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Learn how to apply these techniques to any type of writing (including business writing), get inspired by examples, and have more fun when writing.
- Try These Creative Exercises
Creative writing exercise #4: Write vivid imagery. This is a...
- Examples of Contrast in Writing
Some people see sales (and writing persuasive content) as...
- Creative Writing Examples
I’m so glad you’re using fiction writing techniques when...
- The Rule of Three
Add an element of surprise. In all the examples so far, the...
- Learn How to Use Metaphors
Dear Professor Henneke, Topic: Metaphor. I have been reading...
- Metaphor Examples
Why this metaphor works: The flow of words is compared to...
- Repetition in Writing
Even so, in this post you have three examples of word...
- Analogy Examples
Analogy examples. For more details, check out the full...
- Try These Creative Exercises
- Allegory. An allegory is a story that is used to represent a more general message about real-life (historical) issues and/or events. It is typically an entire book, novel, play, etc.
- Alliteration. Alliteration is a series of words or phrases that all (or almost all) start with the same sound. These sounds are typically consonants to give more stress to that syllable.
- Allusion. Allusion is when an author makes an indirect reference to a figure, place, event, or idea originating from outside the text. Many allusions make reference to previous works of literature or art.
- Anachronism. An anachronism occurs when there is an (intentional) error in the chronology or timeline of a text. This could be a character who appears in a different time period than when he actually lived, or a technology that appears before it was invented.
- 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?”
- What Are Literary devices?
- Literary Devices List: 14 Common Literary Devices
- 16–27. Common Literary Devices in Poetry
- 28–37. Common Literary Devices in Prose
- 38–48. Repetition Literary Devices
- 49–57. Dialogue Literary Devices
- 58–67. Word Play Literary Devices
- 68–72. Parallelism Literary Devices
- 73–112. Rhetorical Devices
- Master These Common Literary Devices with Writers.Com!
Literary devices are ways of taking writing beyond its straightforward, literal meaning. In that sense, they are techniques for helping guide the reader in how to read the piece. Central to all literary devices is a quality of connection: by establishing or examining relationships between things, literary devices encourage the reader to perceive an...
There are a lot of literary devices to cover, each of which require their own examples and analysis. As such, we will start by focusing on common literary devices for this article: literary devices that can be found in both poetry and prose. With each device, we’ve included examples in literature and exercises you can use in your own creative writi...
The following 12 devices apply to both poetry and prose writers, but they appear most often in verse. Learn more about: 1. Anaphora 2. Conceit 3. Apostrophe 4. Metonymy/Synecdoche 5. Enjambment 6. Zeugma 7. Repetition 8. Rhyme 9. Alliteration 10. Consonance/Assonance 11. Euphony/Cacophony 12. Meter
The following 10 devices show up in verse, but are far more prevalent in prose. Learn more about: 1. Parallel Plot 2. Foil 3. Diction 4. Mood 5. Foreshadowing 6. In Media Res 7. Dramatic Irony 8. Vignette 9. Flashback 10. Soliloquy
Though they have uncommon names, these common literary devices are all forms of repetition. 1. Anadiplosis 2. Anaphora (prose) 3. Antanaclasis 4. Antimetabole 5. Antistrophe 6. Chiasmus 7. Epanalepsis 8. Epimone 9. Epizeuxis 10. Polyptoton 11. Symploce
While these literary elements pertain primarily to dialogue, writers use euphemisms, idioms, and neologisms all the time in their work. 1. Colloquialism 2. Vernacular 3. Dialect 4. Slang 5. Jargon 6. Idiom 7. Euphemism 8. Proverb 9. Neologism
The following literary devices push language to the limits. Have fun with these! 1. Anthimeria 2. Double Entendre 3. Kenning 4. Malapropism 5. Metalepsis 6. Oxymoron 7. Palindrome 8. Paraprosdokian 9. Portmanteau 10. Spoonerism
Parallelism is a stylistic device where a sentence is composed of equally weighted items. In essence, parallel structure allows form to echo content. Learn all about this essential stylistic literary device below. 1. Grammatical parallelism 2. Rhetorical parallelism 3. Synthetic parallelism 4. Antithetical parallelism 5. Synonymous parallelism
Rhetorical devices are literary devices intended to persuade the reader of something. You might have heard of ethos, pathos, and logos, but do you know your aposiopesis from your hyperbaton? Many literary devices can also be considered rhetorical devices. After all, a metaphor can convince you of something just as well as a syllogism. Nonetheless, ...
The instructors at Writers.com are masters of literary devices. Through masterful instruction and personal expertise, our instructors can help you add, refine, and improve your literary devices, helping you craft great works of literature. Check out our upcoming courses, and join our writing community on Facebook!
Mar 20, 2020 · A literary device is a writing technique that writers use to express ideas, convey meaning, and highlight important themes in a piece of text. A metaphor, like we mentioned earlier, is a famous example of a literary device. These devices serve a wide range of purposes in literature.
Sep 7, 2021 · Literary devices are specific techniques that allow a writer to convey a deeper meaning that goes beyond what’s on the page. Literary devices work alongside plot and characters to elevate a story and prompt reflection on life, society, and what it means to be human.
Sep 11, 2024 · Want to take your writing to the next level? Explore 15 amazing writing techniques! From persuasive writing techniques to storytelling techniques, we’ve covered everything! With this, we’ve also included examples of all types of writing techniques.
