Search results
Being able to identify when different literary techniques are being used helps you understand the motivation behind the author's choices. For example, being able to identify symbols in a story can help you figure out why the author might have chosen to insert these focal points and what these might suggest in regard to her attitude toward certain characters, plot points, and events.
- Rhetorical Devices
Eutrepismus is another rhetorical device you’ve probably...
- Complete List of Crucible Characters
Reykjavik statue/used under CC BY 2.0/Cropped from original....
- Assonance
The assonance mimics the sound of whispering, which helps...
- Points of View
More importantly, when a writer uses second person, they...
- Tone Words
In writing, an author’s tone is his or her general attitude...
- Money and Materialism
The description of Gatsby's parties at the beginning of...
- The Most Important Themes in This Play
In a case like this, you'd be writing directly about a...
- Green Light in The Great Gatsby
Essay Ideas and Tips for Writing About the Green Light. Now...
- Rhetorical Devices
- Allegory. Allegory is a literary device used to express large, complex ideas in an approachable manner. Allegory allows writers to create some distance between themselves and the issues they are discussing, especially when those issues are strong critiques of political or societal realities.
- Allusion. An allusion is a popular literary device used to develop characters, frame storylines, and help create associations to well-known works. Allusions can reference anything from Victorian fairy tales and popular culture to the Bible and the Bard.
- Anachronism. Imagine reading a story about a caveman who microwaves his dinner, or watching a film adaptation of a Jane Austen novel in which the characters text each other instead of writing letters.
- Cliffhanger. It’s a familiar feeling: You’re on minute 59 of an hour-long television episode, and the protagonist is about to face the villain—and then episode cuts to black.
- Alliteration. Alliteration is the repetition of initial consonant sounds within a group of words. For example, “Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers.”
- Onomatopoeia. An onomatopoeia is a word that imitates, suggests, or resembles the sound it’s describing. Common onomatopoeias include “gurgle,” “hiss,” “boom,” “whir,” and “whizz.”
- Foreshadowing. Foreshadowing is an advance warning about something that’s going to happen in the future. In fiction, foreshadowing can be subtle. For example, something that happens in the first chapter of a murder mystery can come into play at the end of the book.
- Hyperbole. Hyperbole is an exaggeration that’s not meant to be taken literally. For example, if my friend surprised me by eating a lot of pizza, I might say, “Hey man, remember that time you ate, like, fifteen pizzas in one night?”
- Metaphors. Metaphors compare a characteristic of something unknown to something known. They add a dash of fun and personality to your writing. Learn how to use metaphors and get inspired by these examples …
- Similes. Similes compare two things by using the word like or as; metaphors compare two things without using like or as. Get inspired by over 10 simile examples by various authors …
- Analogies. Analogies go a step further than metaphors and similes by explaining the comparison between two things. This article shows how to use analogies to structure your blog posts.
- Imagery. As writers, we’re at a physical distance from our readers. But we can invite readers into our worlds, and make them feel like we’re together by using strong imagery.
- Alliteration
- Anaphora
- Anastrophe
- Chiasmus
- Congeries
- Cumulative Sentence
- Epistrophe
- Erotesis
- Hyperbaton
- Isocolon
Alliteration describes a series of words in quick succession that all start with the same letter or sound. It lends a pleasing cadence to prose and Hamlet and the dollar as currency in Macbeth. Example: “One short sleepe past, wee wake eternally, And death shall be no more; death, thou shalt die.” — “Death, Be Not Proud” by John Donne Exercise: Pic...
Anaphorais the repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of a series of clauses or sentences. It’s often seen in poetry and speeches, intended to provoke an emotional response in its audience. Example:Martin Luther King’s 1963 “I Have A Dream” speech. “I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its c...
Anastropheis a figure of speech wherein the traditional sentence structure is reversed. So a typical verb-subject-adjective sentence such as “Are you ready?” becomes a Yoda-esque adjective-verb-subject question: “Ready, are you?” Or a standard adjective-noun pairing like “tall mountain” becomes “mountain tall.” Example:“Deep into that darkness peer...
Chiasmus is when two or more parallel clauses are inverted. “Why would I do that?”you may be wondering. Well, a chiasmus might sound confusing and unnecessary in theory, but it's much more convincing in practice — and in fact, you've likely already come across it before. Example:“Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for you...
Congeries is a fancy literary term for creating a list. The items in your list can be words, ideas, or phrases, and by displaying them this way helps prove or emphasize a point — or even create a sense of irony. Occasionally, it’s also called piling as the words are “piling up.” Example: "Apart from better sanitation and medicine and education and ...
Acumulative sentence(or “loose sentence”) is one that starts with an independent clause, but then has additional or modifying clauses. They’re often used for contextual or clarifying details. This may sound complex, but even, “I ran to the store to buy milk, bread, and toilet paper” is a cumulative sentence, because the first clause, “I ran to the ...
Epistrophe is the opposite of anaphora, with this time a word or phrase being repeated at the endof a sentence. Though its placement in a sentence is different it serves the same purpose—creating emphasis—as an anaphora does. Example: “I’ll be ever’where – wherever you look. Wherever they’s a fight so hungry people can eat, I’ll be there. Wherever ...
Erotesis is a close cousin of the rhetorical question. Rather than a question asked without expectation of an answer, this is when the question (and the asker) confidently expects a response that is either negative or affirmative. Example: “Do you then really think that you have committed your follies in order to spare your son them?” — Siddhartha ...
Hyperbaton is the inversion of words, phrases, or clauses in a sentence that differs from how they would normally be arranged. It comes from the Greek hyperbatos, which means “transposed” or “inverted.” While it is similar to anastrophe, it doesn’t have the same specific structure and allows you to rearrange your sentences in whatever order you wan...
If you’re a neat freak who likes thingsjust so, isocolonis the literary device for you. This is when two or more phrases or clauses have similar structure, rhythm, and even length — such that, when stacked up on top of each other, they would line up perfectly. Isocolon often crops up in brand slogans and famous sayings; the quick, balanced rhythm m...
Sep 11, 2024 · Priya has a talent for academic research and enjoys simplifying complex topics. When she's not helping students improve their writing, she can be seen reading poetry, playing the harmonium, or learning classical dance. Here are the 15 best creative writing techniques: 1. Stream of Consciousness 2. Zeugma 3.
People also ask
What are writing techniques?
What is an example of a writing method?
Why do writers use writing techniques?
What are the best creative writing techniques?
What are narrative writing techniques?
What are the different types of description writing techniques?
These techniques are crucial in enhancing reader engagement, fostering emotional connection, and creating a sense of realism and immediacy in the storytelling. Some common dialogue writing techniques include: Character voice. Developing distinctive and authentic voices for each character through unique speech patterns, vocabulary, tone, and ...
