Techniques used in Narrative/Memoir Writing These techniques are used in narrative writing to add the details to the frame.

Flashback an interjected scene or point that takes the narrative back in time from the current point

Hyperbole exaggerated statements or claims not meant to be taken literally

Humor towards a serious moment the subtle use of humor or something funny in order to ease tension and provide a respite from difficult moments

Situational irony actions or events have the opposite result from what is expected or what is intended

Dramatic irony the audience knows something that the characters don't.

Verbal irony words express something contrary to truth or someone says the opposite of what they really feel or mean

Sensory details details that include sight, sound, touch, smell, and taste. Writers employ the five senses to engage a reader's interest.

Reflection of wisdom gained explaining the change after the epiphany - a sudden insight or realization that changes understanding

Suspense the intense feeling that an audience goes through while waiting for the outcome of certain events. it leaves the reader holding his breath and wanting more information.

questions asked in order to create a dramatic effect or to make a point rather than to get an answer Rhetorical questions

Dialogue conversation between two or more people

a power struggle between a hero (or protagonist) and villain (or antagonist) IT is arguably the most important element in fiction because without conflict there is no movement and no narrative drive. Conflict

the most intense, exciting, or important point of something Climax

a sudden insight or realization that changes understanding Epiphany

a comparison between two unlike things that continues throughout a series of sentences in a paragraph Extended metaphor

Shock value the potential of an action (as a public execution), image, text, or other form of communication to provoke a reaction of sharp disgust, shock, anger, fear, or similar negative emotions

Fantasy the use of magic or other supernatural phenomena in the plot, setting, or theme

Poetic justice a literary device in which ultimately virtue is rewarded and viciousness is punished

Parody an imitation of a particular writer, artist, or genre, exaggerating it deliberately to produce a comic effect

a seemingly absurd or self- contradictory statement or proposition that when investigated or explained may prove to be well founded or true Paradox

Red herring a clue, that is or is intended to be misleading or distracting

Dialect a particular form of a language that is peculiar to a specific region or social group

a type of language that consists of words and phrases that are regarded as very informal, are more common in speech than writing, and are typically restricted to a particular context or group of people Slang