(Imagery)

Show, don’t tell.

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•Use dialogue•Use sensory detail•Be descriptive•Be specific•Use figurative language

Dialogue“When you use dialogue,” James explained, “you must

put punctuation inside the quotes.

Johnny pondered a moment, “And you must begin a new paragraph with each change in speaker!”

“Yes. You also want to attach that speaker to each instance of speech,” remarked James.

“Unless it’s obvious who is speaking, as in back-and-forth dialogue.”

“For sure.”

Sensory Detail

• SightA warm, green glow emanated from the craft, illuminating the dark forest.

• SoundA deep crunch resonated from the garage, like the garbage truck on Thursday

mornings, but much nearer.

• Smell“Uh oh,” Jimmy uttered, and pinched his nose between his index finger and

thumb.

• TasteRosie looked to the heavens, “Oh,” she began, “my gosh!” and stabbed another

square of lasagna with her fork.

• TouchWhen I reached down, it felt just like I imagined the skin of a crocodile would feel.

Description

Use adjectives, and choose them carefully./ˈajiktiv/ A word or phrase naming an attribute, added to or grammatically related to a noun to modify or describe it.

Use adverbs sparingly, or not at all. /ˈadˌvərb/ A word or phrase that modifies or qualifies an adjective, verb, or other

adverb or a phrase, expressing a relation of place or time (e.g. slowly, beautifully,

gracefully).

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Specificity

Vague, ‘fuzzy’ language can frustrate readers. Give details rather than leaving them to the reader to fill in.

Vague: I had never felt anything like it before in my entire life.

Specific: Everything seemed to go quiet, and my stomach felt as if I’d just gone over the edge of the big drop on a rollercoaster.

Figurative Language

Figurative language is the intentional use of language that is not literal. Skilled writers often apply figurative language in order to bring emphasis to an image, character, or idea. You can and should use figurative language to communicate your imagery, characters, ideas and points within your own writing – fiction, nonfiction, poetry, essays and speeches.

Types of figurative language include: simile, metaphor, personification, alliteration, onomatopoeia, hyperbole.

Simile

A simile uses the words “like” or “as” to compare one object or idea with another to suggest they are alike. This is similar to an analogy, though an analogy typically identifies several points of similarity. (e.g. Busy as a bee; like a fish out of water; as strong as an oxe.)

Metaphor

The comparison of two unlike things by using the words “is” or “are,” and without using the words “like” or “as.” A simile would say you are like something; a metaphor says you are something. (e.g. You are what you eat; laughter is the music of the soul.)

Personification

A figure of speech in which human characteristics are given to an animal or an object. (e.g. My teddy bear gave me a hug; The candle flame danced in the dark.)

Alliteration

The repetition of the same initial letter, sound, or group of sounds in a series of words. Think of it as rhyming, except within the first syllable of the words rather than the end syllable. (e.g. She sells seashells by the seashore; Zachary zeroed in on zoo keeping.)

Onomatopoeia

The use of a word to describe or imitate a natural sound or the sound made by an object or an action. (e.g Snap, crackle, pop; Baa baa black sheep; Bang!; Ker plunk; the cat meowed.)

Hyperbole

An exaggeration that is so dramatic that no one would believe the statement is true. Tall tales are hyperboles. (e.g. He was so hungry he ate that whole cornfield for lunch, stalks and all; as old as the hills; I told him a million times.)

Draft 1

We arrived at the lake, which was very beautiful. It was up in the mountains, and the lake seemed big. My sister, Anna, challenged me to swim across it. We went swimming, but only for five minutes. We didn’t make it across. Then we got back into our car and headed back down to the campsite.

Draft 2

“Holy mackerel!” squeeled my dad, swerving toward that ditch as he cocked his head upward to gaze at the steep mountains.

Granite cliffs rose 5,000 feet straight up. A turquoise lake sat just beneath them, like glass. A small peninsula dotted with a grove of emerald-colored pine trees welcomed us with a soft beach.

“Dare you to swim across,” Anna nagged. We only lasted five minutes. The water was as

frigid as a mountaintop glacier.

Draft 1 ?

Draft 2?