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How to Write in the Second Person Point of View: Definition & Examples

by Alex Cabal

Learning how to write in the second-person point of view offers a powerful and unique way of connecting with your readers. By breaking down the fourth wall and addressing the reader directly, you make the reader feel like they’re living in the world of your story.

We’ll illuminate the nuances of second person by defining this elusive narrative choice, exploring how it compares to other viewpoints in fiction writing, and looking at examples of stories and books that have used second-person point of view successfully.

Here’s a quick example of second-person point of view to get started:

Your eyes drink in the page as you read an article to learn how to write in the second-person point of view. Maybe you’re wondering, are you strong enough to master this wild card of the writing craft? Is second person the best way for you to tell your story? You feel the tension in your shoulders ease. Finally, you begin to believe there is hope for your fiction writing. You decide to read the full article in order to learn how to master this interesting choice of perspective.

What is the second-person point of view?

Second-person point of view (or PoV) is a literary technique in which the author creates a sense of intimacy by directly addressing the reader or audience as “you.” It’s an uncommon perspective that treats the protagonist as if they’re in the real world. Second-person PoV stories allow the reader to immerse and live fully in the world of your story.

By writing in the second-person narrative voice and speaking directly to the reader, you immerse them in the plot as if they’re experiencing it for real.

Second-person PoV treats the reader as a character in the story by using the pronoun “you.”

So you, as the writer, must craft a narrative where the reader feels as if they’re telling their own tale. It’s a very intimate and close approach to writing a story, and when done well, can be a unique, nontraditional, and immersive experience.

Because there’s no distinction between the reader and the character, this perspective can be difficult to master and calls for a lot of trust from your audience. They want to know that even if you take them deep into danger and darkness, you’ll bring them back out safely by the end.

First, second, third, and fourth-person point of view

You have four narrative choices when selecting which point of view to use for your story. Each of these uses different word choices within the text to position the reader’s perspective.

First person PoV: “ I rode the bicycle.”

Second person PoV: “ You rode the bicycle.”

Third person PoV: “ He rode the bicycle.”

Fourth person PoV: “ We rode the bicycles.”

The point of view can change the tone of an entire piece. The most common points of view in literature are third and first, or the habitual “He, she, they” and “I.” But every once in a while we’re tempted to reach for second person, or “You,” to address readers. Consider the following examples:

First person vs. second person:

First-person point of view: “Walking down the path, I come to a fork. No signs are telling me where to go, so I decide to take the path to the beach.”

Second-person point of view: “You walk down the path and come to a fork. There are no signs to tell you where to go, so you decide to take the path to the beach.”

Second person vs. third person:

Second person: “You asked him whether he really meant it when he told you he thought your sister resembled a vulgar manatee.”

Third person: “Jen asked Adam if he really meant it when he said that he thought her sister resembled a vulgar manatee.”

Second-person point of view is a powerful perspective with the ability to influence your reader in ways that first and third person can’t. As you can see in the previous examples, second person puts the reader directly into the action— you chose the path to the beach; you asked him the question.

There are four broad types of narrative point of view in writing: First person, second person, third person, and fourth person.

Is the second-person point of view an omniscient point of view?

In general, the second-person view in a fictional story is omniscient.

With “you” as the authoritative voice of the story, the reader is seeing and understanding everything directly from the main character’s perspective. But the reader isn’t the narrator—they’re the protagonist. The narrator is someone who can see and hear everything the main character is thinking.

However, this doesn’t mean you can’t surprise your reader! The narrator knows everything about this world—but they may hold some information back until the very end.

Why choose second-person point of view?

Using a second person voice within a story narrows the gap between the narrative and the reader. When done successfully the reader feels as if they’re fully present within the story, and are experiencing it first-hand.

Reasons for choosing the second-person perspective include:

Immersion : In a second-person narrative, the reader becomes the heart of the story. Rather than having a world and its events described to them, the reader gets to actually live it.

Interaction : This is generally done with “choose your own adventure” novels, where the writer constructs a second-person narration that allows the reader to make choices for how the story will unfold.

Instruction : Other forms of second-person point of view may include directions for how to do something, such as a tutorial that walks the reader through a series of steps.

Advantages of second-person point of view

A few advantages of second-person writing include:

The intimacy of the second-person narrative voice can encourage a reader to deeply empathize with the story, and maybe even offer them an experience from a new perspective they may not have encountered otherwise.

A second-person perspective can create a highly immersive, sensory experience for the reader, as they see themselves directly experiencing the story the writer has created.

Because stories are not often told in second-person point of view, this perspective can be a unique and engaging experience for your readers. It can distinguish your story from the work of other writers and make the act of reading it incredibly powerful and memorable.

Second-person point of view provides writers the opportunity to try on and explore a new perspective and style of writing. Writing from a perspective that you’re not familiar with can be a great way to enhance your writing skills and force you to stretch outside your creative comfort zone.

Second-person point of view engages the reader in an intimate, visceral, and startling way.

Disadvantages of second-person point of view

A few disadvantages of second-person writing include:

Some readers may be uncomfortable with second-person point of view. It can require a level of empathy and imagination that not all readers are willing to invest in—some readers want to be told a story rather than experience one.

If your reader dislikes your narrator or the voice of either the protagonist or the narrator, they’ll immediately disengage with the story. There is less room for nuance than there is with third or even first-person characters. If the reader dislikes the choices the character makes, they may struggle to empathize with or invest in the story at all. In this instance, third-person point of view may be a better choice.

Reaching publication for a second-person work can be challenging. Professional editors and publishers may be wary of any book told from this perspective, as it is an uncommon narrative choice that readers may not be familiar with or prepared to commit to.

Tips for writing in second-person point of view

Consider the following tips when writing a second person narrative:

Avoid repetitive language and overusing the second-person pronoun “you.” It may help to break up some of the text with the imperative form—that is, instructing the reader to take the next step in the story. For example:

Explicit example: “You look out the window at the snow-covered mountains.”

Implied example: “Look out the window at the snow-covered mountains.”

Consider using present tense in your writing. Present tense makes the story feel more immediate and engaging, rather than reflective.

Make sure to adhere to the old adage “ show and not tell ” to develop a highly rich sensory experience for the reader that they can see, feel, and imagine themselves in.

A second-person perspective may be best suited to short stories, rather than long-form work. Try getting comfortable in this type of writing in a smaller space before attempting it in a larger one.

Play with using different points of view in different chapters and with different characters to create a highly dynamic and complex story. For example, in a crime or thriller novel, you may use the second-person PoV to describe the actions and thoughts of the person who committed the murder, and third-person PoV for the detective who is solving the mystery.

Ensure that the narrator is a full-fledged character with a rich and detailed identity. If your second-person narrator is doing things and making choices, your reader, as that character, will want to empathize and better understand the motivations, preferences, goals, and driving forces for those choices and actions.

Stream of consciousness writing—or an inner monologue that tells a story—can be an effective technique when crafting a second-person narrative. This is used to explore the inner workings of a character’s mind and describe actions as they unfold.

Consider blending points of view, like second person and third person, to create a more dynamic and nuanced story.

Should you write your story in second person?

Second-person narration is an unusual and rewarding tool in fiction writing, but it may not be the right choice for every story. Here are a few things to consider when searching for the perfect narrative voice.

The length and scope of your story

Are you writing a short story, poem, novella, novel, or book series? How much time, space, and characterization will this plot encompass? Second-person language is effective for drawing a reader into your writing, but it can be demanding and draining on them as well.

Readers naturally think in first-person pronouns—“I’m exhausted”—or third-person pronouns—“He’s exhausting.” The pronoun “you” can feel jarring or alienating, which is why it should be used with care.

This is why the trick of interspersing second-person point of view with third- or first-person narration can be an effective way to engage this narrative voice. It breaks up the unusual PoV choice in a compelling and manageable way.

If you’re writing an entire novel that remains focused on just one character all the way through to the end, a first-person perspective or a third-person limited point of view might be a stronger choice.

Your story’s effect on the reader’s emotions

What are you trying to achieve by using this narrative point of view? A fiction writer can use both first and second person to have a conversation with the reader, while third person keeps the reader at a distance.

The second-person narrative voice takes the intimacy of first-person narrative even further—in this narrative point of view, there is no distance between the reader and the story. Your reader isn’t just watching the plot happen—they’re living it. This can take them to some uncomfortable places as the narrator describes their own actions back to them, but it can also offer a sharp and visceral reading experience.

Your story’s message and underlying theme

Using second person can be a great way to encourage the reader to examine their own preconceptions and biases. The reader starts to ask themselves, “Would I really make this choice?” “What would I do if this happened to me?”

By bringing them so directly into the piece, you engage them on a conscious level with the material. This is especially useful for things like political or social commentary.

At its foundational level, second-person PoV serves as an invitation for the reader to come fully into a piece with all of their baggage, all of their expectations, and, for a moment, to become fully immersed as a character in the work.

When choosing a narrative point of view, consider the key message of your work.

Examples of second-person point of view in novels

For a deeper look at using second-person PoV in writing, let’s look at a couple famous examples of books that have effectively used this technique.

The Dark by John McGahern

John McGahern’s short novel is a depressing portrait of a young boy growing up in Ireland. Half of the chapters are written in second person while the rest are split between third and first, with a smattering of chapters where the voice is so passive it doesn’t even seem to have a perspective. And the chapters aren’t chosen at random, either; each change in PoV serves a purpose.

The first-person chapters, which account for only three out of the thirty chapters, are all ones where Mahoney, the young protagonist, is enjoying himself.

The third-person chapters are all instances of brutal humiliation, failure and abuse.

The second-person chapters are all instances where Mahoney is trying to amp himself up or change his life.

McGahern juggles these viewpoints to alternately distance his protagonist and the reader from the horrors of the book, then invite the reader into Mahoney’s head to witness his pleasures and growth.

This is a perfect example of using contrasting points of view to enhance a novel. It’s an effective tool and really works to highlight the emotional turmoil of Mahoney’s life by inviting the reader to experience the protagonist’s struggle to defend himself, and his eventual triumph. At the same time, the third-person chapters serve to show Mahoney’s trauma while not overwhelming the reader with it.

Redshirts by John Scalzi

A more consistent use of second person is in the “codas” of John Scalzi’s Redshirts .

After the novel’s plot finishes, the reader is presented with a series of short stories—codas—following one of the minor characters through the aftermath of the novel, and each in a different point of view. One of these follows a young man who was in a coma for the entirety of the novel, and is just now coming awake to realize that things don’t exactly add up.

Having constructed the piece in second person, Scalzi invites the reader into the novel to directly experience the rude awakening of this supporting player. And it works as a fun device to more fully integrate the audience into the reading experience and vividly reflect his confusion and curiosity.

A few more books that use the second-person PoV include:

The Malady of Death , by Marguerite Duras

Bright Lights, Big City , by Jay McInerney

Half Asleep in Frog Pajamas , by Tom Robbins

Stolen , by Lucy Christopher

How to Become a Writer , by Lorrie Moore

Examples of second-person point of view in short stories

Short stories are a faster read, allowing you to gain an insight into how different authors approach the second-person point of view. Consider the following short stories as a starting point for more context, and for understanding how you can incorporate the second person PoV into your own story or novel.

“A Cure for Ghosts,” by Eden Royce

“All the Colors You Thought Were Kings,” by Arkady Martine

“Black Box,” by Jennifer Egan

“Conversation of Shadows,” by Yoon Ha Lee

“Little Man,” by Michael Cunningham

“Chimeras,” by Jae Steinbacher

“On the Day You Spend Forever With Your Dog,” By Adam R. Shannon

“The Sorcerer’s Unattainable Gardens,” by Merc Fenn Wolfmoor

And just for fun, here is a list of second-person point of view children’s books:

Princess Island , by Shannon Gilligan

Song of the Old City , by Anna Pellicioli

It’s Up to You, Abe Lincoln: How I Made the Biggest Decisions of My Life , by Tom and Leila Hirshfeld

The Cave of Time , by Edward Packard

Space and Beyond , by R. A. Montgomery

If you’re writing fiction, second-person perspective can help you push your limits and develop new skills.

Use second person to push the limits of your writing

Whether you’re approaching a short story, novella, novel, exploring poetry or song lyrics, or just looking elevate your business writing, second-person perspective can be an exciting and genre-bending narrative technique. You can smash through walls between you and the reader in ways that are out of reach with other points of view.

In your next writing session, try stretching your creative muscles with second-person PoV.

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Writing in Second Person – Examples

| Candace Osmond

Candace Osmond

Candace Osmond studied Advanced Writing & Editing Essentials at MHC. She’s been an International and USA TODAY Bestselling Author for over a decade. And she’s worked as an Editor for several mid-sized publications. Candace has a keen eye for content editing and a high degree of expertise in Fiction.

With all writing mostly done in the first and third person, it’s confusing to think (and apply) the second person POV. Using the pronoun “you,” the writer comes “face to face” with the reason, addressing them directly in a more interactive literary experience.

I’m not a fan of this perspective and don’t often use it. I always thought of it as a way to write non-fiction, video games, or instructional guides rather than fiction. Learn what the 2nd person POV is, when to use it, and what are some tried and true tips.

What Is Second Person POV?

The second-person POV revolves around the “you” pronoun. You don’t see it often because writers don’t usually address the reader directly unless it’s an advertisement text, a speech, a political discourse, or a song.

This perspective is commonly used in non-fiction writing, such as in self-help books, advertising texts, song lyrics, video games, or political discourses. But I’ve seen it used in fiction in rare cases for a stylistic choice. A love letter to the reader, a fun interactive choose-your-own-adventure story, etc. It can be done; you just have to get clever with it.

The narrative voice that is in the second person is one that is used less frequently and is one that comes more effortlessly while speaking than when writing. You may have forgotten about it, but that does not mean that you cannot make use of it.

Copywriters employ the second-person point of view to create a connection and a sense of familiarity with the reader. This helps the reader feel as though the author truly understands the circumstances they find themselves in.

A narrative voice told from the second person is an intense experience for readers of fiction. They’re thrust into the middle of the action and made a participant in the unfolding events that take place. As a writer, you can turn a character become a buddy, a confidant, or even a participant in a crime.

How Do You Write in 2nd Person?

Although it’s not widely used, it’s fairly simple to remember. Just pretend you’re writing directly to the reader and refer to them as ‘you’. Instead of writing, Agatha loved rainy days so she could curl up with a good book, you would write, You love rainy days and curling up with a good book .

Practice is key to becoming a better writer in any genre or medium. You might want to try writing lines changing the first and third person to the third person POV.

Investigate several tenses as well, don’t leave that out. Experiment with writing in the second-person perspective, both in the present and in the past tense, and think about the effect that this has on the reader.

Reading published works written from the second-person POV will help you develop the skills necessary to write in this perspective successfully yourself. Look at some examples, particularly those presented to you through advertising, and dissect their impact on you as a reader.

When you are writing, you should focus on the voice of the story you are telling rather than your own voice. It is so simple to lose one’s sense of perspective.

Keep in mind who is now making the statement. Include descriptive details so that the reader may put themselves in the setting and experience a sense of increased plausibility.

Is the Word We 2nd Person?

“We” is a first-person plural word, which isn’t common when writing or talking in the second person.

For second-person pronouns, you can use you, your, yours, and yourself (for the second-person singular) and add yourselves (for second-person plural).

Tips for Writing in Second Person

Writing from the point of view of the second person presents some problems. The biggest one is the requirement that the reader suspends their disbelief to the extent that they perceive themselves as a character in the narrative.

Look at the Classics

Granted, second-person POV stories are not as common as those presented in the first or third person. However, you can still find literary works showing how it’s done. Works such as If on a Winter’s Night a Traveler by Italo Calvino and Half Asleep in Frog Pajamas by Tom Robbins deserves your time and attention.

Use Descriptive Details

When reading a book, it is common practice for people to make observations. If you want the reader to take on the role of a character, it is your responsibility to ensure that they can do so credibly.

Create a universe for them by providing more specifics about the setting. Appeal to the audience’s senses and emotions by providing descriptions of the scene, other characters, and events that are rich in depth.

Be Consistent with the POV

The point of view of the second person can be challenging to convey, and it’s easy to make the mistake of writing from your own point of view. Remember who the character is at all times, and take yourself out of the scenario.

It’s easy to slip and use first-person pronouns and third-person pronouns when trying to write second-person POVs because those are the more commonly used and seen in forms of writing.

Second Person Pronouns in Different Cases

If you’re confused about how to use second-person pronouns, here is a short clarification: The second-person singular and plural pronouns have the same form, so you have to rely on context to figure out if they address one or multiple people.

Here are some second-person writing examples to clarify a few notions:

Subjective case: You brought me that book yesterday.
Objective case: I like you a lot.
Possessive case/possessive determiner: Doing the dishes was your responsibility.
Possessive case/possessive pronouns: The books on the table are yours.

The Bottom Line

When writing about professional matters, addressing the reader in the first person lends an air of familiarity, whereas writing in the third person lends an air of authority. Addressing the writer directly using the second person POV is a bald move, especially if you’re looking to write fiction, but it’s not impossible.

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What Is Second-Person Point of View (POV) in Writing?

By Helly Douglas

If you’re a fiction writer, you may have been told never to write in the second-person point of view. Or perhaps you’re a business writer who’s been told to always use it?

But what exactly is second-person narration and why do people have such fixed opinions about when it’s okay to use it?

This guide gives you everything you need to know, including helpful examples and practical exercises so you can get it right.

What Is Narrative Point of View?

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Point of view is the narrative voice you use to write in. It tells us who is speaking and is split into first, second, and third person.

You might hear people talking in different terms to describe narrative point of view, including the acronym "POV", "narrative voice", and "perspective". They all mean the same thing.

You can usually tell the narrative voice easily by looking at the pronouns used:

First person: I
Second Person: You
Third person: she, he (or a character’s name)

table showing pronouns for each POV and example sentences

First Person Perspective

In the first person point of view, a character is telling their own story. It creates an intimate atmosphere, making the reader feel as if they know the character well already. First person can also intentionally restrict the information shared with a reader.

The narrator is limited to their own perspective on events and can only talk about the things they have experienced.

Second-Person Perspective

With second-person point of view, the writer addresses the reader using the pronoun "you". It forces the reader into the story, making them part of the action and complicit in events. This is hard to sustain over longer pieces of writing, which is one reason it is rarely used in narrative texts.

Third Person Perspective

In the third person point of view, the author is telling the story of different characters, but is not part of the action themselves. This perspective is further divided into "omniscient", "neutral", and "limited" perspectives .

Looking for more guidance on using pronouns to construct point of view? Check out our guide to commonly confused pronouns to learn when common pronouns are used.

Why Is Second-Person Perspective Less Well-Known?

In school, you probably spent most of your time writing either in the first or third person point of view. These perspectives are well suited to writing stories, diaries, and recounts of events, the type of tasks teachers often use to improve writing skills.

Second-person narrative voice is used less often, and it comes more naturally in spoken language rather than writing. It can feel forgotten about, but that doesn’t mean you can’t use it.

Remember, looking at the pronouns of a sentence is an easy way to distinguish the narrative point of view being used.

First-Person POV Example Sentences:

I didn’t know where I was going.
Should I meet him?
We went to the movies.

In the third example, you may have spotted the plural pronoun "we", which is also a sign that first person narration is being used.

Second-Person POV Example Sentences:

You walk down the road, glancing behind you.
You rub your feet at the end of the day.
After finishing work, you decide to go for a drink.

the narrative pronouns you, your and yours indicate the second person

Third-Person POV Example Sentences:

He was mean, but she tried to ignore it.
They were the perfect couple.
Tommy worked at the bank.

Characters’ names and the pronouns they and he / she help you spot a third-person narrative voice.

A Warning About Deciding POV

Avoid deciding which narrative perspective is being used based on a single sentence as this can be misleading.

For example, the sentence "they were the perfect couple" suggests a third person point of view. But what if we read it as a part of a longer extract?

full extract: They were the perfect couple. It made me sick to watch them. He stroked her leg when he thought no one was watching, but I saw everything. I couldn’t wait to split them up.

By reading a longer extract, we can see that this is written from a first person point of view. We can hear the character speaking to us about their feelings for the other characters.

To make sure you have correctly identified the narrative voice used, try to read at least a few other sentences to make sure.

Second-person perspective means addressing the reader directly. You’ll spot the pronouns you , your , and yours being used.

For example:

Are you always running late for work?
Your family means the world to you .
You realise a moment too late that the purse is yours .

We often use a second-person perspective in sales and business writing because it can be persuasive. You’ll see it in slogans and adverts that are trying to make you take action, often using rhetorical questions for impact.

Copywriters use a second-person point of view to establish a bond and intimacy with the reader, to make them believe the writer really understands their situation.

This type of writing differs significantly from fiction writing because readers stay as themselves rather than imagining themselves as a character within a story.

the second person is often used in speeches

Speech writers often use the same approach. If they stick to a first person perspective, they can inadvertently seem too interested in themselves or removed from their audience. Second person shows they understand their audiences’ problems and want to help.

"You must be the change you wish to see in the world." - Mahatma Gandhi

You’ll also spot second-person perspective used in instructional writing, song lyrics, and video games.

These types of writing may seem very different from one another, but they all want to create an immersive feeling where you are at the center of the experience.

Second-person narrative voice is intimate. It creates a conversation, immediately making you feel as if you know the person speaking. This inclusive experience can create feelings of trust, which are ideal for persuasive sales writing.

You work hard every day. When you get home, you want to relax, not work through a long list of chores. That’s why you need Daily Maids.

For fiction readers, a second-person narrative voice is an intense, immersive experience. They’re thrown into the action and become a part of the events that happen. As a writer, you can make them a friend or confidant, or even complicit in misdeeds.

Alternatively, the second-person narrative can create a sense of mistrust. The reader asks themselves, is the writer telling me everything? Can I trust what they’re saying?

A second-person narrative voice can feel unrealistic if you don’t have a clear idea of your reader, although this can be useful if you’re trying to appeal to a specific type of customer. Second-person point of view can seem accusatory and suggest that you’re looking down on your reader.

This perspective is not often used in fiction writing because it is hard to maintain consistently over time. Readers enjoy feeling immersed in a story, but it’s hard for them to suspend their disbelief completely and become a part of the action.

Your reader may enjoy hearing about the life of a bank robber, astronaut, or knight, but can they actually imagine being them?

You may have been told that fiction writing should only ever use the first and third point of view.

Many editors actively advise against using a second-person narrative voice at all. If you look at published works of fiction, you’ll notice how few of them ever use it.

Writing in second-person point of view can be:

Distracting and jarring for the reader
Repetitive and boring—only using the pronoun "you"
Unrealistic

But does that mean you shouldn’t use it?

That’s for you to decide. While there are fewer examples in literature of second-person point of view, they do exist. Your story may only work if it’s told from this perspective.

Before using second-person perspective, ask yourself:

Can my story be told from a different perspective?
Why is second-person POV essential to my story?
Can I sustain this narrative voice for the entire text?
How will I prevent it from becoming unrealistic or repetitive to read?

Using a second-person perspective creates a unique and distinctive voice. It helps you stand out from the many other stories being told.

While it’s probably best not to pick it just to get you noticed, there is a place for second-person point of view in fiction writing. Just be aware that it could make it harder to get your writing published unless you’re seeking a self-published route .

You’ll see second-person point of view most often used in short stories, flash fiction , poetry, and writing for children.

It works particularly well for "choose your own adventure" type stories. Maybe your writing needs to use this perspective too?

covers of books written in the second person

The famous examples of second-person point of view are, in part, well-known because they are striking and unusual deviations from the "rules" of fiction writing.

These popular examples are well worth a read:

Bread by Margaret Atwood (short story)
Complicity by Iain Banks
If on a Winter’s Night a Traveler by Italo Calvino
The Reluctant Fundamentalist by Mohsin Hamid
Bright Lights, Big City by Jay McInerney
There’s a Dragon in Your Book by Tom Fletcher (children’s fiction)
Half Asleep in Frog Pajamas by Tom Robbins
The Diver’s Clothes Lie Empty by Vendela Vida

If you are considering using second-person point of view, it’s useful to read examples of published authors so you can uncover the techniques they use and make it work effectively for you.

As with all writing, practice makes perfect. Try changing sentences written in the first and third person into the second-person point of view.

Don’t forget to explore tense too. Try writing in second-person perspective in the present and past tense and consider the effect it creates.

Reading published examples of second-person point of view writing will help you learn how to do it successfully yourself. Look for examples, especially in advertising, and unpick the effect they have on you as a reader.

Stay aware of narrative voice while you write, rather than your own voice. It’s very easy to slip out of perspective.

Keep in mind who is speaking. Add description so your reader can imagine themselves there to make it feel more believable.

Generally, it’s best to keep to the same point of view throughout a piece of text. It can feel jarring for the reader if it changes, so when it’s used, it is for a deliberately unsettling effect.

For example, an opening to a murder mystery could be written in second person to make the reader feel part of the action during the murder, giving them tantalising clues (and red herrings) before switching to a traditional third-person narrative voice.

If you do want to deliberately change narrative voice, make it clear to the reader:

Limit it to a prologue and/or epilogue
Use deliberate changes of font and style
Use chapter breaks and titles to signal the change

Copy and speech writers do get to regularly break the unwritten rule of maintaining the same narrative voice, but they do so in a deliberate (and limited) way. They often move between second person singular and inclusive first person plural.

For example: You want the best for your children. We all do. That’s why you’re investing in their future.

By shifting to an inclusive first person POV, they create a rapport with their reader and avoid sounding superior or aggressive.

Maintaining Second-Person Point of View

Writers often drop out of the second person without realizing. If you want to write in the second person, run your document through ProWritingAid’s Pronoun Report to check your point of view is consistent.

pronoun report in prowritingaid showing a third person pronoun

You'll spot any rogue first or third person pronouns quickly so you know which sections you may need to fix. In the example above, you can see I've used the third person "them" in the last paragraph. By scanning the list of pronouns to the left of my screen, I can jump to the potential POV problem areas quickly.

For each of these questions, can you correctly identify which one uses the second-person narrative voice?

Question 1:

A: She walked slowly towards him.

B: You walked slowly towards him.

C: I walked slowly towards him.

The correct answer is: B. The pronoun "you" shows this sentence is in the second-person POV.

Question 2:

A: It’s hard for me to speak about it.

B: It’s hard for Tommy to speak about it.

C: It’s hard for you to speak about it.

The correct answer is: C. The pronoun "you" is used in both past and present tense writing.

Question 3:

A: Dip the chicken pieces into the breadcrumbs.

B: I dip the chicken pieces into the breadcrumbs.

C: Tracy dips the chicken pieces into the breadcrumbs.

The correct answer is: A. Although the pronoun "you" is not used in this sentence, it is implied. This is often seen in instruction writing.

Question 4:

A: Do I have enough money saved?

B: Does Sarah have enough money saved?

C: Do you have enough money saved?

The correct answer is: C. Rhetorical questions are often used by copywriters and generally written in second-person POV because they’re designed to make the reader think.

Question 5:

A: She is an adorable puppy. You want to take her home.

B: She is an adorable puppy. I want to take her home.

C: She is an adorable puppy. They want to take her home.

The correct answer is: A. Although the pronoun "she" is used in the first sentence, the second one reveals the narrative point of view using the pronoun "you".

It can be difficult writing in the second-person point of view and you should use it for a specific purpose rather than as a random choice. It’s very suited to some forms of writing such as copy, instructions, lyrics, and speeches. It’s far less commonly used in fiction writing, because it can feel unrealistic and is hard to maintain over a long period.

If you want to get published traditionally, writing in this narrative voice is generally not recommended unless your story can’t be written any other way.

Learning to write from a second-person perspective takes practice. Reading published examples and experimenting with switching the point of view of sentences will help you get used to using it.

