YOU
Alright. I want you all to tell me how you feel about second-person narrative.
The reaction I've seen to second person, particularly when it comes to discussion of fanfic, is pretty much "WTF are you doing," ranging from "That doesn't even make sense, who uses second person?" to "It can be effective, but who the hell do you think you are, Faulkner?"
Personally I think the most effective type of second-person I've come across (that wasn't something that worked pretty apparently with second-person, like in the form of a letter) is basically a separated first person; it has a tone of self-analysis or one of denial that sort of implicitly implies character growth or conflicted identity...except that when I bring this up people don't seem to know what I'm talking about. And I feel it's one of those things that has been so badly done and abused in a lot of fandom work that it's just not something it's wise to try to use because people will back-button really fast. I DON'T KNOW. Talk to me?
Any examples of fanfic where you didn't even blink at it because you thought it was effective? Any thoughts on why you like or hate reading it?
The reaction I've seen to second person, particularly when it comes to discussion of fanfic, is pretty much "WTF are you doing," ranging from "That doesn't even make sense, who uses second person?" to "It can be effective, but who the hell do you think you are, Faulkner?"
Personally I think the most effective type of second-person I've come across (that wasn't something that worked pretty apparently with second-person, like in the form of a letter) is basically a separated first person; it has a tone of self-analysis or one of denial that sort of implicitly implies character growth or conflicted identity...except that when I bring this up people don't seem to know what I'm talking about. And I feel it's one of those things that has been so badly done and abused in a lot of fandom work that it's just not something it's wise to try to use because people will back-button really fast. I DON'T KNOW. Talk to me?
Any examples of fanfic where you didn't even blink at it because you thought it was effective? Any thoughts on why you like or hate reading it?