head-hopping
Viewpoint switching mid-scene
Head-hopping is a narrative technique—usually considered a flaw—where the point of view shifts abruptly between characters within a single scene.
The term comes from fiction writing, where consistency of perspective helps readers follow who's thinking what: The constant head-hopping made it hard to connect with any character.
Some romance and thriller writers use it deliberately, but most editors flag it as a craft problem.
Perspective, for short
- perspectiveAttitude or spatial rendering
- viewpointWay of seeing things
- narrativeAccount of events
- omniscientUnlimited in awareness
third-person · craft · technique · switching · jarring · disorienting · reader · scene
Imperfection in something
- mistakeWrong action or decision
- errorFault in communication
- amateurNonprofessional participant
- beginnerOne who lacks experience
pitfall · problem · confusing · distracting · sloppy · inconsistent · unpolished · weak
POV
Perspective, for short
- perspectiveAttitude or spatial rendering
- viewpointWay of seeing things
- narrativeAccount of events
omniscient · third-person · craft · technique · switching · jarring · disorienting · reader · scene · chapter
flaw
Imperfection in something
beginner · pitfall · problem · confusing · distracting · sloppy · inconsistent · unpolished · weak · draft