Now is a wonderful time to be a copywriter. Download this free book to learn how:

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This guide breaks down the three essential steps you must take if you think copywriting is the career for you.

This article contains an affiliate link for Masterclass.

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Helly Douglas

Helly Douglas is a UK writer and teacher, specialising in education, children, and parenting. She loves making the complex seem simple through blogs, articles, and curriculum content. You can check out her work at hellydouglas.com or connect on Twitter @hellydouglas. When she’s not writing, you will find her in a classroom, being a mum or battling against the wilderness of her garden—the garden is winning!

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Ultimate Guide To Second Person Point of View: 15 Tips & Examples

Last Updated on July 20, 2022 by Dr Sharon Baisil MD

Do you know the first-person point of view? It’s when you see your story through one character’s eyes and write about what they see and do. Well, second person point of view is like that–except you’re telling the story to someone else! This article will show you how to use this unusual technique for a powerful effect. We’ll cover a step-by-step guide on writing in the second person, as well as some examples from published books. So read on if you want to learn more!

What is the Second Person Point of View?

Typically, a story is written in the third person point of view . That means you’ll write your novel from one character’s perspective and tell what they do and see. However, some stories are written with the second-person point of view: they’re told as if they were happening to you!

When using a second-person point of view, you’ll write as ‘you.’ The reader will see your story through your perspective, just like first-person. However, instead of writing ‘I did this, you’ll be writing ‘You did this.’

How to use Second Person Point of View in Writing

Typically, a second-person point of view is used in nonfiction books or short stories. It’s usually not good for novels because it feels too informal and has a small reading range (no one wants to read your diary!) However, the second person point of view is highly effective in certain stories. For example:

Believable Fiction : If your character tells a true story (like an autobiography), then using a second-person point of view works perfectly well. This way, you’ll keep the reader engaged and focused on what’s happening.
Narrative Prose : If you’re telling a story about something that happened to someone else, but are not focusing on yourself or your emotions, then writing from second-person point of view can be incredibly effective.
Creative Nonfiction : Second person point of view is often used in creative nonfiction because it’s informal and helps the reader relate to the story. This is because it feels like they’re being told a story that’s happening to them instead of just reading facts off the page.
Short Stories : Second person point of view works best for short stories. That’s because novels require more time and commitment from the reader–novels are long! If you write a novel in second-person point of view, your reader might not feel committed enough to get through all the pages.

In addition, there are some things to remember when writing in the second-person point of view: Make sure it feels natural! Using ‘you’ can feel forced, so make sure you don’t overdo it.

Be sure to use the line breaks and punctuation appropriate for this point of view. If possible, avoid distancing your reader with words like ‘obviously’ or ‘clearly’. This perspective should feel close and personal, not distant! It’s okay to switch between second-person point of view and a third-person point of view. The reader won’t mind, as long as it’s done well.

Let’s take a look at some examples now. I’ll show you how to write from a second-person point of view by rewriting famous passages from popular novels!

Examples Of Second Person Point of View In Books

Believable Fiction: ‘You stand on the bow of the ship. Your grip is tight, your knuckles white. The sea stretches out before you into eternity, and you are not afraid.’

Narrative Prose: ‘You open the letter and inside there are just two words: I’m sorry. You look up at the sky, and a raindrop falls . It lands on your cheek, cool and clean.’

Creative Nonfiction: ‘You walk down the aisle in a pretty white dress. Your father’s hand is trembling as he takes it from yours.’

Short Stories: ‘You’re sitting alone in your room. It’s night, and the only light comes from your laptop screen.’

The examples of second-person points of view in these books are clear and vivid! The reader can easily get into the protagonist’s shoes without feeling confused or lost. If you’re writing from this point of view, make sure it feels natural to you and that you’re not forcing it.

What are the benefits of using a second person perspective?

The benefits of using second-person perspective include:

Accessing the reader’s experience and point of view. Because it is written to describe everything from the reader’s viewpoint, it allows you to see things through her eyes and feel what she feels. This can create a deeper connection between your writing and your readers.
Making your writing more effective. The second-person perspective can help you access the reader’s experience, which engages her most in your story.
Presenting an immediate tone, voice, and point of view. Because this perspective gives clear direction on how you want your reader to feel or see things, it helps them engage with the text immediately.
Keeping the writing efficient and concise. Since second-person perspective limits you to only one character’s point of view, it forces you to be efficient with your words since you can’t rely on a narrator to fill in the details for you. This style also encourages authors to cut any unnecessary language or fluff that can be found in many other writing styles.

How do you use the second-person perspective? Step by Step Guide

Begin by choosing a character and writing from their perspective. It’s important to identify what you want your readers to experience and feel as they read, and then pick one of your characters that can help them achieve this goal. This person should be someone who is easily relatable or provides an interesting point of view for your story since you will need to use their perspective for your entire book. If this character happens to be the protagonist, then you’ll have a lot more room to explore other points of view in your story.
In the second paragraph, set up a goal for your character. It can be anything from making friends to saving someone’s life. In this section, you’ll also want to describe the main conflict in your story and how your protagonist will have to overcome them to reach their goal.
In the third paragraph, show your protagonist engaging with the environment. Give them a name or use their pronouns. You’ll need to describe everything they see, hear, feel, smell and taste as they interact with their surroundings.
In the fourth paragraph, create an obstacle for your protagonist to overcome. Describe how it feels for them to face this conflict and the intense feelings that come out. In this section, you’ll also want to describe how they try and fail to overcome this obstacle in their journey towards achieving their goal.
In the fifth paragraph, show your protagonist persevering even though they fail at the first attempt. Describe them fighting for what matters most to them and show what drives them to continue their efforts.
In the sixth paragraph, provide your protagonist with some sage wisdom or words of encouragement that will strengthen them for their final attempt towards reaching the goal they set out to achieve.
In the seventh paragraph, describe how your protagonist finally achieves their goal by overcoming this obstacle. Show how it feels, what they see, and all of their senses as they succeed in this journey.
In the last paragraph that concludes your story, provide a small twist or reveal that shows why reaching their goal was important to them in the first place. This will help readers understand who your protagonist really is and why their goal matters so much to them.

As you can see, the second-person perspective is very straightforward and takes less time to plan out than the first or third-person perspectives since there are only a few steps you’ll need to take. This style also encourages writers to limit the amount of unnecessary language in their stories to focus on providing their readers with a fresh and engaging experience that doesn’t require them to strain their imaginations to envision their stories.

In the end, using second-person perspective can be a useful tool for authors who are looking for a different way of telling a story or want to make their writing concise and efficient.

Below is an example from Mark Twain’s A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court that uses a second-person perspective.

You are a young man whose father is a Knight who dies while you are still in your youth. After his death, you become apprenticed to a blacksmith and learn how to make horseshoes. After being mistreated one too many times, you set out on your own and seek adventure in a faraway land, Camelot.

A few days later, after having made it to Camelot and meeting King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table inquiring about employment, you learn that they are looking for some brave person who can go out to the neighboring kingdom of Mercia and bring back some information about its current affairs.

That night, you are informed by Merlin that you have been chosen to undertake this task. You are ordered to put on your armor and mount your horse for the journey ahead of you. As you are riding up onto a hill, Merlin says “Good bye,” and you turn around to see that he has vanished.

At the bottom of the hill, you reach some road signs where some directions have been carved in stone. One says “To Mercia,” while another one says “To London.” As you look down each path, it becomes unclear which way to go on this journey since both paths look equally as valid…

The good and evil of writing in second person perspective

The good part about writing in this style is that you can make your main character as likeable or unlikeable as possible for rich characterization and deep plot development. However, the downside to it is that it requires a lot more energy and effort from you as a writer; however, if done right, you’re sure to captivate an entire audience. Regardless, it can make or break your book depending on how well you write the style and if you drive the story forward.

If readers feel like they are too far removed from the events that occur within a given work of literature, then they may never connect with them or worse yet – stop reading altogether. Although authors like Ernest Hemingway, James Joyce and Virginia Woolf have been successful with this style, others have not been as fortunate. In the case of H.G. Wells’ “The Door In The Wall”, his writing was so dull that it just couldn’t engage his audience as he failed to do anything but tell them what happened from a limited perspective which made him just sound like an abandoned 3rd party narrator.

However, when this style is done well with excellent written words that effectively guide the story forward without getting lost in excess verbiage, then it can be very rewarding for any creative writer to fulfill their literary goals. Some of these writers who have successfully captured their audience through second-person point of view are John Steinbeck with “ The Grapes Of Wrath “, Ernest Hemingway with “ For Whom The Bell Tolls “, Emily Bronte’s “ Wuthering Heights ” , and Laurell K. Hamilton’s “Guilty Pleasures”.

The most obvious advantage of writing in the second person is that it allows you to be complemented with total honesty by your audience. Depending on how vivid or detailed someone’s imagination they are, this style can bring any book alive for an amazing amount of people who otherwise wouldn’t have read something similar at all since it doesn’t go too deep into technical information but goes beyond just ambient background noise about fictional buildings and characters.

When is second-person point of view used in writing?

The second person point of view is perfect when you want to create a sense of mystery in your words. Since the reader is not the protagonist but almost behind them watching their every step it can really make you feel like you are reading something very secretive that no one else will know about except for them and whatever character they are connecting with directly which helps give it a more poetic nature for those who appreciate drama.

Your characters can also be very close to you or complete strangers, making the connection between them and your audience all the more profound, which is why this style is a great tool for character development. This technique can make any reader feel like they are inside your head whether the protagonist is beating the odds or in a doomed situation, making for a very intimate experience with the words you write.

What are the challenges of using second person perspective?

Writing for a large audience. It can be challenging to write a story from a character’s point of view, especially if you want the reader to identify with them and feel what they’re going through. This is because not all readers may be able to identify with the character’s situation or interpretation of events. They may understand the text through their own experience, which makes it harder for them to absorb your story.
Making an emotional connection with readers. Second-person perspective cuts out the idea of a narrator because you are choosing not to include another character’s thoughts or feelings since you want to write this perspective from your character’s perspective. This can make it more difficult to engage with your audience because you’re limiting yourself based on the protagonist’s point of view.

Writing with Second Person Point of View

It can be difficult to maintain suspense when writing with this point of view, but there are tricks that any good writer should know about when using it in their work. In order to make your story more dramatic, you can use it to make someone’s life seem more interesting than they think it is such as when your character appears ordinary but there is something about them that stands out from the crowd or they are forced into dangerous situations where their life hangs in the balance.

Another technique you can try when writing with second-person point of view is to throw in some humor into the mix. There are usually people who will laugh at things that are meant to be taken seriously because it makes them feel better about themselves after realizing that they aren’t the only ones who go through some pretty awkward moments. If your protagonist feels like their situation is extremely humiliating, then you could end up getting a few laughs out of it if done correctly.

If you are writing a novel where your story is so amazing that everyone has to read it, then this style will be perfect for you. It can help generate more interest in something you have created if your audience feels like they are getting the inside scoop on what happens, and because of this, it may lead to more people sharing your work with their friends, which in turn may lead to more people reading it.

Writing in general is often viewed as a lonely job, so why not try something new when putting your thoughts down on paper? Using second-person point of view can broaden your horizons and help you see things from a whole new perspective unlike anything else that you have ever experienced. If you are passionate about writing, then it can be very rewarding to know that your words are being enjoyed by the masses.

Second Person Personal Pronouns

It can be difficult to decide on what kind of personal pronoun you should use when writing with second-person point of view, especially if it is not something that you do often. The best thing for you to do is try and choose the most appropriate word that will help your story flow more smoothly than before depending on whether you are male or female, just like with first-person point of view.

You can write how you want to but if you are especially interesting in giving your words that extra bit of something then the following list will tell you what kind of pronoun is most commonly used by each gender:

Male Pronouns: you, your, yours, yourself

Female Pronouns: you, your, yours, yourself

When trying to figure out the rest of your sentence, you should ask yourself what kind of pronoun would be used and in this case, it would most likely be “he” or “she”.

Example Of Second Person Point Of View

It was a bright day when she walked through the crowded market looking for something to buy.
The sun was high up in the sky when she walked through the crowded market looking for something to buy.
She looked around and saw so many people trying their best to sell their wares even though it was almost unbearable with all of the noise that filled the air.
“Hey you, would you like to buy one of my oranges?” someone yelled out, but she kept on walking, so they went back to shouting at other customers who were passing by.
She saw some beautiful flowers, but it would be too expensive if she wanted them all. She knew that her friend had just bought a bunch of these yesterday and that was why she came here in the first place.
“Hello there, pretty lady, looking for something special?” someone said, and she smiled at him before answering. “I am looking for some flowers, and I am not sure if you have any.”
The old man looked around his cart, but he could only find roses so he got them for her as a gift. She was grateful and she knew that it would be enough to make her friend smile when she told her all about this.

Writing with the second-person point of view will definitely give you something new to work towards if it is something that you have never done before. Give your story a unique feel with the aid of this style and you will be surprised at how it changes the way that your audience interacts with your story.

If you want to give this method a try, then there is nothing stopping you from doing so but do not overdo it because, of course, nothing can beat first-person point of view in terms of personal touch. The second person point of view is merely a nice and effective touch and with these following tips, you should be set on the right track to doing it right.

When should second-person point of view be avoided?

Sometimes, it does not always work to your advantage to write with second-person point of view. In fact, there are times when it might even be better for you to avoid using it as an author because as mentioned before, first-person point of view will always have the upper hand in terms of personal touch.

Although you should definitely give this style a try, you should also know when it is best to avoid writing with second-person point of view as this will prevent your audience from being confused. The following are some scenarios where second-person point of view might not be the best style for you to use:

When describing the setting – if the time and place is already established then there is a good chance that changing from third-person point of view to second-person point of view will confuse your audience. It is simply better to stick with what you know works when it comes to this kind of situation.

When telling a story – second-person point of view should never be used when storytelling because the audience might think that it is real and react to it. It is simply not worth the risk, so do not even try to be creative with your storytelling because it will most likely backfire anyway.

When describing an action – when you are telling a story, whether it is through narration or dialogue, then the second-person point of view should never be used to describe what characters are doing in that particular situation. For one thing, it is too personal, and for another, it will not be effective when describing action in this manner.

Be careful when using second-person point of view in stories that are supposed to take place in the past because the audience might think that it is non-fiction instead of fiction. If you really want to use second-person point of view, then you are better off using it in present tense situations because these are the ones that are more likely to be written with this style.

Another thing that you should consider when writing second-person point of view is your audience’s reaction to your writing. Remember, every story has a specific target audience, so you will have to adjust accordingly if you want to make sure that your audience reacts the way you want them to.

Examples of Books Written in Second Person

While there are countless examples of books that use second-person point of view, one particular book known for its crazy popularity is the Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, which was made into a major motion picture back in 2012. The protagonist Katniss Everdeen’s voice pours through so clearly when reading it because of how open she is to her audience. You can almost feel her presence inside your head just by how connected you are with the words that she is saying.

Another series of books using second-person point of view is The Maze Runner Series , James Dashner’s futuristic tale. Each chapter begins with a short letter from someone writing in first person about how all they do is watch the trials while they fight for their lives and all while you, the reader, is just watching him do it.

Are there any books that use second-person point of view that were not mentioned here? Do you know of any other novels or short stories written in English that uses this style? Let us know your thoughts on the matter by leaving a comment below

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How do I know if my writing style fits with this kind of narrative?

A: As stated before, the most important thing to consider is your audience’s reaction to what you are writing. You should never force yourself to use this kind of style because it might not fit the tone of your current work.

Q: How can I change my storytelling voice?

A: If you are determined on changing up your storytelling style, then you should consider changing both your point of view and your tense at the same time. For example, if you are currently using second-person point of view in present tense then try switching to third-person point of view in past tense for a different feel.

Q: How can I make my writing more interesting when using second-person point of view?

A: It is important to remember that you should not use this style for storytelling because it can be very risky and it will most likely backfire. If you want to add some interest then simply add in a little bit of humor or something that’s equally exciting – just don’t push the envelope too far!

Q: What is 1st person 2nd person 3rd person with examples?

A: 1st person is when the narrator uses “I” and tells the story from his/her personal point of view. 2nd person is when you use ‘you’ and tell the story directly to your audience . 3rd person is when the narrator refers to everyone in third-person or using he, she, it etc.

Example of 1st: I walked to the park and saw a group of birds flying above me.

Example of 2nd: You walk to the park and see a group of birds flying above you.

Example of 3rd: A group of birds flies above them as they walk to the park.

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What is the second-person point of view?

A story that feels like the author is talking to the reader is because of the use of a second person. In this kind of write-up, a writer uses words like “you” and “your.” Using this perspective, authors can make their write-up more exciting and make a reader feel connected with it.

For instance, many adventure books often use the second-person point of view. These stories give you a feeling that you are in the moment and experiencing the adventure happening to the character.

That’s why the second-person point of view is a unique way of narrating a story and building a connection with the readers. Despite having various writing methods, writers mostly use the second-person point of view to captivate readers and provide them with an exciting storytelling experience.

Comparison with other narrative perspectives (First person, third person)

There are different ways to tell a story; the method decides how a reader feels about it. Like in a movie – the camera angle can change what you see, right? In writing, there are three main points: first person, third person, and second person.


First-person	When a writer writes the story in the first person, it feels as if the main character is speaking directly to the reader. The words like “I” and “me” are used in this POV, allowing readers to feel the character’s emotions and thoughts. However, this perspective is limited to the character’s viewpoint.	“I walked along the path, wondering what the future held for me.”
Third-person:	In the third person, a narrator narrates the story to the reader. This narrator uses words like “he,” “she,” or the character’s name. In such a writing style, readers can know the character’s thoughts to some extent but not as deeply as in the first person.	“She gazed out of the window, lost in thoughts about her next adventure.”
Second-person	The second-person perspective talks to the reader directly as “you.” It’s like the author is guiding the reader through the story, using phrases like, “You see this” and “You do that.” While it’s similar to stepping into a character’s shoes, it doesn’t delve as deeply into their thoughts.	“As you walked down the bustling street, you felt the excitement in the air.”

Literary examples of second-person writing

Now, let’s travel back in time and explore some famous examples of second-person writing.

1. “Choose your own adventure” books:

These were popular in the 1980s and 1990s. They let you make choices that affect the story’s outcome. For example, “You are a brave explorer. If you want to enter the cave, turn to page 23. If you’d rather climb the mountain, turn to page 42.”

2. “If on a winter’s Night a traveler” by Italo Calvino:

This novel has uniquely used the second person. It’s like the author is talking to the readers about their experience of reading the book. It’s an extraordinary example of how the second person can create a connection between the author and the reader.

3. “Bright lights, big City” by Jay McInerney:

This novel tells the story of a person’s life in the second person. The author is telling the character’s story to “you.” This creates a personal and emotional connection between the reader and the character’s experiences.

4. Song Lyrics and Poetry:

Sometimes, songs and poems use the second person to make the listener or reader feel more involved. For example, “When you smile, the world stops and stares for a while.” It makes the words feel like they’re directed right at you.

Second person in poetry: The power of “you.”

Poetry is like a magical land where words dance, and emotions come alive. And guess what? The second-person point of view – that “you” perspective we’ve been talking about – is a tool poets use to create an even stronger connection with their readers.

Effect of the second person in poetry:

1. emotional connection:.

When a poem uses “you,” it’s like you’re feeling the emotions alongside the poet. You become a part of the poem’s feelings, like joy or sadness.

2. Immersion:

Just like a movie can make you forget where you are, second-person poetry does that, too. You’re not just reading words; you’re in the poet’s world.

3. Empathy:

If a poet says, “You walk in the rain,” you can almost feel the raindrops. The second person helps you understand someone else’s experiences.

4. Personal Reflection:

Second-person poems might remind you of your life. When the poet talks about “you,” you might think of your memories.

Examples of the second person in poetry:

1. “do not go gentle into that good night” by dylan thomas:.

In this famous poem, the poet encourages someone to fight against the end of life. He uses the second person to address that person, making the plea feel personal and urgent.

2. “A Dream Within a Dream” by Edgar Allan Poe:

Poe’s poem questions the nature of reality and dreams. Using the second person, he invites readers to ponder the same questions and doubt the boundaries between dream and reality.

3. “When You Are Old” by W.B. Yeats:

This poem speaks to a person about growing old and remembering their past. The second-person perspective makes it feel like Yeats speaks directly to the reader, inviting them to reflect on their own life.

So, next time you read a poem that uses “you,” remember that the poet invites you to step into their world, feel their emotions, and maybe even discover something about yourself along the way.

Practical applications of second-person writing: Bringing words to life

Guess what? Second-person writing isn’t just a point-of-view – it’s a versatile tool that authors use to make their words really pop and grab your attention. Let’s explore some everyday situations where the second person comes in handy.

1. Instructions and how-to guides:

Have you ever read a recipe that says, “You take two cups of flour”? It’s like the instructions are helping you step by step. Much better than a boring list.

2. Interactive fiction and video games:

Have you ever played a video game where you make choices, and they change the story? The second person is a superhero in these games. It’s like you’re the hero making decisions that shape the adventure. The story feels like it’s happening to you, and that’s super exciting.

3. Choose-your-own-adventure stories:

Remember those books where you choose what happens? The second person shines here. It’s like you’re part of the story.

4. Persuasive writing and advertising:

Have you seen ads that say things like, “You deserve the best”? They use the second person to connect you to their message. It’s like they tell you their product is just for you.

Disadvantages of writing in the second person:

While second-person writing is awesome, it can be challenging. There are some challenges and things to think about.

It can sound strange.
It’s not a fit for every story.
Consistency is key
Respecting the reader
Finding balance
Avoiding manipulation

1. It can sound strange:

Using “you” all the time can sound a bit weird or forced. Imagine reading a story where every sentence starts with “you.” It can start to feel repetitive.

2. Not a fit for every story:

Some stories just don’t click with the second person. If a story needs a lot of characters’ viewpoints or focuses on a big, wide world, the second person might feel cramped.

3. Consistency is key:

When writing in the second person, keeping the tone and style consistent is essential. Switching back and forth between “you” and other pronouns can confuse the reader.

4. Respecting the reader:

Not everyone likes feeling like they’re being told what to do or that they’re a character in the story. Some readers might find the second person a bit intrusive or off-putting.

5. Finding balance:

Authors need to balance the “you” perspective with the character’s unique voice and emotions. Too much focus on “you” might make the character feel less real and relatable.

6. Avoiding manipulation:

Using the second person to manipulate or force emotions on readers can be a challenge. It’s important to create a genuine connection rather than trying to control their feelings.

From game adventures to persuasive ads, the second person is a way to bring words to life and make them resonate with you.

But like any tool, it has its challenges. Writers need to use it wisely, keeping you engaged while respecting your autonomy as a reader. So, whether you’re playing the hero in a game or following a recipe, remember that the second person is the secret ingredient that makes words come alive.

Switching points of view in writing: Walking in different shoes

The point of view (POV) is like the cone that holds the ice cream together. And here’s the cool part – you can actually switch cones in the middle of your story. Let’s dive into the world of switching points of view and see how it adds a splash of creativity to your writing.

Changing perspectives: Why would you?

Imagine you’re telling a story from one character’s viewpoint, but suddenly, you want to show what another character is thinking. That’s when switching points of view comes in handy. It’s like peeking into someone else’s thoughts to see what’s going on in their world.

1. First person to third person:

If you’re writing a story using “I” or “we” (first person), you can switch to the third person (“he,” “she,” “they”) to give readers a broader view. You can share what other characters are doing, even if the main character isn’t around.

2. Third person to first person:

You can also flip the switch the other way around. Switching from the third to the first person can make a character’s experiences feel super personal. It’s like you’re letting readers inside their heads, hearing their thoughts firsthand.

3. Mixing it up: Multiple POVs:

Have you ever read a book where each chapter is from a different character’s perspective? That’s like a POV party. Using multiple points of view lets you explore different characters’ feelings and experiences. It’s like getting to know all the characters from the inside.

4. The why behind the switch:

Sometimes, you can switch POV to create suspense or reveal secrets. Imagine a mystery where you see things through the detective’s eyes, and then suddenly, you switch to the suspect’s view. It’s like putting together a puzzle, piece by piece.

While switching POVs can be a fun way to mix things up, it’s like cooking a new recipe – you must do it carefully. Too much switching can confuse readers, like changing the channel on TV too quickly. Make sure the switches are clear and serve a purpose in the story.

So, can you switch points of view in your writing? Absolutely! It’s like wearing different shoes for different occasions. Just remember, each switch should enhance your story and let readers see the world through different eyes.

How do you write in the second person?

Let us tell you some great tricks to involve your readers and create an exciting writeup. Here is how you can write in the second person;

1. Embrace the “You” perspective:

The key to writing in the second person is to use pronouns like “you,” “your,” and “yours.” It’s like you’re addressing the reader directly, inviting them to experience the story as if it’s happening to them.

2. Make the reader the star:

Remember, in the second person, the reader is the main character. Everything revolves around them. So, describe actions, thoughts, and feelings as if the reader is the one doing and experiencing them.

3. Create immersive descriptions:

Use vivid and detailed descriptions to help the reader feel like they’re right there in the story. Engage their senses – describe the sights, sounds, smells, and even the emotions they might be feeling.

4. Bring actions to life:

When describing actions, use active verbs to make the reader feel involved. Instead of saying “he walked,” you could say “you stroll” or “you race.”

5. Play with emotions:

Since the reader is the character, you want them to feel the emotions deeply. Describe how “your heart races,” “your stomach flutters,” or “you feel a knot of worry.”

6. Use “you” thoughtfully:

While “you” is the star of the second person, don’t overuse it. Mix in other sentence structures to keep the writing from sounding repetitive.

7. Stay consistent:

Consistency is key. Once you’ve chosen the second person, stick with it throughout the story. Switching back and forth between points of view can confuse your readers.

8. Keep the tone in mind:

The tone of your story matters. Whether it’s casual, formal, suspenseful, or funny, make sure the second-person perspective matches the mood you’re trying to create.

9. Experiment and edit:

Writing in the second person might feel a bit tricky at first. So, don’t be afraid to experiment and revise. Read your work aloud to see if it flows smoothly and engages the reader.

10. Learn from examples:

Reading stories, articles, and books written in the second person can give you a feel for how it’s done. Pay attention to how the authors use “you” to draw you into the narrative.

Unveiling the writer’s toolbox: Why do writers use the second person?

You’ve probably noticed that writers have many tricks up their sleeves to craft captivating stories. One of these tricks is using the second-person point of view. So, why do writers reach into their toolbox and pull out the “you” perspective? Let’s dive in and uncover the reason behind it.

1. Creating a personal connection:

Did a story make you feel like it was written just for you? That’s the power of the second person. By addressing the reader directly with words like “you” and “your,” writers create an instant bond. They’re whispering secrets into your ear, making the story feel personal.

2. Drawing readers

Imagine you’re at a party, and someone starts telling you an intriguing story. When writers use the second person, it’s like they’re saying, “Hey, come here, let me tell you something cool.” It’s an invitation that’s hard to resist.

3. Enhancing immersion:

You’re stepping into a new world when you read a book or a story. The second person takes that to the next level. It makes you not just an observer but a participant. You’re not just reading about the adventure – you’re living it.

4. Making readers feel:

Writers want you to feel what their characters feel. The second person makes that happen in a big way. Instead of just reading about a character’s excitement, you feel the excitement too. It’s like the writer is dialing up your emotions.

5. Fostering empathy:

Empathy is when you understand and share someone else’s feelings. Writers use the second person to supercharge empathy. It’s like they’re saying, “Imagine you’re in this situation,” and suddenly, you’re feeling what the character feels.

