Magic writing tricks Flashcards
Expanded moment
Too often young writers will stop after a brief “statement of the facts.” The more advanced writer goes on to elaborate with details that show rather than tell the meaning. In other words, it is like they put the scene in slow motion.
EX.”There was a black space beneath the stairs and as I reached the bottom and my foot hit the ground I heard a low growl. It was not loud, more a rumble that seemed to come from the earth and so full of menace that it stopped me cold, my foot frozen in midair.”
“Dirk the Protector,” Gary Paulsen
sensory detail
Focus on details that an observer can see, the sounds one can hear, the smells, tastes, and physical sensations one can experience.
EX. “For us a handshake was a duel: two boys in a friendly clasp
of greeting were fighting a test of power.”
“Shaking,” by Robert Morgan
Simile or metaphor
A SIMILE is a comparison between two unlike things using “like” or “as.” A METAPHOR is a comparison between two unlike things without using “like” or “as.”]
EX. “For us a handshake was a duel: two boys in a friendly clasp
of greeting were fighting a test of power.”
“Shaking,” by Robert Morgan
Sentence fragment
Every English teacher (up until now) has probably told you to avoid sentence fragments. Sometimes, though, fragments can prove effective in capturing the reader’s attention, pumping up the drama of the writing.
EX. “They were at Bay 6, and his mother suddenly gave him a very uncharacteristic hug. A bear hug. They weren’t the hugging kind of family.”
“Dawn,” Tim Wynne-Jones
Magic 3
The dog is fluffy, energetic, and loves to jump on people.
repetition
The trick here is to use repetition like the refrain of a song or poem: a repeated word or phrase that adds dramatic emphasis.
connects to again and again
interrupter
A periodic sentence is one that starts, hesitates for a moment, and then begins again. The writer interrupts the flow of the sentence to present – in dramatic fashion – a relevant detail.
EX.
“And when Barnsey tried to tell his cousins about her, it came out like a cartoon, with her wacky hair and her fat black boots. He couldn’t get Dawn across to them–the life of her–only the image of her, so he stopped trying.”
hyphenated modifier
The (extended) hyphenated modifier allows the writer to develop a description richer than with a single-word modifier. The technique is often used to describe situations or impressions. Use this trick sparingly!
Humor
In the right context, humor adds a refreshing–often unexpected–note of wit. Be sure the humor is consistent with the tone and purpose of your writing.
EX.
“Dirk took him right in the middle. I mean bit him in the center of his stomach, hard, before Happy’s fist could get to me. Happy screamed and doubled over and Dirk went around and ripped into his rear and kept tearing at it even as Happy and his two companions fled down the street. It was absolutely great.”
“Dirk the Protector,” by Gary Paulsen
Introductory prepositional phrase
A great way to vary your sentence structure is to take a prepositional phrase (or more than one!) from the middle or end of your sentence and put it at the beginning.
Ex. A great way to vary your sentence structure is to take a prepositional phrase (or more than one!) from the middle or end of your sentence and put it at the beginning.
