Definition
Second-person point of view addresses the reader or a character as "you." It can create intimacy, accusation, or instruction, but it is uncommon in long fiction because it asks the reader to occupy a fixed role.
Example
You open the letter and already know the handwriting is not your mother's is second person because the narrative speaks directly to "you."
Related terms
Common mistakes
- Using second person for a few lines and then drifting back to third without purpose.
- Assuming "you" always means the real reader instead of a character being addressed.