HOW TO INCLUDE LANGUAGE DEVICES AND DIALOGUE IN YOUR CREATIVE WRITING Short stories

DIRECT SPEECH  When used well, dialogue can assist in constructing a character. Furthermore, the words which are used in direct speech can often say more about a character than narration of those words.  Also punctuation is important in portraying the correct tone during direct speech, as is the use of powerful verbs. “Get him…get him!” screamed the boys “Get him, get him,” said the boys  Which line is more effective?

POWERFUL VERBS  Make a list of powerful verbs you could use when narrating direct speech

POWERFUL VERBS  Screamed  Bellowed  Hissed  Chuckled  Grunted  Mumbled  Murmured  Stuttered  Growled  Exclaimed  Squealed  Sang  Shrieked  Declared  Bragged  Wailed  Argued  Roared  Ranted  Panted  Entreated  Yelled  Shouted  Rejoiced  Retorted  Sighed  Whispered  Gasped  Chanted

SHOWING AND TELLING.  The writer dramatizes the story by showing and not telling. Showing the reader what happens helps to construct a believable story. A believable story assists the writer in creating a dream inside the mind of the reader. To create the dream, the reader must narrate the story by “showing” the reading what happens. The best way to show the reader is to provide concrete and specific descriptions, sensory details, and particular details. The writer also narrates the story in scenes, which include dialogue, time and place details, action, description.

 Writers use various types of “figurative language” to create a dream inside the mind of the reader, add vivid details, entertain the reader, and create a memorable story.

SOUND DEVICES  Alliteration. Repetition of a consonant. (e.g. Can’t Kate cook without catastrophe?)  Assonance. Repetition of a vowel sound. (e.g. Lou said coo to the moose Sue let loose.) While the audience is quickly aware of alliteration, assonance tends to work more subtly, setting tone and mood in a subconscious way, the way music does.

 Onomatopoeia. Use of words that sound like their meanings. (e.g. ‘Oomph,’ said the girl as she fell.  Rhythm. The pattern of words in a sentence that gives the sentence a cadence. (e.g. Fast he ran, fast he ran, until he reached the end.)  Allusion. A reference to literature or historical events that are part of our common cultural heritage. (e.g. He was as arrogant as Colonel Gaddafi.)

 Diction. This refers to the author’s choice of words. (e.g. A simple country girl might use simple, earthy words, whilst a sophisticated city girl might use complex words.)  Tone. Tone reflects the author's attitude toward the story. (e.g. The story might be reflective, sad, encouraging, horrifying…)

VISUAL DEVICES Writers use visual devices to make their stories vivid.  Imagery. Words that appeal to the senses: sight, smell, sound, taste, and touch. (e.g. The rose garden swamped his senses with its lush colours, enticing fragrances and cool air.)  Figurative language. Using words in a non-literal way. (e.g. Fatima ate her words.)

 Simile. Comparison of two dissimilar things with "like" or "as." (e.g. She sang like an angel.)  Metaphors. Suggesting one thing is another. (e.g. She was an angel.)

 Hyperbole. Using exaggeration. (e.g. He was the best story-teller who ever lived.)  Understatement. Underscored statement with a seeming lack of emphasis. (e.g. A large building collapses, killing 100 people. One person survives, and he says, “I guess I was a little bit lucky.”)  A symbol is a person, a place, an activity, or an object that stands for something beyond itself.