Writing 2nd Person Point of View: Why It's Worth Trying!

[@Mattgdice]

I honestly LOVE writing in 2nd person. My protagonists are very self-loathing and depressed and the second person really helps elevate that tone!

[@aleleone3369]

I'm literally writing a short story in second person right now, the timing is outstanding

[@jeffcotten1501]

Great video! Currently working on a project in 2nd person myself

[@clintoreilly]

Interesting. I've never thought of this POV. I see it differently now, but I'll be honest, I don't think I have the skill to pull it off. Who knows, one day I might try it. Thanks for the video.

[@billyalarie929]

My favorite of this is definitely Dear Thief by Samantha Harvey. Absolutely gorgeously told story.

[@BGSpare]

I was first introduced to second person in grade 9 English and I won't say just how many decades ago that was. Second person was described as writing a story as if you were God where you know the thoughts of everyone and everything. The assignment was to write a short story say in the 1st person, then rewrite it in the 2nd and then in the 3rd. This exercise really made the distinction clear to me. Personally, I like to write in the 3rd person with omniscient narrator.

[@Eidolon1andOnly]

Think you're confusing second person with third person in terms of which perspective is God. Third person is the perspective that knows _everyone's_ thoughts and feelings. Second person only knows your thoughts and feelings (since 2nd person is always you) or his/her thoughts and feelings if you're considering the 2nd person perspective as someone other than yourself. For instance: 2nd person: You are sitting at a table with your friend Jill. You see she is beginning to cry. You ask, "What's the matter, Jill?" She replies, "Nothing, it's silly." You see her take one last peek at her phone screen and wonder what it could be that has upset your friend so much. You offer, "I'm always here to talk if you need to." "Thanks." she offers back. You see her weak grin, and figure it's best to leave her be for now. 3rd person: Brian G. Spare is sitting at a table with his friend Jill. He suddenly notices she is beginning to cry. He asks "What's the matter, Jill?" She lies with, "Nothing, it's silly." Brian notices her look at her phone screen one last time, as Jill can't help but look at the break up text her boyfriend sent her, just to remind herself it's real before putting her phone away. Brian is concerned for his friend and wonders what might Jill was looking at on her phone that could have caused her to become upset. Trying to be supportive he reassures her with, "I'm always here to talk if you need to." "Thanks." Jill acknowledges. Brian notices the weak grin, and doesn't wish to push the issue much further, rightfully figuring that she needs a bit more time.

[@o_o-lj1ym]

I’ve read some great second person books. It can be done

[@cmrigaud1]

I liked “Sounds Like Titanic” by Jessica Hindman, she did a good job with 2nd

[@trinaq]

I've only used the second person in specific chapters, where it would make sense for the character to be addressing someone within the narrative. It might drag a lot if the ENTIRE novel was written in the second person, but it can differ.

[@johnhaggerty4396]

The novelist addressing someone within the story makes for a compelling narrative. *Memoirs of a Life Cut Short* by Ricardas Gavelis (1950-2002) does just that, holding the reader's attention to the end. The novel has a curious history being published in Lithuania in 1989 and was then translated into English by Jayde Will in 2018. It was published by Vagabond Voices, a one-man publishing house run by Allan Cameron who lives in Glasgow, Scotland. Allan Cameron is a very erudite writer and philosopher. He lives not far away from me though we have never met.

[@Gaia_Gaistar]

2nd person kinda puts me off but I find it intriguing somehow.

[@sad_hedgehog]

well. my fav is the web-comic "homestuck". and, like, HUGE fanfiction pieces, all in second pov. i am so used to this by now that i didn't even question what pov to pic for my short story.

[@rudolphpyatt4833]

A classic second person novel (and a favorite of mine) is “Bright Lights, Big City” by Jay McInerny.

[@MrRosebeing]

"Any point of view is worth trying, even 2nd person" you said as you watched your entire class of students slowly bang their heads against their desks. You couldn't quite work out why they were doing it, but at least you taught them a lesson, one they would never forget.

[@God-ld6ll]

you definiely should

[@johnhaggerty4396]

Edna O'Brien employed 2nd Person POV in her 1970 novel *A Pagan Place* : her early exploration of wounded childhood. It is used by Joyce in the first page of *A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man* a novel whose last pages take on the form of an I-diary. Hemingway adopted second person as a narrative strategy in his fiction notably in one of the later Nick Adams stories *Fathers and Sons*. Jimmy Breslin in his column for the deceased New York Herald Tribune had a weakness for the second person that became his strength. *The World of Jimmy Breslin* collected the cream of his columns: it could be that he was shy of using the 'I' and wanted to step back a little. Jerzy Kosinki's *The Beard Bird* (which I read in the 1970s when I visited my brother at the National Film School) dazzles with its 2nd Person. The story's shock tactics highlighted the effectiveness of 2nd Person as a way of managing trauma, war atrocities and Communist state violence. Boris Cyrulnik, the renowned psychologist, described tens of thousands of children in Mozambique enduring and engaging in atrocities. Cyrulnik's book *Resilience* (2009) asks us to understand emotionally shattered children who hope to escape the nightmare of history and can't. When children first spoke of being abused in Western societies adults would say 'You must have imagined it' : a disturbing use of 2nd Person.

[@johnhaggerty4396]

Correction: Jerzy KOSINSKI. His novel is titled *The Painted Bird*. A Polish-American novelist who took his own life: there is quite a lot about him online.

