Who is your focus?
When you think about the characters in your story and you’re wondering who the main character is or wondering whose story it is that you’re writing, ask yourself, “Who is having the hardest time?” That character might be your main character. Your story might be about that person. —Phyllis Root and Liza Ketchum at Hamline MFAC
writing Young Adult fiction 
Gosh, loved this.
I think I’m developing a habit of my “main character” falling into a narrator role while the tension surrounds another character. Thoughts?
I realized I was having the same problem in the book I’m working on and am possibly cutting a whole plot line. I think it’s a really easy trap to fall into because it’s more difficult (at least for me) to write from the POV with maximum emotional stress.
I don’t think it’s WRONG though … do you?
“…to write from the POV with maximum emotional stress…”
Are you talking about writing in first person? I tend to do that more often than anything else. I love getting into the character’s head, and really playing up their thoughts and reactions.
The one drawback to writing in first PoV is that it’s not as easy to get into the other characters’ headspace, and unless the only interesting things happen when your protagonist is present, there’s a lot of content that won’t be added in.
Jackie, I don’t think anything is “wrong.” Maybe what I’m getting at is that the character with the greatest narrative arch is the POV that I want to be in. But every story/author is different. Anything can work. The question from Phillis and Liza is just a light for the author who isn’t sure who their main character should be.
Rae,
I wasn’t talking about any particular POV as in first or third, but I agree with you about the first person perspective. All POV, whether it’s first, second, or third, has their own set of draw backs and strengths.
Sometimes if you have a strong enough voice in first, you can get away with more 🙂