How & When to Change Diction
How to Change Diction There’s no specific way to learn a new diction other than to explore it! If you want to write better academic prose, for example, try looking[…]
How to Change Diction There’s no specific way to learn a new diction other than to explore it! If you want to write better academic prose, for example, try looking[…]
How to Use Peripeteia In order to use peripeteia, it is important to note the various necessary elements of peripeteia. Peripeteia in its strongest form must: Shock the audience with[…]
How to Avoid Using Clichés Because clichés are undesirable in creative work, it is necessary to replace them with original phrases. Often clichés can also be replaced with specific words, which[…]
How to Avoid Tautology In order to avoid using tautologies, pay careful attention to the logic of what you are writing. Often beginning writers cannot see what they have written as[…]
How to Avoid Using Deus Ex Machina Avoiding deus ex machina is all about world-building. In any fictional tale, the author has to lay out a world – either a small[…]
How to Use Antithesis Because antithesis is such a complex rhetorical device, and so intimately tied to the meaning of specific sentences, it’s best not to set out with a[…]
How to Write an Aposiopesis Aposiopesis can be used to emphasize something by not saying it. When someone yells, “I’ll get you for this! Or else–!” The space after “Or else”[…]
How to Adjust Your Tone There’s no shortcut to adjusting your tone. Mainly, it’s just a matter of becoming familiar with the styles of different kinds of writing, through lots[…]
How to Avoid a Platitude Because platitudes reveal a lack of original thought, they are best if avoided or replaced with more original phrases. In order to avoid using platitudes,[…]
How to Avoid Ambiguity Be careful with prepositions. The thing about prepositional phrases (such as “he murderer killed the student with a book”) is that it’s not always clear what[…]
How to Avoid an Excursus In fiction, authors should always avoid excursus. However, it’s not always easy to know how to do this! As you’re writing, you might not know[…]
How to Avoid Anachronisms Write about periods you know very well. If you’re writing about a particular place and time, it’s essential to know that context very well. If you[…]
How to Avoid Circumlocution In most cases, circumlocution is a symptom of bad writing. In these cases, it occurs because the author is not writing concisely enough and cannot come[…]
How to Avoid Pejoratives The simplest way to avoid pejoratives is to manage your intentions. Ask yourself: Are you trying to insult someone or make them look bad? If not,[…]
How to Avoid Plagiarism The best way to avoid plagiarism is to make sure that you are always: writing your own papers taking notes from sources instead of copying down[…]
How to Avoid Pleonasms In order to avoid using pleonasms, it is important to be aware of when your writing is redundant. Identify pleonasms. Omit pleonasms. Consider the following pleonasms[…]
How to Avoid Stereotypes Check your assumptions. Most stereotypes are not supported by statistical evidence. If you have a belief about some group, check into it! Figure out if it’s[…]
How to Avoid Vernacular Writing in vernacular is usually much easier than formal writing. To write in vernacular, all you have to do is imitate the way you naturally talk.[…]
How to Avoid Writing Propaganda Present Alternative Views Fairly. Don’t mischaracterize your opponent’s views on purpose or try to make them seem worse. If you’re showing both sides of the[…]
How to Build the Exposition To build an exposition into a story, you first need to decide what you want your readers to know first. Do they need background information[…]
How to Create a Motto Define whom the motto is for. Is it a personal motto for you? Is it a motto for your family? Your group of friends? Yourself?[…]
How to Create a Nemesis Create a matched pair. It takes two to form a “nemesis” relationship. Like a marriage of enemies, it’s a mutual partnership that both members participate[…]
How to Create a Pseudonym Maybe you want your new screen-name to be Funky Phoenix, or you want to write a story under the pen-name Imogen Calveri. Congratulations, you’re using[…]
How to Create a Villain In order to create a villain, You need to have a good plot that features a clearly evil plan that causes harm. While the villain is[…]
How to Create an Antagonist There are many ways to put your antagonist in the way of the protagonist’s plans. The most basic, of course, is to create a villain[…]
How to Create Catharsis Assuming that the theory of catharsis is correct, obviously the best way to achieve it is to create strong negative emotions in your stories. Ideally, of[…]
How to Develop an Alter Ego To develop an alter ego, you need to figure out several things to define it and make it realistic. Here are some questions and[…]
How to Improve Your Rhetoric Rhetoric can be improved at four different levels: Good rhetoric starts with good word choice. Find exactly the right word for your meaning, but don’t[…]
How to tell a Story Using a story is one of the most natural things you do every day, and although you may not actively think about it, whenever you[…]
How to Use a Monologue Monologues are primarily used in two ways: a character either expresses their thoughts aloud, or , speaks directly to the audience or another character. So deciding on which[…]
How to use a Polemic To use a polemic, you need to take a position against an issue, and ideally have solid reasons behind that position. The most important thing[…]
How to Use a Protagonist In order to interest the audience with the stories you write, it’s important to have a relatable protagonist. This means that the audience should be able[…]
