Aurora 365

2nd Person POV badge from Merit Badger

I <3 second person.

There is no “I” in 2nd person, unless it’s in dialog.  He, she, it, they, etc. is used when talking about something other than the narrator.

In second person, the author, the narrator is addressing the reader.  It pulls the reader into the story and makes them part of the story.

I’ve just started listening to the audio book of The Time Travelers Wife and the first chapter has a great example of second person POV, so far at least :)

Second Person is definitely my favourite POV to write in.  Unfortunately it’s also the hardest, at least for me.  Some people say it doesn’t work at all, but I know it does.  I find it works best for intense, passionate pieces.  Short pieces, as well.  Most of my 2nd person POV pieces are 100 words (some of which are linked to or posted below) although I have written two 500 word pieces.  I’m challenging myself to write something longer; start in baby steps: a thousand words, five thousand… more?

What about you?  Have you ever experimented, either reading or writing, with second person POV?  What are your thoughts?

Links to some 2nd POV pieces.

Broken

(Another Moonlight fan fic resurrected from a few years ago)

The body lies, bleeding and broken, on the ground.  It’s still gasping for air, screaming in pain, spilling thick red fluid around you as you race to save it.  It’s still warm, still alive, but not for long, no matter what miracles you pull from your bag of tricks.  The blood assaults your senses and some part of you deep down wonders if it would be so bad if you just had a taste.  You’re thankful that wasn’t something you had to deal with in the war.  He’s broken almost beyond repair and you wonder if she’ll ever forgive you.

I love ending a piece of writing with a twist.  I especially love it when I’m able to do that in just 100 words!

Here are a few drabbles (works of fiction in exactly 100 words) that I have posted over the last year or so that end with a twist.

And just to post something “new”, here’s one that I wrote a few years ago and has never been posted on one of my sites.  A little bit of Moonlight Fanfic…

Enemies

You don’t do something like this and get away with it.  You hurt me and mine and you will pay.  You won’t know how or when or who in the crowd to be wary of.  All you’ll know for certain is that you will be found and dealt with – permanently.  You’ve made the wrong enemy in Josef Kostan.  I have a special place for scum like you who fuck with what’s mine.

Remember this on your way to the tar pits: my beautiful Ferrari was innocent; she did nothing to you.  So why did you scratch her perfect red paint?