’ve been editing manuscripts for over 20 years, and I keep seeing the same misconceptions about deep point of view pop up again and again.

And these myths? They’re keeping authors from creating the kind of reader-character connection that makes books unforgettable because they're fooling you into thinking you're checking all the boxes, so you don't go any deeper!

So let’s get real about what deep POV actually is (and what it’s not).

Myth #1: “I write in first person, so I automatically write in deep POV.”

Nope. Wrong and wrong.

Yes, an entire book written in first person will probably have some deep POV by accident. But I’ve read plenty of shallow first-person narratives that never let me connect with the character, and I'll bet you have too. Just because you’re using “I did this” and “I felt that” doesn’t mean you’re creating that visceral “I get you” moment with your reader.

First person can help you get there, but it’s not a guarantee.

Myth #2: “I have a lot of internal narrative, so I write in deep POV.”

Also false.

Internal narrative isn’t automatically deep POV. If your character is just musing randomly, or making one-off comments, or thinking about what kind of coffee they want—that’s not deep POV. That’s just… thoughts on a page.

Deep POV happens when that internal narrative gives your reader something important. When it answers the question “why” and helps them understand what this moment (and choice) is like for your character.

Myth #3: “I write mysteries/thrillers, so I don’t need deep POV.”

Surprise for some of you! This one’s false too.

Even when you’re keeping information from the reader—even when you have an unreliable narrator or you’re withholding the solution to the mystery—you still want to create connection and engagement. You still want your reader invested in what happens to your detective, your victim, your suspect.

Deep POV doesn’t mean revealing everything. It means making your reader care.

Myth #4: “My entire book is in deep POV.”

This one’s unlikely.

Most stories need some shallow narrative here and there. Sometimes you just need to convey information efficiently: “Here’s what happened next” or “Three days later” or “The meeting was at noon.”

You’re looking for the moments where deep POV matters most—the emotional beats, the turning points, the scenes where connection is crucial.

Myth #5: “I write nonfiction, so I don’t need deep POV.”

False again, especially if you’re writing memoir.

But even in self-help or prescriptive books, readers want to know why they should trust you. You’re establishing connection and common ground from page one. That’s deep POV at work.

Here’s what I want you to notice:

Every single one of these myths comes from the same place—thinking that deep POV is just about technique instead of connection.

It’s not just about what perspective you use or how much your character thinks.

It’s about creating a relationship between your reader and your character. It’s about making your reader go, “I get you. I understand what this feels like. I want to know what happens to you.”

And that? That’s something AI will never be able to replicate.

Because AI doesn’t understand what it feels like to have your heart broken at 3am.

It doesn’t know the specific way anxiety shows up in your body when you’re waiting for test results.

It can’t capture the exact thought pattern you have when you’re trying not to cry in public.

It doesn't understand the nuances of every reason, every moment that led to the decision to get a divorce.

But you can. Because you’re human, writing for humans, about the human experience.

That’s your superpower.

And in the Deep POV Workshop (July 8th at 2pm EST), I’m going to show you exactly how to use it.

We’ll dig into what deep POV actually is, why it matters more than ever in our AI-saturated world, and the six specific ways to achieve it in your writing. Plus, you’ll get concrete exercises you can use on your current manuscript.

The workshop is $30 through July 8th, then the price increases to $50.

Because here’s the truth: readers aren’t just looking for good stories anymore. They’re looking for stories that feel real (even when the story is impossibly not real). Stories that connect. Stories that could only have been written by a human who understands what it means to be human.

That’s what deep POV gives you. And that’s what we’re going to master together.

​Register for the Deep POV Workshop - $30​

You’ve got this. We’ve got this.

~Angela

P.S. Which of these myths have you believed? (I won’t judge—I’ve believed some of them myself.) Hit reply and let me know. Sometimes the best learning happens when we admit what we thought we knew.

Want to opt out of hearing more about the deep point of view workshop? Click here and you won’t receive any more of these emails!​