6. Engaging different senses:

When writers describe things in the second person, they engage your senses. It’s not just about what you’re seeing – it’s about what you’re hearing, smelling, and feeling. This makes the story vivid and real.

7. Creating a unique experience:

Let’s face it – stories can get predictable. But when writers switch to the second person, they’re giving you something different. It’s a fresh way to tell a tale, and it can make you see things in a whole new light.

8. Playing with perspective:

Writing is like being a painter, but instead of colors, you use words. The second person is like using a unique brushstroke. It lets writers play with perspective and experiment with storytelling techniques.

So, next time you find yourself in a story’s embrace, remember – it’s the magic of the second person at work, creating a connection that lasts long after you turn the final page.

As you continue your reading adventures, watch for writing in the second person. It’s a literary tool that bridges the gap between the written word and the reader, adding a layer of engagement and making your reading journey all the more immersive.

This writing style immerses you, the reader, into the heart of the story or conversation, creating a personal connection between the text and yourself.

Throughout this guide, we’ve uncovered the essence of this technique, its mechanics, and the reasons authors opt for it. So, when you come across “you” as the reader or main character in a piece of writing, you can appreciate how it enhances your involvement and makes the words on the page feel like a personalized experience.

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Mastering Second Person Point of View: Techniques and Examples

Understanding second person point of view, defining second person, when to use second person, advantages and disadvantages, techniques for mastering second person, use direct address, create an interactive experience, choose your narrator wisely, examples of second person narrative, bright lights, big city by jay mcinerney, if on a winter's night a traveler by italo calvino, the reluctant fundamentalist by mohsin hamid, experimenting with second person, writing prompts, short stories, joining writing groups.

Mastering the second person point of view in writing can be a game-changer for your storytelling. It allows you to directly engage with your readers, offering a unique and immersive experience. In this blog, we'll explore the ins and outs of the second person point of view and provide you with techniques and examples to help you harness its power in your own writing.

Before we dive into techniques and examples, it's important to have a clear understanding of what second person point of view is, when to use it, and its advantages and disadvantages.

Second person point of view refers to using the pronouns you, your, yours, yourself, and yourselves in your writing. This perspective directly addresses the reader, making them feel as if they are part of the story or being spoken to by the narrator. Unlike first person, which uses I, me, and my, or third person, which uses he, she, it, and they, second person creates a unique connection between the reader and the narrative.

Second person point of view is less commonly used than first or third person, but it can be incredibly effective in certain types of writing. Some ideal situations for using second person include:

Instructional or educational materials, such as how-to guides or recipes
Interactive fiction or choose-your-own-adventure stories
Stories that aim to create a strong connection between the reader and the narrator
Experimental or unconventional writing styles

As with any writing technique, there are pros and cons to using the second person point of view. Some of the advantages include:

Creating an intimate and engaging experience for the reader
Offering a unique perspective that stands out from more traditional points of view
Challenging the writer to think creatively and push narrative boundaries

However, there are also some potential drawbacks:

It can be difficult to maintain a consistent and believable voice throughout the story
Some readers may find the direct address off-putting or intrusive
It may not be suitable for all types of stories or genres

Considering these factors will help you determine whether second person point of view is the right choice for your writing project.

Now that you have a solid understanding of second person point of view, let's explore some techniques to help you master this unique perspective in your writing.

One of the key features of second person point of view is its direct address to the reader. By using "you" and other related pronouns, you create a sense of conversation and intimacy with your audience. Make sure to maintain a consistent and engaging voice that speaks directly to your reader. For example:

"You walk into the room and notice the smell of freshly baked cookies. Your mouth waters as you spot the tray on the counter."

Second person point of view allows you to create an interactive experience for your reader, making them feel like they are part of the story. To achieve this, consider incorporating choices or decisions within your narrative. This can be especially effective in interactive fiction or choose-your-own-adventure stories. For example:

"You come to a fork in the road. If you want to go left, turn to page 10. If you want to go right, turn to page 12."

While second person point of view involves addressing the reader directly, it doesn't mean that the narrator must be completely removed or neutral. Choosing a narrator with a distinct voice and personality can add depth and intrigue to your story. However, be cautious not to let the narrator's voice overshadow the reader's experience. Strive for balance between the two. For example:

"You can't help but feel a twinge of guilt as you lie to your friend. It's not like you, but desperate times call for desperate measures."

Let's take a look at some real-world examples of second person point of view in literature. These works showcase the versatility and unique potential of this perspective.

This novel is a prime example of second person point of view, as it directly addresses the reader and immerses them in the life of a young man navigating the excesses of 1980s New York City. The second person perspective adds depth to the protagonist's internal struggles and creates a unique connection between the reader and the story.

Calvino's experimental novel is another excellent example of second person narrative. The book alternates between chapters written in second person, in which the reader is addressed as the protagonist, and chapters that tell the stories of various fictional books. This unique structure highlights the power of second person point of view to engage readers and draw them into the narrative.

Hamid's novel employs a second person narrative to tell the story of a Pakistani man who recounts his experiences in America to an unnamed American listener. This use of second person point of view creates a sense of intimacy and tension, as the reader is placed in the role of the listener, making the story feel more immediate and personal.

Ready to try your hand at writing in second person point of view? Here are some ideas to help you get started:

Begin with some writing prompts that specifically call for second person perspective. This will help you practice engaging the reader and honing your voice in this unique point of view.

Write a short story in second person to explore how this perspective can create a unique narrative voice and build a strong connection with the reader. Experiment with different genres and themes to see how second person point of view can enhance various types of stories.

Consider joining a writing group or workshop that focuses on experimenting with point of view, including second person narrative. Collaborating with other writers and receiving feedback on your work can help you refine your skills and gain confidence in using second person point of view.

By understanding the nuances of second person point of view and practicing the techniques outlined in this blog, you can unlock the potential of this unique perspective in your writing. Whether you're crafting a short story, an interactive narrative, or experimenting with unconventional storytelling, mastering second person point of view can elevate your work and engage your readers like never before.

Examining examples of second person narrative can provide valuable insights into how this unique perspective can be used effectively in storytelling. Let's take a look at some notable works that showcase the power and versatility of second person point of view.

Jay McInerney's novel is a prime example of second person narrative, as it directly addresses the reader and immerses them in the life of a young man navigating the excesses of 1980s New York City. The second person perspective adds depth to the protagonist's internal struggles and creates a unique connection between the reader and the story.

Italo Calvino's experimental novel is another excellent example of second person narrative. The book alternates between chapters written in second person, in which the reader is addressed as the protagonist, and chapters that tell the stories of various fictional books. This unique structure highlights the power of second person point of view to engage readers and draw them into the narrative.

Mohsin Hamid's novel employs a second person narrative to tell the story of a Pakistani man who recounts his experiences in America to an unnamed American listener. This use of second person point of view creates a sense of intimacy and tension, as the reader is placed in the role of the listener, making the story feel more immediate and personal.

Half Asleep in Frog Pajamas by Tom Robbins

Tom Robbins' novel is a quirky example of second person narrative that follows the story of a stockbroker during a weekend of self-discovery. The use of second person point of view helps to create a sense of immediacy and involvement for the reader, as they are drawn into the protagonist's unconventional journey.

You by Caroline Kepnes

In this psychological thriller, Caroline Kepnes uses second person point of view to tell the story of a bookstore employee who becomes obsessed with a customer. The second person perspective adds to the chilling narrative by placing the reader in the role of the object of the protagonist's obsession, creating a deeply unsettling and engaging experience.

These examples illustrate how second person point of view can be used effectively in a variety of genres and styles. By studying these works and experimenting with second person narrative in your own writing, you can harness the power of this unique perspective to create engaging and immersive stories for your readers.

Ready to give second person point of view a try? Here are some practical ways for you to experiment with this narrative style and find your own unique voice. Remember, practice makes perfect, so don't be afraid to dive in and explore the world of second person narrative.

One effective way to practice second person point of view is by using writing prompts. Here are some ideas to get you started:

Write a letter to your younger self, giving advice and reflecting on past experiences.
Describe a day in the life of an animal, addressing the reader as the animal.
Write a "choose your own adventure" story, where the reader's choices dictate the outcome.
Create a how-to guide or tutorial, instructing the reader on a specific task or skill.

These prompts can help you explore different ways to use second person point of view and discover which styles resonate with you.

Short stories are a great way to experiment with second person narrative. By focusing on a smaller, self-contained narrative, you can concentrate on honing your skills and developing your voice in second person. Plus, short stories provide an opportunity to explore a variety of themes, characters, and settings, allowing you to practice using second person in different contexts.

Writing groups can be a valuable resource for writers looking to experiment with second person point of view. By sharing your work with others, you can receive feedback and suggestions to help improve your writing. Additionally, participating in writing groups can introduce you to other writers who have experience with second person narrative, providing opportunities for collaboration and learning from others' experiences.

As you explore and experiment with second person point of view, remember that finding your unique voice takes time and practice. Don't be afraid to make mistakes or try new things—embracing the process of learning and growing as a writer will help you become more comfortable with second person narrative and ultimately create engaging, immersive stories for your readers.

If you enjoyed this blog post and want to dive deeper into the world of perspective, don't miss the workshop ' A New Perspective on Perspective ' by Roberto Bernal. This workshop will provide you with unique insights and techniques to enhance your understanding and application of perspective in your creative projects.

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The right point of view (POV) is crucial for developing an effective narrative while writing a short story, a book, a social media post, a blog, or any other content piece. While the first-person POV works well for various content types where the narrator is the hero, the second-person point of view is necessary in many cases. In fact, it is often used in different types of writing, both fiction and nonfiction.

In this article, let us see when it is appropriate to use the second-person POV with examples.

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What is the second-person point of view?

Good writing involves employing different writing styles , tones, and perspectives. Points of view play a key role in communicating your intent and purpose. While it is advisable to maintain a consistent POV in a content piece, you may be required to switch from one perspective to another at times. Let us understand the definition of the second-person point of view .

The second-person point of view directly addresses or talks to the reader. The pronoun “you” (along with “your” and “yours”) is used to address the readers. It makes readers associate themselves with the ideas, thoughts, and emotions a writer expresses. In literature, the second-person POV invites readers to the plot and makes them actively contribute to storytelling .

As the reader is the intended recipient of all communication in second-person writing, you can forge a connection with them and make them feel “involved”, “responsible”, or even “answerable”. This approach is useful specifically for articles where you want readers to take action.

When should I write in the second-person point of view?

The purpose, intent, target audience, message, and length of your story should be considered to decide if it should be written in the second person. At times, a combination of all three perspectives might be required to keep the readers interested.

Writing in the second-person point of view takes your ideas directly to the reader and makes them occupy the center stage. Here are some content types where using the second-person POV creates an impact.

Self-help books: Self-help books are written to help readers overcome specific problems and achieve related goals. The second-person POV is perfect for this! It helps maintain a motivational and encouraging tone while making readers feel responsible for taking action. An example of the second-person point of view in self-help books is:

You have the power to transform your life! Do not allow yourself to be defeated.

Instruction manuals and how-to content: These content types benefit from the second-person point of view because they usually instruct the reader on how to do something. Since the reader is the one who needs to take action, this POV makes the communication effective. An example of the second-person point of view in instruction manuals or how-to content is:

When you see the green light on the upper panel blinking rapidly, the machine will be ready for use.

Marketing brochures: Since the primary objective of marketing brochures is to generate interest, inquiries, and sales, directly addressing the prospective customers makes sense. The second-person POV works well in such cases, making prospective buyers want the product or service through direct, persuasive writing. An example of the second-person point of view in marketing brochures is:

Click here to learn more about how you can save money on your future energy bills!

Fiction: In fiction writing, the second-person address places the reader under a spotlight. It enhances the narrative by making the story seem incredibly personal. An example of the second-person point of view in fiction writing is:

As you step inside the room and look around, a chill runs down your spine.

Blogs: The second-person POV can help bloggers connect with their readers to increase engagement. Writing in the second person helps them communicate with the readers without a veil. An example of the second-person point of view in blogs is:

Do you want to make more money? If yes, you must invest! How else will your money grow?

Social media posts: Social media posts regularly use the second-person POV, particularly through quizzes, games, and polls, where users or followers engage with the content generator. It is also used in posts that share tips, humor, advice, etc. When people want to share messages that resonate with the audience, they write in the second-person point of view. An example of the second-person point of view in social media posts is:

Which of these describes your weekend the best?

How to write in the second-person point of view?

Writing in the second-person POV is like holding the reader’s hand and guiding them to the destination of your choice. This approach makes the reader the protagonist , where the author’s emotions and feelings become theirs. Here are some tips to write in the second-person point of view:

Consistently use “you,” “your,” and “yours” to address the reader directly and maintain the second-person perspective.
Start the narration with engaging hooks in second-person POV that pull the reader into the scene or situation.
Frame the narrative around what the reader is doing, seeing, or planning, and make them feel important to the plot .
Use the second-person perspective to create a sense of immediacy and ongoing action.
Consider the reader’s response and incorporate those potential reactions in your writing.

Reasons to write using the second-person point of view

Many works of literature have been written in the second person. For instance, several parts of “The Night Circus” by Erin Morgenstern have been written in the second person, and the book received rave reviews. Some readers even said they were transported to where it all takes place.

Typically, the second-person POV introduces an unconventional approach and style that can distinguish your writing from other content in the genre or category. For instance, fiction writers and poets can use their imagination to express their ideas and opinions freely. So, for which other reasons should you use the second-person POV? Here are some primary reasons:

When your reader is the hero of your story, the second-person POV can amplify emotional responses and create a sense of involvement. As a writer aiming to create a compelling story, gather your thoughts and arrange them to determine the POV for each part of your book.
If you wish to not only communicate but also transfer your emotions to the reader, writing in the second person can be highly effective. You can create anticipation and intrigue with your story!
The second-person narrative makes the reader think and reflect upon the events in your story. So, for a direct impact, this narration approach may be unavoidable.

What are the disadvantages of writing in the second-person point of view?

Writing in the second person point of view may prove challenging as it can introduce complexities in writing. It is an uncommon writing strategy, which brings some disadvantages. Let us discuss them.

Low reader engagement: The direct address “You” may not always be welcome. Readers may be unable to relate to the story or the writer, or they may not want to feel connected. In such cases, second-person POV may sound invasive. For instance, a reader might not want to feel the emotions expressed by a writer in the following:

You stand at the edge of the cliff, the wind whipping your hair, and wonder if you have the courage to jump.

Lack of clarity: Maintaining content clarity might be tough. Distinguishing between the narrator and the character being addressed can confuse or bore the readers. In the example below, it is unclear to whom the pronoun “You” refers to.

You walk into the room and see yourself sitting at the desk. You wonder what you’re doing there and why you look so anxious. You approach the desk slowly, and you begin to speak, but your voice echoes.

Tense consistency issues: Consistent tense usage can be tricky in the second person. As the story progresses, revealing the necessary details can seem murky, disjointed, or uninteresting to the readers. In the following example, the lack of uniformity in tense can frustrate readers.

You see the mess scattered everywhere in the hall. You picked up a broken vase, wondering how it got there. Suddenly, you hear a noise and turn around.

Limited narration scope: Readers might be confined to fixed experiences and thoughts. For example, in the sentence below, the reader may want to find out more about the surrounding people. However, the writer may limit the descriptions to whatever is relevant to the story.

You walk down the crowded street, taking in the surroundings. The faces around you have a story of their own.

Overuse of “you”: The continuous use of “You” can feel repetitive and monotonous to readers. Refer to the sentence below to see how the frequent use of “you” might frustrate readers.

You wake up early and you stare at the ceiling for a while. You head to the kitchen where you make yourself a cup of coffee. You drink it slowly as you think about your day ahead.

Writing style problems: For certain genres, the second person might not be common, making the narration sound odd. For instance, fantasy tales are told best in the third person. Refer to the story below to see an example of how the second-person narrative might be effective.

In the depths of the ancient dungeon, you wield your sword with determination. The dark sorcerer chants a spell, and you feel the ground tremble. You confront the sorcerer, but your courage falters.

Whether you should write in the second person is a question worth pondering before you begin working on your content piece. As important as the structure of your story is, the point of view you adopt to narrate it is equally critical.

Wondering how to go about this process? Explore PaperTrue’s self-publishing services and exploit the opportunities available to you in the publishing world.

You might also find the following articles useful:

What Is a Stock Character? 150 Examples from 5 Genres
How to Promote Your Book Using a Goodreads Author Page
Building an Author Website: The Ultimate Guide with Examples
Writing Content to Achieve a Higher Readability
Top 10 AI Rewriters for Perfect Text in 2024 (Free & Paid)

Frequently Asked Questions

How to decide if the second-person point of view is suitable for my content, how does the second-person point of view affect the reader, what are the advantages of using the second-person point of view.

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Writing Tips

Writing Tips: When to Use the Second Person

5-minute read

18th June 2020

Of all the grammatical persons, second person may be the most underappreciated. But what is the second person exactly? And when should you use it in your writing ? In this blog post, we offer some suggestions.

What Is the Second Person?

In basic terms, grammatical person is how we tell the difference between the person speaking (i.e., the first person), the person being spoken to (i.e., the second person), and everything else (i.e., the third person). We can see this in the types of personal pronouns someone uses in their writing:

First Person: I am going home.

Second Person: You are going home.

Third Person: She is going home.

As shown above, the second person uses pronouns like “you” and “yours.” You can thus use it to address the listener or reader directly.

The second person is quite rare in formal and creative writing, where the first person and third person are far more common. But there are some cases where using it can enhance your writing, as we will discuss below.

Instructions and Recipes

If you are writing directions or instructions for something, the second person will help ensure clarity. This is particularly true when listing steps in a process. For instance, you might see it used in a recipe:

To make our apple and cinnamon cake:

Pre-heat the oven to 350°F (200°C).
Line a cake tin and grease the bottom.
Melt the butter in a large pan.
Beat the egg until it is frothy.
Mix in the caster sugar…

Here, we offer simple, concise instructions addressed directly to the reader. Note that the “you” above is implicit (i.e., we are addressing the reader in the imperative , but we do not use the word “you”).

If we were to rewrite this in the third person, though, it would say:

The oven should be pre-heated to 350°F (200°C).
A cake tin should be lined and the bottom greased.
The butter should be melted in a large pan.
The egg should be beaten until it is frothy.
The caster sugar should be mixed in…

In this case, we do not address the reader directly, focusing instead on the what needs to be done to the equipment and ingredients. But the result is longer and less clear, so you can see why most recipes don’t do this!

Advertising and Copy Writing

You will also see the second person used a lot in copy writing and advertising. This is because addressing the reader helps to create a personal connection. We do this in our blog posts, as you may have noticed!

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This is important in advertising as it helps brands connect with customers. We see this in slogans that encourage readers to act or think in a certain way, such as “Have It Your Way” (Burger King) or “Think Different” (Apple).

Some adverts also pose questions in the second person:

Do you want to lose weight fast and make £££ from home?

The aim is to project a personal relationship with customers: i.e., to address each reader as an individual whose needs your company can meet.

Persuasive Writing and Speeches

The second person is also common in persuasive writing and speeches, especially when the aim is to directly convince the audience of something.

As with advertising, this is because the second person helps to create a connection with an audience: e.g., I’m not just talking about how recycling is good for the environment; I’m talking about how you can make a difference.

However, there are two provisos to note here:

The second person can seem accusatory (e.g., if we were talking about some negative behavior, such as a prejudice, saying “you” too much could seem like we’re accusing our reader of the behavior in question).
Using “you” too much can create a divide between the author/speaker and the audience, which may seem like you are speaking down to them.

Thus, the plural first person (e.g., we , us ) is a better choice in some cases.

Lyrics and Literature

Finally, we should look at the second person in creative writing. It is quite common in poetry and song lyrics , for instance, which are often addressed to a “you” (either the reader themselves or an imagined interlocutor).

The second person is also useful for creative works in which the reader is the protagonist, such as text-based video games or choose-your-own-adventure stories, where the “you” is the player.

More rarely, authors will write part of or even an entire novel in the second person . The aim here is to create a strong connection between the narrator and the reader (i.e., to make it as if they are reading about themselves). However, it is a challenging technique and not suitable for every story.

Whatever you’re writing though, don’t forget to have it proofread !

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Scholarly Voice: Second-Person Point of View

Second-person point of view.

Generally, it is best to avoid second person pronouns in scholarly writing because they remove the distance between the reader and the writer. Instead, try to use first or third person pronouns to enhance clarity. Most Walden programs and APA (2020) allow the appropriate use of first person . (See APA 7, Section 4.16 for more information.)

Here are a few examples.

Paragraph using second person:

Fire safety is important for everyone to learn. You have to evaluate if you would be prepared to face an emergency fire situation. In order to be prepared, you must be familiar with the emergency exits as well as the building's fire safety plan.

Paragraph revised to avoid second person:

Fire safety is important for everyone to learn. A resident must evaluate if he or she would be prepared to face an emergency first situation. In order to be prepared, residents must be familiar with the emergency exits as well as the building's fire safety plan.

Inappropriate use of the first person:

I found the sources to all cover the same topic of workplace bullying. I then surveyed 60 people to find out if the same theory applied to my own workplace.

Appropriate use of the first person:

The sources all covered the topic of workplace bullying. I surveyed 60 people to find out if the same theory applied to my own workplace.

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Encyclopedia

Writing with artificial intelligence, second-person point of view, when is second person point of view used.

Second person point of view is often used for giving directions, offering advice, or providing an explanation. This perspective allows the writer to make a connection with his or her audience by focusing on the reader. Second person personal pronouns include you , your , and yours .

Examples of sentences written from the second person point of view:

You should put your cell phone in the trunk if you want to resist the temptation to use it while you are driving.
When you write an academic paper, keep in mind that the appearance of your paper can make a positive or negative impression on your reader.
If you need a new laptop computer, you will need to do some research before you make your purchase.

When should second person point of view be avoided?

Writing from the second person point of view can weaken the effectiveness of the writing in research and argument papers. Using second person can make the work sound as if the writer is giving directions or offering advice to his or her readers, rather than informing or persuading them.

Weak: You should read the statistics about the number of suicides that happen to your average victim of bullying! (2 nd person)

Stronger: The statistics from a variety of research reports indicate that the suicide rate is high among victims of bullying; they are under so much psychological pressure that they may resort to taking their own lives. (3 rd person)

Second Person Personal Pronouns


person	you	you	your, yours

Brevity - Say More with Less

Clarity (in Speech and Writing)

Coherence - How to Achieve Coherence in Writing

Flow - How to Create Flow in Writing

Inclusivity - Inclusive Language

The Elements of Style - The DNA of Powerful Writing

Academic Writing – How to Write for the Academic Community

You cannot climb a mountain without a plan / John Read

Structured Revision – How to Revise Your Work

Professional Writing – How to Write for the Professional World

Credibility & Authority – How to Be Credible & Authoritative in Research, Speech & Writing

Citation Guide – Learn How to Cite Sources in Academic and Professional Writing

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Page Design – How to Design Messages for Maximum Impact

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Second Person Point of View

Second-person point of view , which directly addresses the reader, works well for giving advice or explaining how to do something. A process analysis paper would be a good choice for using the second-person point of view, as shown in this paragraph:

In order to prepare microwave popcorn, you will need a microwave and a box of microwave popcorn which you’ve purchased at a grocery store. First of all, you need to remove the popcorn package from the box and take off the plastic wrap. Next, open your microwave and place the package in the center with the proper side up. Then set your microwave for the suggested number of minutes as stated on the box. Finally, when the popcorn is popped, you’re ready for a great treat.

While the example above outlines best use of second person, academic writing often avoids second-person point of view in favor of third-person point of view. Second person can be too casual for formal writing, and it can also alienate the reader if the reader does not identify with the idea.

Replacing You

In academic writing, sometimes you needs to be replaced with nouns or proper nouns to create more formality to clarify the idea. Here are some examples:


Quality of education decreases when allow overcrowded classrooms. (Are you, the reader, allowing the conditions?)	Quality of education decreases when allow overcrowded classrooms. (Identifies who is doing what.)
On Saturday afternoons, usually have to stand in long lines to buy groceries. (Are you, the reader, shopping in on this day and time?)	Saturday afternoon usually have to stand in long lines to buy groceries. (Identifies who is doing what.)
In many states, have prisons with few rehabilitation programs. (Do you, the reader, have prisons?)	In many states, have few rehabilitation programs. (Identifies the actual subject of the sentence.)

Why You Should Try Writing in Second Person

by Melissa Tydell | 175 comments

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Fiction writers tend to depend on first person or third person point of view —you’ve been there, done that. But what about writing in second person ? It may seem strange, unconventional, or confining, but playing with point of view is one way to transform a story.

Point of view affects a story in that it offers readers a very specific perspective of the story events. Second person narration is no different. In this post, let's define second person point of view and then talk about three reasons why you should try writing in second person.

What is second person point of view?

Second person point of view is when you tell the story from the perspective of someone else– the reader. It's like being a fly on the wall as someone else experiences something. You're not in their head, but rather observing and narrating their actions and feelings from outside of them.

It can be a bit tricky to write in because it requires that you take on a different narrative voice and be conscious of the words that you use. It assumes a sense of intimacy as you direct the reader.

Questions about point of view? Check out our full guide here .

How do you know something is written in second person POV?

It will use second person pronouns to capture the action: you, your, yours. It projects the action and thoughts of the reader in an immersive experience.

Here's an fiction example from Margaret Atwood's short story “Bread”:

Imagine a piece of bread. You don't have to imagine it, it's right here in the kitchen, on the breadboard, in its plastic bag, lying beside the bread knife. The bread knife is an old one you picked up at an auction; it has the word BREAD carved into the wooden handle. You open the bag, pull back the wrapper, cut yourself a slice.

Notice how the Atwood tells you the reader what you see and how you're acting. She puts you inside the story as the second person narrator.

Why try writing in second person?

Here are three reasons:

1. Second person pulls the reader into the action.

Especially if you write in the present tense, second person allows the reader to experience the story as if it’s their own. To avoid a “choose your own adventure story” feel or an aggressive tone, mix up sentence structure and add in description and dialogue. Using the second person pronoun “you” and describing action as it happens supplies a personal sense of immediacy or urgency, propelling the story—and the reader—forward.

Example: You’re late. Heart pounding, you race up the stairs as the train enters the station. With a deep breath, you weave around the slow-moving people milling on the platform and dash towards the train, throwing your body through the doorway with only a moment to spare.

Notice how the sensory experience is heightened here for the reader because the narrative perspective projects the action on you.

2. Second person gets personal.

One way to experiment with second person is to write as if the story is a letter from the narrator to “you,” reflecting on past events and current feelings, asking questions. (It doesn’t have to be in an actual letter form; the idea of a letter is simply a way to describe the intimate tone.)

This technique isn't necessarily “pure” second person POV, as it pairs “you” with the narrator’s first-person point of view, but it allows you to dip a toe in the second-person perspective. At the same time, it gives readers a peek into a relationship, a memory, and a character’s emotions.

Example: You told me to meet you at the bar. Things hadn’t been going well, but I couldn’t put my finger on what exactly was wrong. Did you plan on breaking my heart that night? We locked eyes as I walked through the entrance, and I knew things were coming to an end.

3. Second person stretches your skills and surprises readers.

Because it’s not often used, the second person point of view can feel fresh to readers. And for writers, it means a new way of telling a story, a different way of revealing character. In this way, it offers a new perspective for writers and readers alike.

Second person might not be the right fit for every story. (And there are always readers who don't love second person for fiction writing!) But it's worth the time to play with the voice and urgency that second person narratives require, if for no other reason than to expand your writing prowess.

Second person writing and your choice of perspective

Choosing your viewpoint character matters because it dictates how your reader will experience the story. A second person POV story blurs the lines between story and personal experience in a way that can be interesting and maybe uncomfortable.

