Writing fiction
In a nutshell
Fictional stories are imaginative stories written in a creative and engaging way. This form of writing communicates imaginary ideas and describes events and people to the reader. In this summary, you will learn how to creatively write and express your ideas using different structural and linguistic strategies.
Narrative arc
A narrative arc is a term used to describe the plotting of a story. By using a narrative arc, you can identify the beginning, middle and end of a story. This helps in the planning stages of your piece as you can identify key points of the story's structure. Plotting a story in this way creates a pathway for your readers to clearly understand the progression of the story.
Paragraph lengths
Paragraphs are a group of sentences that convey a single topic or theme. Shorter paragraphs can help create a quick change of mood and pace or indicate a turning point. Meanwhile, longer paragraphs are used for exposition and can be points of reflection to create a slower pace for the reader. When deciding which length is best to use, reflect on what you want the reader to understand or feel from that paragraph.
Paragraph transitions
Knowing when to transition into a new paragraph is also key for you to clearly express the progressing plot of your story. You can start a new paragraph when there is a change in time, place, person or topic. It's important to remember that though you are indicating a change, the new paragraph still needs to link to the last paragraph.
For example, beginning a new paragraph with, 'Later, in the blissful morning,' shows a change in time, while also indicating that the previous paragraph was about the earlier part of that morning. Signposting in this way is an important tool to connect your paragraphs to read as a single story.
Sentence lengths
Varying sentence lengths maintain engaging moments throughout the story for the reader. In the table below, you will see examples and the effects of using:
- Short sentences
- Long sentences
- Varied sentence lengths
SENTENCE LENGTH | EXAMPLE | EFFECT |
Short sentence length | 'She leapt out of her chair.'
| This sentence grabs the reader's attention by leaving them wanting to know more. As a result, they will likely read on to find out what happens next.
|
Long sentence length | 'Lingering behind the girl, was a disfigured hand, creeping closer towards her shoulder.'
| This sentence builds a detailed picture for the reader, which often immerses the reader in the fictional world the writer has built.
|
Varied sentence length | 'Lingering behind the girl was a disfigured hand, creeping closer towards her shoulder. Its claws brushed her neck. She leapt out of her chair.'
| Varying sentence lengths combine grabbing the reader's attention through shorter sentences and drawing them into the fictional world through longer sentences to maintain an engaging story.
|
Language features
Language features are used to determine the way an idea is communicated to the reader. By using language features in the correct way, you have the creative control to set the tone of the story and evoke a certain emotion in the reader. Here is a list of language features you can use for your fictional writing:
TERMINOLOGY | DEFINITION | EXAMPLE |
Emotive language
| Words that are used to evoke an emotional response from the reader | Justice, pride, freedom |
Rhetorical question | Questions that have an obvious answer and are often asked for effect without requiring an actual answer | Does money grow on trees? |
Repetition | Words or phrases that are repeated for effect | Fair is foul and foul is fair. |
Hyperbole | Exaggerating something to an exaggerated extent | I've told you a million times. |
Rule of three | Words that are repeated in a group of three to heighten the effect and emphasis on a particular idea | Blood, sweat and tears. |
Alliteration | Repetition of the same sound is usually at the beginning of words | Tasty tacos, buzzing bees |
Pathetic fallacy | A character's emotion is reflected by the weather | The flower danced in the breeze. |
Personification | When a non-human object is given human characteristics | The sun smiled down on us. |
Onomatopoeia | Words that create sound to express sensory meaning | Bash, boom, crash |
Metaphor | Making a comparison without using 'like' or 'as' | His words cut deeper than a knife. |
Simile | Comparing two things by using 'like' or 'as' | As quiet as a mouse. |
