HOW TO INCLUDE LANGUAGE DEVICES AND DIALOGUE IN YOUR CREATIVE WRITING

Short stories

DIRECT SPEECH

When used well, dialogue can assist in constructing a character.

Furthermore, the words which are used in direct speech can often

say more about a character than narration of those words.

Also punctuation is important in portraying the correct tone

during direct speech, as is the use of powerful verbs.

“Get him…get him!” screamed the boys

“Get him, get him,” said the boys

Which line is more effective?

POWERFUL VERBS

Make a list of powerful verbs you could use when

narrating direct speech

POWERFUL VERBS

Screamed

Bellowed

Hissed

Chuckled

Grunted

Mumbled

Murmured

Stuttered

Growled

Exclaimed

Squealed

Sang

Shrieked

Declared

Bragged

Wailed

Argued

Roared

Ranted

Panted

Entreated

Yelled

Shouted

Rejoiced

Retorted

Sighed

Whispered

Gasped

Chanted

SHOWING AND TELLING.

 The writer dramatizes the story by showing and not telling.

Showing the reader what happens helps to construct a believable

story. A believable story assists the writer in creating a dream

inside the mind of the reader. To create the dream, the reader

must narrate the story by “showing” the reading what happens.

The best way to show the reader is to provide concrete and

specific descriptions, sensory details, and particular details. The

writer also narrates the story in scenes, which include dialogue,

time and place details, action, description.

Writers use various types of “figurative language”

to create a dream inside the mind of the reader, add

vivid details, entertain the reader, and create a

memorable story.

SOUND DEVICES

Alliteration. Repetition of a consonant. (e.g. Can’t Kate

cook without catastrophe?)

Assonance. Repetition of a vowel sound. (e.g. Lou said

coo to the moose Sue let loose.)

While the audience is quickly aware of alliteration,

assonance tends to work more subtly, setting tone and mood

in a subconscious way, the way music does.

Onomatopoeia. Use of words that sound like their

meanings. (e.g. ‘Oomph,’ said the girl as she fell.

Rhythm. The pattern of words in a sentence that gives

the sentence a cadence. (e.g. Fast he ran, fast he ran, until

he reached the end.)

Allusion. A reference to literature or historical events

that are part of our common cultural heritage. (e.g. He was

as arrogant as Colonel Gaddafi.)

Diction. This refers to the author’s choice of

words. (e.g. A simple country girl might use simple,

earthy words, whilst a sophisticated city girl might

use complex words.)

Tone. Tone reflects the author's attitude toward

the story. (e.g. The story might be reflective, sad,

encouraging, horrifying…)

VISUAL DEVICES

Writers use visual devices to make their stories vivid.

Imagery. Words that appeal to the senses:  sight,

smell, sound, taste, and touch. (e.g. The rose garden

swamped his senses with its lush colours, enticing

fragrances and cool air.)

Figurative language. Using words in a non-literal

way. (e.g. Fatima ate her words.)

Simile. Comparison of two dissimilar things with

"like" or "as." (e.g. She sang like an angel.)

Metaphors. Suggesting one thing is another. (e.g.

She was an angel.)

Hyperbole. Using exaggeration. (e.g. He was the best

story-teller who ever lived.)

Understatement. Underscored statement with a

seeming lack of emphasis. (e.g. A large building collapses,

killing 100 people. One person survives, and he says, “I

guess I was a little bit lucky.”)

A symbol is a person, a place, an activity, or an object

that stands for something beyond itself.