From Tumblr: Ask - Why write A Bed of Thorns from Belle's POV?

[nym_wibbly]

You've stated that Rumple is your favorite character, yet you chose to tell ABoT from Belle's POV. What was your reasoning behind that decision? How might ABoT be different if it were told entirely from Rumple's POV?
~ Tumblr user Jackabelle73

I couldn’t really imagine the inside of Rumple’s head, at that point in the run of the show. I still don’t have a consistent idea of an inner voice for him. I sort of have one for him during the Dark Castle era, all playful, whimsical and fairytale, and as much an act as the prancing about, the tight pants, and the silly voices. That’s the Rumple of my Broken Wheel series. I couldn’t write “The Secret Diary of Mr. Gold, Aged 353 and a 1/4? to save my life! I almost always find it easier to explore my favourite characters from the POV of another–the one who gets the best chance to see them in private, or being vulnerable, usually.

With A Bed of Thorns, I was very aware that Belle would need to interact with more people than just Rumple to build a new life, to avoid being utterly dependant on Rumple and his storyline, and that Rumple would either be focused on his quest for Baelfire, or on Belle herself, and would therefore be oblivious to a lot of the plot supporting her personal growth. He really has no fucks to give about anyone or anything beyond himself and his family, in spite of being a rather brilliant observer of people, commentator, and problem-solver, when he does make the effort. It would’ve meant a much shorter story, from Rumple’s POV, and one in which the reader could never be sure that Belle was truly consenting to their marriage, or truly in love–because Rumple would never feel sure. Never. I think it would’ve been a dark and rather disturbing story, with Rumple constantly flaying himself with angry self-doubt (whereas Belle uses hers as a challenge, and a motive to move on and solve things). Things look an awful lot darker and more destructive, from where he’s standing, and there isn’t a lot of hope in him. I’m not sure I can imagine where his mindset would have taken the plot, which relies on emotional ‘beats’ more than on action.

The most important difference would have been their different takes on Belle’s notion that love is layered, and a mystery to be uncovered. Rumple doesn’t disagree with that, as far as I know, but he isn’t capable of decentering the way she can, to explore the mystery from the other person’s perspective too. As much as some of Rumple’s storyline remains hidden from Belle, or a mystery to her, I think most of hers would have been completely impenetrable to him, as a POV character.

I did toy with the idea of switching between the two, and even with switching between their POV and that of Wren, Regina, Maurice, and so on. Then I settled on the (failed, utterly failed) idea of having Belle’s narrative voice evolve as she moved from thinking of her life in terms of a story to seeing things as they really are. There was also the fact that, originally, the final third of the first story was going to take place while Rumple was in the Charmings’ magic prison cell, with Belle on her own, searching for him and dealing with the rest of the Enchanted Forest.

I don’t think I’d switch to Rumple’s POV if I could begin again, but there are plenty more individual scenes that I wish I had the time and energy to explore a second time, from Rumple’s POV.