How to use a Turning Point The turning point should be the most exciting part of any story—all of the drama, anticipation, and action should build up to it. A[…]
How to Use Ad Hominem So, you’re in a debate with someone and it doesn’t look like you’re going to win this one based on the merit of your argument[…]
How to use APA Citation APA Citation enables you to accurately give credit to those people whose work you have used to support your own work. “Cite the work of[…]
How to Use Archaisms If you were writing a story which takes place hundreds of years ago, you would want to make characters speak in the language of that time, and[…]
How to Use Burlesque Burlesque’s purpose is to imitate and make a satire out of the style and/or the subject of a serious genre, author, work, or literature. While it[…]
How to Use Cacophony In order to use cacophony, Think of a situation in which noisiness or harshness occur. Use hard sounds to create a cacophonous effect. For example, imagine[…]
How to Use Cliffhangers The primary purpose of a cliffhanger is to create a strong feeling of suspense. Cliffhangers are usually focused on one or more characters, leaving the audience[…]
How to use Connotation Connotations are basically present in every sentence that we hear, write, and speak. Therefore, words are essentially chosen based on their connotation. When writing or speaking,[…]
How to Use Denotation The way to use denotation is simple—choose words for their meaning, not the feelings they create or the associations they may have. Denotative meaning should be[…]
How to Use Etymology Use etymology as a tool to understand your language. Learn your parts of speech. Know how to break down a word into its parts—roots, prefixes, and[…]
How to use Extended Metaphor When writing an extended metaphor, there are few rules, but there are some guiding practices. First, decide upon your subject and your basic metaphors. For[…]
How to Use Fantasy When it comes to fiction, fantasy has consistently been a wildly trendy genre of film, television, theater, comics, and most importantly, literature. It is attractive for[…]
How to Use Figures of Speech Figures of speech are used in everything from descriptions (of people, settings, events, etc) to comparisons to explanations. We use them all the time without realizing it. In particularly,[…]
How to use Foreshadowing Successful foreshadowing will effectively hint at what will come, without directly or entirely revealing the plotline. The audience should be able to develop ideas about what[…]
How to Use Idioms Since idioms are part of the language, and not any individual author’s creation, you can’t exactly “write” them. However, there are many ways to employ idioms in[…]
How to Use Imagery In order to use imagery: Decide which senses you would like to appeal to. They should fit the subject. Write a description descriptions that appeal to[…]
How to Make Good Inferences Draft first. If you’re constantly worrying about your inferences, you’ll never actually get anything onto the page. So in the initial stages, just write. Then[…]
How to Use Intertextuality How you employ another text in your work depends on what you want to do with it. Do you want to pay homage to a great[…]
How to Use Jargon In order to use jargon, you must have thorough knowledge about the profession that will be used. Jargon is a language that you learn over time, as[…]
How to use Lingo In order to use lingo, a writer needs to understand the group that it comes from. So, for example, in a story about a heart surgeon,[…]
How to use Narrative Writing a narrative is much the same as writing any other story or essay. So, when using a narrative style, make sure that you include all[…]
How to Use Paraphrase In order to use paraphrase, Examine an original statement. Rephrase that statement in a unique and interesting way. For an example, consider the examples below. Original sentence:[…]
How to Use Persona Persona is the heart of character development. So, in order to develop a persona, you must think about your characters. Who are they? Where do they[…]
How to Use Rebus In order to use rebus, Think of a word or phrase. Express that word or phrase through associated pictures or combinations of letters. Consider the following[…]
How to use Repetition Repetition is a simple and fairly easy device to use in writing. In fact, all you have to do is: Choose words that you think are[…]
How to use Rhyme Writing something that rhymes can be a challenge, but it’s the sort of challenge that can really help spark your creativity. If you’ve decided to write[…]
How to write sarcasm There’s no objective standard for what qualifies as sarcasm in writing (short of the author explicitly pointing it out). It’s a question of tone and purpose,[…]
How to use Science Fiction Science fiction is a very broad genre—in fact, it is often described as difficult to define, but easily identifiable—in other words, many scholars say, “you[…]
How to Use Setting When it comes to the setting, strong descriptions help readers create a good picture in their minds and strong descriptive details will make the story more interesting.[…]
How to Use Stanzas In order to use stanzas, Write a set of poetic lines. Divide the lines based on style, intention, and / or rhythm of the overall poem.[…]
How to Use Style For the most part, it’s up to the author to develop a style and put it in place in their work. There are all types of[…]
How to Use Subtext In order to use subtext, Think of an important message or aspect of the story. Hide that message underneath the regular story. For example, consider a[…]
How to use Synesthesia To use synesthesia, an author explains a sensory experience in a nontraditional way. A typical description: The perfume smelled like roses. A Sentence with Synesthesia (the[…]
How to Use Themes In order to use theme, Think of a compelling, interesting, or confusing idea. Apply that idea (the theme) to a story. For example, consider the theme[…]
