Creative Writing Techniques

noun the occurrence of the same letter or sound at the beginning of adjacent or closely connected words

• The poet used alliteration to create a rhythmic effect in his sonnet.
• I love how alliteration makes phrases sound catchy and fun.
• Alliteration is like when words start with the same sound, it's cool.
• The alliteration of 'singing in the rain' evokes a sense of joy and freedom.

adjective relating to or characterized by alliteration, the occurrence of the same letter or sound at the beginning of adjacent or closely connected words

• The poet used alliterative techniques to enhance the rhythm of the poem.
• She loves alliterative tongue twisters because they are fun to say.
• I can't believe how alliterative that rap verse was, it was fire!
• The alliterative sound of the rain on the roof was like a soothing melody.

noun the repetition of vowel sounds within a phrase or sentence

• The poet used assonance to create a musical quality in his verse.
• I noticed a lot of assonance in that song lyrics, it sounded cool.
• The rapper's assonance game is on point, his rhymes flow so smoothly.
• The assonance of colors in the painting created a harmonious visual effect.

noun the state or act of being the writer of a book, article, or document

• The issue of authorship is a complex matter in the field of literary studies.
• Who gets credit for writing the book is a big deal in the authorship world.
• Figuring out who the real author is can be a real head-scratcher.
• Authorship is like a puzzle, with each piece representing a different aspect of the writing process.

noun a category of writing that is valued for its aesthetic qualities and literary style rather than its informative content

• The professor's expertise in belles-lettres is evident in her insightful analysis of classic literature.
• I enjoy reading belles-lettres in my spare time to relax and unwind.
• I never really got into that whole belles-lettres thing, I prefer more modern literature.
• Her writing style is like a beautiful tapestry, weaving together elements of belles-lettres with contemporary themes.

verb to remove feathers or plumes from something, especially a bird

• The ornithologist carefully deplumed the bird for research purposes.
• I watched a tutorial on how to deplume a chicken before cooking it.
• I can't believe she tried to deplume her own eyebrows and ended up with a bald spot.
• The scandal deplumed his reputation in the community.

noun a decorative detail or feature added to something to make it more attractive

adjective describing something as embellished or adorned

• The artist used intricate embellishments to enhance the beauty of the painting.
• She added some fancy embellishments to her outfit for the party.
• I love how she blinged out her phone with all those embellishments.
• His story was full of exaggerations and embellishments to make it more interesting.

noun a person who writes essays, especially as a literary genre

• The essayist presented a well-researched argument in their latest publication.
• I heard that the essayist is working on a new piece about climate change.
• That essayist really knows how to write a killer essay!
• The essayist's words painted a vivid picture of the struggles faced by marginalized communities.

noun a contrapuntal composition in which a short melody or phrase is introduced by one part and successively taken up by others and developed by interweaving the parts

• The composer used a complex fugue in the final movement of the symphony.
• I love how the different instruments play off each other in that fugue.
• That fugue was lit, man!
• Her thoughts were like a fugue, constantly intertwining and looping back on themselves.

noun a punctuation mark (.) used at the end of a sentence to indicate a full stop or completion

adjective complete or finished without possibility of further change

• The report must be submitted by the deadline, full stop.
• I told him I don't want to go out tonight, full stop.
• I'm done with this drama, full stop.
• She finally decided to cut ties with him, full stop.

noun a linguistic form or rule that serves as a model for others in a particular category

adjective relating to or capable of producing something

• The generative model was able to produce realistic images based on the input data.
• The generative algorithm made some really cool pictures from the data.
• That generative thingamajig created some awesome visuals!
• Her mind was like a generative machine, constantly producing new ideas and solutions.

noun a feeling or guess based on intuition rather than known facts

verb to bend or draw up into a hump

• Based on my hunch and analysis of the data, I believe the company will experience growth in the next quarter.
• I have a hunch that we should take the back roads to avoid traffic.
• I've got a hunch that we're going to ace this test.
• She had a hunch that her friend was hiding something from her.

adjective describing someone who talks or writes at great length, often in a tedious or boring manner