[@Eidolon1andOnly]

@@johnhaggerty4396 If you're using the asterisks to make bold lettering, always put any punctuation marks before the last asterisk or the bold feature won't work and you end up seeing the asterisks. Same with the other text modifiers like the underscore for italics. Example: Correct way - *Bold.* *Bold?* *Bold!* Incorrect way- *Bold*. *Bold*? *Bold*! See the difference?

[@KiwiKeyblade]

I have an idea for a second person novel, I am just working on another book right now, and I have so many other ideas as well 😅😅😅

[@InghamL99]

This is interesting and cool, but I think all those choose-your-own-adventure books and D&D games ruined second person for me. If I read, “You walk in the front door barely paying attention,” I’d go, “No I don’t! I scan the room first!” The effect would be spoiled. 😁

[@Eidolon1andOnly]

I simply find it annoying since it's so repetitive to keep reading the word "You". I also think most 1st person perspectives to be equally annoying and repetitive to read the word "I".

[@seameetsthesky]

but again, there’s good nonfiction work where the narrator or author is literally talking to themselves in a “you” pronoun way. it’s a good way to express yourself when it doesn’t fit 1st or 3rd pov

[@seameetsthesky]

it’s not necessarily addressing you the reader, it’s used in nonfiction work for the author to express something to themselves

[@Babblecat3000]

Second Person is the Bad Boy to First Person's Nice Guy. Exciting, interesting. fun.

[@nealsf]

A Boy and His Dog at the End of the World dips into second person and creates a wonderful mystery of who you are!

[@poetryontherocks9298]

Is it possible though to carry a story, and write in both first person and second person?

[@ianmedina55]

What if your main character is an idiot and speaks in street vernacular? I use 2nd person because that kind of dialogue can get tiring. But, I will switch back and forth for inner monologue.

[@rileyraspberries]

Straight erotica shorts for 2nd person. The stuff of my childhood on “that one website”

[@rachelthompson9324]

Second person confuses me and distracts me out of the story. The prose pushes me out. It may be the samples I've seen were poorly done.

[@Eidolon1andOnly]

Same. I simply find it annoying since it's so repetitive to keep reading the word "You". I also think most 1st person perspectives to be equally annoying and repetitive to read the word "I".

[@billyalarie929]

So wait. What’s the difference between this and first person referral?

[@Eidolon1andOnly]

1st person uses I, me, my, and mine pronouns. 2nd person uses you, your, and yours pronouns. Example of 1st person: *I* woke up not knowing what day it was. *I* checked the calendar on *my* wall. It was Tuesday and *I* needed to meet a friend of *mine* at the cafe. Whatever happened to *me* that Monday night is still a mystery. *I've* been known to get too drunk at times, but *I'd* never drink on a Monday night. *I'm* at a complete loss as to what happened to *me* that night. Example of 2nd person: *You* woke up not knowing what day it was. *You* checked the calendar on *your* wall. It was Tuesday and *you* needed to meet a friend of *yours* at the cafe. Whatever happened to *you* that Monday night is a complete mystery. *You've* been known to get drunk at times, but *you'd* never drink on a Monday night. *You're* at a complete loss as to what happened to you that night.

[@u_t_d_s_h-1_a]

2nd person POV novels or stories never do very well commercially, readers don't just find it appealing. Like you said, it is the dark horse of the POV's.

[@bishfish7726]

That's simply untrue, The Fifth Season, as Shaelin mentioned, is a hugely popular science fiction novel. It's becoming a more accepted POV.

[@Eidolon1andOnly]

@@bishfish7726 Sounds like the exception to the rule. Even Shaelin acknowledges that many people don't like reading in that POV and that publishers know that 2nd person is more unpopular.

[@Reggie2000]

You really need a better microphone. Your voice sounds distant and hallow. Microphones are dirt cheap. There is no excuse not yo have good sound imo. In fact you could also use a overhead light as well. There really cheap on Amazon.

[@Eidolon1andOnly]

Believe you mean *hollow not "hallow" unless you mean to say her voice sounds holy or saintly. Like "Hallowed be thy name" or "All Hallows Eve" (Halloween gets its name from All Hallows Eve since Hallows is another word for saints, and Halloween is the night before All Saints Day or All Hallows Day). Also it should be *They're really cheap on Amazon, not "There" and you had the typo of "yo" instead of *to.

[@Reggie2000]

@@Eidolon1andOnly So ewe did no what I meant, despite da bad speling. Grit! Now hopefully she will take my advice and upgrade her sound and lighting.

[@Eidolon1andOnly]

@@Reggie2000 Hopefully you'll take my advice and correct your bad grammar and spelling. Guess you can dish out criticism but aren't mature enough to receive it.

[@nessie968]

Not me taking notes for my reader-insert fic 👀📝

[@Eidolon1andOnly]

Personally, I get really annoyed with 1st and 2nd person POVs. The way to address the character is entirely limited to the pronouns used. Gets really repetitive.

[@factoryofdivisiveopinions]

Writing a psychopath in that point of view will make sense. The victim a main character while psycho the narrator.

[@gcsuddenlydavesHusband]

teehee homestuck

[@chrisfordeditor]

DO NOT sign up for Reedsy. It's a TRICK!

[@_vlpin]

Homestuck