Creative Writing Techniques

Narrative Point of View A narrative can be told from a variety of perspectives depending on the person of your composition. Remember its very important to choose the right speaker for your story. Your story can be objective or subjective and in the first, second or third person. Subjective- the character describes only what they feel or think, with their personal perspective offered. Objective-Story unfold with action but with no personal feeling or opinion presented.

Here are some points to consider when writing your story: First Person Narration is when the person telling the story is in the story. They are giving their subjective view of the events. The writing uses words like “I”, “Me” and “We”. Example: “I couldn’t be more bored, as I sat impatiently tapping my feet, waiting for the five o’clock bus”. Effects: This style of writing tells the story through the characters eyes. We get the main characters point of view. This personal insight makes the reader feel more involved.

In Second Person Narration, the composer speaks directly to the reader the audience is directly addressed using “you”. This style is often seen in “Choose your own adventure” style books. Example: You are travelling down a deserted road, when a glimmering light catches your attention. Effect: This style gives the reader the chance to observe and make choices with their own emotional judgements.

Third Person Narration involves the story being told by an onlooker Third Person Narration involves the story being told by an onlooker. They are not a character and are aware of the thoughts and feelings of the characters. The narrator can be objective and is seen as a reliable source to the reader. Example: Frolicking children cheered in delights as she sat peering at them absent minded on the bench. Effect: This style allows you to explore the story through more than one character. This allows you to manipulate the readers thoughts and actions. The third person narrator is also seen as a reliable source to the audience whom they trust with the fictional stories progression and facts.

Dialogue Dialogue involves the characters speaking to each other mimicking everyday conversations. Good dialogue does not just include what is said but also how the words are spoken. You need to include explanations about volume and tone. Example: “Stop looking back, Kate, there is no way she can catch up to us!”, Claire ordered, with a less than convincing confidence in her tone. Effect: Conversations in a story are used to build suspense, create setting, establish mood and demonstrate relationships between characters. This gives the reader insight into the characters as well as the development of the plot.

Conversation Rules What is said needs to be placed in quotation marks. Note what is said by who. If the same two people speak for an extended period of time, you don't need to indicate who is saying what as it will be obvious. Each new speaker begins on a new line. The first line of dialogue is indented. Before you close the quotation mark you must finish with punctuation. Either: . (full stop) , (comma) ? (question mark) ! (exclamation mark) ... (ellipses)

Flashbacks A flashback involves a point in the story when the story changes tense and moves back into the past Example: Five years earlier he had been sitting in the exact same place under the exact same withering willow tree. It was a much cooler day, however and he was waiting for Jenny to finish work. She was only five minutes late but he was already beginning to panic. Effect: This techniques is a good way of establishing a past background for character or event. Flashbacks are critical to back-story and are used so that characters don't have to describe their life.

Action/Reaction In this style of writing actions and their reactions are presented to the reader in chronological order. This gives the story a linear effect. Events are happening in a chronological sequence, mimicking real life. Example: Kate paused before slamming the door and with one final gasp screamed the words she had been aching to say for years. “He isn’t even your son.” She slammed the door and hid for fear of her life as his footsteps edged closer. Effect: Creates action for the reader as the story is continually moving forward. The reader feels as if they are taking a journey with the character.

Adjectives Adjectives are descriptive words used to create imagery for the reader. They provide a realistic and enticing element to a story line, which people will want to read. Adjectives also help to create an engaging plot with vivid description. Example: The soft, yet slightly damp breeze lingered as it settled on the leaves of the Mrs Merricks award winning violets, which had just come into bloom. Effect: Provides vivid imagery for the audience and helps to establish the mood and setting.

Sensory Imagery Sensory imagery involves evoking the different senses in you reader through the use of descriptive sentences. Touch Sound Smell Sight Taste Example: The salty tang of the fresh sea water stunned her as she was sucked beneath the lip of the wave. Effect: This helps create a connection between the reader and the story. It allows the reader to experience all of the elements of the story recalling on their own personal memories of the tastes or scents or feelings or sounds.

Aural Techniques Alliteration Assonance Onomatopoeia Do these techniques ‘sound’ familiar? You have just looked at them in your ‘Poetry’ unit. What do each of the terms mean? What is the effect of creating sound for the reader?

Imagery Techniques Metaphors Similes Personification You should also recognise these techniques from your previous studies. What do each of these terms mean? Record you answers in your workbook. How could each of these techniques create imagery for the reader?