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10 Important Literary Devices in Prose: Examples & Analysis
Any writer looking to master the art of storytelling will want to learn the literary devices in prose. Fiction and nonfiction writers rely on these devices to bring their stories to life, impact their readers, and uncover the core truths of life. You can, too, with mastery over the different literary devices! If you’re not…
Read More112 Common Literary Devices: Definitions, Examples, and Exercises
Common literary devices, such as metaphors and similes, are the building blocks of literature, and what make literature so enchanting. Language evolves through the literary devices in poetry and prose; the different types of figurative language make literature spark in different ways. Consider this your crash course in common literary devices. Whether you’re studying for…
Read MoreOnline Fiction Writing Courses: 8 Things to Know
Online fiction writing courses can wholly transform your writing journey—if you come into the course with the right mindset. Online fiction writing workshops can build community and fine-tune your craft, but you might not know how to make the most of your fiction writing classes. Here are eight key tips to keep in mind for…
Read MoreHow to Write a Story Outline
The story outline is a great bridge between your story idea and a polished work of fiction. When you’re not sure how to start writing a story idea you might have, working on an outline will save you time and frustration, while also generating new ideas. Some writers balk at the idea of using a…
Read MoreWhat is Autobiographical Fiction? An Introduction to the Genre
At some point along your fiction journey, you may have considered writing autobiographical fiction—perhaps writing an autobiographical novel, or a shorter work based on your life experience. Many famous authors have turned their life stories into compelling works of prose, from Charles Dickens’ David Copperfield to Sherman Alexie’s The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time…
Read MoreWhy Learn Creative Writing?
Why learn creative writing? Truthfully, creative writing is one of the most misunderstood disciplines in the 21st century. When people think of a creative writing course, they often imagine a group of lofty, out-of-touch people who wear argyle sweater vests and have unproductive conversations about abstract concepts. In reality, nothing could be further from the…
Read MoreStory Writing Exercise: What Does Your Character Want?
Desire—what a character wants or needs—forms the backbone of any fictional plot and the basis of conflict. Often, when writers have problems generating a story, it’s because they’re not thinking in terms of a central, concrete desire, that which motivates the main character and moves them to action. They haven’t articulated for themselves what their main…
Read MoreHow to Be Confident in Your Writing
At some point early in our writing careers, we find ourselves asking a painful question: What if I’m not good enough? It’s an early indication that writing confidence—the ability to write freely, unimpeded by self-doubt—can be hard to come by. The focus of this article is learning how to be confident in your writing, and…
Read MoreThe 5 Elements of Dramatic Structure: Understanding Freytag’s Pyramid
What is Freytag’s Pyramid, and how can it help you write better stories? In simple terms, Freytag’s Pyramid is a five-part map of dramatic structure itself. Understanding the five steps of Freytag’s Pyramid will give you a clearer sense of what makes a strong, compelling story. Most stories follow a simple pattern called Freytag’s Pyramid.…
Read MoreCreative Writing Anxiety: What It Is and How to Overcome It
Editor’s Note: In this interview on writing anxiety, instructor Giulietta Nardone describes what creative writing anxiety is, what causes it, and—most importantly—how to get over writing anxiety. What is writing anxiety? There are many people who would like to start writing, or to take a writing class, but they never get started because the critical…
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