Craft Chat Second Person POV

[Sedayne]

Waxwing Literary Journal: American writers & international voices.

waxwingmag.org

Interesting article about a variety of second person points of view, and a nostalgia trip about CYOA.

Second person is a lesser used perspective - more common in poetry than prose, I think.

Have you used second person POV in your writing? Do you like reading second person narratives?

[I wrote a short story which uses second and first in the same voice. I'm happy with it, but although it was longlisted for an experimental narrative prize, it hasn't been picked up for publication yet. I don't know if the POV is off-putting or if it needs a rewrite - or maybe I just haven't found the right place for it.]

 

[Claire G]

I like second person for flash fiction and short stories. I've written two and one won a place in an anthology. It started as an experiment and I really enjoyed it - it results in a completely different voice. Link here: Blossoming – Litopia
Congratulations on the longlisting! xx

 

[BrianY]

Food and travel writing are both often done in the second person. In both cases, we're in direct conversation with the reader - giving instructions, advice, and sometimes even cautions.

 

[Dan Faulkner]

I read a novel a few years back that was in 2nd. It was fairly literary fantasy, I think - wish I could remember the name! It worked well there. I think any POV can work well in the right context, used with skill.

I wrote a short story that mixes 1st & 2nd too, and that was quite experimental. I didn't do anything with it though.

 

[Sedayne]

I like second person for flash fiction and short stories. I've written two and one won a place in an anthology. It started as an experiment and I really enjoyed it - it results in a completely different voice. Link here: Blossoming – Litopia
Congratulations on the longlisting! xx

I remember Blossoming, and I've just re-read it. It's a powerful example of poetic prose that uses second person to its full advantage. Beautiful stuff.

 

[Sedayne]

in direct conversation with the reader

I think this is a key strength of the second person POV.

 

[Sedayne]

I wrote a short story that mixes 1st & 2nd too, and that was quite experimental. I didn't do anything with it though.

Maybe it's time to dust it off?

 

[Mel L]

Second person seems to be very much a 'thing' at the moment. I think the idea of addressing the reader directly opens a lot of creative possibilities. I've not tried it much, but feel very drawn to giving it a try. Go for it!

 

[Mel L]

I like second person for flash fiction and short stories. I've written two and one won a place in an anthology. It started as an experiment and I really enjoyed it - it results in a completely different voice. Link here: Blossoming – Litopia
Congratulations on the longlisting! xx

Such a beautiful piece. Congrats, and thank you for sharing it!

 

[Highwayman]

Two things. First, what the heck? I didn’t even know we had a forum called Craft Chat. I’ve clearly been too buried in the labs… might be time to leave the dark side of my cave once in a while.

Second, I’ve never really gotten into second person. From where I sit, it feels like learning a new language. When I do come across it, it’s usually in that non-fiction hybrid article in some magazine at the dentist's, blending first and second.

 

[Sedayne]

I didn’t even know we had a forum called Craft Chat. I

It's not a separate forum, just Café Life (the main discussion forum). You can select the craft chat prefix if ever you want to start a thread to ask a question or share some info about writing techniques.

it feels like learning a new language.

It can feel that way. And I'm not sure I'd enjoy a whole novel in 2nd, but in small doses it can be very effective. I've often used it in songwriting (where it's common), but only once in a short story. It's interesting to experiment.

 

[Dan Faulkner]

Maybe it's time to dust it off?

Yes, possibly! Not sure what to do with it, to be honest. It's fantasy, but very gentle and character-based.