But if you are after an engaging experience, and you can carefully curate the second person voice in a way that resonates with readers, a second person narrative voice may be a choice that transforms your next story. Give it a try and let us know how it goes!

Need help deciding on your point-of-view? Unsure about the differences between first-person, third person limited and third person omniscient perspectives? Read our full article on Point of View and download our handy POV cheatsheet here .

Have you written a story in the second person point of view? Tell us how it went in the comments .

Write for fifteen minutes in the second person point of view.

When you’re finished, please share your practice in the Pro Practice Workshop . And if you post, please respond to some of the other comments too!

Melissa Tydell

Melissa Tydell is a freelance writer, content consultant, and blogger who enjoys sharing her love of the written word with others. You can connect with Melissa through her website , blog , or Twitter .

Melissa Tydell https://thewritepractice.com/author/melissatydell/ July 29, 2013 What I’ve Learned from Writing for The Write Practice
Melissa Tydell https://thewritepractice.com/author/melissatydell/ July 15, 2013 How to Write about a Time of Anticipation
Melissa Tydell https://thewritepractice.com/author/melissatydell/ July 1, 2013 How to Integrate Travel into a Story
Melissa Tydell https://thewritepractice.com/author/melissatydell/ June 3, 2013 What is the Most Satisfying Part of Writing?

175 Comments

For a few poems I wrote lately, I used both the pure 2nd person narration and the one described in #2. I’m submitting one of them to my school newspaper, since I already used the other one for a school assignment.

Very cool! Glad to hear you’re already experimenting with this POV.

The beginning of a memoir, of which an agent said 120 pages in the second person was too much. I’m still torn on whether to take the advice into account. If you like it theres more here- theransomletters.wordpress.com

Anyone who has ever had their heart shit on, enjoyed needle drugs, or rotted away in sub-Saharan Africa just might have witnessed things, and could have something worthwhile to say. Worth what I haven’t the faintest idea. This is a story, it could be mine or it could be yours. In all reality it is of little significance, the Africa part, because you and I both know a new town is a discovery and a new place in which to repeat old habits, like placating unchecked impulse, living beyond your means, or spending other peoples’ money.

This could be you if you have a penchant for travel. If you have ever reveled in foreign lands during sunsets with him or her around your arm. If you have ever lusted over others’ lives for alternative endings than festering in this hot room. If you have ever fucked around with someone else’s significant other to this end. So you have fucked someone over too. No doubt you have promised yourself you would never do it again, ambling home at sun-up, when the heartbreaking purity of birds chirping made you feel like dirt. This is you if you are going through a midlife crisis at 30. Don’t fret; you’ll only make it to 60.

You are a filthy traveler. Whichever came first, the road or the dirt, is of little importance- low standards can get you further in life than you would imagine. Further, because you wish to lose yourself in the ways of other countries, and translate your thoughts into numerous languages until you no longer understand them. You, traveler without a choice, you are not one for a guide book or youth hostels. No, guide books are like coloring books for experience, and for hostels, well all the flag flapping makes it hard to get any forgetting done. What’s more, it is unworkable to smoke exotic drugs without alerting several bunk mates with conservative tendencies.

You travel with a knife. You travel for life because of a fear of boredom. You don’t wish to go home because you can’t write letters there. You drink too much in certain cultures but you avoid those places. Yet you have been there; In some other Himalayas and meditating. It was just another experience in life, one of the infinite choices that made it impossible to choose ONE, like a kid in a candy shop. You see, this could be you.

Oscillating desires pave dead end roads. I’ll meet you at the end of any given one at any given time. Perhaps you are my age and possibly you are not. What proceeds is a tale of an ageless idiot, or God’s divine creation, it is incumbent on how you look at it. You be the judge of God’s divine creation…

Nice work. I found it quite rich, in the sense of having a lot packed into a relatively small number of words – that’s a great thing in a small piece like a short story, less so in a longer piece. I wonder if that is inherent in the 2nd person approach, it will always be more intense just because it is so personal? FWIW, I tend to agree with your agent – keeping this up for too long is very hard work.

I love the third paragraph here. You made a point there that I think is hard to make in writing “low standards can get you further in life than you would imagine” What a thing to say. Well done!

Not exactly “If on a Winter’s Night…” but here goes:

You’ve been out. Nowhere special, just some routine errands. A trip to the shops to get food for tonight’s dinner, maybe. Or perhaps you had a very important letter to post, and had to go to the Post Office to buy a stamp before dropping the letter in the box outside. It could even be that it was something more important, like a visit to the doctor to receive some test results that you have been worrying about for the last week.

Whatever. It’s done now, and you have come back home. You got your key from the place where you keep it, put it in the lock, and let yourself in. There is the familiar and yet still irritatingly urgent beeping of the burglar alarm, you have just thirty seconds to enter the correct code before all hell lets loose. You don’t want that to happen, not today at any rate, so you punch the right buttons and the system gives a little chirrup to let you know that all is well.

You shut the front door and there, stuck in the letter box, is today’s post. You take it out, and the spring on the flap does its thing and closes up the gap with a snap. No fingers caught today, happily. You examine the post, it doesn’t look very exciting. There is a flyer for a pizza delivery service, and from someone who seems to be very keen to clean your carpets. This looks like a bill, it can go in the pile with all the others. Another one is from a charity, you gave them some money once when your uncle died because it was his charity, now they won’t leave you alone. But no real post, nobody writes letters anymore.

Once upon a time people did write letters. You can remember getting them from your parents if you were visiting somewhere, maybe staying with a distant aunt for the summer so that you could get a change of scenery and they could get a rest. You also recall having to write “thank you” letters whenever you received a gift. But no longer.

Today people write emails, perhaps you will have better luck there. So you take off your coat and hang it on the hook, which really looks like it will fall off the wall any day now, you really ought to get round to mending that. You go into your office, where the computer is, and switch it on.

As it starts, there is a big swoosh of air as the fans start up, almost as if it is clearing its lungs before having to say something very important. Then, after a little longer, the screen bursts into life and the little coloured icons appear. One of them is for your email program, so you click that. For some reason you’ve never understood you have to click it twice – why is that, why once for some things and twice for others? You think they make this deliberately difficult, to keep ordinary people like you out of this special place.

You have mail! Not too much spam today, that’s a good thing. But no personal messages either, just the electronic equivalent of the circulars that you’ve just had through your letter box. Ah, what’s this, a message from The Write Practice? An invitation to write a piece in the second person? What a silly idea, you’d never dream of doing such a thing.

Nicely done! I felt like I was stepping through your morning with you, or were you stepping through mine? The “you” perspective really shakes it up!

Well, this is just brilliant. I love the feeling of this piece, the observations of everyday life. And the ending is perfect, of course.

Very clever. I loved how you brought the minutia of life into brilliant focus. Great job.

Wahaha, I loved the end of your story! What a clever little twist. 🙂 I really like all the little details you put in to make it seem like an average day, I’m a huge fan of details – I think they can make a good story a really great one.

Ha! This kind of irritated with life person who expects little things to go wrong it well appreciated by this reader. I like the part where the computer takes a breath before busting to life. Fun read thanks.

For a great example of how this can be executed without coming off as cheesy, check out chapter 10 (“out of body”) of Jennifer Egan’s Pulitzer Prize winning novel, A Visit From the Goon Squad.

It’s weird that you posted this today because I’ve been toying with this very concept. A few panels I’ve attended lately have said this can’t be done effectively (except for Bright Lights, Big City and role play books) so I took it as a challenge. I’ve had an idea that I’ve been exploring, just to prove them wrong, but I keep sneaking in an occasional “I” every now and then. Once it’s polished, though, I plan on submitting it somewhere. I am concerned, though, that it won’t be well received just because it’s a second person POV. The panels suggest that some people won’t even read second person POV stories. Have you found that to be true?

Perhaps someone else can chime in re: submissions, but I think using second person is a challenge so when it’s done well, it’s spectacular. There are plenty who say to avoid it, but hey, it’s there to play with — might as well get creative!

Thanks. I am trying one now. It’s challenging, but kind of fun.

I just read the short essay “Welcome to Holland” by Emily Perl Kingsley for the first time, yesterday. I can’t stop thinking about it, and now I know why. It’s written in the 2nd person!

At midnight, when you are filled with manicotti and yellow cake, you will vow to diet tomorrow. You will feel the dimpled flesh of your thighs, as spongy as your Tempurpedic mattress, and feel shame. Remember the summer you wore the blue bikini? Remember the way your hair, even tied in a high pony tail, fell past your shoulders? Remember the boys who gathered round you, their eyes drinking you in? You’ll want to feel that way again. The thighs, I’m sorry to tell you, are keeping you from it.

There are three heart-shaped boxes in your pantry, each rummaged through, the caramels now gone, the strawberry creams bitten once and shoved back into their fluted wrappers. By nine on the following morning you’ll be eyeing those boxes, the Valentine candy you bought for yourself, even though it’s still January.

By ten, you will have eaten every last piece. It would make sense to cry here, but you won’t. Instead, you will rise, walk to your Viking stove that’s the same blue as your old bikini. You will pull butter from the refrigerator, and mushrooms and Asiago cheese. You’ll grab the bottle of cooking sherry and two T-bone steaks wrapped in white paper.

The flame on the Viking will also glow blue, and you will stare into it, your cast iron skillet in your hand, so heavy you almost drop it. You’ll let the skillet grow hot on the flame, then add a stick of butter. The mushrooms, you’ll rinse them once and then throw them in whole, and they’ll sizzle in the browning butter, the sound like thunder on this quiet morning. By the time the steaks go in, you’ll be an artist, using food as your paint. The blue Viking is your canvas, the sky, the color of the night Grady took you to his bed, his hands quick, his breathing sharp.

The apron you’ll wear has the image of a fifties housewife on the front. She is holding a cupcake. The caption reads: It Ain’t Gonna Lick Itself. You bought it on a whim, feeling frisky, but Grady didn’t like it. He said it was cheap, like your dyed red hair, so you put it away.

But he is gone now, isn’t he? You can imagine him, his arm around that heartbreakingly thin girl he met at work. Take heart. She has problems of her own. The kind that will make your dimpled thighs seem like a Sunday school picnic. And when he thinks of you, it is always the way you looked on that first night, your breasts like full moons, your shoulders pale as the white sheets as he lowered himself to you, like a man giving into the sea.

Very cool to see the use of second person with future tense, especially as it’s contrasted with the memories of the past — an effective way to get that sense of nostalgia and regret across.

I agree! Excellent job working the tenses, Marla. Always a struggle for me. Plus, you made me wish I had mushrooms in the house.

Thanks so much.

Marla, even though I’m a guy, I could resonate with so much of your story. You had my attention with your first sentence. I make those vows nightly in between burps. I loved your description of the Valentine candy. I thought I was the only one who ate the caramels first and left the strawberry creme until I was truly desperate. The whole story felt so real and full of regret. Great job!

Thank you Tom. Glad we agree on chocolates!

Great writing as usual Marla. I have a bikini in mine too. Well great minds and all that ; ).

I promise your mind was much greater than mine today! I love your story.

I love this piece. Quite a few of the lines are really very poetic.

Sad and sumptuous all at once. I like it.

I can imagine the imagery that came to you as you wrote this. What a delicious discovery! I like the Viking blue, and the retro 50’s picture. I also like the humor and poignancy of this: (She has problems of her own. The kind that will make your dimpled thighs seem like a Sunday school picnic.) Great practice!

Wow. Sadly, this piece makes me wish I had chocolate in the house.

Very well done!

This is awesome! I love it.

Wow… this is quite beautiful, you explore such an interesting subject and the style in the piece really just draws the reader in.

Marla, this is fantastic. It’s ferocious and mixes action with daydream, that sense of recall – the last lines, “And when he thinks of you, it is always the way you looked…” felled me. Thank you for sharing. LOVE it.

The cold morning air scratches your throat with each labored breath. It is as if you are swallowing a handful of thumb tacks or maybe a really strong and bad shot of tequila with each gasp. This is not the thick coastal air you are used to breathing. This is the least of your problems though…

The ridge looms ahead and above you taunting you with every glance. Already you are at 12,000 feet in elevation, the ridge is another 1,000 feet of elevation gain and appears to be perfectly vertical. Doubts flood your mind – you will not make it, your body is strong enough, why didn’t you choose the Caribbean vacation instead? Not only is your mind working against you, your head throbs with each beat of your heart. Your lungs cannot be satisfied with normal breaths. Your thighs and calves are throbbing and seem to be in perpetual cramps. And to top it all off, the three blisters on each foot have popped and have now become open wounds. Your options are this: you can quit and go back down to the comfort of the Holiday Inn, you can lay down and die, or you can trudge on.

You trudge on. One painful, ascending step after another.

After an hour of struggle you come to the top of the ridge that connects Bard Peak and Sliver Plume Mountain. You are so stunned at what you see that your physical ailments become a memory! On the far eastern horizon are Mount Evans and Mount Bierstadt, connected by the ominous Sawtooth Ridge. As you pan to the south and west the twin peaks of Grays and Torreys appear so close that perhaps you could walk to them in fifteen minutes. Farther to south and west are the peaks of the Tenmile and Mosquito Ranges. Farther still to the south and west are the northern peaks of the Sawatch Range forming the right side of your panorama. Vast, beautiful, overwhelming – all three understating what you see and feel. Every gasp, throb, ache, blister, and hardship seem an inconsequential price to pay for standing at this place.

That’s great, David. I was exhausted after the first paragraph. I recalled how my wife and i climb squaw peak in Phoenix. It’s only a mile and a half up, but it wears me out. Thanks for helping me imagine climbing a real mountain without actually having to do it.

That as lovely. It reminds me of why people enjoy mountain climbing.

You captured this perfectly!

If you drove past the red roofed barn where daylight shutters through the wooden planks, you would never guess what lies in the forest glade. If you stopped your car beside the field of wild daisies, just past the crumbling silo, you would notice the cow path that leads into the woods. But unless you got out of your car and walked along the hoof-pocked path, you would never know about the small clearing in the woods. You would never know that bones lay on the moss beside the dry creek bed in the field of ferns.

But if you arrived at the right moment, and hid behind the outcrop of rocks, you would see Carl kneeling in the field of ferns, severing the leg off of the wounded cat. You would see him wrapping it in the burlap sack, tying it behind the saddle, and galloping away on his horse.

If you happened to run into Carl at the Thirsty Cow on a Friday night, you might hear his stories about scooping up the road kill. The job no one wants. The job you don’t even know exists until there is a deer carcass sprawled feet from your front door. You don’t know there is someone to call for this until the turkey vultures are circling and perching and tearing maggoty flesh from the deer’s bones.

You could move it yourself, but you’re worried about disease, Lyme, parasites, and the smell. The smell becomes a constant presence in your home, it lives in your teeth because it doesn’t matter if you try not to breathe through your nose. You still smell it inside your mouth. It coats everything, and you start cleaning even though it won’t help.

Nothing will help until Carl comes and scoops the carcass into his wooden paneled truck. Only then does the stench slowly recede from your doorstep. You don’t think about where it goes after this. You can’t imagine the place where it goes, bone upon bone, scavengers of the sky and soil desecrating what’s left of that life, the white tail once bobbing over fences.

But this is his job, and if you saw Carl on a usual day, tossing a dear carcass, you would know this cat is different. You would hear him cry and whisper “Annie” into the wind.

That one’s going to haunt me for a while. Poor Carl! Great job.

Very powerful! I can still smell the rotting carcass. The last sentence is very moving. Great job!

Wow!!! That was amazing. I like the words “hood pocked” at the beginning. What is up with the cat though. Why is he crying and whispering to “Annie” at the end if he cut the legs off of a wounded (I assume it’s not dead because you said wounded) cat. It’s either very creepy if he’s some kind of cat torturer or very sad if Annie was a pet and when you wrote wounded you also meant that she was dead.

I agree with Marianne, I was a little confused with the cat as well. But this is a great piece Plum 🙂 It creeped me out a little, that line about the smell living in your (my) teeth…ugh!! Great practice!!

Unfortunately, a deer died behind my house after coyotes attacked it. It took a long time to find the source of the smell, and even longer for the turkey vultures to finally leave.

Oh my God, that’s horrible. No wonder the images were so vivid, you lived it.

Thanks for your comments Marianne! There’s more to the cat story, but I should have left it out for the purposes of the practice, or developed it more. I appreciate the feedback.

That goes to show how just a sentence or two can make a big difference in a readers perception of a character.

Fantastic! You used 2nd person perspective very naturally. I was there.

Wow! I love the line about the smell getting in your teeth. Carl is a great character.

I love the ‘if’ on top of ‘if’ construction that draws you in. Good stuff.

Thanks so much everyone! I’ve been tossing Carl around for awhile, but never really thought of second person. It was fun to see him differently.

I guess that’s why I like the book “Fight Club” so much. Really puts you in the moment, makes you feel connected to the writer. It’s also why I liked “Choose Your Own Adventure” books back in the day. lol

You walk among the half-naked children who surround you begging for money and food. Your soft eyes sparkle in comparison to their dark eyes of want. Your mouth quivers an uncomfortable smile as you contemplate your next move. You know if you reach your hand into your bag, a dozen more slum kids will surge towards you, creating a tidal wave of desperation. You have more than you can ever use, so it only makes sense to pay it forward to these innocents of poverty and heartache.

You look up and notice your tour group seeking respite on the bus. The stench and the flies are just too much. Your once-compassionate eyes begin to glare in disgust and panic as one-by-one your tour mates step into the air conditioned coach, leaving you with an ever expanding mob. Your breathing accelerates as your heart begins to pound. It feels as if it might explode. You see the doors of the tour bus begin to close and you yell out in terror.

“Wait! Stop,” you scream out over the clamor.

Shooing the kids from your personal space, you make your way to the bus. You hear the children crying and you don’t even turn to wave goodbye.

I think that was one of the best things I’ve read by you Tom. It was very immediate. I was there. Well done.

Great transformation here, Tom. Good writing.

You would feel like the little you could give would never be enough. I get it. Convicting and thought provoking.

I’ve wanted to do this for a long time. I think you’ve convinced me to take the leap.

Awesome — you should definitely go for it!

Sorry for the few cuss words at the end but she said them, not me.

You’re walking the boardwalk in a pink bikini. Your toenails are painted lavender. You have a killer tan. Everybody’s watching you except the blind and maybe they are getting some kind of idea of how totally cool you are.

It’s a good day; breezy and not packed tight with tourists. There’s a problem though. It’s that old Greek you worked for. He said that you’re “a criminal”, says you have a “bad mind”. But there’s nothing wrong with your brain. You’ve always been sexy and guys like to buy stuff for you like dinner, and records and jewelry and rides on the roller cooster. What’s wrong with that?

You hear Joe Cocker singing from a loudspeaker. That means you’re near the Beach Club where you worked for that stupid Greek. You need to pee and your feet are getting hot from walking barefoot. The Beach Club has a bathroom. The Greek said he’d call the cops if you came back in the club. He says you stole money from the register. Prove it man, you think.

Inside it’s dark and chilly. You take off your shades to find the bathroom. It’s dirty, with a wet floor, a pine sol smell, and no toilet paper. There’s some cool graffiti though, coolest grafitti at the beach. You started it with “psychedelic drugs sold here” in smooth, even handwriting. It’s hard to write on a metal door with a can opener but you got it right. Some of the other girls used lipstick, but not you. You made a permanent impression. People don’t forget you.

You get to the cocktail bar without running into the Greek. You don’t care if he sees you or not. What’s he going to do anyway?

You see a surfer dude at the bar so you move in. He smells good, like coconut suntan lotion. You bump into him and say “Oh sorry.”

He smiles, so you kind of look at the bar, like you might be thinking about a beer. He doesn’t offer to buy, so you bend over the bar, grab a glass, hold it under the spigot, and hit the Bud lever. It’s hard to do that from the outside of the bar but you’re a great bartender, freaky fast. The real bartender sees you and tells you to pay. You say you forgot your purse and look at the surfer. He pays for the beer and says he’s going to the bathroom. He doesn’t come back. You figure he must be a queer.

Then the Greek shows up, calls you a bum and asks you to leave. You want to say he’s a stupid son of a bitch, but you just chug your beer and head out. There’s another bar in the next block and your feet have cooled down. You shouldn’t have lowered yourself to work there anyway. There are classier places to work but you felt sorry for the Greek and took the job at his crappy club.

He took advantage of you for sure. That’s how people are. You do them favors and they give you back nothing but a bunch of shit.

Wow, Marianne! That poor girl appears to be stuck in her own world of denial and self-sabotage. I felt the angst of her frustration and pitiful coping skills, yet there was still something about her that made her likable and caused me to root for her. Great job!

Thanks Tom. I might use her again. She seems to have made an impression. I hate characters like this in a way though because I just don’t see her getting better but you can never tell what will happen once you start writing.

My gosh, Marianne. This is so good! I love this line. “Everybody’s watching you except the blind and maybe they are getting some kind of idea of how totally cool you are.”

I felt like I was right there with this girl. What a great character. Love, love, love this.

Thanks Marla. I kind of like her. She reminds me of some of the people I waitressed with at the beach when I was young.

This is a perfect use of second person, Marianne! It gets you into the skin of a character that you might otherwise despise, but since you *are* her you feel a little empathy. Fantastic work.

I agree Abigail, instead of thinking this character was a real pill, I kind felt more like she was making excuses for her behaviour, and I can sympathize with that.

I agree about her making excuses.

Thanks it was kind of an accusatory way to write. Weird.

Second person was great here, can’t resist sympathising with character while at the same time being informed of her less-than-noble thoughts. Reminded my of the chapter on character Tralala (a bratty prostitute) in Last Exit to Brooklyn.

Wow that’s quite a compliment. I haven’t read “Last Exit to Brooklyn” but did read “Requiem for a Dream”. It was so sad I couldn’t finish it but the characters although very different from anyone in my life were well done in an unusual way. I wonder if it’s the second person that makes us sympathetic. It’s like someone it telling the reader what happened and most people are inclined to be sympathetic (at first anyway) to other people’s problems. You gave me a lot to think of here. Thank you.

This young lady surely has it all figured out. I love that about beach bums. I like the description of the salty bathroom. Second person works here because we’ve all known someone like this. Good characterization here. I liked it.

Thank you for reading and commenting.

So good, Marianne!

Thanks Juliana

You didn’t want to talk to me, was that it? Were you angry? Did your love run out?Why were you so exhausted? I can keep your secrets. I kept your smoking from daddy because we both knew how every 5 second drag would hurt him. It crushes him seeing you so blue. Do you even realize that? You were suppose to spend the rest of your lives together. You were suppose to die for each other. Why are you hurting him? Unless it was a dream. This could be a dream right? You would never do anything like that. I know you couldn’t. You only kept your smoking from daddy so he wouldn’t be upset and you only didn’t tell him about that one time you kissed Uncle Robert in the car so he wouldn’t leave us. You did that for us. I know you did. You’re not evil. You’re just pretending. I know you are, but I don’t wanna play anymore, mommy. This game is lonely. Please come back. You’re not a bad mommy. You’re just pretending.

Wow! Powerful writing. I like the excuses that keep coming up here.

Thank you so much!

Oh, this is so sad. It sounds like a a little kid talking. Great writing.

Yes! You picked up on it. Thank you so much for that!

You’re welcome. Thank you for bringing the child’s perceptive to light. Children so rarely have voices.

This is a good idea and well written. It would be better without the last few lines if it were part of a longer piece. I can see that you need to include that here because we are not going to read further but I can see this narrator as one of multiple narrators in a novel (of even a short story although I know it’s sacrilege to consider multiple narrators in a short story).

Wow. I had to read this twice. Very insightful. Of course, little children lead us. Good job.

Thank you very much!

I haven’t read anything quite as entertaining or helpful. Great real examples and a good set of practice. I haven’t written a second person story before – but look to add it to one of my daily practice sessions.

Yes, these exercises are fun. One of my very favorite stories is written in second person–How to Talk to a Hunter by Pam Houston. I highly recommend checking it out!

“You are a bad lover.”

You’re half-asleep next to my Robert when you hear this. It wakes you up because even though it’s a whisper, it’s also really loud. This detail freaks you out, and you’re already pretty damn freaked out by a mystery voice insulting you at four in the morning – not to mention the fact that it seems to know quite a lot about your sexual skills. The weird thing is, this voice sounds kind of familiar to you. You’ve been hearing it every night for the last month and yet you still can’t quite place it. And every night there’s a new insult. Yesterday you were a fat queen. Last week, you were a second-rate squash player, a premature ejaculator and the worst cook in the whole world. You take a deep breath and tell yourself that you’ve been working too hard, that you should start yoga again, that you should take a trip to the lake cabin with him this weekend. You close your eyes and try to go back to sleep but you can’t.

In the morning you leave him sleeping and get in the shower. You’re soaping up your pot belly and humming some irritating song, trying to shake the sleepless night. But suddenly you get the feeling that someone’s watching you. So you grab the shower curtain and pull it around you but you do this so fast that you trip and fall out of the shower. Again you hear that whispering voice that’s also inexplicably loud. You think it says, “Loser” but you’re not sure because you’ve just banged your head on your expensive sink.

Then you drive too fast and you look in the rear-view mirror too often. You are sweaty. You turn left before the Jones’ farm and head up the back track through the woods until you reach that cluster of trees and park behind them, out of sight. You pull on your boots, grab your spade and stomp angrily or impatiently or nervously through the woods. Soon you see the pile of stones and push through the bushes into the clearing. You walk past the oak tree and start digging.

You’re getting angrier and redder with every spade of dirt shovelled. And your designer jeans are getting dirtier. But the bottom never comes and you don’t understand. So you jump down into the pit and start digging with your bare fingers. Then you see it. You stop breathing for an instant. Your eyes are even more blood-shoot than normal and your mouth is pinched tight. You pick up the damp, muddy piece of paper and you read: HE’LL ALWAYS BE MY BOYFRIEND. You throw yourself down on the ground. You cry, you laugh, you cry again. You rub your face in the soil. You slam your hands into the earth and kick your legs. You’re finally coming undone. Then you hear that loud whisper again. Except this time it doesn’t say anything, it just laughs.

This is a very interesting piece. Thanks for sharing!

So very good!

Thanks for the comments! First time I’ve posted so good to get some feedback. Will be back again.

Very haunting and mysterious.

This sounds like a really psychotic person thinking. Interesting and the writing is solid.

Really well-written and interesting (not to mention freaky! haha)

It’s hard to talk to you. You never really hear what I have to say. You listen patiently, but you don’t hear. I know you are only concerned, worried about me. If I’m sad, healthy, happy, if everything is okay. You don’t really believe me when I say I do. Or accept my point of view as just as valid as yours. You make me feel like all my choices are wrong. Your worry suffocates me. I get overwhelmed with your fears, your thoughts invading mine. You silence my own emotions, because without meaning to, you make me carry your worries. I cannot bear them. It hurts, always saying I need space and your incomprehension of that need; you take that need and twist into something I never intended. Something I wasn’t saying at all.

And now you’re upset because I won’t talk to you at all. But I don’t know what to say. Or how to say it. So it’s easier to remain silent. You say you know me so well, implying with your dismissal of my own efforts at communicating my thoughts and needs, that I don’t know myself as well as you know me. It angers me, this presumption that you can know what is in my soul. You scoff at such declarations as being dramatic. So over the years, I’ve fallen silent. Silence hurts less than the talking we do.

You asked why I don’t talk to you anymore, and that’s why Mom. Because it’s hard.

Wow. All mom’s should read this. The part about thinking you know someone better than they know themselves is poignant. I will try to keep this in mind when I talk to my daughter.