How to Use Verisimilitude In order to use verisimilitude, Pay attention to the world around you: nature, people and behaviors, and how they affect each other. Pick a scene in[…]
How to write a Bathos Bathos can be used in a variety of ways. It is important to note that bathos can be used accidentally, as it was originally defined[…]
How to Write a Bildungsroman Come up with a specific change that you think is particularly important in the transformation from child to adult. Maybe it’s from childish arrogance to[…]
How to Write a Buzzword In order to use buzzwords, it is important to be aware of the jargon within a certain area of discussion: often, buzzwords in business are[…]
How to Write a Caesura Bear in mind that caesura is really a feature of how poems are read, not how they’re written. That’s why this article includes the ||[…]
How to Write a Character In order to create a character, you first need to decide on some kind of basic plot for your story. Will it be a comedy, romance,[…]
How to Write a Chiasmus The structure of a chiasmus is pretty simple, so they aren’t difficult to craft. All you have to do is make up the first half[…]
How to Write a Chronicle For a historical account to be considered a chronicle in either fiction or nonfiction, several things are necessary: The information must be represented in the order[…]
How to Write a Climax In order to create a story with a climax, it is necessary to begin with a conflict. Without a conflict, there can be no climax.[…]
How to Write a Conundrum In general, moral and practical conundrums are not written, but observed. As you read and go about your life, pay attention to the choices that[…]
How to Write a Deuteragonist Decide whether your story needs one. As we’ve seen, many stories have no deuteragonist – they have more of an “ensemble” cast. These structures are[…]
How to Write a Dialogue There are no particular rules for how to use dialogue in creative writing – just pay attention to the way people naturally speak in real[…]
How to Write a Doppelganger To write an effective doppelganger, you first need to have a well-established character. This works best with the main character, or perhaps a love interest[…]
How to write a Dystopia A dystopian setting always begins with a social or political idea. What is the greatest threat to human society or happiness? Disease? World war? Robot[…]
How to Write a Euphemism In order to use a euphemism, Decide when you need to say something that might be unpleasant or offensive. Replace that phrase with a gentle[…]
How to Write a Fable Generally, fables are short stories—they may even be only a few sentences. To use the genre of fable, an author: Develops a simple but familiar[…]
How to write a Fairy Tale In fairy tales, there are no defined rules. So, you have the freedom to decide how you want to construct and use your fairy tale.[…]
How to Write Farce The essence of a good farce is the slow buildup to absurdity. In the beginning, everything is more or less normal: a normal family, or a[…]
How to Write a Flashback In order to use flashback, it is important to be aware of why the flashback is necessary to the story. The flashback must reveal something[…]
How to Write a Haiku In order to write a haiku, first come up with a subject and then examine that subject in three lines of 5, 7, and 5[…]
How to Write a Hamartia In order to use hamartia, Think of a character flaw. Apply it to a character with tragic, negative results. For example, consider the common character[…]
How to write a Homage Sometimes we see authors or TV and film directors giving “shout outs” by someway imitating, using, or mentioning another work, author, or director that they[…]
How to Write a Hyperbole Now that you’ve seen some examples of hyperbole, it is probably clear that you have been using it already, as even small children often do, naturally![…]
How to Write a Juxtaposition In order to use juxtaposition, Think of one thing which has a characteristic you want to highlight or challenge. Juxtapose that thing or idea against[…]
How to write a Malapropism In order to use malapropism, Examine a sentence for words that could be replaced with similar-sounding words. Replace those words for a comedic effect. For an[…]
How to Write a Maxim Maxims are extremely difficult to write on your own. That’s because it takes a tremendous amount of wisdom to come up with a good insight,[…]
How to Write a Memoir Outline and list the stories you want to include. Do you want to start from the beginning? From your earliest memories? Or is there a[…]
How to Write a Metanoia There are certain key words and phrases that can introduce a metanoia clearly. A few examples include: ___, or rather, ___ ___, or at least,[…]
How to Write a Metaphor A. Avoid Clichés Very often, you’ll write metaphors without realizing it. Since certain metaphors are very common, many of them have become clichéd, or overused. Normal Sentence: My day was[…]
How to Write a Metonymy In order to write a metonymy, Examine a sentence for a phrase which can be shortened or replaced with a defining characteristic or associated idea. Replace the[…]
How to Use Mnemonics In order to use mnemonics: Think of what you want to memorize. Create a mnemonic for that subject. For example, imagine you are trying to memorize[…]
How to Write a Montage Since montage is primarily a film technique, it makes sense to watch a few film montages for inspiration. Notice, in particular, the pacing of film[…]
How to Write a Motif In order to use a motif, it is important to be aware of what underlying theme or idea is being reflecting by the motif: Identify[…]
How to Write a Neologism Using neologisms, or inventing words, is a difficult task. It requires creativity and a willingness to consider defining something that has never been defined before.[…]