What does the viewpoint character know?

I’m reading Writing The Cozy Mystery by Nancy Cohen.

Here’s a reminder she gives to writers using the first person or a close third:

Avoid out-of-body experiences, such as “If I knew what was going to happen, I’d never have walked through that door.” Who has knowledge of the future? The Author, that’s who. Certainly not tour character, or she’d heed her own advice. Who else but the author is hovering in the air observing your heroine and pulling her strings? Same goes for these examples that are no-no’s. Avoid this type of phrasing:

“I never dreamed that just around the corner, death waited in the wings.” Who can see around the corner if not your viewpoint character? YOU, the author!

“Watching our favorite TV program instead of the news, we missed the story about a vandalized restaurant.” If the character missed the story, who saw it?

I think this is useful advice. Broad, ‘zoomed out’ commentary like this in an otherwise immersive narrative would jar with me. But if you’re reading this and thinking that there are situations where phrases like this would work, I do too. Think: retrospective narration. Nevertheless, as a reminder about the parameters of close POVs, I think it’s helpful.

Let me know what you think.

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