Writing Tips Suggesting Guidelines For the Use of Second Person in Freelance Writing: Understanding Second Person

The person for whom readership is intended, is the one who should be addressed in freelance writing. In other words, you are the person to whom the freelance writer is speaking, when articles appear in the second person.  

Clarifying the definition of the word person may prove helpful for those uncertain about grammar rules including subject and verb relationships.

Richard Nordquist, from about.com “Guide to grammar and composition” discusses “the relationship between a subject and its verb, showing whether the subject is speaking about itself (first person -I or we); being spoken to (second person-you); or being spoken about (third person-he, she, it, or they).”

As a reader for content written in the second person, be aware that the freelance writer is addressing you or speaking to you, individually or collectively.

How is reference to the second person used correctly by freelance writers?

There are many different ways to use second person correctly when writing, but remember that using the “imperative mood and the pronouns you, your, and yours…address a reader or listener directly.”

There is the likelihood of positive motivation when a freelance writer is addressing a reader directly via the use of the second person voice.

Where is the second person voice most frequently used in freelance writing? 

According to Richard Nordquist, 

“Though the second-person point of view only rarely serves as narrative voice in fiction, it does appear in letters, speeches, and other forms of nonfiction, including many types of business writing and technical writing.”

A good rule of thumb for freelance writers is using the second person when offering any kind of instructions or directives for potential readers.

Richard Nordquist also states that

“The second-person point of view is commonly used in step-by-step instructions - that is, in a directive process analysis that explains how to do or make something.”

Does the rule of second person usage impinge upon writing freedom of freelance writers?

Freelance writers stand to gain freedom through consistent and correct grammatical use of second person in their articles, as this gives added reinforcement and reassurance to the reader open to following directives. 

The freelance writer assumes control in terms of directives and leads the reader, step-by-step. 

How to articles written by freelance writers, offer excellent examples of the correct grammatical use of second person. For instance, the open title, How to build a canoe, initially invites the freelance writer to create or build a set of directives or instructions that refer to how the potential reader can then proceed to build a canoe. Consistency and correctness in the use of second person in this genre of writing is important, but otherwise there is relative freedom in writing.

Addressing you individually and collectively in freelance writing, speaks directly to the person or people reading the article. It draws readership attention and alerts the reader to which voice is speaking. 

Note that a well-written article in the second person, often leads to success on the part of the reader with respect to carrying out various kinds of projects. It also encourages the reader to be pro-active and offers incentive that can prove to be inspirational in nature.