• The professor's lecture was quite long-winded, going on for over two hours.
• I couldn't stand listening to that long-winded story my friend was telling me.
• Stop being so long-winded, just get to the point already!
• His explanation was so long-winded, it felt like I was drowning in words.

noun a picture created in the mind

• When reading a descriptive passage, it is important to form a clear mental picture of the scene in your mind.
• I can't really understand the story unless I have a mental picture of what's going on.
• I need to get a mental picture of the layout before we start the project.
• Her words painted a vivid mental picture of the struggles she had faced in life.

verb To withdraw more money from an account than is available, resulting in a negative balance

• The customer was notified that they had overdrawn their bank account.
• I accidentally overdraw my account sometimes when I forget to check my balance.
• I can't believe I overdrawed again, I need to start keeping track of my spending.
• Her emotions overdrawn as she tried to cope with the overwhelming stress of the situation.

noun an artistic work in a style that imitates that of another work, artist, or period

• The artist created a pastiche of different art styles in her latest exhibition.
• The movie was basically a pastiche of all the popular action films from the 80s.
• That outfit is such a pastiche of different fashion trends.
• His speech was a pastiche of cliches and empty promises.

noun the skill or art of writing with a pen

• Her impeccable pencraft was evident in every line of her meticulously written essay.
• I admire your pencraft, your handwriting is so neat and precise.
• Check out his pencraft, his notes are always on point.
• The artist's pencraft brought the characters in the book to life on the page.

verb Penned is the past tense and past participle of the verb 'pen', which means to write or compose with a pen or similar instrument.

• The famous author penned a new novel that quickly became a bestseller.
• I heard that John penned a love letter to his crush.
• She penned a sick rap verse for the upcoming talent show.
• The artist penned his emotions onto the canvas, creating a masterpiece.

noun a piece of writing in which the expression of feelings and ideas is given intensity by particular attention to diction (sometimes involving rhyme), rhythm, and imagery

• The poet recited a beautiful poem at the literary event.
• I wrote a short poem for my friend's birthday card.
• My friend dropped some sick rhymes in his latest poem.
• Her dance was like a living poem, flowing with grace and beauty.

adjective a term used to describe something that is dull, tedious, or overly long-winded in writing or speech

• The speaker's prosy speech failed to captivate the audience.
• I couldn't stay awake during that prosy lecture.
• His prosy writing is a total snooze fest.
• The prosy nature of the meeting made it feel like time was standing still.

noun a play on words that produces a humorous effect by using a word that suggests two or more meanings or by exploiting similar sounding words with different meanings

• The comedian's clever puns had the audience in stitches.
• I love it when you make puns, they always make me laugh.
• That pun was so corny, but I couldn't help but chuckle.
• His puns were like little puzzles, waiting to be solved.

noun a person who makes puns or plays on words

• The punster at the comedy club always had the audience in stitches with his clever wordplay.
• My friend is such a punster, he can turn any situation into a joke.
• The punster in our group is always cracking jokes and making us laugh.
• She is a punster when it comes to teasing her siblings, always finding a witty comeback.

noun a leisurely or aimless walk

verb to talk or write at length in a confused or inconsequential way

• During the lecture, the professor went on a ramble about the history of economics.
• When we go for a walk, my dog loves to ramble around the park.
• I can't believe she rambled on for hours about her ex-boyfriend.
• Her thoughts tend to ramble when she's feeling overwhelmed.

noun a word agreeing with another in terminal sound

verb to compose or treat in verse

• The poet used a perfect rhyme scheme in his sonnet.
• I love it when songs have a catchy rhyme to sing along to.
• That rap battle had some sick rhymes!
• The colors of the sunset seemed to rhyme with the hues of the ocean.

noun a rough or preliminary sketch of a design or plan

• Before submitting your final report, make sure to review and revise your rough draft.
• Hey, can you take a look at my rough draft and give me some feedback?
• I just whipped up a rough draft real quick, wanna check it out?
• Life is like a rough draft, you have to keep editing and improving until it's perfect.

