Narrative voice in magazine articles

Narrative voice and magazine articles:

	Manner of address	EFFECT on reader	Example
1st person narrative single	Rarely used in newspapers, but used a lot in female magazines. ‘I’	Personal, informal, relatable, subjective form as it has lots of emotional content in it. It’s written in a persons view and can also be highly descriptive allowing you to climb inside the person’s thoughts. Its also perceived as a chatty voice with a large expression of emotion.	I’ve never been a healthy eater; life pulls me towards the doughnut isle. But recently when I’ve looked in the mirror I’ve felt repulsed at what I see. Now every morning and night I’m constantly addicted to checking my weight on the scales, am I obsessed with the fear of weight gain? Or possibly it’s the fear of society rejecting me for not having the idolized size zero body. Either way I think it’s an issue all girls struggle with. Or am I alone in this?
1st person plural	The inclusive narrative voice, ’we’ Often used at start of article to engage audience.	The inclusive narrative voice is used to make the reader feel involved/part of in a community and empowered. Also suggests that you have shared experiences, or that there part of an exclusive club.	We girls are raised and bread expecting to become real-life Barbie’s. Its everywhere, we can’t escape it! In the media, society’s expectations even the toy Barbie is built in an unachievable body form. Us girls are brainwashed into vain priorities since the day we receive our first Malibu Barbie..
2nd person	‘you’ very rarely used, The direct address. Often used at start of article to engage audience.	It’s reaching out directly to the reader, it is used to engage the reader quickly. It’s quite a sharp, energetic and possibly aggressive narrative voice. It’s quick and speeds up writing.	How long does it take you to get ready on a morning? 10-15 minutes, but why should you bother when in modern society you’ll never be accepted who you truly are. Conforming to ridiculous expectations of perfection on a daily basis that you can never reach? Surely this makes one want to become a hermit and retreat from the outside world on a whole.
3rd person	Objective-describing through an object.	This is the opposite of 1st person narration. It’s detached and gives an overview of the situation. Can create a distancing effect that the news is an objective process, the writing seems more accurate, it’s a considered objective view. Gives a formal and serious feel to your writing. Definitely not emotional, generally quite a dry informative style of writing.	Today in Camden a study is taking place in the square to ask women about opinions on the current issue surrounding airbrushing. The women have been highly responsive, reporting that (on average) they want a change in the currently negative perspective of beauty portrayed in the media, especially towards young children.

 Generally speaking Men’s magazines don’t have a first person narrative as it allows men to talk and moan about feelings, which is not seen as an attractive concept in a men’s magazine.