Glad it resonated. I wrote for all the daughters out there. And all the mothers too. I know it’s hard to be either person in that relationship.

As soon as I got to “your worry suffocates me,” I knew this had to be from the child’s pov. Nice job!

Oh gosh, I knew you were talking about your Mom! A universal interpersonal dilemna!

Funny how we all have the same Mom problems! Let’s not tell my Mom okay?

Don’t worry. Even my Mom wouldn’t mind this. She is where I get my honesty. I will hold your confidence.

You come into the book cafe and order a cafe latte. Malachi an acquittance and a fellow peruser of the used book aisle from last week; hands you a book. It’s ‘If on a winter’s night a traveler’ by Italo Calvino.

Immediately you crack the book open, the unique writing style seems somewhat strange, alien, but refreshing. You read on and think, there’s something quite odd about this book. You think, could it be the fact that it was translated from Italian to English. Though a bit confusing at first you continue to push and read on. Suddenly you discover that the character in the story seems to parallel your own thoughts and feelings as you question the authors unique voice and style. The character has similar questions and concerns as you do. Then you have an Aha experience! Of course! That’s it; it is written in the second person point of view. And Calvino has a wonderful genius of taking you on a journey while aligning your thoughts and ideas with the main character; though it’s of a dissimilar subject. You read on….

I think that writing in second person helps the writer discover things they may not have known about themselves. Interesting how it works that way.

You swallow hard, looking at the number flashing on the screen register screen. It’s bigger than you had expected – you’d only come into the store for bananas and paper towels, after all. The number runs into the higher double digits and some odd change and for a moment you stare down the conveyor belt at all the groceries stacked on the other side, waiting to be bagged. The low fat milk, the plastic onion keeper for all those onion halves you always wrap in foil then forget about, the container of Greek yogurt, the dish towels in assorted bright colors, the case of Diet Coke and the stack of frozen dinners in different varieties – chicken, pork and steak. As if any of them taste any different from the others. As if they would ever give you steak in a meal that costs .99c, or .45 when on sale.

“Is that it?” You jerk as the boy – no older than 19 – drawls and leans backwards, cracking his bony fingers one at a time. He smirks. You shudder inwardly – you hate that noise. Hurriedly swiping your VISA, you punch in your PIN and wait for the beep of confirmation. The blue screen flashes “AUTHORIZING” at you. You want to say, the Diet Coke isn’t for me, it’s for a friend who’s visiting this Friday. The frozen dinners are for when you’re too tired to cook after a long day at work. You think it’s ridiculous you have to explain yourself to the kid behind the register, who probably smokes pot behind his school and will eventually drop out to play bass in some failing band, or maybe go to jail. He has tattoos up and down his left, skulls and spikes and other unpleasant things.

“Paper or plastic?” The boy behind the register couldn’t be less interested in your silent judgment, his eyes flitting to the girl in the other checkstand and at the clock on the wall and down to where his manager is standing, chatting with people in expensive suits. Everywhere but at you. That’s why he doesn’t notice you slip the small pack of gum into your pocket, fresh mint, your favorite flavor. You take a deep breath, the gum burning a hole in your side, weighing you down so much you’re sure that you’re tilting to the right. Any second now, that manager a few checkstands down will come over and ask you to please empty your pockets and come this way, security will escort you out. Your cheeks flame at the thought.

“Plastic,” You smile back at him as the register whirs and spits out a receipt as long as your arm. The boy rips it off and stuffs it into a bag along with your milk and yogurt, then hands it to you. For a second, you brush hands and you expect to burst into flames, or for him to suddenly realize you’re a thief, a bloody thief, but he simply waits for you to take your bag with that flat, sullen look.

“Have a good day,” you say politely and smile, but he is already on to the next customer.

Oh, very cool. I liked this one.

Really like how the details in the basket lull us into a sense of normalcy before we realize the secret. I first assumed this was a woman, but just read it again, and realize not necessarily!

It almost seems like she is getting back at him for cracking his knuckles. It’s interesting to think that might be a reason for shop-lifting.

A little justice for the crazy high prices of groceries?! Fun piece. I can picture the whole scene.

How to Be the Beta Chi Slut

First, rifle through your hardwood dresser in search of clothes that don’t just say “come hither,” but scream, “hit this now.” The search will be brief.

In the spirit of the spring semester, choose a mini skirt with an embroidered daisy on the back pocket. The sorority girls who hang around the frat house like to show as much skin as you, but instead of denim and $5.99 wife beaters, their waif-like bodies are typically done up in Versace sundresses.

For a moment, wonder over why they call it a wife beater—then slip the article of clothing on in four seconds flat (your clothing removal record is even shorter).

Heels, glossy and razor-sharp, are a must. Losing the bra before going out gets you extra points, too.

Keep your girlfriends (hopefully you haven’t been a bitch to all of them?) around for when you pre-game, pre-game, pre-game. Lounge on your lofted bed, shot glass in hand.

“Do you think Nate will be at the party?” a girl from your marketing class will ask, a smile trembling to her berry lips.

“Well, he is a Beta Chi brother,” you’ll respond, trying to remember if Nate is the blonde with the Tasmanian devil boxers or the tall guy with a thing for multi-colored condoms. You never were good at names, but if you’re going to be the Beta Chi slut, you should try to get them all straight. Wouldn’t want to embarrass yourself later on tonight, right?

To keep up appearances, stick with this gaggle of girls for when you initially storm the frat house. But make sure to shake the tramps off soon after. They’ll only weigh you down, or steal all the good ones (and the bad ones, for that matter).

Grab a beer and prowl.

The makeshift bar will be cluttered with Busch Light boxes and Bacardi rum bottles—and manned by the Tasmanian blonde. He’ll offer you a Peppermint Patty. A girly drink, he’ll clarify as he shakes his blonde bangs from his face.

Tilt your head back and open wide. He’ll pretend he needs to support your neck as he pours mint-flavored liquor and chocolate into your mouth. The pressure of his palm under your loose hair would be sweet if he wasn’t trying to find your bra strap at the same time.

“It’s good, right?” he’ll ask encouragingly.

You’ll agree; it’s cute that he thinks it’s your first time trying it. “Thanks, Nate.”

“Thanks…Nick?” That’s a common enough name, right?

“Sure thing, Caroline,” Nick will grin.

Slip away from the bar soon after. Doing the dirty with Nick/Nate again wouldn’t be any sort of conquest, anyway. Scope out the dark room, pulsing with music and dance. Peer through the flashes of strobe lights a Beta Chi brother set up. They’ll blind you for a moment.

The real Nate will be DJ’ing the party. Stop by his table for a little flirting, just to remind him what he’s missing out on.

But again, think feline and stalk through the crowd of barely conscious, undulating bodies. Make your way to a preppy-looking brother wearing a sleek white shirt. Introduce yourself. Aren’t you in my Italian class? you’ll ask, though both of you know he’s not. I might be, he’ll respond playfully; I’m Nick, by the way.

Try really hard not to roll your eyes.

Some time during the conversation, you’ll realize Nick’s even more drunk than you anticipated. You’re on your third beer yourself and feeling kind of tipsy. Let him tug on your hand. “Let’s dance,” he’ll say.

The music playing isn’t dance music; it’s Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believing,” but Nick doesn’t mind. Personally, you think it’s a little trashy to try grinding to ballads, but you go with it. All the while, Nick belts out the lyrics, sloshing beer on the people around you.

Courtship on the dance floor is your specialty. Left arm around his neck (the other hand holds a Solo cup); bodies foreign to one another, too close for comfort and too comfortable being so close; and the grinding. Smile up expectantly at him. As his hands and arms slide around your hips to the daisy on your skirt, you’ll think to yourself that he’s kind of gross and sweaty. When some subtle song like “Kiss Me Through the Phone” starts playing, the make-out session should commence. It’ll come naturally to you; the whole scenario will.

But there’s calculation in how you do it now.

By the end of the hour, you should be wasted, easy, and on a kiss-and-tell basis with about half of Beta Chi. You’ll save the other half for tomorrow night.

The final guy of the evening isn’t named Nick or Nate. No, on this special night, the chosen one is Charlie. Charlie is the doe-eyed Beta Chi president. You’re now ready for an encounter that, like all the others, is brief, fun, and sharp as nails.

Charlie has striped blue bed sheets that smell of women’s perfume. You might freeze at that, as Charlie drunkenly hovers over you, lids half closed.

“What?” he’ll ask impatiently.

“I…n-nothing.” You’ll continue.

So what if you came into college thinking the first guy you slept with would hand you a sparkling promise ring? So what if, after the first relationship/one-night stand, you just kept going through the motions with one boy after another, sure that one of them would be “the one?”

You’re not the self-searching type, but you know you like the power that comes from conquering the Nicks and Charlies of the world. The choices you’ve made, they’re better for you in a way. This way is best.

The rest of the evening is a blur––or so you can coyly tell people the morning after. All the while, make it blatantly clear that you had a wild(ly inappropriate) night.

You can add that there’s talk of the boys hauling you off to Miami with them for Spring Break. You’ve never been outside the state, and you think of the vacation with a genuine smile.

One last thing: the walk of shame from the frat house to your dorm.

Hold your head up high, smile, and act like you’ve just been awarded the Purple Heart.

Even better, you should think to yourself. You are now the Beta Chi Slut for Spring 2011.

Congratulations.

Wow, this packs a punch! You used the second person and tense well to pull the reader in. It makes it very immediate,personal, and uncomfortable, but very powerful.

I really like how you matched a ‘how to’ instruction manual style with a subject you wouldn’t expect for that. works really well to get the emptiness of the whole experience across.

I think you capture the voice of this piece well in this one line: bodies foreign to one another, too close for comfort and too comfortable being so close;

Such great choices with the details, felt like they added richness and reality and never bogged the writing down. Making out in a man’s bed that smells like woman’s perfume, just that says so much.

You are thirty-five years old and you have just hung up the phone after a very long and stressful call from your soon-to-be-ex wife explaining to you that she is never coming back. Her clothes are still hanging in the closet. That is her toothbrush next to yours in the small porcelain dish on the bathroom counter. That is her daughter asleep in the tiny twin bed you bought just last week.

As you sit in the chair beside your daughter’s bed and stroke her hair you can’t begin to think about what drove your wife away, because you realize, in your daughter’s quiet breaths, that there is no possible excuse. How are you supposed to raise this little girl alone? What do you tell her tomorrow? Should you wait? Is Margaret really never coming back? If she doesn’t come back, who will show this little wonder how to be a woman? Some proxy you meet at a company picnic a year or three or five from now? Will she never fully understand herself, because she only has you to tell her about the deep parts? The passed-down psychoses? The hereditary madness?

You lean back in your chair and rest your hands on your knees with a sigh. Will she grow up to be an introvert? And how much of it will be your fault? You want to believe that it will all be Margaret’s fault. Margaret who left, but then that is weak thinking. You know there must be something you can do to mend this wound now, before it festers and lives on in her, but you are only so much carbon and free will. You don’t have any of the answers right now, and maybe some day you will, but when will that day come? And will she already be crippled by then? Will she forever be the girl-without-a-mom? How do you make this okay?

You can’t. Nothing can make this okay. This is a pain that you will only ever be able to bandage. And everything is ruined.

I like the feel of this, like a camera panning over the scene in the first paragraph and then settling on the 2nd person pov. My favorite part is the “carbon and free will” line.

Thanks Plum, that was one of my favorite lines to write as well 🙂

I forgot I was even reading in second person with this one.

Hahaha, awesome Marianne, that’s good to hear 🙂

I like the opening and how it shifts from belongings to a little girl. And I agree, the “carbon and free will” phrase is great. Great read!

Thanks Puja! I’m glad you enjoyed it.

I like that the man is wiling to take responsibility here. That he will do all that he can to make things okay. I love the compassion. I like the almost admittance that he may have had a part in Margaret’s leaving. I like the use of the word, ‘proxy’…very appropro,

Thanks Susan! I’m glad that you liked it 🙂

Wow – this is different for you Jeff and so very good! Indeed everyone has done really well with this exercise – who knew 2nd person could work so well!

Thanks Juliana! I think that writing in second person is a very helpful exercise for learning to write in the other perspectives. It has…something, haha. I suppose as a writer I should be able to find the words to describe what I am thinking, but I am drawing a blank at the moment.

Very moving. Loved the description of the dad as “only so much carbon and free will.”

Thanks Wendy! I’m glad it moved you 🙂

HI Jeff Bet, you’ve forgotten about this piece but its WONDERFUL. It’s telling me things can be written in 2nd person and beautifully so. So there!

Very moving, I loved reading this Jeff!

You stare at the couch, at the piano, at the door. Anything but the phone. Your stomach was fine five minutes ago, but now hard little hands have taken hold of it and are twisting in opposite directions.

“It’s no problem,” you say. “I’ll just pick up the phone, dial the number, and talk. I like to talk. This won’t be a problem.” Deep inside your head you say something else. “I’m terrible on phones. Always have been. I’ll stutter, I’ll sound weak, I’ll get my words mixed up somehow and he’ll know I’m just a stupid kid.”

You double over in pain as your stomach squeezes and you think you’re going to be sick. The little white telephone seems innocent enough, but when you pick it up your palms are slick with sweat. Desperate, you throw down the phone and run into your bedroom, switching on the light and hunting for something underneath piles of debris. Finally it’s in your hands–the magazine.

Sweaty fingers flipping over the pages, you discover the photo you had in mind–a half-starved child from the streets of Accra. Right beside it is a collection of Haitian children, smiling and waving at you. “This is for them. I have to make the call for them.” You look a little longer at the photos, and only when you put them down do you feel that your stomach has untangled itself, and the hard little hands are no longer twisting.

I like that your piece is leading. I like the the picture of hands wringing a heart. I’m not sure about the end sentence. Does he or she make the call, or bail out? I’m thinking that it took courage to make the call. A certain kind of resolve, that settled the anxiety. Am I correct on this?Again, I like your practice.

Thank you, Susan! This is how I really felt on the morning I wrote this. The ending is a bit enigmatic, come to think of it. I meant that you do indeed make the call, emboldened by the reason for doing so.

Late in coming on this writing prompt, but here goes:

Are you an optimist or pessimist? Do you see the glass 1/2 empty or 1/2 full? What about if you sit somewhere in the middle? Would that be 1/4 or 3/4? A middlin’?. Anyway, you seem to dwell on the reality of the situation. Sometimes that calls for a silver lining, sometimes, an ominous gray cloud, heavy with problems. The silver lining is the ribbon of solution, stripping away the facade, to let the rain fall wear it may, flooding some areas, and watering the daffodils of spring. I tap my pencil on my notepad and peer over my eyeglasses, evaluating your stubbornness, your honesty. I think I have a new label for your condition. Maybe I will be like Freud, or Jung, or Maslow, I don’t know. I’ll have my conclusions printed up in some official journal. (Oh, the joy of being a published author! Wouldn’t that be wonderful?!)

Because you seem to muddle in the middle of puddles, you get all muddy and messy. So, I will call you neither pessimist nor optimist. You are a bit of both. You know, like, “It’s complicated?!” You are a Messymist. Please don’t fret over this. It is good to be self-aware. God deals with messy, quite well. He cleans it up. His grace can handle your mess. So chin up and chin down. It is going to be Okay.

I think this is a hopeful message overall. The tone is kind of subdued relative to the others here and I think that’s appropriate to the theme.

Thank you for that, Marrianne. It was fun practice.

This was very hard! I have taken a few days to think about it!

You stare down at the ruin of your body. Your eyes are open but do not see, a dark stain pools behind your head. You look away from the dress rucked up over your hips. The man who did this to you is down by the river, washing his hands. He returns and pulls down your skirt, fills your pockets with heavy river stones and begins to drag you toward the water.

You look away and see her, small, wild-eyed, clutching your shawl. You want to envelope her in your arms, protect her, and shelter her from his evil. But you can’t, you know you can’t. There is a splash behind you but you do not feel the water rising over your head. She must hide you think. She is staring at you and you beckon her to follow you toward the mountain. You want her to hide in one of the caves, the fissures in the rock. She wraps your shawl around herself and crawls into a low dark space.

He is calling her but she keeps silent and you watch him willing him away from her – your life’s treasure if only you had understood. The little one creeps further into the darkness where she will be safe. And you? Will the darkness ahead of you be safe?

Wow Juliana how sad and frightening. This is beautiful! Thanks

Remember after the scuba trip you came over to my place to help me balance my checkbook thinking it would be easy-peasy with your double math/physics major, not realizing I hadn’t recorded a single purchase for six months. You combed through my bank statements while I made popcorn and winked at my roommates while they left for the mall.

And Holy Hell, you managed to balance my life.

I tossed oversized throw pillows onto the floor and popped in a VHS ofCasablanca, the black and white version not the color-enhanced crap. You wrapped your arm around my shoulders, kissing me, and I barely felt the rug burn.

But when Ilsa flew off into the fog, I said, “This is dumb. What are your plans, anyway?”

Your eyebrow arced at my question, but you knew my rationale. The miles between ‘Virginia Me’ and ‘Georgia You’ made us becoming an US after this chance trip meeting highly unlikely.

“My plans,” your blue sinking into my hazel, “are to come up and see you as much as possible.”

The pillows became clouds and I began to reach for them.

A car whizzed through the roadside puddles beyond my door.

“Would you dance with me in the street?”

You looked out the window then back at me. “Even in the rain.”

But, we never did.

After the news I walked for hours and hours, numb.

Life’s a f****ed up thing. Just when you finally feel like your’re getting the hang of it, it pulls the rug from underneath your feet.

Of the things and ways in this weird world, you begin to come to terms with who you are and whats important. . . .Then, Bam! you get the horrible news. You feel there’s no way to deal with this. There’s no one you can talk too. No one can really understand and you know you’ll just get some mediocre response from them. They love you and care for you and still, they offer nothing of any value or help.

You are really all alone, its an emptiness, a dull emptiness. Why even put up a fight, its futile? But how could you not fight with all your might, all your will. You fight in your head to try and understand, try to justify, try to accept and find hope where there is none. Helpless and hopeless is the final defeat. As if the world stopped spinning and became mute.

And but for the few who count on you, the few who love you; how could you let them down. How could you become dead while still alive; in their eyes? How could you just give up? Anger and rage seem the only cure to feel again; at least you’ll feel something, anything; temporarily anyway. You owe it to them to lie; your faithful family, your optimistic friends. You must lie. Maybe lying is a good thing. Maybe its the only thing you have. And you lie to them and to yourself; you must because the mirror of truth that reflects your skull & bones is too unbearable.

The only way to rid yourself of the rage and fear is to dilute it, drown it, and wash it away – in whatever way you can, with whatever means is at your disposal. And when that fails to sustain you, you flee and jump ship, into a sea of anxiety.

And you don’t possess the courage to acknowledge the truth, the hard cold truth. So you run and you keep running. You hide like a child who hears a noise at night and draws the covers over his eyes. Searching for some sense of security.

so basically homestuck

It wasn’t that easy.

Especially when you loved someone so dearly, and nothing can replace the memories you’ve had, the experiences you’ve been on, and what you have become because of that person. And you were having a really good time—heck, you didn’t want it to end. Not wanting it was an understatement, and even though this person had been a constant headache in your life, you still want this person back. Back, when everything wasn’t dull, and everything was bright and cheery—and everything was working the way it should be. Back, back in your arms and claim this person yours because it has always been like that in the first place. In the first place, when everything was happy. In the first place, when you two were together.

It wasn’t that easy to forget, and forgetting means erasing these memories from your brain and pretending that it never happened. And you can do that, if you really try. If you really try not to visit social networking sites just to stalk that person; if you really try to ignore such group messages by him or her that were sent your way and not think about it too much. You can do that. But the problem is, you didn’t want to.

And it wasn’t that easy to move on, because being with that person meant everything to you. That person can be considered as your first love, your first kiss, your first date, your first sitting-on-a-slow-moving-carousel-and-be-touchy-feely-with-each-other-kind-of-date, your first everything. You didn’t want to forget.

But you have to.

Because everything went downhill, and it’s just…over. You have to move on, and you need it for your life.

It’s been a long time since you’ve left me. How piteous that sentence seems when spoken to a young man of 21. I know you’re probably smirking and chortling at my inherent worry. Maybe that is to be expected. But as your mother, it is warranted. I shudder when I think of the long journey ahead of you, full of sun soaked beaches and monsoon filled jungles. Be smart my son.

Those are your feet my fearsome boy, those are your little travelling machines. You remember that don’t you? Oh how you used to laugh at that as a child. Maybe you still do. Let us hope that they bring you to your hopes and dreams, the blazing sunsets that set every fiber of the sky ablaze, the soft trickle of an ocean breeze on your skin. I pray they steer you in the right direction.

You once told me of your European adventure, of that awful fall from a cliff. Do take care to avoid any repeats for I will still hurt. The weather was awful that day wasn’t it? I shiver thinking of it. No homely warmth in your bones out there my sweet. There is a poetic justice to this some would say. A fearless boy leaving his insular mother in order to see the world and its marvels. It makes you stronger some would say.

When you read this it is my dream that your façade slips. Even if just momentarily. This steely “I can do anything” character is not you my boy. I was not the mother you needed, nor the parent a child deserves. But my presence was always there, and yours is no longer. But could you reach into the recesses of your past and find a way to forgive? I hope so, it is never too late.

That rainy August morning that you left was earth shattering. Clutching at the moth bitten curtains screaming your name was my moment of truth. Failing you was unforgivable, but necessary in order to redeem myself. Telling the neighbors that your sudden spur of the moment decision to travel the world was academically related is a lie like no other. You had to learn to be loved, as I had not taught you.

Think of that cliff you slipped from as a metaphor. It was cold and wet when you fell into the raging and angry sea. But when everything was against you you climbed back up and triumphed. You ventured into the water again. You have forgiven it, knowing that it’s anger was only momentary and that it would soon beckon you to it’s warm and calming embrace. I am the ocean my sweet, find me once more.

Your heart beats reading this, a childhood pain splitting through once more. You will ask yourself why I tried to hurt you so many times. Was it intentional, did I set out to be a bad mother? You know the answer.

I lie here now, not at peace as of yet. You travel the four corners of the earth, knowing that it will lead you back to me. It will not lead you to the little terraced house we called home. But a short journey from there. The walk will test those little feet of yours, through those murky forests you will tread until you find me.

I know you are shocked now, re-reading this letter, this goodbye. Those pesky solicitors will not have been able to reach you. As my granite encored name confronts you, you will know that I loved and do love you, even in death.

That night when you fell off the cliff, I was sure that you were dead. But now as you’re walking up to me, I can see that you lived the fall into freezing water. Then as you’re getting closer I can see the scars that the sharp rocks left on your face. I can still see in my mind as I’m pushing you off, I see in your eyes that look of pure, absolute hatred all of which I’m sure was directed towards me. Your tough, calloused hands scrabbling for something to grab on to, just to save yourself, save myself from the agony of watching you die and reliving it everytime I fall asleep.

I wrote a story in second person and posted it here on Wattpad: http://www.wattpad.com/65226764-stop-the-madness

I’m working on a short story right now where I’m attempting the first-person narration with bits of the “letter from narrator to you” approach woven in. Like you said, it’s not an actual letter, but more the narrator’s thoughts directed toward another character who is present in the scene. I really like how it’s coming together, but have been feeling like I’m breaking some rule… I feel like I’ve just been given permission. Thanks!

this is incredibly common in fanfiction, more specifically in fanfiction from the Homestuck fandom. It’s fun, it’s engaging, but it doesn’t engage YOU as a reader being literally you, but it engages YOU as being the character that this person chose. For example, a character from the comic, Gamzee Makara: “Your name is Gamzee Makara and you are certain this is a rather stupid decision. You are leaning against the cold brick wall of an old building, trying to focus on anything else but your thumping heart. You try to focus of the heavy rain that falls on your hair and runs down your face, try to focus on the splashes of water that are soaking your pants and shoes as the cars rush by, try to focus on cold air that is chilling your bones to the point that you are trying not to shiver…”

probably because homestuck is written itself in second person . . . it’d just be weird to read fanfiction in first or third

Alone by the lake, you toss rocks from a pyramid of golf-balled sized stones, crumbling its temporary structure. They splash in, splashing your flip-flopped feet that splashed along carelessly in the water that morning. You grasp at the sand, pulling some into your palm, and then adding the scoops to the pot of water. Your shoulders slouch more and more after each throw, but you continue until it feels as if you would need a crane to reach anymore. Looking out at the small waves, you can’t even tell how much anger and regret you hurled into the reflecting lake; it just seems to cope with the new sand and rocks. It makes you want to fling the whole beach in, just in spite.

What should you do, now that it’s all out? You don’t want to go back, but you don’t want to stay. Here, there are memories upon memories. Back there, though, there are things. Many things. Many things with memories tied to them, or words tied to them.

Go back. The white shirts with collars. The periodic table posters. The homemade pencil holders, filled to excess. The souvenir bottle. The empty picture frames. The yellow sticky note pad. The coil scribblers, filled to excess.

Stay here. Long walks at midnight. Desperate naps just after midnight. Words spoken to the water. Sandy papers dusted off. Forgotten books on benches. Useless information chanted, chanted, chanted.

You rise up and brush the sand off your shorts. If you stay looking at the water, you can almost forget the years of memories. All you can see is the calming flash of light from the buoys far out from the shore. Not even the road carved into the side of the mountain is illuminated. But if you turn, it’s all there. The streetlights, the late night convenience store, the hotel, the campground, and the beach’s parking lot. Bright, like your future should have been. Bright, like you were told it should have been. Bright, like they were still expecting it to be. But you were done. Time to settle for the small town life in a small town, with small town friends and a small town job. You were no longer an escape hatch to the big cities and the big countries. Close your mind, shield your eyes, and pay no attention to the outside.

At this point, your only goal for the day is to make it through the day.

An entire 24 hours on that single Honeybun you devoured like most white girls wish they could scarf down a desert-like cake for breakfast, but go to Starbucks instead. That was THE last honeybun…that your mom gave you…on the last trip you made home when you were a starving, broke college kid. Yep, you still are one of those.

You’re also still reminiscently rubbing your belly with that way-too-satisfied grin on your face, so let’s go ahead and stop that immediately. This is the moment when one of two things will ensue: on a good day, where you possess that thing people are constantly advising you to get…what’s it called?…oh yeah, self control! So, in the (highly unlikely) event it’s one of ‘those’ days, you’ll refuse to allow yourself the torturous pleasure of daydreaming about the myriad of snacks you would buy if your wallet weren’t even emptier than your stomach. You won’t even go there, you’d let it alone, and maybe even eat a vegetable. Stop laughing. It could happen, one day the taste of broccoli could change… The reality of the situation is your textbooks are screaming to be opened and you avoid looking at them directly, as if averting your eyes will somehow undo the noticing of them in the first place. Similarly to the way you pretended that cute dad didn’t see you checking out his ass at Walmart. That’s just another tally on the Things-You-Ought-To-Be-Doing-But-Aren’t board…he wasn’t even wearing a ring! Soon you’ll quit telling yourself you can’t write because ___ *insert excuse here*____, and you’ll be able to afford more Honeybuns. (Well, either that, or you’ll be HoneyBunz down at the strip club that’s sandwiched in-between a K-Mart and the Family Dollar in a strip mall. Classy…) I think that’s motivation enough.