noun a heading or caption that appears below the main title or headline

verb does not apply

adjective does not apply

adverb does not apply

pronoun does not apply

preposition does not apply

conjunction does not apply

interjection does not apply

article does not apply

• The subhead of the article provided a succinct summary of the main points.
• The subhead at the top of the page gave a quick overview of the content.
• I always skip over the subhead and go straight to the main text.
• In life, the subhead can be seen as the guiding principle that leads us through each chapter.

noun a musical technique that involves a deliberate disruption of the regular rhythm

• The syncopation in the jazz piece added an intricate rhythm to the music.
• I love how the syncopation in this song makes you want to dance.
• The syncopation in that track is so catchy, it's stuck in my head.
• The syncopation of events in her life created a sense of unpredictability.

verb to consider or remember something from the past

adverb used to indicate looking back in time or reflecting on past events

• When you think back on your previous experiences, what lessons have you learned?
• Hey, think back to that time we went on that crazy road trip together.
• Yo, think back to when we were just kids messing around in the neighborhood.
• Sometimes it's helpful to think back to where you started in order to appreciate how far you've come.

adverb modifies a verb, adjective, or another adverb by providing information on the manner, place, time, degree, etc. It typically answers questions like how, when, where, and to what extent

• The research findings were uncommonly insightful and provided valuable new information.
• She was uncommonly quiet at the party last night, which was unusual for her.
• That new restaurant is uncommonly good, you have to try it out!
• His ability to solve complex problems is uncommonly sharp, like a razor.

noun verse form or metrical composition

• The poet's mastery of versification is evident in the rhythmic flow of his sonnets.
• I struggle to understand the complexities of versification in poetry class.
• Yo, that rapper's versification game is on point!
• Her versification of emotions through her writing is truly captivating.

noun a person who writes books, stories, or articles as a job or occupation

• The writer was awarded a prestigious literary prize for her latest novel.
• I heard that the writer is working on a new book.
• That writer is totally killing it with their writing skills.
• The writer's words painted a vivid picture in the reader's mind.

adjective describes or modifies a noun or pronoun

adverb modifies an adjective or adverb, indicating the degree or extent of a quality or action

preposition shows the relationship between a noun (or pronoun) and other words in a sentence

• Her performance was every bit as impressive as we had hoped.
• The new restaurant is every bit as good as they say it is.
• That movie was every bit as lit as they said it would be.
• His determination was every bit as strong as a lion's roar.

adjective invented or fabricated; not real or true

• The witness admitted to providing false testimony and making up stories to incriminate the defendant.
• I can't believe she made up that excuse to get out of work.
• He's always making up wild stories to impress his friends.
• The artist's abstract painting looked like a made-up world of colors and shapes.

noun a piece of writing in which a particular letter or group of letters is systematically omitted

• The author's novel was a challenging lipogram, as it intentionally avoided using the letter 'e'.
• I tried writing a lipogram for my English class, but it was really hard to avoid using certain letters.
• I attempted to do a lipogram for fun, but it turned out to be a real pain.
• Her speech was like a lipogram, carefully avoiding any mention of the controversial topic.

noun a whimsical or humorous expression or gesture

• The use of gadzookery in his speech added a touch of eloquence.
• Her gadzookery in storytelling always keeps us entertained.
• I can't believe the level of gadzookery in that movie, it was so over-the-top.
• The artist's gadzookery with colors created a vibrant and lively painting.

noun a word that represents a person, place, thing, or idea

• The library hosted a workshop on creating book spine poems.
• I love making book spine poems with my favorite novels.
• Let's get together and make some book spine poems, it's so fun!
• Her book spine poem told a story without using any words.

noun a word that is spelled the same as another word but has a different pronunciation and meaning, such as 'bow' (to bend) and 'bow' (a type of weapon)

adjective describing a word that has different pronunciations and meanings depending on context or usage

