Professional Documents
Culture Documents
writing
techniques
Troy Williamson
This week:
We will be starting our narrative writing plans.
We have gone through:
Narrative structures (linear and non-linear)
Who can tell me what linear and non-linear mean?
Events that go in order vs. events in mixed order
Different ways to describe words (synonyms and
examples)
Angry, sad, loud, dark
Todays lesson
Today we will be looking at specific narrative techniques
to use in your narrative writing, including:
Similes
Metaphors
Personification
Onomatopoeia and
Symbolism
Similes
Similes are when words are compared to other words,
specifically using phrases as or like.
For example:
Don ate his salad like a vacuum cleaner.
His arms were weak and felt like noodles.
The thunder was as loud as fireworks.
Similes
Lets practice with the following phrases (choose one):
He was fast . . .
She was slow . . .
I was hungry . . .
It was scary . . .
They were loud . . .
Think of examples to compare the word to, then use as
or like to make the comparison.
Metaphors
Metaphors compare words, like similes, but instead of saying one
thing is like something else, a metaphor says something is
something else.
A metaphor can sometimes use words like is, are, was or
were, but will never use the words like or as to compare
words.
For example:
You are my hero.
The sun was a furnace.
Metaphors
Lets practice with the following starters (choose one):
He . . .
She . . .
I...
It . . .
They . . .
Think of examples to compare them to, but avoid using as
or like to make the comparison. Instead use words like
is, are, was or were.
Personification
Personification is describing or giving nonliving things human characteristics.
For example:
Our house is an old friend of ours. Although he
creaks and groans with every gust of wind, he
never fails to protect us from the elements. He
wraps his arms of bricks and mortar around us
and keeps us safe. Hes always been a good friend
to us and we would never leave him.
Personification
Lets practice with the following objects (choose one):
The jackhammer . . .
The table . . .
The dress . . .
The car . . .
The bike . . .
Finish the sentence while giving or describing the object
with a human characteristic.
Onomatopoeia
Onomatopoeia is the use of words that attempt to
imitate or describe sounds.
For example:
Onomatopoeia
Lets practice with the following sounds (choose one):
An aeroplane flying overhead.
A car burnout.
A man being punched.
A rat in the walls.
An explosion.
Describe that sound with a word that comes to your head.
Symbolism
Symbolism is when an object is
used to represent something,
usually immaterial and something
significant for the story.
They can help convey deeper
meaning, show the
motivations/feelings of a character
or represent a theme or idea.
Something that is concrete (real or
you can see) that represents
something that is abstract (an idea
or feeling).
Symbolism
Symbolism