Point of View - Second Person

In second person, the author addresses the reader as “you”. It is a conversation between writer and reader, a device that aims to create a bond, a sense of intimacy. (Hertz, 153) 

In second person, you, the reader, become the character. There are pros and cons to writing in second person narration. 

First the pros: 

• Immersive Experience: The "you" perspective makes the reader feel like they are the protagonist, experiencing the events and emotions directly, leading to a more engaging and powerful reading experience. 

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• Unique and Memorable: Because second-person narration is less common than first or third-person, it can make a story stand out and be more memorable. 

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• Direct Address: The direct address to the reader can create a sense of immediacy and closeness, making the story feel more personal and relatable. 

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• Empathy and Understanding: By placing the reader in the character's shoes, second-person narration can foster empathy and understanding for the protagonist.

And the cons:

Limited character development: It's difficult to fully develop a character's thoughts and feelings when the reader is constantly being addressed as "you." 

Suspension of disbelief challenge: Readers might struggle to fully believe they are the character in the story, especially if the character's actions or decisions don't align with their own. 

Can feel intrusive: Constantly being directly addressed by the narrator can become tiresome and disrupt the flow of the story. 

Writing in second person can be a challenging undertaking as it is difficult to maintain in a longer work such as a novel. You would have to keep the reader engaged as the character, while building the story around them.

A couple of best selling books written in second person narration are:

Bright Lights, Big City by Jay McInerney (this was made into a movie in 1988 starring Michael J. Fox)

Ghost Light by Joseph O’Connor

I always encourage writers to challenge themselves and this, of course, would be one way to do that, however, tread lightly. Try a short story first before tackling a novel in second person narrative.

Work Cited:

Hertz, Sue, Write Choices: Elements of Nonfiction Storytelling, Sage, Los Angeles, CA, 2016

Next Week: Point of View -  Third Person

Until Next Time…