Second person point of view is often used in: 

- Nonfiction, like self-help books.
- Immersive mediums, like video games.
- Advertising slogans, which aim to sell a good or service.
- Song lyrics, which connect with the listener by placing him or her directly into the narrative. 

Although the second person is a less common choice for fiction writing, when done well, it can give a story a unique and powerful perspective.

Writing in second person point of view has its challenges—mainly, asking the reader to suspend belief to the point where they imagine themselves to be part of the story. However, there are also advantages to using second person point of view. Second person point of view can:

1. __Present an uncommon point of view__. Second person is rare in literary fiction. Most novels are written in one of two styles: [first person](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/what-is-first-person-point-of-view-in-writing-how-to-write-in-first-person-narrative-voice-with-examples), which involves a narrator who tells their story, (“I ran toward the gate.”), or the [third person](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/what-is-third-person-point-of-view-in-writing-how-to-write-in-third-person-narrative-voice-with-examples), which is the author telling a story about a character (“He woke up that morning.”). One of the first popular novels to successfully use the second person was Jay McInerney’s *Bright Lights, Big City*, which put the reader in the center of a fast-paced, party lifestyle in New York.
2. __Create excitement__. Second person takes the reader and puts them in the middle of the action. In the *Choose Your Own Adventure* books, a popular children’s series, the reader is in the driver’s seat, instructed to make decisions that direct the plot. 
3. __Provide an opportunity to reflect__. Writing in second person provides authors with the opportunity to reflect. Always a writer to push the limits of storytelling, Margaret Atwood has used second person in several short stories, like *Bread*. By using “you,” Atwood forces the reader to examine societal inequalities.
4. __Adding humor__. Approaching a story with a unique perspective, like a second person point of view, can help add levity. In Lorrie Moore’s short story *<a href='https://masterclass.com/articles/how-to-become-a-successful-writer' target='_blank' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://masterclass.com/articles/how-to-become-a-successful-writer","linkCopy":"How To Become a Writer","category":"automated-link"}' automatic='true'>How To Become a Writer</a>*, she uses the second-person narrative voice to try to convince the reader to become an astronaut, or a movie star—anything other than a writer.
Follow these tips if you’ve settled on writing in the “you”: 

1. __Study those who went before you__. While stories told in the second person are less common than first and third-person points of view, there are plenty of novels and short stories that can show you how it’s done. Other works worth investigating are Tom Robbins’ *Half Asleep in Frog Pajamas* and Italo Calvino’s *If On a Winter’s Night a Traveler*. 
2. __Imitate the masters__. Take a well-known book written in the first or third person and try writing a page from a second person point of view. [Dan Brown wrote his Robert Langdon series](https://www.masterclass.com/classes/dan-brown-teaches-writing-thrillers)— *Angels & Demons, The Da Vinci Code, Inferno,* and *Origin*—in the close third person. Pick an action-packed page and rewrite it as if the reader was Robert Langdon. 
3. __Stay conscious of the narrative voice__. Second person point of view can be difficult to articulate and it’s easy to slip into writing from your perspective. Be vigilant about always thinking of who the character is and remove yourself from the equation.
4. __Be descriptive__. People are used to making observations when reading a book. If you put the responsibility of character or protagonist on the reader, it’s your job to make it credible. Bring them into the world by elaborating on details. Appeal to their senses and emotions with vivid detail to describe the [setting](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/what-is-setting-in-writing-plus-dan-browns-5-tips-on-writing-setting), other characters, and events. 
5. __Stay present__. To ramp up the tension, use the present tense. It brings the reader in even closer and adds to the pacing of the plot. Using present tense and active verbs make it feel like it’s happening in real time. Read *The Diver’s Clothes Lie Empty* by Vendela Vida, a second person, present-tense story chronicling a woman’s journey through Morocco.

Learn more about narrative point of view in [Margaret Atwood’s MasterClass](https://www.masterclass.com/classes/margaret-atwood-teaches-creative-writing/chapters/who-tells-the-story-narrative-point-of-view).

In literature, second person point of view <a href='https://masterclass.com/articles/how-breaking-the-fourth-wall-works-in-film-and-tv' target='_blank' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://masterclass.com/articles/how-breaking-the-fourth-wall-works-in-film-and-tv","linkCopy":"breaks the fourth wall","category":"automated-link"}' automatic='true'>breaks the fourth wall</a> 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. This narrative voice implies that the reader is either the protagonist or a character in the story and the events are happening to them. The other points of view in writing are first person and third person, which includes third person omniscient and third person limited.

In literature, second person point of view <a href='https://masterclass.com/articles/how-breaking-the-fourth-wall-works-in-film-and-tv' target='_blank' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://masterclass.com/articles/how-breaking-the-fourth-wall-works-in-film-and-tv","linkCopy":"breaks the fourth wall","category":"automated-link"}' automatic='true'>breaks the fourth wall</a> 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. This narrative voice implies that the reader is either the protagonist or a character in the story and the events are happening to them. The other points of view in writing are first person and third person, which includes third person omniscient and third person limited.

What Is Second Person Point of View in Writing? How to Write in Second Person Narrative Voice With Examples

Second person point of view is often used in: <ul class="mc-m-4 list-styled"><li class="">Nonfiction, like self-help books. </li><li class="">Immersive mediums, like video games. </li><li class="">Advertising slogans, which aim to sell a good or service. </li><li class="">Song lyrics, which connect with the listener by placing him or her directly into the narrative. </li></ul>Although the second person is a less common choice for fiction writing, when done well, it can give a story a unique and powerful perspective.