The slight breeze of yet another chilly summer’s night pulls you’re hair from your face. You’re standing under a lone street lamp, leaning against your old black Saturn. Your gaze is trained on a girl across the street. She stumbles out of the small group of people and cackles. Her blonde hair messy, clothing askew, you can only imagine what she must have been up to. You’re thought’s are confirmed when another individual emerges from the club’s entrance and laces his arm around her waist, burying his face into her neck. “Kaya!” You call to her, digging your hands into the pockets of you’re favorite jacket. Her head snaps up and she sees you’re form in the short distance. Even from where you are you can tell her face is troubled. You watch as she pushes from the guys grip and slowly makes her way over towards you. She grips the front of your coat, pulling you closer. “Jackson.” She breaths heavily, alcohol burning your nose. You push her off and walk around the front of the Saturn. “Get in. I’m taking you home.” You answer in a commanding, yet indifferent tone. She always does this. Leaving you to clean up her mistakes. “Please don’t tell mom and dad.” She whines, slipping ungracefully into the passenger side’s seat. You glance at her in the small mirror before looking into your own blue eyes. You’re dark chestnut brown hair is windswept and the bags under your eyes are dark and purple. When did this become you’re life? When did you stop taking care of yourself? You avert your eyes to the car’s clock radio. 4:17 am. “I won’t.” You sigh, pulling the seat belt across your body and starting up the vehicle. It’s quiet in the car, only the low rumble of the engine and the soft breathing of you’re younger sister. It was hard to believe she was only 16. You look at her peaceful sleeping form and frown. Why couldn’t you control her? A loud noise caused you to jump in your seat, head whipping around to the driver side mirror, just in time to see the blinding white light. You’re heart beats fast as you slam on the breaks, to slow to stop the impact.

I love this form. My words flow so smoothly. For years I tried third and first person, neither of them felt right. They just came off a corny or it just didn’t sound good. Why didn’t anyone tell me about this before? I have multiple blank stories. I am going to use this on them too. Thank you for the help.

You are wake in a room. What should be an ordinary experience is strange. As you get out of bed, you notice this isn’t your bedroom. Nor is it a room from your house. Alarmed, you take in the room as fast as possible. Your clear, pain free head indicates this isn’t due to alcohol. Your next thought is that this is a dream. You have had odder dreams before. However, this seems too detailed to be a dream. You get up from the bed. The room is small and relatively bare. You cross to the door. You turn it. It’s locked. You stare at the door for a minute, thinking. Then you try the other door. It’s locked as well. You realize your breathing is ragged, and you cross back to the bed to calm down.

You decide to survey the room more closely. The walls are a plain grey. You crouch down and look under the bed. There is no dust. There is only a small stuffed rabbit. You grab it and set it down on the bed. The rabbit has a collar that reads O. Rabbit. You head over to the other furniture, a drawer. It has three cabinets. One is empty. The other 2 contain keys. One is an ornate silver key that shines in the dim light. The other key is plain copper. The silver key doesn’t open either of the doors. The copper key fails to open the first door. Your hand shakes as you put the key in the second door. It works.

The door is clearly not an exit. Now you are in a room slightly smaller than the one you woke up in. The walls are a bright white instead of dull grey. There is a skylight above, sending the sunlight down. This cheers you up and brings optimism to the forefront. The only decoration is a small chest pushed up in a corner. You ready the other key. The small key is an obvious fit for the little chest. Surprisingly, the chest isn’t locked. Inside the chest, is, nothing. You stare at the chest blankly. What does this mean? You are stuck. There is no way out.

You head despondently back into the main room. You close the door a little harder than necessary. The stuffed rabbit is still crouched on the bed. You pick it up and hug it. You suppose you shall never find out why you are here. “No…” And then you sleep.

It’s just a little something I attempted to write for my creative writing class. It’s my first time really writing in second person, and actually completely a story, so I’m sorry if it doesn’t appeal to you.

You follow the echo, tiptoeing through the forest, navigating through the narrow path between the billowing trees. You push through the branches and leaves that fan around you. Push through them until you can finally see the clearing to the lake. you slowly made your way down the sandy path, inching closer to the glimmering waters of the lake. you could almost feel his presence. As you gets closer to his heartbeat, the tug on you gets stronger, dragging you down, weighing down on you every step. Whatever rope holding you back, didn’t want you to meet him either. But you kept walking, walking until your legs were moving like rusted gears. Just as you reached the clearing, and heard him call your name one more time, a thought flashed through your head. The sound of laughter. “We’ll always love you.” The rope won you over, tugging you back until you tumbled through the trees. Your hands shot out, clawing desperately at the dirt scattered about you. “We’ll come back for you we promise.” The warmth reminiscent of a kiss blossomed upon your cheek. You clung more tightly to the ground, yearning to reach him. You needed to find him. You heard him calling your name, and your heart thundered in your chest. You struggled against the rope, aspiring to be free. The poignant reminder of the privation you would face if the rope took away all you conquered to get here, encouraged you to pull away harder. You dug your fingers into the ground and pulled yourself forward. You must reach him. You didn’t want to look back anymore. He was all you desired.

You lifted herself onto a tree branch, far away from the rope, and looked out. You peered through the bits of space that the leaves forgot to cover up, and wondered why he didn’t come to you instead. You remembered the days, where all you did was cry over how unfair life was. He had been there to comfort you. You use to think of his voice in your head on days when you really didn’t want to wake up. You thought of him on the nights where you lay awake thinking of the future that you ruined for herself. He was there when those people took away your dignity. The simple act of him saying your name had tore you away from the dark moments. When your parents found out that you wanted to go see him, they vowed to keep you away. They punished you and made sure to never leave your side. You felt so trapped and engulfed in a life you didn’t want. When you snapped out of your thoughts, you felt the light tug of the rope on you and you squeezed her eyes shut. “I don’t wanna go back. He’s my only escape. He’ll make me feel happy.” You assured herself. The rope withdrew and you lowered yourself off the branch and dropped to the crisp grass and moist dirt below you. You took a breath and proceeded towards the lake.

With each step you took, flashes of memory sprang back and forth in your mind. It’s either him, or the life you knew before. The distance between you and the lake seemed to stretch on for miles. Glancing up at the luminous ribbons of silver etched across the sky, you felt less frightened. The moonlight streamed down, directing a path towards him. The harmonious tweets of birds filled the air every once in awhile. All these little things made you feel like you had chosen the right thing to do. You felt peace in your mind for once in a million years. It was like the war going on in your head had finally ended. Just as you thought that, you felt something wrap around you. You tumbled to the ground. “Please don’t say those things. We care about you. It’s the reason we’re here for you.” You yelled out in agony as his voice seemed to be left behind. There was a barely audible whisper of your name being called. You heard him one more time before you got yanked out of the forest. As you hastily tried to unbind yourself from the rope, it wounded around you more tightly and your breath caught in your throat. “Stop it. Don’t leave us for him.” You panicked and urged yourself to break free. You kicked and screamed, willing the rope to let you go.

After hours of struggle, you finally broke free. You wandered into the darkness and shelter of the trees once again. Finally being free, the sound of his voice calling for you was loud and clear. Your heart was beating erratically. You felt so close to finally getting everything that you wanted. It was in that moment, you realized that turning away from everything you once knew was completely worth it. You tore through the aged trees, crinkled bushes, jagged rocks, and every other obstacle in your path. From where you were, you could hear the soft rippling of the water. He was there at the lake waiting for you. You have never felt such a surge of vitality. As you reached the opening of the trees, your eyes lingered on the lake, a black void, with the light of the moon beaming off of it. Your heart continued to thrash in your chest. The smile on your face widened. Tears began to blotch your cheeks. You were so close to him after all this time. You flew the rest of the way down to the lake. A rush of feeling filled your chest. Your lungs squeezed with something you have never felt before. Suddenly, the beating of your heart slowed down to a stop. A flash of colors blinded you. When you mustered up the courage to open your eyes, you saw him. You knew you had finally succeeded. You made your way towards him. You stared into the dark abyss beyond him. He stood there with open arms. A glint of something malicious flickered over his eyes. He gave you a welcoming smile. The devil was he…

This was a challenge, but once I got into the groove, I felt a little more comfortable. I don’t know if I could write something much longer than this entirely in second person though.

You pull the door shut behind you, locking it even though you’ll only be gone a half hour. You shove your already cold hands into your gloves as you bounce down the stairs, preparing for the first run of winter.

The glass door to your apartment is foggy and radiating cold into the lobby. You adjust your hat to make sure your ears are covered. Then, you pull the scarf around your neck up to cover your mouth and nose.

It’s been two months since you’ve been running. The cold set in and so did you, but you promised yourself you wouldn’t quit. The cold won’t be that bad. Your layers will be enough to keep the cold out. You know these are lies, but they motivate you anyways.

You push the door open. The cold burns through your gloves. A burst of wind hits the only visible skin around your eyes, but you continue outside and march into the parking lot. The dim light from the porch illuminates the falling snow, which muffles all the sound. You look up, and watch the snow appear out of the black sky and fall lazily to the already covered ground. You are suddenly warm and content here. Outside isn’t so bad.

The wind picks up and hits you sideways. The calm feeling from before is gone. “Screw this!” you say out loud and accomplish the only running you’ll do tonight, back inside.

Little by little the train slowed down. You fly through the sky, oblivious to the debris in the air around you. You have one mission. Destroy the enemy. In an air base far away a clock ticked and an alarm sounded. A sound explodes in your ears, and you grab your head, trying to make it stop. A giant force throws you toward the ground. You are falling, falling…

Beep, beep, beep! You roll over in bed and turn the alarm off. You lay in bed, then, shoot! You remember that you had a job interview today in the city. At 8:00. It’s 7:15 and rush hour. You get up in a hurry and throw some clothes on, brush your hair, and look the best you can for running late. On the way, you go through the busy drive-through at Breakfast Stop for some coffee, but the line is too long. You’ll have to skip the coffee. The highway drive is monotonous, and you have some time to think about your dream.

Where were you? You don’t remember the setting. It was a strange dream. You do know that there was a train. And a time bomb. Was that what it was? It definitely exploded, and along with the ticking, it could have very well been a time bomb. Why was there debris in the air? And why were you trying to destroy the enemy? Who was the enemy? Was the time bomb a sonic bomb? That would explain the force that threw you to the ground. Why was the bomb in an air base? And how on earth did it reach you so far away?

After the interview you decide that you need answers. As soon as you get home, you google the name Ellen Stone.

Ellen Jean Stone was born on December 7, 1941, and died on November 6, 2005. Stone was an acclaimed astrophysicist and won three Nobel Prizes for her work. She was also rumored to be involved in fortune-telling and witchcraft, although it has never been proven. Her husband, Dr. Dan C. Stone, is CEO for Aluminum Professionals, LLC.

You open a new tab in your browser, and search Dan Stone. An article about Stone appears, but the link underneath catches your eye.

Dr. Dan C. Stone – Aluminum Professionals, LLC. – 563.735.7298 [email protected] – 2849 Weyton Square Indianapolis, Indiana, 02574.

Just what you need. Maybe Stone will know something about his wife’s work.

The next morning you head for Aluminum Professionals, LLC., seeking out Dr. Dan C. Stone. You print out the address, and drive to Indianapolis.

You walk into the lobby. It was a spotless, sleek facility, and the heels of your shoes tap in the white tile floor. You approach the lady at the counter. You ask for Dr. Stone.

“Do you have an appointment?” she asks.

“No,” you say.

“Then I’m sorry, you’ll have to come back another time.”

“Please, ma’am, it’s urgent.”

“What is your business with Mr. Stone?”

“I’m afraid it’s confidential,” you say. Maybe she’ll stop asking questions.

The woman picks up the phone.

“Mr. Stone, someone’s here to see you. They claim it’s confidential.” She pauses, then nods at you. She writes down the office number on a slip of paper, then points toward the elevator. You head upstairs.

On the elevator you notice that there is no 13th floor. Maybe that has something to do with his wife’s superstitions, you think.

You woke up in the complete darkness. You can’t even hear your heart beating, even though you remember vaguely falling over and pain racing through your body. Far overhead, you hear a light scratching noise. You try to yell and pound on—it feels like fresh wood, strange. You touch your body and feel fresh clothes, but you can’t smell anything. You start pounding on the wood, but your hands can’t move too far, maybe a few inches. You grunt and keep pounding until you hear the wood start to crack. You then start pulling at the wood, causing your mouth to fill with dirt and your body to become covered in cool dirt. You continue clawing through the dirt. Strange, you haven’t felt the need to breathe. But you feel a bit, well, thirsty. You continue clawing upwards, until you feel a single hand poke out of the dirt into the open air. You pull yourself out, and see a pair of people walking off into the distance. Overhead, you see a full moon with dark clouds floating across it. You can feel the hunger race through you, demanding to be filled. Your eyes lock onto the people and you race towards them. They seem to be nearly standing still as you slash at them with your bony hands. They drop and you clomp your mouth onto their bodies and slurp up their warm blood. Instants later, you feel the hunger pain subside, but look down and see two people you once knew, now ripped into pieces scattered around you. You try to weep, but no tears come. Then, you hear a voice “The first is always the most intense. You are mine. Look at me.” Your entire body goes rigid, except your neck slowly cranes to see your new master. She is dressed in a slinky dress, has the palest skin you’ve ever seen, and a cool predatory look in her pure white eyes. “Let’s go.”

I tried this exercise for the first time today writing a short story. It felt weird at first but I became more comfortable writing in second person. I may try this out more often.

My little sunflower. I watch, as you stretch your tiny limbs, reaching for me. I am your sun. I, who have always been cold as death, am now the warmth that gives you life. Your face, just a moment ago a tight, angry red ball is now smooth, white and pure like mother’s milk. I touch you in wonder. It is a softness like I have never felt before, a softness that soothes my callused fingertip as I draw it gently across your rosy, baby cheek.

You stare up at me, the wonder in your squinty eyes mirroring my own. They are still adjusting to the world around…but even at this early stage, I know you know me. Clear green eyes so unlike mine, sparkling like the ripples of a stream in the sunshine. I lose myself in you.

I watch, seeing my pain in your eyes as your face turns red once more and then blue, and your eyes lose their sparkle as they dull and glaze over. You no longer know me.

And yet you reach out blindly, fingers stretched towards me, even as I strangle you to your death.

This piece was inspired by a recent tragic incident of a young mother killing her new born baby, while still in the hospital. She was diagnosed with some form of mental instability. Nothing is known beyond that. I tried to keep this sort of “motivelessness” and detachment within the story, thinking it would make for a more powerful piece. Hope I succeeded!

Is the second person really that rare? Maybe it’s different if you’re writing nonfiction. Most (if not all) of my writing is in the second person. I like to talk directly to my readers, asking questions and that sort of stuff. Maybe, I should try first and third instead.

Instead of fighting, you obeyed. Somehow even that was defiant. Your chin was raised high as you told me that you’d rather I didn’t kill you. Yoh smirked as you asked who I’d hire to do the job or if I’d just think it and make it happen. We were talking about how I knew what you were doing from across the world because I could feel you. You thought that was a load, but didn’t fight even as I insulted you. You just smiled, obeyed and twinkled your eye.

Great article and I am polishing up a novel now from the intimate 2nd person narrative and it was in reading pieces like this that I solidified my decision. I was a bit concerned that my character would be speaking to me through this lens at first, but from word one t felt right and has throughout the entire manuscript. Even the sceptics in my writing group who were advising me to reconsider when the idea first started spilling out on the page have taken a new viewpoint saying it definitely works in this particular story!

Beautiful technique. I love it. You never wanted to cross the wild path. Still, in silence something happening in your mind. You wanted to cross and hug him to keep him entirely in your life. …

“Caroline, today is a very important day,” Mother gives you a pained smile and bends down to your level. Her honey brown hair swings in front of your face before you see her hazelnut eyes close to yours. She leans in and gives you a kiss on the forehead. As she pulls away you catch the smell of her ocean shampoo. You turn you head to the side while questions run through you head as tears stream down Mom’s face. She pulls up her purse and wipes away her tears. “Let’s go visit Daddy’s place.” Before you ask any questions she picks you up and heads to the front door.

“Where are we going Mommy?” You ask, fear creeping into your voice. Moms never cries like this, why is she sad? You tighten your arms around her neck as she turns off the hallway lights and opens the front door. She gives you a quick smile as she closes the door and carries you to the car. She slowly straps you into the car and gets into her seat. You decide to ask again, “Mommy, where are we going? Why are you crying?” You struggle under the carseat buckles, but you are no use against them.

Your mother wipes away another tear and hides a sob as she turns around to face you, “We are just going to hi to Daddy,” She smiles and wipes away other tears. The engine of the car roars to life. As she backs the car out of the parking space you open your mouth to speak but she cuts you off, “Don’t you remember last year? In the nice green park,” She turns the car around and drives out of the apartment buildings parking lot. You try to remember such an instance from the previous year, but your mind is blank. Who is Daddy?

“Here we are,” Mommy says as we pull up to a big grassy field. In the background you can hear birds chirping. Still you have no memory of such a place. She shrugges as she unstrapes you from your confindment. “I don’t expect you to remember, you were pretty young last year.” She smiles, but it quickly fades as she turned towards the field.

“Why are we here?” You ask, concern still lining you voice as wind almost drowns out your question. Your mom smiles at you and starts to cry again. She collapes down on the grass and you jump out to comfort her. You can’t figure out why she is crying so much. Does she have allergies again? “Mommy, who is Daddy?” you ask. It seems like Daddy is the reason you are here, where is he?

“Daddy is the most wonderful person,” Mommy says and looks up at you with a smile. “He had to go away for a long time on a journey, but he will return, whether it be in my lifetime or not,” your mom’s gaze drifted off into the trees and she smiles. You can’t understand why she is sad then happy, but it made you happy that she was.

You ask you last question again, you feel the need to have it answered, “Who is Daddy?” You look at your mom with anticipation and wait as she turns your head towards you.

“He was Olyuss, the magician of my life,” She smiles and gives you a hug.

its crazy how everything happens.Just as when you were little and everything was blurry. You remember your mom walking you to school in a hurry. When you started growing and understanding that alot of things you were doing were bad. Maybe something affected you wen you realized the world is cold and sad. Its crazy how also the bad things that happened in your life time can change you in so many ways. But only you got to realize it miles away. The seasons start changing friends became strangers. Sometimes you get stuck mentally seems like your in danger.No were to run to.No one to talk to. In the room stuck between four walls, theres life out there but you must have forgot. You feel alone and misunderstood. That no one knows the struggle you go through. But only if you really knew that my Lord the savior heard your crying, he’s got you. Still in your disbelief that there wasn’t anyone to save you. You let yourself go, not trusting your stuggle. Drank, smoked went home empty. From were you last left off sitting in the dark you always thought where is the ending? You thought this was it. That there was no way out of escaping but there is… Trust in God, get on your knees and pray. I guarantee you tomorrow be a better day. I tell you no lies because there was a moment in life I went through something like this “Once Upon A Time”

That example is still first person point of view. It has “I” in it, so the “I” is still the one behind the story, not the other person, the “you”.

your not gonna lie anymore more.you didnt even know your own language. the whole time right in in your face. its no point in blaming anymore. fuck. its sorta funny when you find the man your yelling at is yourself. didnt say i didnt tell you but i know you suck at writing. wanna bump? go

You woke up at 8:30 a.m. and just remembered your brother left you to travel home all alone. This was the first time traveling out of state by yourself, with no help. You can still hear the warnings of your grandparents from the night before, “Don’t travel at night and don’t pick up any strangers!” You tell yourself, “There’s nothing to be afraid of. You’ve got this.” But you never made it back home.

I write exclusively in second person. I have on occasion switched to 1st person and swapped perspectives between character and very much enjoy this style. The second person seems to be the most effective when you want to focus more on the story vs the actual characters. Like if you want to be vague and not reveal a lot second is great. First is great if you want to do perspective and focus on emotions and motivation.I dont think I really write in third that often.

This is a passage I lifted from a short story i wrote, when i tried to use second person as the lead figure suffers a panic attack in the middle of the action, Now you’re drifting…..

Now this is starting to get to you, you heart’s pounding, your mind’s racing, The cabin’s spinning all around you, You’re flushed, choking and trembling, What if you have a heart attack! What if you never leave here? Now you’re sweating, it’s sliding down your face, dripping off you. You want help, don’t you? What if you breakdown and scream? They’ll have gotten to you, They’ll twist you, torment you, break you, and drive you mad. You can’t get your beads, they’re in the corner, You can’t bend, you can’t reach, you can’t move, can you? You’re frozen with fear, But you’re all alone, What if you die here? God help you.

You look in the mirror at your self perceived, distorted appearance. You look at your popped out shoulder blades, your curved in sides. You run your hand over your arm, looking down at the scars you’ve inflicted on yourself. Each one having a definite shape. Each one having a different story.

Your mother pulls into the all to familiar circular parking lot of your family church. Pulling up to the curb she puts the car in park and turns to you.

“Are you ready.” She smiles at you hopeful.

“Ready as I’ll ever be.” Is your response. You don’t waste anytime exiting the car, quick to shut the door. You knows she’s staring at you as you make your to the glass double doors.

Just like many days before, you find your yourself looking up to the sky. Why are you doing this? You watch the clouds moving across the vast expanse of ocean blue background. You take a moment, thinking if going to this is worth your time. Another boring therapy session plays across your mind.

A honk fills your ear drums, breaking your daze. You glance over your shoulder, your mother waves for you to move through the passenger side window. You nod your head and wait for her to leave. The sound of an engine slowly fades away before you force yourself into the building.

The tiny, four corner room smells of hopelessness and stale coffee. To you that’s exactly what this is; hopeless. In a moments thought you stretch your sleeve over your hand, gripping it tight in your fist, covering the evidence from the night before. Dr. Jenkins collects your files, then looks up at you.

“Rose, how are you?” He addresses you with the same joyful tone as always.

You shrug your shoulders.

“I see.” He looks down, making a note on your sheet. “And have you been taking your medicine. ”

You suppress a laugh. “You know, it’s not really my thing.” He stares at you under his black trimmed, oval glasses.

“Rose.” He rubs his forehead.

“Dr. Jenkins.” You respond, peeking at the bowl of skittles in your peripheral vision.

“You need to take it.” This is not far from anything you’ve heard before.

You grab a handful of skittles, plopping one into your mouth. “It doesn’t do anything.” You know the words he’s about to speak before he even opens his mouth.

“You haven’t been taking them long enough.” There it is.

“A year, Dr. Jenkins.” You sit up, throwing your hands in the air. “A year I’ve been taking this medication. Now I don’t know about you, but that seems pretty damn ‘long enough.’”

He clasps his hands together. You don’t want to be here anymore. “Just a little longer and if it doesn’t work, then we’ll stop. Okay?”

You know you’re about to lie. “Okay.”

Why can’t you just tell him the truth?

Yea this point of view i never do. Mostly seen in selfhelp nonfiction types, recently I’m concerned: in dialogues what if not sure which party is the ‘you’ referring to? Especially in a story with many people. (I’m an author i don’t want to lose this skill)

Here’s an extract from a dystopian short story that I am writing for year 12 🙂

You try to read the letter again, with shaking hands and foggy glasses. Your lips can’t find the motion to speak, and the words can’t find the way out of your mouth. “We regret to inform you that you are the person that has been randomly chosen to make the sacrifice for the preservation,” you murmur, through trembling lips. You remain frozen on the couch, with your wife laying on top of you, sobbing. The tears from your whole family is sufficient enough to fill a swimming pool. As you embrace your dear children, you notice a black government car outside, with tinted windows. You know that it’s time to go. You know you have to go. As you step outside, Emily grabs hold of your leg and doesn’t let go, whilst progressively crying harder and louder. You pull her off. It hurts so much inside, but you know that you have to do it. You give them each one last hug, and try to pull a funny face at the kids to try and stop them from crying. It doesn’t work. As the car pulls away, you see your wife, running back inside the house, with her head in her hands.

In the car, you just sit there. You don’t know what to think. You don’t know what to do. You’re frozen, and nothing seems to enter or leave your mind.

The silence endures.

what if you have a story involving more than one character? You can’t simply make it personal in more than one body, because it’d be ridiculously hard to notify the reader which character they’re now embodying, it’s unrealistic therefore and it’s no longer personal if you’re not even that one person who you can identify with. This is why, unless you’re writing a story only in one person’s point of view (which is just as limiting as first person, if not more so, so hardly useful) that 2nd person is incredibly limiting. It should only be used for speeches, ads etc. when you’re applying your message to everyone and CAN apply that to everyone and anyone

3rd person arguably reigns supreme again therefore, because you can embody the reader in as many characters as possible, and if written well you can show the different perspective of each character’s stimuli and how their nurture and nature affects their experience of the stimuli, such as with life: you may understand why someone did x, but you may never know what experiences brought them there or made them act that way in the first place, neither can you realistically in 2nd person, unless if the reader’s character is a ghost who can possess people… 3rd person you can do so realistically, because the reader is like a god, you’re more or less omnipresent, omnipotent and omniscient, limited only to the scope of the story. It’s less personal you say? Not if you write the story properly, if the story isn’t personal and the reader’s don’t find the characters relatable in any style of story, irrelevant of what type of person you’re referring to, then you’ve failed perhaps the most basic part of creative writing and your story would be awful

1st person uses ‘I’ anyway, so not much less personal or different than ‘you’ and just as limiting

wait, I understand why it’s useful to learn how to write as compacting and therefore nuanced as possible, but why does it have to be 100 words on the dot? That doesn’t really prove anything and is overly stifling for anyone. Good story nonetheless

Nah, second person holds the person at arms length. It’s not good enough if you want the persons emotional connection.

Hi this is the opening paragraph of story i’m working on called, “You and me” its a soulmate story can i have your opinion. You’ve never been particularly interested in the concept of soulmates. It had always befuddled you why every girl in your class from seemed to be obsessed with who their soulmate would be and what they would look like. It’s not that you never thought about soulmates, the timer on your wrist made sure of that, but you tended to spend your time focusing on more practical things like your classes and the after school theater program you’ve been a part of since middle school. As months turn into years and you graduate high school you continue to ignore the clock on your wrist ticking down to the day you will meet the person who will be your forever. You move for college attending the same college as your best friend, a university in Boston with a great theater program, and move in together. You easily fall into a rhythm of classes, work and studying not thinking about the seconds ticking down on your wrist as the days flow into one another. Your first few semesters are more boring then you wish as you try to knock out the required classes for your freshman year before winter break. You expect to spend winter break alone in the apartment you ‘Share’ with your best friend. Ever since she meet her soulmate she has been scarce and you don’t doubt the same will be true for winter break. You don’t mind being alone, you quite enjoy the quiet. It allows you to get work done and to collect your thoughts. You were perfectly content to spend winter break alone when you receive a call from you mother offering to buy you two way ticket to see her for the holidays. You haven’t seen your mother in over a year and even if that wasn’t the case who are you to refuse a free ticket to see her. You aren’t one to look a gift horse in the mouth so you go to see her. What you don’t see is the timer on your wrist, now hidden behind a black leather cuff, go from 2190:D 23:H 14:M 23:S to 10:D 23:H 14:M 23:S the moment you step off the plane.

Your article that suggests writing in the second person is especially helpful. Particularly the examples you included. I thought about an earlier unrelated writing prompt and then a newspaper incident discussed in an interview though highly unlikely, that actually happened. It got me started on the exercise and now I feel there’s a short story in it. I think one of your best points is don’t let writing in 2nd person hem you in. Figure out how to vary it as much as possible and still remain in that voice.

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First, Second, and Third Person: Definition and Examples

Home » The Writer’s Dictionary » First, Second, and Third Person: Definition and Examples

Point of view definition: First, second, and third person are categories of grammar to classify pronouns and verb forms.

First person definition: first person indicates the speaker.
Second person definition: second person indicates the addressee .
Third person definition: third person indicates a third party individual other than the speaker.

What is the difference Between First Person, Second Person, and Third Person?

First, second, and third person refer to pronouns and their verb forms.

What is First Person?

First Person Example:

I prefer coffee to hot cocoa.

In this example, “I” am the speaker. This is first person.