• The English language is full of heteronyms, words that are spelled the same but have different meanings and pronunciations.
• It's so confusing when you come across heteronyms in English, like 'bow' meaning both to bend and a type of weapon.
• I hate when I see heteronyms on a spelling test, it always trips me up.
• Heteronyms are like linguistic puzzles, where you have to figure out the pronunciation based on the context of the sentence.

noun a form of writing in which a person writes continuously without regard to spelling, grammar, or topic, typically as a means of generating ideas or overcoming writer's block

• Freewriting is a technique used by writers to generate ideas without worrying about grammar or structure.
• I like to do some freewriting before I start on my essays for school.
• I'm just gonna do some freewriting to get my thoughts out on paper.
• Freewriting is like letting your thoughts flow freely without any constraints.

noun a word that can have opposite meanings depending on the context in which it is used

• The term 'auto antonym' refers to a word that can have opposite meanings depending on the context.
• It's so confusing when a word is its own opposite, like an auto antonym.
• I hate when words are like, totally auto antonyms, it's just too much.
• Her smile was an auto antonym, hiding both joy and sorrow.

noun a word or phrase that spells a different word or phrase backward

adjective describing a word or phrase that has a different meaning when spelled backward

• The term 'semordnilap' refers to words that spell different words backward.
• I just learned about semordnilaps - they're words that read differently backward!
• Semordnilaps are like word puzzles - they spell a different word when read backward.
• Life is full of semordnilaps, where things may appear one way at first but reveal a different meaning later on.

noun a design or image created using words or letters, often in a specific shape or pattern

• The calligram in the poetry book was a beautiful visual representation of the words.
• I saw a really cool calligram in that magazine the other day.
• Check out this sick calligram I made for my art project.
• Her dance moves were like a calligram, each step flowing seamlessly into the next.

noun a form of digital literature that originated in Japan in the early 2000s

• Keitai shosetsu, or mobile phone novels, have become a popular form of literature in Japan.
• I love reading keitai shosetsu on my phone during my commute.
• Have you checked out that new keitai shosetsu? It's so addicting!
• The way she tells stories is like a keitai shosetsu, short and captivating.

noun a proper noun referring to a specific place or family name

adjective describing word used to modify a noun

adverb a word that modifies a verb, adjective, or other adverb, indicating manner, time, place, or degree

• The Ababdeh tribe has a long history of nomadic lifestyle in the desert region.
• I heard that the Ababdeh tribe is known for their traditional music and dance.
• Have you seen the new Ababdeh jewelry collection? It's so trendy!
• The Ababdeh of the past were like the desert winds, moving silently and swiftly through the sands.

noun a rare medical condition characterized by the inability to properly organize words in a sentence

• The poet used acatalexes in his sonnet to create a smooth and uninterrupted flow of words.
• I don't really understand what acatalexes are, can you explain it to me?
• I'm not a fan of poems with acatalexes, they just seem too fancy for me.
• Her speech was like a well-written poem, with perfect acatalexes that captivated the audience.

adjective relating to or characteristic of an acrostic, a poem or puzzle in which certain letters in each line form a word or words

• The poem followed an acrostical pattern, with the first letter of each line spelling out a hidden message.
• I tried my hand at writing an acrostical poem for my English assignment, it was pretty fun!
• I'm not a fan of acrostical puzzles, they always seem too tricky for me.
• The acrostical nature of her speech revealed a deeper meaning that resonated with the audience.

adjective describing something related to or characteristic of acrostics

adverb in a manner that involves composing or reading acrostics

• The poet constructed the poem acrostically, with each line spelling out a hidden message.
• I tried writing my name acrostically in my notebook, but it didn't turn out as neat as I hoped.
• She acrostically roasted her ex-boyfriend in her latest Instagram post.
• The artist acrostically embedded her emotions into the painting, creating a masterpiece filled with hidden meanings.

noun Aflow does not have a definition as a noun.

verb To flow or move in a smooth and continuous way.

adverb Aflow does not have a definition as an adverb.

• The river was aflow with crystal clear water.
• The music festival was aflow with energy and excitement.
• The party was aflow with good vibes all night long.
• Her creativity was aflow, leading to a burst of new ideas.