Pun Intended: A Look at Pun Examples in Literature

pun examples in literature

What do you call a sandwich made of wordplay? A pun-ini. The English language abounds with pun examples in literature. From Chaucer to Shakespeare, from the Romantics to contemporary poetry, writers have twisted language to explore new (and often hilarious) possibilities with words. We generally consider puns to have humorous intent. However, The pun in…

Read More

How to Start a Story: Examples and Inspiration

how to start a story

It happens to the best of us: you open a new word document, you’re faced with the many possibilities that a story can take, and then you realize you don’t know how to start a story. Or you do know, but you’re not sure how to start this story. Or you know exactly what this…

Read More

Static Characters vs. Dynamic Characters: Definitions and Examples

writing character development tips

You can categorize the people that populate your stories as static and dynamic characters. These categories correspond to character development: if they’re a changed person by the end of the story, they’re a dynamic character; if they haven’t changed at all, they’re a static character. There are many other ways to categorize characters—flat and round,…

Read More

What is a Narrative Poem? Definition and Examples

how to write narrative poetry

Writers who want to set their stories in verse may be interested in the narrative poem. One of the oldest literary art forms in the history of written language, narrative poetry puts plot to poesy, combining the art of storytelling with the techniques of poetry writing. So, what is a narrative poem? To answer that…

Read More

Private Writing Coaches: 9 Tips to Find a Writing Coach

private writing coach

Whether you’re working on a book-length project or want to improve your writing skills, a private writing coach can transform your writing journey. The best writing coaches have an excitement for language, expertise in the writing world, and compassion for your work as a budding writer. That said, there are plenty of book writing coaches…

Read More

What is an Antagonist? Definition & Examples

what is an antagonist

Because most stories involve conflict, most stories also involve an antagonist. Your protagonist—the main character—will struggle to achieve something important to them, and the antagonist will further complicate this struggle. Knowing who is the antagonist of your story, as well as what motivates them, will greatly improve your fiction, nonfiction, and storytelling. Even if your…

Read More

How to Write a Narrative Essay

how to craft a poem

When writers set down the facts of their lives into a compelling story, they’re writing a narrative essay. Personal narrative essays explore the events of the writer’s own life, and by crafting a nonfiction piece that resonates as storytelling, the essayist can uncover deeper truths in the world. Narrative essays weave the author’s factual lived…

Read More

What is a Prose Poem? Understanding Prose Poetry

prose poetry: how to write a prose poem

Few literary genres allow for experimentation quite as easily as prose poetry. Blending the techniques of prose with the emotion and lyricism of poetry, the best prose poems uncover subconscious thought with searing originality. Poets looking to break free from form, and prose writers seeking new means of expression, will absolutely find creative freedom in…

Read More

What is Tone in Literature? 

what is tone in literature?

Everything you read has a tone. Blog posts will have an engaging and conversational tone; Textbooks often have an informative, matter-of-fact tone. A piece of satire might have a humorous or ironic tone. Tone in literature encompasses the wide variety of moods, thoughts, and feelings that authors imbue their work with. But, what is tone?…

Read More

How to Submit to Literary Journals

how to submit to literary journals

For the last few months, you’ve opened the document on your computer and spent time constructing sentences, reading, researching, and working on the right metaphor for your poem, short story, or nonfiction essay. This writing is done in isolation, with no one witnessing late nights, pages of revision, and of course, frustration. You’ve finally revised…

Read More