How To Be Creative in Writing?

HOW TO BE
CREATIVE IN
WRITING?
LITERARY DEVICES
(ELEMENTS AND
TECHNIQUES)
OF FICTION
Literary Devices of Fiction
 Setting  Rhetorical Devices
 Plot  Flashback
 Character  Foreshadowing
 Conflict  Figurative Language
 Point of View  Sensory Details
 Theme  Allusion
 Mood
 Dialogue
Setting (element)
 The setting of a story is
the time and place in
which it occurs.
 Elements of setting may

include the physical,
psychological, cultural, or
historical background
against which the story
takes place.
Mood (element)
 The mood of a
story is the
atmosphere or
feeling created by
the writer and
expressed through
setting.
Plot (element)
 Plot is the basic sequence of events in a story. In
conventional stories, plot has three main parts:
rising action, climax, and falling action.
Flashback (technique)
 A flashback is a literary device by which
a work presents material that occurred
prior to the opening scene.
 Various methods may be used such as

recollections of characters, narration by
the characters, dream sequences, and
reveries.
Foreshadowing (technique)
 Foreshadowing is the presentation of material in a
work in such a way that later events are prepared for.
The purpose of foreshadowing is to prepare the
reader or viewer for action to come.
 Foreshadowing can result from

the establishment of a mood or atmosphere,
an event that adumbrates the later action,
the appearance of physical objects or facts, or
the revelation of a fundamental and decisive character trait.
Figurative Language (technique)
 Imagery
 The use of language to
create mental images and
sensory impressions.
Imagery can be used for
emotional effect and to
intensify the impact on the
reader.
 Example: “The smell of the rose flower
kept her alive”
Types of Characters (element)
 Dynamic character—a character which
changes during the course of a story or
novel
 Static character—a character who

remains primarily the same during the
course of a story or novel
Types of Characters
 Round character—a well developed
character who demonstrates varied and
sometimes contradictory traits
 Flat character—a two-dimensional and

relatively uncomplicated character who
does not change throughout a story or
novel
Stock Character—a special kind of flat
character who is instantly recognizable
(stereotypical)
Types of Characters
 Protagonist—the story’s main character
 Antagonist—a character in opposition of

the protagonist
 Character Foil—a secondary character

who contrasts with the protagonist in
order to highlight aspects of the main
character’s personality
Conflict (element)
 In literature, conflict
is the opposition of
persons or forces
that brings about
dramatic action
central to the plot of
a story.
Types of Conflict
 Character versus Character—a conflict
between one character and another
 Character versus Nature—a conflict
between a character and a force of nature
 Character versus Society—a conflict
between a character and the values,
beliefs, and/or customs of a larger group
 Character versus Self—an internal
psychological conflict within a character
Characterization
 Characterization is the creation of
imaginary persons so that they seem
lifelike. There are three fundamental
methods of characterization.
Characterization
 The explicit presentation by the author
of the character through direct
description, either in an introductory
block or more often piecemeal
throughout the work, illustrated by
action (external characterization).
Character Development
 Internal Character  External Character
Development Development
Feelings Actions
Thoughts Relationships
Emotions Dialogues
Irony (technique)
 Irony– the use of words to express
something other than, and especially the
opposite of, the literal meaning
Situational irony—a literary technique

for implying, through plot or character,
that the actual situation is quite
different from that presented
Imagery and Dialogue
Imagery Dialogue
 The use of language to  The lines spoken
create mental images and between character in fiction
sensory impressions. or a play.
Imagery can be used for
emotional effect and to
intensify the impact on the
reader.
Point of View-Narrator (element)
 The narrator is the teller of a story.
Reliable narrator—the reader accepts the

statements of fact and judgment without
serious question
Unreliable narrator—the reader questions or

seeks to qualify the statements of fact and
judgment.
Point of View
 The point of view is the perspective from
which the events in the story are told.
The author may choose to use any of
the following:
Omniscient/third-person omniscient
Omniscient/third-person limited
Objective
First person/subjective
Limited
Point of View
 Omniscient/third-person omniscient—
The narrator tells the story in third
person from an all-knowing perspective.
The knowledge is not limited by any one
character’s view or behavior, as the
narrator knows everything about all
characters.
Signal pronouns—he, she, they
Point of View
 Omniscient/third-person limited—The
narrator restricts his knowledge to one
character’s view or behavior.
 Objective—The narrator reveals only the

actions and words without the benefit of
the inner thoughts and feelings.
Point of View
 First person/subjective—The narrator
restricts the perspective to that of only
one character to tell the story.
Signal pronouns—I, we, us
 Limited—A narrative mode in which the

story is told through the point of view of a
single character and is limited to what he
or she sees, hears, feels, or is told.
Signal pronouns—I, we, us
Sensory Details (techniques)
 Sensory details are details in writing that
describe what is seen, heard, smelled,
tasted, or touched.
Writers often use sensory details to enhance
the mood and theme in writing.

Allusion (techniques)
 An allusion is a reference within a literary work
to another work of literature, art, or real event.
The reference is often brief and implied.
Mythological allusion—a direct or indirect reference
to a character or event in mythology

Biblical allusion—a reference to a character or
event from the bible

Theme (element)
 The theme is the central or universal idea
of a piece of fiction.
An implicit theme refers to the author’s ability
to construct a piece in such a way that through

inference the reader understands the theme.
Theme
 The theme is also the main idea of a
nonfiction essay.
An explicit theme refers to when the author
overtly states the theme somewhere in the

work.
Theme
 A universal theme transcends social and
cultural boundaries and speaks to a
common human experience.
 The human condition encompasses all

of the experience of being human. The
ongoing way in which humans react to
or cope with these events is the human
condition.

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HOW TO BE

 Elements of setting may

 Various methods may be used such as

 Foreshadowing can result from

 Static character—a character who

 Flat character—a two-dimensional and

 Antagonist—a character in opposition of

 Character Foil—a secondary character

Situational irony—a literary technique

Reliable narrator—the reader accepts the

Unreliable narrator—the reader questions or

 Objective—The narrator reveals only the

 Limited—A narrative mode in which the

Writers often use sensory details to enhance

the mood and theme in writing.

to a character or event in mythology

event from the bible

An implicit theme refers to the author’s ability

to construct a piece in such a way that through

An explicit theme refers to when the author

overtly states the theme somewhere in the

 The human condition encompasses all

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