avatarKimberly Fosu

Summary

The article discusses the challenges and considerations of using the second-person point of view in writing, emphasizing the importance of reader relatability and the potential for alienation if not executed well.

Abstract

Writing in the second person, using "you" and "your," can immerse readers in a narrative by making them the protagonist, but it risks alienating those who dislike being instructed or cannot relate to the experiences described. The second-person perspective can be perceived as bossy or authoritative, prompting resistance from readers who value their autonomy. The article suggests that writers should be cautious when employing this point of view, ensuring that the narrative resonates with readers and allows them to decide whether to accept the writer's advice or experiences. When a story's events are too personal or specific, it may be better to switch to the first or third person to maintain the reader's engagement. The article also notes that the second person can create a vivid and intimate connection with the story, but it is a difficult perspective to master, as it requires creating a character that readers can either see themselves as or aspire to be.

Opinions

  • Many readers dislike the second-person point of view because it can feel bossy or too authoritative.
  • Readers may resist being told what to do or think, especially if they cannot relate to the narrative.
  • The second person can be off-putting for readers who are forced into a character role they do not identify with.
  • Writers should allow readers to decide whether to take advice or relate to experiences rather than imposing them.
  • Switching between second person and other points of view can be effective in maintaining reader engagement and creating dialogue between the writer and reader.
  • The second-person perspective, when done correctly, can deeply immerse readers in the story, providing a sense of participation.
  • Writers face the challenge of creating characters in second-person narratives that are relatable to a wide audience to prevent disengagement.
  • The decision to use the second person should be made with the intention of creating a story that resonates with readers, ensuring they feel the narrative applies to them.

When You Tell People What to Do in Your Writing

Be careful with a second-person point of view

Photo by strvnge films on Unsplash

Writing in the second person has many advantages, like bringing the reader into the story and making them a part of the story. Using “you” and “your” makes the reader the main character. But many people don't like that!

Many people don’t like being told what to do or think, which is exactly what the second person does, and if a reader has never read a second-person point of view before, they may find the experience off-putting.

Readers might not enjoy reading second-person articles because it may sound too bossy! It can come off as too authoritative and commanding!

Nobody wants to be bossed around.

“Who are you to tell me what I should do with my life? Have you been through the things you are telling me to do? What makes you qualified?”

That is what a reader might think while they read a second-person article. That’s what I think when I read an article that is too bossy.

“Do this. Stop doing that. Don’t eat this. Don’t say that. Wake up at 5 am. Make your bed. Go to the gym.”

“No, I want to do none of that. It works for you, and that doesn’t mean it will work for me.”

Instead, let me know how it worked for you and let me decide if I want any part of it. Let me make that decision instead of forcing strange thoughts and ideas on me.

Allow the reader to decide whether they want to take your advice. Don’t tell them what they can and can’t do. Nobody likes that.

By telling the reader what they are thinking and how they are feeling, you can sometimes alienate them, and if you have me as your reader, I will rebel against the character you are forcing me to become!

I read a second-person POV article where the writer was very upset about child murderers.

“You are wrong to murder children. Children are innocent, what would make you even want to hurt a child,” he wrote.

I thought to myself, WTF? I would never hurt a child. I didn’t hurt anybody.

He put me, the reader, in the story. I felt like I was being attacked for something some sick dude did!

And I couldn’t relate to the article. The third person would have worked better for that article. Anyway.

Before putting your reader in your story, be certain they can relate. When you put a reader into an experience that happened to you or someone else, they might be turned off by it.

It happened to you, not the reader, and if it doesn’t resonate with them, they won't stay around to finish it.

The second person, if done right, can completely submerge the reader into the story. You can communicate how each moment feels; delivering sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch to the reader.

You can tell them what to feel and how to react. The second-person point of view makes the reader feel more intimately connected and involved with the story.

The reader gets a sense of participating rather than just reading.

But if a writer is talking about some weird things that happened to them or someone else, the reader might want no part of it.

When I write in the second person and I have to talk about something very personal, I switch to the first or third person.

You can switch POVs in one article. Switch to the first or third person when explaining something that your reader might not relate and then switch back to the second person when they can relate.

Combining second and first-person points of view allows dialogue to open between the two main characters: the person telling the story (first person) and the person reading it (second person), which can create a wonderful experience.

I can read you do your thing and decide if I want to do it too.

The second person is great, but it is the most difficult point of view to pull off as a writer. The writer must create a character every reader can imagine themselves being or want to be.

When a character is too different from the reader, the reader is taken out of the story and thinks “I would never react that way, say that, or even think that.”

When writing in the second person, the writer has to make the characters not too different from readers, causing the readers to become angry and possibly stop reading.

The decision to use the second person lies with the writer. If you challenge yourself through this point of view, make the story resonate with your readers.

Addressing the audience as “you” works best if the reader feels it applies to them.

But there is a possibility the reader may feel disconnected from the story.

While most readers like to pretend they’re in the story, they don’t want to be the main character. Readers enjoy forming bonds with characters of a story and reading about other people and their experiences.

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