Part of what makes language incredible is that we can play around with words and phrases and make them pretty while still getting our point across. And we can do that by using literary devices. (Click here for a complete list of them!)
Words create sentences; sentences create paragraphs; sometimes paragraphs quicken and begin to breathe.” ~ Stephen King
Here are three:
1. Apply Alliteration
Alliteration happens to be one of my favorite literary devices. It is where you begin several words (two or more) with the same letter. This creates a euphonic sound and is a way to be creative with your words, not just on a page but also when they’re spoken aloud or in your mind’s reading voice (in fact, the one you’re using to read this article). Here are a few examples:
Dave dodged the ball, but didn’t watch his step.
When the wind blows, it whistles around my window.
Brown pebbles bounced into the brook from above, splashing the boy’s shoe.
You can put alliteration in prose to produce a poetic effect. (Catch what I did there?) It not only adds elements of beauty and rhythm, but it also sounds pleasant to the ear. When you take it further (which you should try sometime for kicks), it begins to sound funny; it all depends what kind of mood and sound you’re going for:
Mabel made Marcie’s marbles match Melvin’s.
Characteristically, crayons can create colorful crafts.
Lacy lavender lapels lend ladies lush looks.
2. Operate with Onomatopoeias
This is not only a fun word to say, but also a fun literary device to apply! An onomatopoeia is just a word that sounds like what it describes.
Drip, drop, plip, plop, splish, splash, pitter, patter, hiccup, scamper, whisper, and hack are examples. Click here for a huge list of them!
The irony is that the word onomatopoeia doesn’t sound like anything. Really, they could have at least picked something like fdsjalkfdjals so it would sound like a tongue struggle instead of a word no one knows how to pronounce…just saying.
Toss some onomatopoeias into your work to add a little spark. Instead of writing, “Rain fell heavily, drops rolling down the window panes and collecting as mud below,” try “Rain fell heavily, drops splashing against the window panes, dripping down the siding, and puddling as mud below.”
3. Have Some Hyperbole
Pronounced hy-PER-bull-ee (pronunciation included because the author may or may not have pronounced it as HY-per-bowl and didn’t want anyone else to suffer such shame…), this literary device is something we do all the time without realizing it. In fact, I just did it. (Hint: the part about “all the time…”)
To put it simply, hyperbole is exaggeration, often with the intent of humor. You don’t actually exaggerate all the time (at least I hope not!), but maybe you do it a lot.
When she saw the truck, her eyes grew as large as moons.
If I could carry a tune, I’d sing every minute of my life.
He runs so slow, he’s going backwards.
Click here for more on hyperbole and the difference between it and a simile or metaphor!
These are three ways to make your writing an artistic endeavor—adding color, creativity, and charm—instead of just grinding out ordinary words in an ordinary order in an ordinary way. Think outside the crumpled, crunchy cardboard box and write the best stuff out there!
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