What is Second Person?

Second person point of view: Second person refers to the addressee. It uses the subject pronoun “you.”

Second Person Example:

You prefer coffee to hot cocoa.

In this example “you” is the addressee. The speaker is addressing “you.” This is second person.

What is Third Person?

Third Person Example:

He prefers coffee to hot cocoa.

In this example “he” is the third party. The speaker is referring to him as the addressee. He prefers coffee to hot cocoa.

When using the different points of view, verbs need to be conjugated appropriately to fit the pronoun use.

Note: Pronouns are only used in English when an antecedent has been clearly identified.

What Are First Person Pronouns?

First person pronouns always refer to the speaker himself. These pronouns are only used when the speaker is making a statement about himself or herself.

First Person Pronoun List:

Here is a list with examples of the first person words we use in writing and speech.

I prefer coffee to hot cocoa. (First person singular)
We prefer burgers to pasta. (First person plural)
Jacob embarrassed me.
Jacob embarrassed us.
The hat is mine.
The hat is ours.
That is my hat.
That is our hat.

What Are Second Person Pronouns?

When you are writing, a good way to think about the second person’s point of view is that it addresses the reader (as I just did in that sentence).

Second person pronouns are only used when the speaker is making a statement to the addressee, i.e., to someone.

Second Person Pronoun List:

Here is a list with examples of the second person words we use in writing and speech.

Jacob embarrassed you.
The hat is yours.
That is your hat.

Note: In each of these examples, “you” can be an individual (singular) or multiple people (plural).

What Are Third Person Pronouns?

Third person pronouns always refer to a third party. These pronouns are used when the speaker is making a statement about a third party.

Third Person Pronoun List:

Here is a list with examples of the third person words we use in writing and speech.

He prefers coffee to hot cocoa. (Third person singular)
They prefer tea to coffee. (Third person plural)
Jacob embarrassed her.
The hat is theirs.
That is their hat.

First, Second, and Third Person in Writing

Writing in first person: Literature in the first person point of view is written from the speaker’s perspective. This point of view uses first person pronouns to identify the speaker/narrator. First person point of view is generally limited in that the audience only experiences what the speaker/narrator himself experiences.

Writing in third person: Literature in third person point of view is written from an “outside” perspective. This point of view uses third person pronouns to identify characters. In third person writing, the narrator is not a character in the text. Because of this, he can usually “see” what happens to all of the characters.

Writing in second person: In non-fiction writing, a speaker will often switch between pronouns. Writers do this only for effect. For example, if a speaker wants to be clear and “get through” to the audience, he might say “you” (second person) throughout the text even if the text is mostly in third person. Again, this is strictly for rhetorical effect. Experienced writers use this as a literary tool.

Common Questions and First, Second, and Third Person

Here, I want to go quickly through a few questions I get about first, second, and third person pronouns.

Questions About the First Person

Is our first person? Yes, our is one of the first person pronouns.

Are you coming to our wedding?

Is you first person? No, you is a second person pronoun.

You are a great friend.

Is we first person? Yes, we is a first person pronoun.

We are great friends.
We polled this group of political observers and activists each week prior to the Iowa caucuses to produce the USA TODAY GOP Power Rankings and went back to them this week to ask who is the best choice for Trump’s running mate. – USA Today

Is my first person? Yes, my is a first person pronoun.

My glasses are broken.

Is they first person? No, they is a third person pronoun.

They can’t find parking.
For frugal travelers, there are some smart alternatives if they are willing to do a bit of homework. – The New York Times

Is us first person? Yes, us is one of the first person pronouns.

The president congratulated us.

Questions About the Second Person

You are causing a scene.

Is they second person? No, they is a one of the third person pronouns.

They are our neighbors.

Is we second person? No, we is one of the first person pronouns.

We are going to get groceries.

Questions About the Third Person

Is their third person? Yes, their is a third person pronoun.

Their hat is over there.

Is we third person? No, we is a first person pronoun.

We are going to the beach.

Is our third person? No, our is a first person pronoun.

This is our cake.

Is you third person? No, you is a second person pronoun.

You are a nice person.

Is they third person? Yes, they is a third person pronoun.

They are nice people.

Is he third person? Yes, he is one of the third person pronouns.

He is a great man.
Last week, he restated that he believes he deserves a maximum contract. – The Washington Post

Trick to Remember the Difference

Here are a few helpful memory tricks that always help me.

In the first person writing, I am talking about myself.

I enjoy singing.

In the second person writing, I am talking to someone.

You enjoy singing.

In the third person writing, I am talking about someone.

He enjoys singing.

Summary: What is the First, Second, and Third Person Perspective?

Define first person: The definition of first person is the grammatical category of forms that designate a speaker referring to himself or herself. First person pronouns are I, we, me, us, etc.

Define second person: The definition of second person is the grammatical category of forms that designates the person being addressed. Second person pronouns are you, your, and yours.

Define third person: The definition of third person is the grammatical category of forms designating someone other than the speaker. The pronouns used are he, she, it, they, them, etc.

If this article helped you understand the differences between the three main English points of view, you might find our other article on English grammar terms helpful.

You can see our full list of English grammar terms on our grammar dictionary .

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Last updated on Jul 09, 2021

Second Person Point of View: Should Anyone Use It?

About the author.

Reedsy's editorial team is a diverse group of industry experts devoted to helping authors write and publish beautiful books.

About Martin Cavannagh

Head of Content at Reedsy, Martin has spent over eight years helping writers turn their ambitions into reality. As a voice in the indie publishing space, he has written for a number of outlets and spoken at conferences, including the 2024 Writers Summit at the London Book Fair.

About Tom Bromley

Author, editor, tutor, and bestselling ghostwriter. Tom Bromley is the head of learning at Reedsy, where he has created their acclaimed course, 'How to Write a Novel.'

When writing from the second person point of view, authors directly address the reader by using the pronoun ‘you’ — usually to transform the reader into a character, and draw them closer to the story. However, if ever there was a rule that most editors agree on, it’s this: don’t write a novel with a second person narrative .

In fact, that’s exactly the feedback Jay McInerney received when drafting Bright Lights, Big City . Written entirely in second person, this 1984 debut novel took the literary world by storm. But in the three decades since, its signature feat has rarely been replicated: indeed, it’s often cited as the exception that proves the rule — it’s been done already, so don’t bother, okay?

Well, not so fast. In this post, Reedsy's experienced editors will be looking at some good reasons to consider the second person point of view — as well as dissecting why it's usually best to avoid.

If you want to determine which POV is right for you and your specific story , we recommend taking this quick 1-minute quiz below.

Which POV is right for your book?

Take our quiz to find out! Takes only 1 minute.

Reasons to consider writing in second person

Despite the naysayers, several authors have dared to write a novel, chapter, or short story from the second person point of view. So what might they be trying to achieve? And why might you consider taking the risk yourself?

1. To bring the reader closer to the story

When we talk about POVs, we often mention intimacy — in particular, how first person narratives tend to be more intimate than third person narratives .

“Well, second person is a cut closer than first person because readers actually are the character,” says Joel Bahr, a developmental editor at Amazon Publishing. “Even the minimal distance created between reader and character created by the phrase, “I thought" is refined further in second person. In this closer POV, there is no "I thought," but rather this is how you (we, really) think.”

In the example of Bright Lights, Big City , a level of immediacy and intimacy quickly emerges as the reader is thrust into the role of a serial cheater.

“There is no level of interpretation or justification. Consider if McInerney instead opted for first person, and we had: ‘I'm not the kind of guy who would do this, but I'm at a club…’

“In this instance, first person is inviting the reader to believe what they're telling them. Second person takes the ‘ask’ off the table. There is no debate about what kind of person you are or if these actions happened. You are, and they did, and we know that because there is no functional difference between the reader and the character.”

Second Person Point of View | Bright lights Big City movie still

As Bahr hints, the second person narrator can bypass the ‘unreliability’ of first person narrators. When characters tell their own tales, we often wonder how the truth of the story might be filtered — either by their selective reporting or lack of 20-20 introspection. With a second person narrator, readers are told what to feel, think, and see — and they usually have no reason to doubt it.

A more recent example is N.K. Jemisin’s Hugo-winning The Fifth Season . Set on a dying world, the story is told from the viewpoints of three women, one of which is written from the second person point of view.

Second Person Point of View | The Fifth Season

Reedsy editor Tricia Callahan worked on Jemisin’s book as a proofreader and sees it as a prime example of how this form can benefit a story.

“The second person POV brings the reader closer to the narrator, making the reading experience more intimate and less detached. When the narrator turns the reader into one of the characters, the story feels immediate and surrounding.”

Greater intimacy, however, is not the only result of this viewpoint.

2. To distance the narrator from their own experience

We’ve looked at how second person narration can bring readers closer to the story. But sometimes, it’s used to create a greater sense of distance between the true narrator and the story they’re telling — as editor Matthew Sharpe suggests is the case with Bright Lights, Big City .

“It's almost as if the narrator's conscience is writing the novel, and there's a bit of self-accusation there, like, ‘You screwed this up, then you screwed up this other thing,’ and so on.“

Similarly, you can see this level of detachment in Lorrie Moore’s Self-Help . “How to Be an Other Woman,” tells the story of a woman who has started an affair with a married man.

The protagonist is not meant to be you, the reader, or Moore, the writer. Rather, it’s a woman named Charlene — who also happens to be the narrator. The second person point of view serves to distance Charlene from the story she’s telling: we know she’s actually referring to herself, so we understand that her use of the displaced second person, rather than direct first person, is symptomatic of how hard it is for her to talk about what she's done.

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3. To give the narrator someone to address

Now we’re entering a gray area. Some novels directly address the reader as a character — but they are not strictly written in the second person. Books that fall into this category include those that take the form of letters written by one character to another. These include works like Bram Stoker’s Dracula , Alice Walker’s The Color Purple , and Jay Asher’s Thirteen Reasons Why .

The effect of reading epistolary narrative is often a sense of voyeurism — we feel as though we’re peering into the lives of others. The intention, in most cases, is to bring us closer to the characters, creating an almost conspiratorial relationship between narrator and reader.

Second Person Point of View | The Reluctant Fundamentalist movie still

This communication may not necessarily be in the form of letters, but rather speech. Mohsin Hamid’s The Reluctant Fundamentalist blurs the lines between first and second person in this way: the protagonist, a Pakistani man on the streets of Lahore, speaks to an American stranger — you, the reader. As the book progresses, we are given clues as to who ‘we’ are in the book and what role we might play in the story.

Second Person Point of View | The Reluctant Fundamentalist

Unlike a straightforward first person viewpoint, this type of narrator may have some agenda with ‘us’ — something they want to convince us of or an attitude towards us. Cast in the story, we feel more involved in the discourse.

4. To reinforce the ideas that drive the story

Here’s a piece of advice from editor Kate Angelella: “If an author wanted to try writing in second person POV, I would encourage them to do so — so long as it's a purposeful choice. Is there a reason why this POV works best for your story, other than style and a desire to be literary with a capital L?”

Iain Banks’ Complicity contains two viewpoint characters: a journalist and a murderer, whose killings have been inspired by the journalist's writing. The chapters told from the murderer’s POV are in the second person.

Second Person Point of View | Complicity

Author and editor Tim Major points out that this choice of POV ties with the novel’s primary theme (which is spelled out in the title). “The second person perspective makes the reader complicit in the murders, experiencing them as if he or she is carrying them out, and therefore the reader is involved in a very unusual manner.”

This uncomfortable intimacy in the ‘killer’ chapters brings the reader into the headspace of the journalist — who himself is dealing with this acute sense of complicity.

So, there are a few of the major reasons you might want to consider writing in the second person. But now we’ve seen the effects of second person point of view, let's address the elephant in the room.

Why you probably shouldn’t do it

In the opinion of almost every editor we spoke with, writing a novel in the second person is a bad idea 99.9% of the time. Here are some of the reasons they give.

It can be a lot to ask of your reader

“In second person, I think it's crucial to consider what spaces you're asking the reader to occupy intimately, and how you're going to get them to suspend their disbelief. Sometimes, it's actually an increased distance between the character and the reader that can cultivate the empathy you need.”

— Ashley Strosnider

It may hurt your chances of finding representation

“It is becoming increasingly difficult to secure a literary agent and get a publishing deal if you are a new author. If that is your dream, don’t create any extra barriers for yourself that might put industry professionals off publishing your novel.”

— Amy Durant

It works better in short stories than in novels

“An entire novel told through second person can become wearying, especially when the protagonist of the story is unpleasant, as is the case in Bright Lights, Big City . For this reason, you may find that a second person narrative works better for short fiction .”

— Kristen Stieffel

All that said, remember that this is your book. Maybe you intend to self-publish, or you don't mind limiting your potential audience, and are therefore less beholden to commercial expectations. Maybe your story just can't be told in any other way. If that describes your experience, then, by all means, ignore the naysayers. Take a deep breath, and dive into writing from the second person point of view.

If, on the other hand, the potential rewards don’t outweigh the risks, head back to our post on first person POV, or go on to the next post to learn more about writing in third person.

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3 responses

Wesley says:

06/07/2019 – 18:27

Really? The very fact that this article encourages writers NOT to use the second person viewpoint gives me even more reason to do it. The argument "it's already been done, so don't bother" is the most discouraging thing anyone could ever say to an artist. It's like saying there are plenty of books out there, so don't bother writing another one. Where would we be if every writer followed this dictum? The fact that second person is so rarely used is even more reason to explore it. Self-insert or second person POV stories have a dedicated following in some online communities, specifically fan fiction. What if writers were to expand upon what makes this such a popular choice in these circles and bring it to a broader literary community? I think there is so much potential for exploring second person POV, and feel a little bitter that this article leans so strongly towards discouraging this viewpoint. Please, don't give artists who already have a hard time creating and gaining recognition for their work yet another reason to doubt themselves!

Linda says:

13/08/2019 – 23:47

Second person has worked really well for me in flash fiction. Really, the whole article seems a bit discouraging.

Sasha Anderson says:

31/05/2020 – 11:28

Another example of second person viewpoint that I often see mentioned is in choose-your-own-adventure books - a different style of book, certainly, but still a work of fiction...

Comments are currently closed.

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How to Write a Second Person Story

Here’s what you should do if you want to master the most challenging perspective around

You’re an author looking to make a splash in the literary world. You want to write something so different, so far out of the box, that readers everywhere will sit up and pay attention to your unique voice.

Then it comes to you: write a story from a second-person point of view! You’ve heard countless times before that this is something to avoid. “But rules are made to be broken,” you declare, as you boot up your word processor and begin drafting a story where ‘you’ is the primary pronoun. You soon discover, though, that the second person can be harder than it looks.

Most writers have tried, or at least considered, writing a story in the second person; it seems like an appealing challenge, and a cool way of making a story stand out. But as anyone who’s tried it can tell you, it’s tough, and the results are rarely amazing. In this post, we’ll look at the effect of writing in this peculiar POV, offer up a few tips, and examine a few of the authors who have done it successfully.

Why everyone hates “you”

A quick poll of literary editors will reveal that they’re pretty unanimous about writing a novel in the second person — most of them strongly advise against it.

“I rarely tell an author not to do something, but an entire novel told through the second person can become wearying,” says editor Kristen Stieffel, “especially when the protagonist of the story is unpleasant, as is the case in Bright Lights, Big City . I’ve never been able to finish that book.”

I rarely tell an author not to do something, but an entire novel told through the second person can become wearying.

Stieffel is referring to Jay McInerney’s debut novel set in the cocaine-fuelled party scene of 1980s New York. The second-person point of view is designed to put the reader on edge, evoking the feeling of being stuck in an elevator with a coke fiend.

Bright Lights , however, is often seen as the exception that proves the rule: someone already did it, so don’t bother . Readers find second person strange and alienating — which can be counterproductive if the author’s intention is to bring the reader closer to the story. It’s also notoriously hard to write: wrangling pronouns and ensuring that the copy doesn’t overflow with endless incidences of “you say,” “you are,” and “you go” can distract the writer from the basics of storytelling.

But if you do insist on going the second person route, there are a few pieces of advice to consider.

Tips for writing in the second person

1. make sure it’s appropriate for the story you’re telling.

Doing something for no other reason than to impress is the literal definition of pretension. You must have a reason for writing in the second person — and it must involve the reader’s experience.

Lorrie Moore’s debut collection of short stories, Self-Help, features pieces written in the second person . On the surface, they take the style of how-to books, which naturally use the “you” pronoun as its default. But beneath that “gimmick,” there are stories of vulnerable, sensitive characters. We get the sense that the narrator is hiding behind a mask, perhaps to soften the shame of recalling an awkward experience.

You must have a reason for writing in the second person — and it must involve the reader’s experience.

2. Avoid too much repetition where possible

Writing in the second person runs the risk of getting repetitive if you constantly remind your reader (and yourself) that you’re writing in the second person. To avoid this, literary editor David Keefe suggests writing stories without the pronouns ‘you,’ ‘your,’ and ‘yours.’

“I’ve heard this referred to as “implied” second person. Sentences that take the imperative form rather than declarative: Look at the water. Chew slowly. Face the wall. ”

This leads perfectly into our next tip…

3. Set it in the present tense

In reading a few second-person stories (Italo Calvino’s On a Winter’s Night a Traveler , for example), you will notice a trend of writing in the present tense. This is perhaps common for two reasons.

If the aim of using the second person is to create an intimacy and immediacy, then using the past tense can soften that effect by adding a layer of detachment. It’s also more familiar: epistolary novels or blog posts, for example, will speak to the reader in the present tense. It’s a form that readers are used to and is, therefore, less likely to jar them.

How To Fall in Love With How-To Essays

4. Consider using it sparingly

Regardless of how well-written it is, a novel in second person can be challenging for readers. As a result, it can start to tire them if goes on for too long.

It’s not uncommon for novels to switch point of view characters between chapters. Some novelists have taken it one step further by experimenting with occasional second-person chapters. Iain Banks’ Complicity alternates chapters told from the perspective of a journalist with sections written in the second person, from the viewpoint of a killer.

Second person is an intense POV, and by allowing your audience a “breather,” you can go some way towards making it a more palatable read.

5. Choose a form that makes sense

Sure, the second-person isn’t exactly the most obvious choice of perspective for 99% of novels — but what about the other 1%?

Some formats are a perfect fit for the second person point of view. We mentioned how-to stories earlier, for instance. How-to blog posts already address the reader directly, so it’s not a wild move to take it that one step further for a novel. There’s also the epistolary novel and “choose your own adventure” books, which make copious use of this point of view. Gimmicky? To an extent. But the second person is popular within these forms simply because it’s natural — and it works.

6. Test the waters with a short story

Because of its tendency to be unrelenting, second person is less popular in novel-length works than it is in short stories. Lorrie Moore and Margaret Atwood are just a few of the writers who have experimented with the form. And it’s a lead that authors should certainly take before putting their stock (and time) into crafting a 70,000-word narrative .

Remember that the same rule applies to short stories: unless you have a compelling reason for choosing the second-person, you might be doing yourself a favor by reverting to a less esoteric point of view.

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Readable grammar 101 – writing in the second person

You may or may not know what it means to write in the second person, but do you know its advantages? We’ll break down what the second person is and how it could make your writing more effective.

What does writing in second person mean .

The second person refers to the person you’re addressing. The perspective of the second person is “you”.

In fiction, the second person is relatively rare, but it’s common in content and copywriting. For businesses, the second person is a powerful point of view for connecting with the customer.

"For businesses, the second person is a powerful point of view for connecting with the customer."

What are the rules for writing in second person?

The second person rules are pretty simple. You must use the pronouns ‘you’, ‘your’ and ‘yours’.

In contrast, the first person requires you to refer to yourself - ‘I’, ‘my’ and ‘mine’. The third person refers to others, ‘he’, ‘she’, ‘it’ or ‘they’.

Examples of writing in the second person

Although it’s true that the second person is a rare point of view in fiction, it does crop up occasionally to achieve a specific effect or mood. It’s been used very effectively in recent TV screenplays.

For example, in Netflix’s production ‘YOU’, the screenplay has Joe’s narrative voice address his victims in the second person as an interior monologue. Because this positions the viewer as Beck, the forced perspective creates an unnerving effect.

In Sam Esmail’s Mr Robot, the hacker protagonist Elliot breaks the fourth wall by addressing us, the audience - this is jarring because it makes us aware that he knows we’re privy to his actions and decisions.

But the second-person doesn’t always disturb us. More often than not, it can make us feel addressed, recognized and included.

Just think of the numerous instances of the second-person point of view in advertising slogans. Here are some examples:

“Aren't You Hungry for Burger King now?” — Burger King
“Everywhere you want to be.” — Visa
“Melts in your mouth, not in your hands.” — M&Ms
“Once you go Mac, you'll never go back.” — Apple

You get the idea.

What are the benefits of writing in second person?

From a business perspective, the advertiser can address the consumer directly.

According to research, ‘second-person pronouns should work to enhance consumer involvement and brand attitude as a result of increasing the extent that consumers engage in self-referencing’. ( Source )

"Second-person pronouns should work to enhance consumer involvement"

This backs up what we’ve mentioned about the inclusivity of using the second person. By not saying ‘we’ or ‘ours’ but instead using more ‘you’ and ‘yours’, a business can avoid sounding too distant and impersonal. This improves their brand image.

Here’s a tip: Readable’s tone detector can tell you if you’re using the second-person enough in your business writing. It’s called the personal/impersonal scale . Using the second person more in your writing will create a more personal tone.

Another advantage of writing in the second person is that it builds a relationship and inspires trust. By addressing the consumer, you’re introducing yourself to them. You’re directly - and hopefully concisely - introducing yourself, your values and your value to them.

Give it a try

Now you’re equipped with the knowledge of how this could help you connect to your audience, why not give it a try? Take a piece of content about your company and look for where you could address your reader more. Is your content personal enough ?

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Laura Kelly

Laura is a freelance writer and worked at Readable for a number of years. Laura is well-versed in optimising content for readability and Readable's suite of tools. She aims to write guides that help you make the most out of Readable.

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Point of View | First, Second & Third Person

The points of view are:

First person : Uses first-person pronouns to narrate the story from the subject’s perspective (e.g., “I jumped”)
Second person: Uses “you” to immerse the reader into the story (e.g., “You jumped”)
Third person: Uses third-person pronouns to tell the story from an outside perspective (e.g., “He jumped”)

Point of view, first-person point of view, first person examples, second-person point of view, second person examples, third-person point of view, third person examples.

Narrative point of view (also known as narrative perspective) refers to the viewpoint of the storyteller relative to the story.

For example, autobiographies are written from the first-person point of view because the writer uses first-person pronouns such as “I” and “me” to recount their life story and experiences based on their personal perspective.

The second-person point of view is the least common of the narrative perspectives. While some second-person novels exist (especially in gamebooks, where readers make decisions on how the story proceeds), they are quite rare.

Instead, the second-person point of view is most often used in copywriting and other marketing material that directly addresses the audience by using the pronoun “you” (e.g., “You need to buy this”). Additionally, it is also used in instruction manuals, guidebooks, and recipes where the subject (i.e., “you”) isn’t explicitly stated (e.g., “Preheat the oven for fifteen minutes”).

Lastly, the third-person point of view narrates the story from an exterior perspective. In other words, the narrator is not a part of the story itself but is simply telling it. The third-person perspective includes three different types: omniscient, limited, and objective.


First person	counted to ten and then looked for friends, who were hiding from .
Second person	counted to ten and then looked for friends, who were hiding from .
Third person	counted to ten and then looked for friends, who were hiding from

Please note that although narrative points of view and grammatical persons have overarching elements, they are distinct concepts.

Narrative point of view refers to the perspective of the narrator in a book or story, whereas grammatical person refers to the perspective of the subject in a sentence—any sentence—which indicates who is speaking (or writing) and who is being referred to.

Both rely on first-person, second-person, or third-person pronouns to indicate the perspective being used.

The first-person point of view (or first-person perspective) refers to a type of narration in which the storyteller shares the story based on their personal standpoint. That means that the first-person point of view involves the use of first-person pronouns (e.g., “I,” “me,” “we,” “mine,” etc.).

For example, imagine your best friend goes on vacation, and when she comes back, she wants to tell you all about it. She’ll most likely share her experiences using the first-person point of view (e.g., “Every morning I took a short walk to the beach to watch the sunrise”).

First person involves the use of the following pronouns:

Sentences written in the first person examples

The first-person point of view can be found in both fiction and non-fiction writing . In fiction writing, the story is usually told from the perspective of the protagonist .

First-person point of view in fiction writing example

In non-fiction writing, the first-person point of view is often found in memoirs, autobiographies, and other similar genres.

First-person point of view in non-fiction writing example

The second-person point of view is the least common narrative perspective used in storytelling. The narrator essentially makes the reader a part of the story by using second-person pronouns (e.g., “you”, “yours,” etc.) to tell the reader what they are thinking and doing.

Let’s return to the example of your best friend going on vacation and wanting to tell you all about it. Wanting to convince you to join her next year, she uses the second-person point of view (e.g., “Imagine this. Every morning, you take a short walk to the beach to watch the sunrise”).

Second person involves the use of the following pronouns:

You (singular and plural)
Yours (singular and plural)

Sentences written in the second person examples

The second-person point of view is rarely used in novels. However, some books do incorporate second-person pronouns to deeply immerse the reader in the story. For example, gamebooks involve the reader by presenting various choices that eventually lead to different conclusions.

Second person example in books

Many companies incorporate the second-person point of view in their advertisements to connect with the audience on a more personal level. Sometimes, the subject (i.e. “you”) is explicitly stated, other times it is not.

Second person examples in advertisement

The third-person point of view refers to a narrator who is telling the story from an outside perspective. In other words, the narrator sees (and sometimes knows) everything that is going on in the story’s world and is recounting it to the reader.

Let’s say your best friend goes on vacation, but this time she goes with her cousins, who cause chaos. She tells you the story about what happened during her vacation, including all the crazy things her cousins did, but she uses the third-person point of view to separate herself from her unruly cousins (e.g., “Every morning they would wake up the entire hotel with their loud commotion”).

The third person involves the use of the following pronouns:

He/him/his/himself
She/her/hers/herself
It/its/itself
They/them/theirs/themselves

Keep in mind that the third person could also involve the use of proper names (e.g., “Billy cried during the movie”).

Sentences written in the third person examples

The third-person point of view is the most popular narrative perspective, with the narrator telling the story as someone who is not a part of the story itself but is simply recounting it.

There are three different types of third-person narratives:

Omniscient: Provides an all-knowing viewpoint, where the narrator knows and can reveal the thoughts, feelings, and motivations of all characters involved in the story
Limited (or close): Narrator is limited to the perspective of a single character, only knowing what the specific character knows, sees, or experiences
Objective: Narrator maintains a strictly external viewpoint, avoiding sharing the thoughts or feelings of any character but instead presenting actions, dialogue, and events as they occur

Third person omniscient example

Third person limited example, third person objective example, recommended articles.

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Tiny Memoir Contest for Students: Write a 100-Word Personal Narrative

We invite teenagers to tell a true story about a meaningful life experience in just 100 words. Contest dates: Nov. 6 to Dec. 4, 2024.

A banner of six purple and black illustrations. From left to right: a woman hanging a star in a window with the help of a little girl; two men staring lovingly at each other over a small table; a man presenting a miniature Christmas tree to his pet fish; a frog reaching out his arms to a squiggly figure; three family members piled on top of each other on a couch; a woman looking pensively out a widow as it snows outside.

By The Learning Network

Illustrations from Modern Love’s Tiny Love Stories , the inspiration for this contest.

Can you tell a meaningful and interesting true story from your life in just 100 words? That’s the challenge we pose to teenagers with our 100-Word Personal Narrative Contest, a storytelling form popularized by Modern Love’s Tiny Love Stories series .

