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"Writing in Second Person" - Article

6/11/2014

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As I've been working (slowly) through the first round of content edits in Keeper's I have been toying with the idea of whether or not I should change the point-of-view that the story is told in.  I really like the idea of using second person in a few places and I may look into creating a few temp passages to see what I think of them.

Why You Should
Try Writing in Second Person

By Melissa Tydell 

Picture
"It may seem strange, unconventional, or confining, but playing with point of view is one way to transform a story."
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” feel or an aggressive tone, mix up sentence structure and add in description and dialogue. Using the pronoun “you” and describing action as it happens supplies a personal sense of 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. 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.

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. This technique isn't necessarily “pure” second person, 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 feels 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.

Have you written anything in the second person point-of-view before?
What about changing up your story's POV after its been written?


Leave your thoughts and preferences on point-of-view in the comments and let's get this conversation going!
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