Example of a 2nd-person story told in imperatives?

[Britva415]

Can anyone think of examples of a 2nd-person story which is told in imperatives rather than declaratives?

I have a hypothesis that this kind of story could “succeed” better than the kind everyone says they hate, and I would be glad to be the judge of that if any were shown to me.

I definitely am not motivated to try to write one

But it occurs to me that this is a take nobody ever seems to bring up, when we talk about second-person storywriting.

It would amaze me if it had never been tried at all.

 

[ShelbyDawn57]

Can anyone think of examples of a 2nd-person story which is told in imperatives rather than declaratives?

I have a hypothesis that this kind of story could “succeed” better than the kind everyone says they hate, and I would be glad to be the judge of that if any were shown to me.

I definitely am not motivated to try to write one

But it occurs to me that this is a take nobody ever seems to bring up, when we talk about second-person storywriting.

It would amaze me if it had never been tried at all.

My gut tells me this would read like a todo list...

 

[Britva415]

My gut tells me this would read like a todo list...

Which would put it not at all ahead of how most of the 2p stories around here read, anyway.

But worth considering!

(It's not the 2p voice which makes them read like "to-did" lists. One can achieve that with 1p or 3p just as well - and they often do.)

 

[ShelbyDawn57]

Which would put it not at all ahead of how most of the 2p stories around here read, anyway.

But worth considering!

(It's not the 2p voice which makes them read like "to-did" lists. One can achieve that with 1p or 3p just as well - and they often do.)

Trying to wrap my head around which would be worse, 2nd person declarative or 1st person imperative... Things that make you go Hmmmmm...

 

[Britva415]

Trying to wrap my head around which would be worse, 2nd person declarative or 1st person imperative... Things that make you go Hmmmmm...

Heh.

2nd person declarative really rots.

 

[SimonDoom]

Seems like it would quickly become exhausting. A quick stab at it:

Go to the window. Open the drapes a crack and spy on your hot neighbor. Think to yourself: "I'm a pervert, but she's naked and I can't help it."

It would quickly become intolerable, I think.

 

[TheLobster]

As long as we are pushing the limits of grammar for the sake of narrative filigree, how about a story written in 2nd person plural subjunctive with a Saxon genitive in every sentence and an Oxford comma in every paragraph?

 

[SimonDoom]

As long as we are pushing the limits of grammar for the sake of narrative filigree, how about a story written in 2nd person plural subjunctive with a Saxon genitive in every sentence and an Oxford comma in every paragraph?

There's nothing to stop you.