How to Use Second Person Point of View

Writing in second person point of view has its challenges—mainly, asking the reader to suspend belief to the point where they imagine themselves to be part of the story. However, there are also advantages to using second person point of view. Second person point of view can:<ol class="mc-m-4"><li class="mc-my-4"> 1. Present an uncommon point of view. Second person is rare in literary fiction. Most novels are written in one of two styles: <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/what-is-first-person-point-of-view-in-writing-how-to-write-in-first-person-narrative-voice-with-examples' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/what-is-first-person-point-of-view-in-writing-how-to-write-in-first-person-narrative-voice-with-examples","linkCopy":"first person","category":null}'>first person</a>, which involves a narrator who tells their story, (“I ran toward the gate.”), or the <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/what-is-third-person-point-of-view-in-writing-how-to-write-in-third-person-narrative-voice-with-examples' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/what-is-third-person-point-of-view-in-writing-how-to-write-in-third-person-narrative-voice-with-examples","linkCopy":"third person","category":null}'>third person</a>, which is the author telling a story about a character (“He woke up that morning.”). One of the first popular novels to successfully use the second person was Jay McInerney’s Bright Lights, Big City, which put the reader in the center of a fast-paced, party lifestyle in New York. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 2. Create excitement. Second person takes the reader and puts them in the middle of the action. In the Choose Your Own Adventure books, a popular children’s series, the reader is in the driver’s seat, instructed to make decisions that direct the plot. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 3. Provide an opportunity to reflect. Writing in second person provides authors with the opportunity to reflect. Always a writer to push the limits of storytelling, Margaret Atwood has used second person in several short stories, like Bread. By using “you,” Atwood forces the reader to examine societal inequalities. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 4. Adding humor. Approaching a story with a unique perspective, like a second person point of view, can help add levity. In Lorrie Moore’s short story <a href='https://masterclass.com/articles/how-to-become-a-successful-writer' target='_blank' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://masterclass.com/articles/how-to-become-a-successful-writer","linkCopy":"How To Become a Writer","category":"automated-link"}' automatic='true'>How To Become a Writer</a>, she uses the second-person narrative voice to try to convince the reader to become an astronaut, or a movie star—anything other than a writer. </li></ol>

4 Reasons to Write in Second Person Point of View 

Follow these tips if you’ve settled on writing in the “you”: <ol class="mc-m-4"><li class="mc-my-4"> 1. Study those who went before you. While stories told in the second person are less common than first and third-person points of view, there are plenty of novels and short stories that can show you how it’s done. Other works worth investigating are Tom Robbins’ Half Asleep in Frog Pajamas and Italo Calvino’s If On a Winter’s Night a Traveler. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 2. Imitate the masters. Take a well-known book written in the first or third person and try writing a page from a second person point of view. <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/classes/dan-brown-teaches-writing-thrillers' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/classes/dan-brown-teaches-writing-thrillers","linkCopy":"Dan Brown wrote his Robert Langdon series","category":null}'>Dan Brown wrote his Robert Langdon series</a>— Angels &amp; Demons, The Da Vinci Code, Inferno, and Origin—in the close third person. Pick an action-packed page and rewrite it as if the reader was Robert Langdon. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 3. Stay conscious of the narrative voice. Second person point of view can be difficult to articulate and it’s easy to slip into writing from your perspective. Be vigilant about always thinking of who the character is and remove yourself from the equation. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 4. Be descriptive. People are used to making observations when reading a book. If you put the responsibility of character or protagonist on the reader, it’s your job to make it credible. Bring them into the world by elaborating on details. Appeal to their senses and emotions with vivid detail to describe the <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/what-is-setting-in-writing-plus-dan-browns-5-tips-on-writing-setting' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/what-is-setting-in-writing-plus-dan-browns-5-tips-on-writing-setting","linkCopy":"setting","category":null}'>setting</a>, other characters, and events. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 5. Stay present. To ramp up the tension, use the present tense. It brings the reader in even closer and adds to the pacing of the plot. Using present tense and active verbs make it feel like it’s happening in real time. Read The Diver’s Clothes Lie Empty by Vendela Vida, a second person, present-tense story chronicling a woman’s journey through Morocco. </li></ol>Learn more about narrative point of view in <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/classes/margaret-atwood-teaches-creative-writing/chapters/who-tells-the-story-narrative-point-of-view' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/classes/margaret-atwood-teaches-creative-writing/chapters/who-tells-the-story-narrative-point-of-view","linkCopy":"Margaret Atwood’s MasterClass","category":null}'>Margaret Atwood’s MasterClass</a>.

5 Tips For Writing in Second Person

In literature, second person point of view <a href='https://masterclass.com/articles/how-breaking-the-fourth-wall-works-in-film-and-tv' target='_blank' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://masterclass.com/articles/how-breaking-the-fourth-wall-works-in-film-and-tv","linkCopy":"breaks the fourth wall","category":"automated-link"}' automatic='true'>breaks the fourth wall</a> 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. <h2 class="">What Is Second Person POV in Writing?</h2>Second person point of view uses the pronoun “you” to address the reader. This narrative voice implies that the reader is either the protagonist or a character in the story and the events are happening to them. The other points of view in writing are first person and third person, which includes third person omniscient and third person limited.

In literature, second person point of view <a href='https://masterclass.com/articles/how-breaking-the-fourth-wall-works-in-film-and-tv' target='_blank' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://masterclass.com/articles/how-breaking-the-fourth-wall-works-in-film-and-tv","linkCopy":"breaks the fourth wall","category":"automated-link"}' automatic='true'>breaks the fourth wall</a> 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. This narrative voice implies that the reader is either the protagonist or a character in the story and the events are happening to them. The other points of view in writing are first person and third person, which includes third person omniscient and third person limited.