After running this contest for two years, receiving a total of more than 25,000 entries, and honoring dozens of excellent miniature teen-written memoirs, we have discovered the answer is a resounding yes .

So, we challenge you to try it yourself.

We’re not asking you to write to a particular theme or to use a specific structure or style, but we are looking for short, powerful stories about a particular moment or event in your life. We want to hear your story, told in your unique voice, and we hope you’ll experiment with style and form to tell a tale that matters to you, in a way you enjoy telling it.

And, yes, it’s possible to do all that in only 100 words. For proof, just look at last year’s 15 winning entries . We also have a step-by-step guide full of advice that is grounded in 25 excellent 100-word mentor texts, as well as a rehearsal space , published for our first year’s contest, that has over 1,000 student-written mini memoirs. Because that space was so successful, we’re keeping it open for this year’s contest. We hope students will use it to get inspiration, experiment and encourage each other.

Take a look at the full guidelines and related resources below. Please post any questions you have in the comments and we’ll answer you there, or write to us at [email protected]. And, consider hanging this PDF one-page announcement on your class bulletin board.

Here’s what you need to know:

Resources for Teachers and Students
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10 expert-recommended online resume writing services to use in 2024.

In the mix of college assignments and perhaps your 9-to-5, piecing together an attractive resume for employers can be a difficult feat.

Not only is this one-pager the bread and butter of what will lead to a first-round interview (fingers crossed!), but it’s an excellent portrayal of your skillset, employment history and unique skills that help a company’s HR department gauge if you’re the right fit.

Let’s cut to the chase — more specifically, let’s answer the question, “ How can I make my application stand out? ” One of the most influential steps is, without a doubt, rendering your resume to tip-top shape. And fortunately, there are some of the best online resume services like TopResume and Resumble out there to help.

Best Overall: TopResume

Best budget: resume companion, best optimization for applicant tracking systems: resumeble.

Best Customizable : Brand Resumes
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Best One-on-One Collaboration : Upwork
Best for Cover Letters : ResumeSpice
Best Budget : Craft Resumes

Whether you’re a senior in college applying for your first full-time job or you’ve been in the biz for years and are looking to segue into a different role, we rounded up the top online resume writing services you can use to help get your application in tip-top shape. Plus, we’ve enlisted Shannon Conklin, director of career and leadership development at The College of New Jersey to help!

Hop to her picks below or check out our FAQ for more details on things to look for when picking the right resume builder for you.

Packages with unlimited resume revisions
Free resume review
60-day interview guarantee
Several customers who wrote reviews on Trustpilot mention having poor communication with their resume writers

TopResume is a beloved favorite — and for a good reason. It has four different packages depending on your career goals, some of which include unlimited revisions, a LinkedIn makeover, a cover letter and two interview prep sessions.

“TopResume continues to be a solid option,” Conklin shared. “It has strong descriptions, where the website and interface are easy to navigate to understand its process, its three packages, as well as testimonials.”

She also loves TopResume’s FAQ section, coupled with the various packages, that make its process clear and timeline. “There is also plenty of mention about AI and ATS technology,” she added. “If you need a resume quickly, one that accounts for technology, and a budget of only about $150, it looks like this service would be one to strongly consider.”

With TopResume, you’ll also get a 60-day interview guarantee. If you don’t get twice as many interviews, the platform will rewrite your resume for free. It’s pretty top tier, to say the least, and is a minimal investment for those hoping to find free resume-writing services.

Self-directed service
Template-based
Must renew a subscription to edit resume in the future

“Resume Companion is a clean website with a clear message — build a resume quickly!” Conklin highlighted. “It offers templates, examples and advice on how to craft a resume, as well as a cover letter, as a self-directed service within about 15-minutes.”

What’s more, the service also makes it clear it offers a variety of templates based on industries and functions. “This can really help if you are trying to transition to a new field or your resume needs to be updated to reflect the latest in your industry,” she added.

With Resume Companion, you’ll be able to build your resume step by step, from selecting a professional template to answering a few simple questions to have your experience and skills added directly to your digital file. Namely, if you’re not much of a writer, you’ll appreciate its pre-written work experience bullet points to craft your resume in minutes and then apply away.

Not to mention, it’s only $8 a month, so if you want a one-and-done service, this one’s your best bet. Keep in mind that you will have to renew your subscription to edit in the future, but it’s a great budget-friendly option to pursue if you don’t want to be completely in the dark.

4-day turnover on resume drafts
Three free revisions with standard resume package
Only the premium resume package includes a job guarantee

Resumeble is not only has a fun name, but it includes a resume and cover letter in its baseline package. If you’d like to upgrade, you can receive a LinkedIn write-up, a second resume version, thank you and follow-up notes and cold emails to recruiters.

“Have you applied to dozens of jobs, only to never get through?” Conklin questioned. “If this resonates because your resume is not optimized for ATS platforms, Resumeble might be the choice for you. Mention of ‘ATS,’ as well as their outcomes and ROI, are weaved throughout its site.”

Conklin told The Post that she’s seen many clients apply to dozens and dozens of companies, only to be vetted out due to ATS. “When that happens, I often advise networking to complement a revised, ATS-optimized resume.” she tipped off. “This brings me to one other noteworthy element to their various packages, they support your full professional profile; resume to LinkedIn to recruiter communication support.”

For those who want to spend less than $200 for online resume writing services, this all-in-one option is fairly priced, making it one of the best affordable resume writing services. If you’re only looking to refresh your LinkedIn, you’ll just pay a one-time $99 fee. For just your resume, it’s a one-time purchase of $129 for the service.

Best Customizable: BrandResumes

Has a self pace job search course
Helpful step by step resume building guide
Some customers who reviewed the service on Trustpilot report time delays in receiving their resume

BrandResumes made the cut as one of our top choices for online resume services for a few reasons: it’s one of the platforms best for ATS keyword optimization and formatting for interviews, LinkedIn branding and a customizable interface. If you buy the deluxe package, you’ll have your resume distributed across the 60 top job boards (including industry-specific ones), so you’ll spend less time applying.

“Learning the fundamentals of resume writing is a skill that will carry you throughout your career, and BrandResumes offers courses and resources to accomplish just that,” Conklin highlighted. “Once you understand how to format a strong bullet point, or the style you find reflects your story and values, you can start crafting various resumes to appeal to different audiences and fields.”

BrandResumes also offers resources to launch your own resume writing business — a tool that can be valuable for career experts seeking professional resume writing services. “If you’re seeking to dig into how to revamp your resume, or you find yourself (like many in HR or career services) consistently asked to help a friend or family member with their materials, this service will align with your goals,” she added.

Best with Career Consulting: TopStack Resume

Pay only after you’re satisfied with the resume
According to TopStack Resume’s site, resume complete takes up to 2 weeks

TopStack Resume is a force to be reckoned with in the career development sphere. Notably, it’s one of the only services that provides career consulting. So, in addition to resume and cover letter formatting, you have the option to partake in one-on-one sessions with a career advisor.

“Five steps is all you need to follow for your resume review by TopStack,” Conklin put it simply. “The simplicity of this service and the range of offerings (from a resume for $139 to career consulting for its Premium Package ) can be valuable for any job seeker or career explorer.”

Moreover, if you find yourself in need of more career support, maybe you’re changing fields or returning to work after time off, this is a strong contender. “Be mindful of your budget and timeline, so you take full advantage of a career consultant; a solid service should focus on the process, as much as a strong career outcome,” she added.

Plus, TopStack Resume is unique in that it has a team of well-qualified writers to ensure your one-pager is the best it can be. At a fair price point, you can always upgrade to add on more benefits in the future.

Best for Quick Hiring: ZipJob

Fairly priced for the quality and swiftness of deliverables
Optimizes for ATS so you’ll have better odds of visibility before your resume lands in human hands
May be more difficult to ask for revisions if need be, due to the service’s robust turnaround time and automation

While no resume writing service can guarantee you landing your dream job, ZipJob has a unique offering in one of its packages that makes it a standout from the rest.

Ideal for candidates who are rapidly seeking their next role in a flash, ZipJob combines expert resume writers with the exact same tech employers to optimize your one-pager. The kicker? Its most popular plan, Fast Track, includes a professionally written resume, ATS optimization and direct writer messaging — but that’s not all.

Impressively, the Fast Track package for $189 also includes a cover letter and a 60-day interview guarantee. That’s how confident ZipJob is that you’ll get hired, and get hired quickly.

For $299, its Premium package includes a LinkedIn profile update to help maximize your chances and expedited delivery for super speed. If you want swiftness but don’t wish to compromise the quality of your application, you won’t have to worry with ZipJob.

Best One-on-One Collaboration: Upwork

Several projects to choose from with unique writing strengths you may desire
Typically budget-friendly
Some options will have your resume written in only one business day
Price points vary and quality of work varies depending on which project provider you select, so take caution and read reviews before working with a given person

Individual-driven platforms like Upwork allow you to shop around for a resume writing service that matches your specific needs and budget. Similar to platforms like Skillshare where talented, qualified creators host a course offering or a service, Upwork allows you to select from a variety of different projects where you’ll have one-on-one attention. Consider it akin to being matched with an online counselor.

Generally budget-friendly, most of Upwork’s providers only take one business day to deliver. The majority of providers also have thousands of positive, near-five-star reviews, so it’s surely a service to consider.

The one downside to Upwork is that quality of work may differ slightly, though that’s a given with its platform structure. This differs from some other services like TopResume where the company at large has its own writing structure, so it’s just something to take note of. However, for its affordability and speed, it’s a great dip into the pool of resume writing and related services, without spending more on a professional-grade platform.

Best for Cover Letters: ResumeSpice

The baseline package offers a lot more than competitors, including phone consult, optimized draft and two edits
Cover and thank-you letters are added to packages at an additional charge

ResumeSpice is ready to add that much-needed spice to your resume. It doesn’t just provide three different package options, but it specifically tells you which one would work best for you. For example, if you have no more than two years in the workforce, you should select its baseline package ($449). This package includes a phone consultation, an eye-catching resume format, keyword optimization, a personalized draft, two rounds of revisions based on your feedback and finalized versions in both Microsoft Word and PDF formats.

“Solid service is evident across ResumeSpice, and its focus on Executive Resume stands out from others,” Conklin pinpointed. “If you find yourself wanting to get to that next level in your career, you really do need to consider an executive coach with an eye towards that goal for your materials.”

You might, for example, realize you have decades of experience and are unsure where to start to consolidate — Conklin offered. “This is one of the most frequent concerns when making this transition, and a third party like ResumeSpice can be an invaluable resource and sounding board,” she added. “Finally, its site is clear in terms of turnaround, which shows they value your time and manage expectations — a positive sign on what you can expect service-wise.”

ResumeSpice offers other à la carte services, too, including cover letter help, LinkedIn profile revamping, interview preparation and career coaching.

Best Budget: Craft Resumes

Unlimited revisions
5 day delivery
Some reviewers mention time delays

Craft Resumes has an engaging, user-friendly interface that makes resume-building a fun, less stressful process. With ATS keyword optimization and a dedicated writer on your resume, rest assured that it will be in a healthy state to pass along to recruiters and job posters.

“Craft Resumes cleary focus on the ‘craft’ and design of writing resumes, where a distinguishing factor that caught my eye is their unlimited evaluation ‘at any reason’ for four days,” Conklin said, recommending the service. “This is valuable for job or graduate school seekers and career explorers, as you’ll likely have questions once you find an opportunity of interest.”

Similar to other services here, there is a one-on-one aspect that can be quite valuable, especially if you have the time. “There are also a variety of services and prices, not just resume writing,” she noted. “This is helpful for you budget, and evolving needs. Often times once you get a resume underway you start to realize that you’ll want other materials to be updated and aligned with your personal brand.”

For its most popular package, The Basic, you’ll have access to a single writer and unlimited revisions (which is a score compared to some other services on this list), strong and optimized words, unique formatting and a cover letter to increase your chances of landing an interview. However, Craft Resumes has other great packages worth exploring.

Best Resume Writing: Let’s Eat, Grandma Resume Service

Consultation included with every package
Executive Concierge Service that includes 10 days of unlimited revisions
Quality writers and customer service, based off reviews
No academic CVs or federal resumes

Humorous name aside, resume service Let’s Eat, Grandma has a laser focus on punctuation (as you can tell because nobody intends to write that they’d like to eat their grandmother on a professional document) — as well as resume formatting. What’s great about this platform, specifically, is its vast packages, ranging from drafting your resume to offering cover letters and networking services to help boost your career trajectory.

“Let’s Eat, Grandma hones in immediately on its ‘custom-tailored’ approach,” Conklin said. “While every resume review should be tailored to account for your story (as mentioned above), it’s clear this is a value of this service. Client outcomes are also front and center, where a mix of employers and schools are listed; this is notable if continuing education is a goal of yours.”

With four packages available, and FAQs on the homepage highlighting its range (i.e. academic, federal government and more), Conklin appreciates how it’s clear that this service is distinguishing itself from others, especially given the range of specialty materials they can help you create.

What’s more, you’ll be assisted by a team of highly skilled writers who create targeted documents to help boost your chances of getting an interview. They’ll also speak to your unique strengths — and, therefore, amplify them on your resume — to tie your entire professional portfolio of experience together. They also have a package tailored for executives, making the platform a solid option for those needing executive resume writing services.

Which resume service is best?

The golden question, right? This depends mostly on your career goals. A range of services are available, and many are now even offered through LinkedIn.

“When considering a resume service, it is important to consider the extent of guidance you are seeking,” Conklin, who has 15 years of experience in higher education — told The Post.

“Are you overhauling your resume? Are you transitioning industries and need to consider a different format or approach? What are your financial resources to pay for one, or should you explore services offered from your alma mater or current institution if you are a current or graduate of higher education?,” she questioned.

You’ll also want to consider the resume services’ reputation, Conklin suggested: Are there reviews or endorsements of a service, especially if you are paying for one? What is the background, and is the resume service aligned with your industry of interest?

Is it worth paying for a resume service?

“It depends on the service and one’s circumstances as to whether it is ‘worth’ paying for the service,” Conklin said. “There are very reputable services out there, especially for more experienced career seekers. If you’re transitioning to a new field, or you are seeking to move to a senior or executive level, it could definitely be worth the cost.”

As a preliminary step, Conklin advised to really make sure you are an informed consumer when considering a resume service, and if you should pay or if you have a network or connections you can leverage for advice first.

How much does it cost to have someone write your resume?

“When an individual pays for a resume service, there may be a flat rate, or it is calculated on an hourly rate and requires at least two sessions,” Conklin explained. “For example, it could cost $150 for a single session.”

However, there are resume services that can significantly exceed that rate and are part of a package that might include a quick return and other support, from LinkedIn to interview coaching, that is over $600, she highlights.

What to include on your resume, according to an expert

“Your story is the focus of your resume, and it is critical to be honest and reflect on how you want to tell that, ultimately,” Conklin noted. “The order also depends on the stage of your career (early, mid, senior, executive) and the industry you are seeking.”

In academia, for example, you’ll see a curriculum vitae (CV) that is pages long to reflect one’s research, publications, and roles held. In financial services, you would have a one-page resume until you have significant work experience. Or, in the creative fields, you may have a one-page resume and then an online portfolio or website that exhibits your work to complement your resume, she explains.

“No matter the field you are pursuing, you always want to make sure you list your experiences in reverse chronological order, you include your education/training, think of the keywords and skills (and make sure those are prominently displayed and included), and also think of what is most relevant,” she listed. “The most relevant should be at the top.”

It is also key to consider Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS), automated review systems that scan resumes as part of an organization’s vetting process. “The format could align or cause issues with an ATS system,” Conklin added. “This is why it’s important to do your research, leverage any connections you have to gain insights into a field and their preferred format and get advice on keywords, skills and experiences to include.”

“If you do your homework, you should find clues to answer the questions above and guide your resume writing approach,” Conklin shared.

How we chose resume services

At Post Wanted, here’s what we keep in mind when researching and hand-selecting resume services:

Customization : The best online resume services offer tailored resumes with personalized resume writing, in contrast to generic templates you can find for free.
Consultation : Some services offer a one-on-one consultation with your writer so they can scope out your specific attributes, career highlights and other aspects to your curriculum vitae you want to spotlight.
Comprehensive Packages : In addition to resumes, some services offer cover letters, LinkedIn profile optimization and career coaching. To some, this is worth the investment, though it may come with a higher price tag.
ATS Optimization : A great benefit to online resume services is the focus on Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS), as human recruiters typically use this software use these screening systems before it lands in their hands.
Turnaround Time : For some, there’s no time to be wasted when it comes to hunting for a new job. Looking at flexibility and speed is important; some services offer rush options for individuals who need a complete and optimized resume quickly.

Why Trust Post Wanted by the New York Post

For over 200 years, the New York Post has been America’s go-to source for bold news, engaging stories, in-depth reporting, and now, insightful shopping guidance . We’re not just thorough reporters – we sift through mountains of information, test and compare products , and consult experts on any topics we aren’t already schooled specialists in to deliver useful, realistic product recommendations based on our extensive and hands-on analysis. Here at The Post, we’re known for being brutally honest – we clearly label partnership content, and whether we receive anything from affiliate links, so you always know where we stand. We routinely update content to reflect current research and expert advice, provide context (and wit) and ensure our links work. Please note that deals can expire, and all prices are subject to change.

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IMAGES

Essay Written In Second Person
Writing In Second Person
Writing In Second Person Examples
Writing in Second Person by Chloe Kinney on Prezi
Second-Person Point of View: Guide and Examples
Second-Person Point Of View: What Is It And How Do I Use It? • 7ESL

COMMENTS

How to Write in the Second Person Point of View + Examples
Second person PoV: " You rode the bicycle.". Third person PoV: " He rode the bicycle.". Fourth person PoV: " We rode the bicycles.". The point of view can change the tone of an entire piece. The most common points of view in literature are third and first, or the habitual "He, she, they" and "I.".
Writing in Second Person
Here are some second-person writing examples to clarify a few notions: Subjective case: You brought me that book yesterday. Objective case: I like you a lot. Possessive case/possessive determiner: Doing the dishes was your responsibility. Possessive case/possessive pronouns: The books on the table are yours.
What Is Second Person Point of View in Writing? How to Write in Second
In literature, second person point of view breaks the fourth wall by directly addressing the reader with the pronoun "you." It goes a step further by creating an interactive literary experience, bringing the reader into the story. What Is Second Person POV in Writing? Second person point of view uses the pronoun "you" to address the reader.
How To Write an Essay in Second Person (and When Not To)
First person is vulnerable because you're open, transparent. First person says: Look at me! This is my wound. This is my loss, my longing, my new awareness. Choose first person for these essays: How you grieved when you tried to find your nephew, who moved to New York in 1988, contracted HIV, and disappeared.
Second-Person Point of View: Guide and Examples
The famous examples of second-person point of view are, in part, well-known because they are striking and unusual deviations from the "rules" of fiction writing. These popular examples are well worth a read: Bread by Margaret Atwood (short story) Complicity by Iain Banks.
Second Person Point of View Explained
The second person point of view is a powerful tool when used appropriately, but it's not suitable for all types of writing. For example, in academic writing, such as essays and research papers, you should usually stick with the third person point of view. Doing so makes the writing more objective and less personal.
Ultimate Guide To Second Person Point of View: 15 Tips & Examples
Examples Of Second Person Point of View In Books. Believable Fiction: 'You stand on the bow of the ship. Your grip is tight, your knuckles white. The sea stretches out before you into eternity, and you are not afraid.'. Narrative Prose: 'You open the letter and inside there are just two words: I'm sorry.
Writing In The Second Person Made Easy: Tips and Tricks
Here is how you can write in the second person; 1. Embrace the "You" perspective: The key to writing in the second person is to use pronouns like "you," "your," and "yours.". It's like you're addressing the reader directly, inviting them to experience the story as if it's happening to them. 2.
Guide to Second Person Point of View with Examples
Here are a few more famous second person POV examples: "There are a few years when you make almost all of your important memories. And then you spend the next few decades reliving them.". - Charles Yu, Interior Chinatown. "And you know the darkness beyond despair, just as intimately as you know the soaring heights.
Mastering Second Person Point of View: Techniques and Examples
Second person point of view refers to using the pronouns you, your, yours, yourself, and yourselves in your writing. This perspective directly addresses the reader, making them feel as if they are part of the story or being spoken to by the narrator. Unlike first person, which uses I, me, and my, or third person, which uses he, she, it, and ...
The Second-Person Point of View: Give Your Story a New ...
In fiction, pure second-person POV uses the perspective of a single character, the protagonist, to tell the story. This character is well-defined, with habits, traits and a unique personality. The reader is simply placed "behind" this character, seeing and experiencing the world through his eyes, body and mind.
Second-person Point of View: What Is It and Examples
Reasons to write using the second-person point of view. Many works of literature have been written in the second person. For instance, several parts of "The Night Circus" by Erin Morgenstern have been written in the second person, and the book received rave reviews. Some readers even said they were transported to where it all takes place.
Writing Tips: When to Use the Second Person
First Person: I am going home. Second Person: You are going home. Third Person: She is going home. As shown above, the second person uses pronouns like "you" and "yours.". You can thus use it to address the listener or reader directly. The second person is quite rare in formal and creative writing, where the first person and third ...
Academic Guides: Scholarly Voice: Second-Person Point of View
Second-Person Point of View. This guide includes instructional pages on scholarly voice. Generally, it is best to avoid second person pronouns in scholarly writing because they remove the distance between the reader and the writer. Instead, try to use first or third person pronouns to enhance clarity. Most Walden programs and APA (2020) allow ...
Second-Person Point of View
Second person point of view is often used for giving directions, offering advice, or providing an explanation. This perspective allows the writer to make a connection with his or her audience by focusing on the reader. Second person personal pronouns include you, your, and yours. Examples of sentences written from the second person point of view:
Second Person Point of View
Second-person point of view, which directly addresses the reader, works well for giving advice or explaining how to do something. A process analysis paper would be a good choice for using the second-person point of view, as shown in this paragraph: In order to prepare microwave popcorn, you will need a microwave and a box of microwave popcorn ...
Why You Should Try Writing in Second Person
Here are three reasons: 1. Second person pulls the reader into the action. Especially if you write in the present tense, second person allows the reader to experience the story as if it's their own. To avoid a "choose your own adventure story" feel or an aggressive tone, mix up sentence structure and add in description and dialogue.
Examples of Writing in Second Person
Second person point of view can be a powerful tool when connecting to a reader or listener. Discover second person examples displaying the power of "you." ... Here are examples of writing in second person in do-it yourself or how-to writing: ... Advertising slogans are many times written in second person. Here are some examples: AMX - It's ...
First, Second, and Third Person: Definition and Examples
Writing in first person: Literature in the first person point of view is written from the speaker's perspective. This point of view uses first person pronouns to identify the speaker/narrator. ... Writing in second person: In non-fiction writing, a speaker will often switch between pronouns. Writers do this only for effect. For example, if a ...
Second Person Point of View: How to Place Your Reader in the Action
Here are some tips on how to write a story in second person: 1. Remember your pronouns. Because the second person POV is not common in fiction, be sure you don't accidentally revert to the first or third person pronouns. Remember, the second person uses the pronouns you, your, yours, and does not have any character that uses the "I" pronoun.
Second Person Point of View: Should Anyone Use It?
Edited by Martin Cavannagh. Reviewed by Tom Bromley. When writing from the second person point of view, authors directly address the reader by using the pronoun 'you' — usually to transform the reader into a character, and draw them closer to the story. However, if ever there was a rule that most editors agree on, it's this: don't ...
6 Examples and Excerpts of Second Person Point of View in Fiction
6. On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous - Ocean Vuong. An original and arresting novel about family history and immigration, this is another novel that doesn't technically feature a second person point of view. Instead, the narrator is writing to his illiterate mother - the you of the story. To be or not to be.
How to Write a Second Person Story
2. Avoid too much repetition where possible. Writing in the second person runs the risk of getting repetitive if you constantly remind your reader (and yourself) that you're writing in the second person. To avoid this, literary editor David Keefe suggests writing stories without the pronouns 'you,' 'your,' and 'yours.'.
Readable grammar 101
The second person rules are pretty simple. You must use the pronouns 'you', 'your' and 'yours'. In contrast, the first person requires you to refer to yourself - 'I', 'my' and 'mine'. The third person refers to others, 'he', 'she', 'it' or 'they'. Examples of writing in the second person. Although it's ...
Point of View
First-person point of view in fiction writing example To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee is an example of a famous novel written from the first-person point of view. The narrator guides the reader to see things from the perspective of the young protagonist, Jean "Scout" Finch. ... Sentences written in the second person examples You paused ...
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Increased funding for a wall on the US-Mexico border - one of Trump's signature proposals in 2016 - is proposed in the document. Project 2025 also proposes dismantling the Department of Homeland ...
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10 best online resume writing services of 2024, per an expert
Resumeble is not only has a fun name, but it includes a resume and cover letter in its baseline package. If you'd like to upgrade, you can receive a LinkedIn write-up, a second resume version ...

How to Write in the Second Person Point of View: Definition & Examples

What is the second-person point of view?

First, second, third, and fourth-person point of view

Is the second-person point of view an omniscient point of view?

Why choose second-person point of view?

Advantages of second-person point of view

Disadvantages of second-person point of view

Tips for writing in second-person point of view

Should you write your story in second person?

The length and scope of your story

Your story’s effect on the reader’s emotions

Your story’s message and underlying theme

Examples of second-person point of view in novels

The Dark by John McGahern

Redshirts by John Scalzi

Examples of second-person point of view in short stories

Use second person to push the limits of your writing

Related articles

Writing in Second Person – Examples

What Is Second Person POV?

How Do You Write in 2nd Person?

Is the Word We 2nd Person?

Tips for Writing in Second Person

Look at the Classics

Use Descriptive Details

Be Consistent with the POV

Second Person Pronouns in Different Cases

The Bottom Line

What Is Second-Person Point of View (POV) in Writing?

What Is Narrative Point of View?

First Person Perspective

Second-Person Perspective

Third Person Perspective

Why Is Second-Person Perspective Less Well-Known?

First-Person POV Example Sentences:

Second-Person POV Example Sentences:

Third-Person POV Example Sentences:

A Warning About Deciding POV

Maintaining Second-Person Point of View

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Ultimate Guide To Second Person Point of View: 15 Tips & Examples

What is the Second Person Point of View?

How to use Second Person Point of View in Writing

Examples Of Second Person Point of View In Books

What are the benefits of using a second person perspective?

How do you use the second-person perspective? Step by Step Guide

The good and evil of writing in second person perspective

When is second-person point of view used in writing?

What are the challenges of using second person perspective?

Writing with Second Person Point of View

Second Person Personal Pronouns

Example Of Second Person Point Of View

When should second-person point of view be avoided?

Examples of Books Written in Second Person

Frequently Asked Questions

Most Read Articles in 2023:

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What is the second-person point of view?

Comparison with other narrative perspectives (First person, third person)

Literary examples of second-person writing

1. “Choose your own adventure” books:

2. “If on a winter’s Night a traveler” by Italo Calvino:

3. “Bright lights, big City” by Jay McInerney:

4. Song Lyrics and Poetry:

Second person in poetry: The power of “you.”

Effect of the second person in poetry:

2. Immersion:

3. Empathy:

4. Personal Reflection:

Examples of the second person in poetry:

2. “A Dream Within a Dream” by Edgar Allan Poe:

3. “When You Are Old” by W.B. Yeats:

Practical applications of second-person writing: Bringing words to life

1. Instructions and how-to guides:

2. Interactive fiction and video games:

3. Choose-your-own-adventure stories: