creative writing vocabulary

Blogs for English Excellence

How to Use Vocabulary in Creative Writing to Make Brilliant Stories

If you want to be a writer or really like writing, it’s important to know that vocabulary in creative writing is very important – as it can help you be the best writer you can be.

Creative writing is the way for people to express themselves and share their imaginative stories with others. It doesn’t follow regular writing rules, so it allows writers to create stories, poems, and essays that deeply connect with the readers’ emotions. When you are writing in a creative approach, it is very important to have a large and strong set of words that you know and understand well. This allows you to express your thoughts clearly, create strong mental pictures, and provoke feelings in your readers’ mind.

With Vocavive App , we have been helping students learn and master a strong collection of important English vocabulary. Having this kind of collection of a wide range of words helps writers express their ideas clearly and genuinely, making their creative ideas come alive on paper.

In this article, we will further discuss the words that can greatly help you to create a well-crafted story. We will give you helpful advice and tips to improve your writing skills – which includes choosing the right words, avoiding using the same words too much, and using good transitions.

Let’s get started?

Exploring the Significance of Vocabulary in Creative Writing

Creative writing is incredibly important because it lets us express ourselves and connect with others. It allows us to unleash our imagination, share personal stories, and evoke emotions in readers. The best kind of Creative writings have a great storytelling . They are full of rich expressions that take the reader through a journey.

Now, when it comes to writing effectively, having a good vocabulary is vital. Why?

A wide range of words helps us to convey our thoughts, emotions, and visuals in the best possible way. The work gets easier for the writer. But is it only that?

It also enables us to create vivid imagery in readers’ minds, develop intriguing characters, and construct realistic worlds. Numerous research studies have demonstrated this link between a strong vocabulary and writing proficiency. Research conducted by the Educational Testing Service (ETS) reveals that a larger vocabulary enhances the quality and complexity of writing. When we know and use a variety of words, our writing becomes more creative, clear, and profound.

Another study published in the Journal of Educational Psychology found that students with an extensive vocabulary tend to produce more engaging and captivating stories.

Overused Words That Will Make Your Writing Sound Weak

Using a variety of words is important when writing creatively. However, we should try not to use words and phrases which have been used too much in creative writing. We might use those words thinking it will improve the richness, when in fact, it can do the opposite. Those commonly used and overused words can make our writing sound boring and unoriginal.

Let’s look at a list of commonly used words that we should be careful not to use too much.

Awesome – The word “awesome” is used too much and doesn’t give enough details to describe something impressive or remarkable.
Beautiful – A word that is often used without giving any specific details or personal viewpoints.
Brilliant – The word “brilliant” is often used to say something is really good or smart, but it might sound overused.
Cool – An informal word that many people use a lot, but it doesn’t give a clear meaning anymore.
Cute – Often used to describe something charming or appealing, but it can be used too much and become unoriginal.
Different – Different is a word that is commonly used to describe something but doesn’t give much information or understanding about it.
Simple – Simple things are repeated too much and don’t have much meaning, so they don’t show all the details or difficulties involved.
Great – A word that is often used but it doesn’t provide many details and can be unoriginal.
Nice – A word that is used too much and doesn’t have enough clear details to describe something well.
Really – Often used as a word that doesn’t have much meaning and doesn’t make things clearer or more important.
Amazing – Often used without giving details or showing the real specialness of something.
Surprising – Used too much and doesn’t have a strong effect because people use it to describe things that happen or experiences that they have frequently.
Breathtaking – It has been used so much that it lost some of its power and impact.
Difficult – Often used without giving specific details or explanations about the difficulties being talked about.
Compelling – Means when something is persuasive or captivating, but it is often used too much and lacks originality.
Important – Often used to highlight significance without giving different viewpoints or specific details.
Dramatic – Often used to describe something intense or powerful, but can be unoriginal.
Effective – Effective is a word we use a lot but it doesn’t tell us much and doesn’t give us any new or special information about what we’re talking about.
Encouraging – Means giving support or motivation, but it is often used without giving examples or details to explain why it is encouraging.
Exciting – A word that people use too much, and it’s not very specific in describing the real nature or specialness of an exciting experience or event.
Fabulous – Frequently used to describe something exceptional or marvelous, but its frequent usage has diminished its impact.
Fantastic – Often employed as a generic term to convey excitement or positivity, but can lack specificity and originality.
Fascinating – A common choice to describe something intriguing or captivating, but its frequent usage can make it sound clichéd.
Fortunate – Frequently used without providing unique details or perspectives on the nature of the good fortune.
Genius – Overused to describe exceptional intelligence or talent, but its frequent use can diminish its impact.
Helpful – A commonly used term that lacks specificity, failing to convey the specific ways in which something or someone is helpful.
Incredible – Often used generically to express disbelief or awe, but its frequent usage can dilute its impact.
Inspiring – Frequently used to describe something that motivates or encourages, but can sound clichéd without offering specific examples.
Interesting – A generic term used to convey engagement or curiosity, but its overuse can make it sound unoriginal.
Magnificent – Frequently used to describe something grand or impressive, but its frequent usage can lessen its impact.
Memorable – Often used without providing specific details or insights into what makes something truly memorable.
Outstanding – A common descriptor for excellence, but its overuse can make it sound less impactful or unique.
Powerful – Frequently used to convey strength or influence, but its frequent usage can make it lose some of its impact.
Remarkable – Often used to describe something extraordinary or noteworthy, but its frequent usage can diminish its impact.
Significant – A frequently used term to express importance or meaning, but its overuse can make it sound clichéd.
Spectacular – Often used to describe something visually stunning or impressive, but its frequent usage can make it lose impact.
Striking – Frequently used to describe something visually or emotionally impactful, but its overuse can diminish its effect.
Substantial – A common term used to convey importance or size, but its overuse can make it sound generic or lacking in specificity.
Successful – Often used without providing specific criteria or context for defining success.
Surprising – Frequently used to convey unexpectedness, but its overuse can make it sound less impactful or genuine.
Terrific – A commonly used term to express enthusiasm or positivity, but its frequent usage can make it sound clichéd.
Unique – Often used to describe something one-of-a-kind or distinct, but its frequent usage can diminish its impact.
Valuable – Frequently used to express worth or importance, but its overuse can make it sound less impactful or specific.
Vivid – A commonly used term to describe something vibrant or intense, but its frequent usage can make it sound unoriginal.
Wonderful – Often employed as a generic term to convey delight or positivity, but its frequent usage can diminish its impact.
Worthwhile – Frequently used to express value or significance, but its overuse can make it sound less impactful or meaningful.

Use these 14 Types of Transition Vocabulary In Creative Writing

Effective transitions help connect ideas and make it easier for readers to follow along with the story or information. By using connecting words and phrases, writers often make their work easier to understand and flow better. Here are the Transition Words and Phrases you should keep in your volt.

Addition: again, also, besides, too, furthermore, moreover, in addition, first, second, third, next, lastly

Contrast: but, however, nevertheless, on the other hand, conversely, yet, although, even though, while, whereas

Comparison: similarly, likewise, in the same way, as, just as, than, like

Cause and Effect: because, therefore, thus, hence, as a result, consequently, so, for this reason, due to

Time: after, before, during, since, then, when, while, afterwards, next, finally, initially

Sequence: first, second, third, next, then, afterward, finally, to begin with, to start with

Emphasis: indeed, in fact, certainly, of course, truly, really, definitely, undoubtedly

Restatement: in other words, to put it another way, that is, as I said, in short

Clarification: to be more specific, to clarify, in other words, that is to say

Summarization: in summary, to sum up, all in all, in conclusion, to conclude

Example: for example, for instance, to illustrate, as an illustration, as shown

Concession: admittedly, it is true that, I agree that, I grant that, I will admit that

Refutation: however, on the contrary, yet, still, nevertheless, in spite of

Concluding Remarks: to conclude, in conclusion, in summary, to sum up, all in all

Question: How do I Use These Transition Words to Create a More Compelling Read?

To make your paragraphs flow better, it’s important to keep a few practical tips around you that connect your ideas smoothly. First, think carefully about how to move smoothly from one idea to another in your writing. Plan out the order that makes the most sense for your thoughts.

By doing this, you can find out where you need to use transition words and phrases to help readers understand how ideas are connected. Try out different connectors like “also,” “however,” or “likewise,” to keep your readers interested and add some variety to your writing.

Make sure to think about the situation and what you want to say when you write. Choose words that clearly show how your ideas connect to each other. It’s important to put transitions in the right places in sentences to make sure the writing flows smoothly and makes sense. You can put them at the start, in the middle, or at the end of sentences.

Vocabulary Gems to Dazzle Your Teacher in Essay Writing

As students, we often find ourselves striving to impress our teachers with well-crafted answer scripts. Beyond accurate content, an impressive essay demands the strategic use of vocabulary to showcase our language prowess and command over the subject matter. Let’s take a look at it with an example.

Before Using Vocabulary:

Imagine you are writing an essay about the American Revolution. In the fayirst scenario where there is no vocabulary, your essay may read like this –

“The American Revolution was a significant event in history. The colonists fought against British rule for their freedom.”

After Using Vocabulary:

Now, let’s see the same essay with an improved vocabulary usage –

“The American Revolution stands as a pivotal milestone in history, epitomizing the relentless spirit of the colonists who valiantly waged a battle for their emancipation from British dominion .”

Which one do you think has more richness?

See, the “after” scenario here elevates the description of the American Revolution by incorporating words like “pivotal milestone,” “relentless spirit,” and “valiantly waged a battle.”

Your classroom might have 20+ students. To stand out from the general crowd, you can use vocabulary like these. It not only demonstrates a more nuanced understanding of the said topic, but it also brilliantly captures the attention of the reader, including your teacher. She might feel more convinced to give you an A.

How to use specific words, descriptive language, and figurative language in creative writing

When describing emotions, shy away from simplistic and overused terms, such as “happy” or “sad”, or “very important”. Instead, try to opt for colorful alternatives that bring your characters’ feelings to life. For instance, rather than stating “The boy was happy,” say “The boy was grinning ear to ear, his eyes twinkling with excitement.” Such descriptions allow your readers to experience the joy alongside the character.

You also need to pay attention to employing descriptive language that adds depth and color to your writing. For example, replace mundane phrases like “The sky was blue” with a more captivating expression. It could be “The sky was a brilliant azure blue, stretching out like a vast ocean.” When you are using such rich language, your readers can feel as though they’re witnessing the scene firsthand.

Coming to figurative language, utilize similes, metaphors, and personification. This will leave a lasting impact on your audience who want to enjoy and feel connected to your story. For example, if you had to merely write an expression such as “The boy was strong” – you could very well say “The boy was as strong as an ox.” When this is done, the comparison to “an ox” not only conveys strength but also makes the description more memorable for the reader.

In Conclusion

In your journey as a budding writer, remember that mastering vocabulary in creative writing is not just a skill but a powerful tool for self-expression and captivating your readers. It is a skill that is essential for any writer, but it is especially important for creative writers. When you have a wide vocabulary, you have a wider range of tools to express yourself and bring your stories to life. You can use more precise language to describe your characters, settings, and events.

So don’t be afraid to experiment with new words. The more you use them, the more comfortable you will become with them, and the better your writing will be.

7 Strategies To Unleash Vocabulary Learning Via Meaningful Contexts

Have you ever felt frustrated when learning new words, only to forget them shortly after? Or found yourself struggling to use vocabulary effectively in real-life…

Beyond the Dictionary: 10 Ways Reading Can Unlock Extensive Knowledge

Do you still find yourself flipping through the pages of a dictionary in an attempt to expand your vocabulary? Well, it’s time to set aside…

Helping Writers Become Authors

Write your best story. Change your life. Astound the world.

Start Here!
Story Structure Database
Outlining Your Novel
Story Structure
Character Arcs
Archetypal Characters
Scene Structure
Common Writing Mistakes
Storytelling According to Marvel
K.M. Weiland Site

The Ultimate Glossary of Writing Terms

I still clearly remember the day I learned what “WIP” meant. I was a newbie on a writing forum, and everybody was using special writing terms like “WIP.” It got to the point where I wanted to scream: What’s a WIP? And why don’t I get one tooooooo? Then I googled it. Oh. Work-in-progress. That’s what it means. Of course.

As with any specialized occupation, writing comes complete with an equally specialized lexicon. Nowadays, I take for granted terms like “WIP,” “MC,” “ deus ex machin a,” and “head hopping.” But there was a day when all I could do was slack my mouth and glaze out in confusion.

Raise your hand if you’ve ever felt this way.

Introducing the Ultimate Glossary of Writing Terms

Action beat.

A description of the actions (gestures, facial expressions, or even thoughts) that accompany a speaking character’s words. An action beat should be included in the same paragraph as the dialogue as an indication that the person performing the action is also the person speaking.

For further study:

Action Beats

Active Voice

The opposite of passive voice.

Active Voice: Beautiful giraffes roam the Savannah.

Passive Voice: The Savannah is roamed by beautiful giraffes.

In active voice, the person or thing performing the action serves as the subject of the sentence. In passive voice, the subject is the person or thing being acted upon . In linguistics, the actor in a sentence is called the “agent,” and the passive receiver of action is called the “patient.” These are independent of “subject” and “object,” but which is which determines the voice of the verb.

Active Voice vs. Passive Voice: How to Use Both to Get the Most Out of Your Writing

Alliteration

A stylistic literary device identified by the repeated sound of the first consonant in a series of multiple words, or the repetition of the same sounds at the beginning of words or in stressed syllables of a phrase.

Example: P eter P iper p icked a p eck of p ickled p eppers.

For further study

4 Tricks for Picking the Perfect Word

Alpha Reader

An alpha reader is among the first to read a completed manuscript (MS) or work-in-progress (WIP) and is usually a close friend of the writer. The role of the alpha reader is to provide cheerleader-like support and encouragement rather than constructive criticism.

Antagonistic Force

Whatever is standing in opposition to the protagonist’s goal. Could be a human, but could also be an inanimate obstacle.

What if Your Antagonist Isn’t a Person?
The Pixar Way to Think About Story Conflict

A protagonist who lacks conventional heroic qualities such as idealism, courage, and morality. These individuals often possess dark personality traits such as disagreeableness, dishonesty, and aggressiveness.

Examples: Captain Mal in Firefly or Holden in The Catcher in the Rye .

4 Ways to Make Your Antihero Deliciously Irresistible

A “type” of character, which is commonly repeated across literature.

Examples: The Mentor, the Magician, etc.

8 ½ Character Archetypes You Should Be Writing
Three Character Archetypes in Fiction

“As you know, Bob…” A method of dumping exposition through dialogue, infamous for its awkwardness and lack of realism. It involves an otherwise unnecessary conversation between two characters that the author forces on them solely to inform readers of what the characters both already know. Writers often choose this technique to reveal important background information without taking readers out of the story, but it usually works against them by taking the characters out of the story instead.

The Sneaky Secret Life of “As You Know, Bob…”

Back Matter

The additional parts of a book, appearing after the main body of the text (i.e., acknowledgements, historical notes, explanatory notes, end notes, an afterword, index, bibliographies, and appendixes). Also called End Matter.

Information about past events or thoughts that shaped the characters or story world.

Backstory: The Importance of What Isn’t Told
The #1 Problem With Backstory (and Its Simple Fix)
Give Me 3 Minutes and I’ll Give You a Better (and Darker) Backstory
The Only Rule About Backstory That Matters
When Not to Tell Your Character’s Backstory

An important event or turning point within a story.

The Units of Story: The Beat

Beta Reader

Beta readers provide feedback during the writing and/or editing process. They are not explicitly proofreaders or editors, but can serve in that context. Elements highlighted by beta readers encompass things such as plot holes, continuity problems, characterization, and believability. The beta might also assist the author with fact-checking.

For further study :

A Quick Guide to Beta Reader Etiquette
15 Places to Find Your Next Beta Reader
Relax! Beta Readers Aren’t Scary: Here Are 3 Truths About Them

Black Moment/Low Moment

The part of the story when everything looks hopeless and the situation is at its lowest point. Usually coincides with the Third Plot Point.

How to Figure Out the Worst Thing That Can Happen to Your Character
Creating Stunning Character Arcs, Pt. 12: The Third Plot Point
The Secrets of Story Structure, Pt. 9: The Third Act

A short summary of what the book is about, meant to hook the reader.

How to Write a Book Blurb That Sells

Burly Detective Syndrome

Frequently referring to a character by a description (“the burly detective”), usually out of fear of overusing the character’s name or pronoun (see Stutter).

Most Common Writing Mistake: Referencing Characters by Title Rather Than Name

The name of the author printed at the head of the article or on the cover of the book.

Character Arc

The personal/inner transformation the protagonist undergoes over the course of the story. Usually, the character learns something through the main conflict in order to become a better person by the story’s end.

For further study:

How to Write Character Arcs

Chekhov’s Gun

This is a dramatic principle that requires every single element within a story to be necessary and irreplaceable. The term was coined when Anton Chekhov wrote a letter to A.S. Lazarev, indicating that if a loaded gun is present in one scene it should be fired in a subsequent scene in order to avoid being superfluous. If you give something attention, such as the gun, it must be because it has some import later in the narrative.

Chekhov’s Gun: What It Is and How to Use It
Setup and Payoff: The Two Equally Important Halves of Story Foreshadowing

A genre fiction centered on contemporary women and women’s issues that is often written in a light, humorous tone. Generally, it deals with the protagonist and her relationships with family, friends, and/or romantic interests. Often referred to as women’s commercial fiction.

Any situation in a story that has been used too many times in literature, to the point it loses meaning and/or becomes cheesy.

Turn Clichés on Their Heads
Are You Creating Your Own Personal Clichés?
3 Ways to Make Clichés Work in Your Writing

Cliffhanger

The ending of a chapter or book in a moment of high suspense and tension, used to compel readers to read on or buy the next book in an installment.

Is the Cliffhanger Ending Overrated?

Climactic Moment

The moment in the Climax where the overall goal is reached or not reached. This is the moment when the protagonist defeats the antagonist or visa versa.

Want Readers to Adore Your Book? Learn How to Ace Your Climactic Moment
Creating Stunning Character Arcs, Pt. 14: The Climax
How to Structure a Whammy of a Climax
The Secrets of Story Structure, Pt. 10: The Climax

Climactic Turning Point

The beginning of the Climax, halfway through the Third Act (at approximately the 88% mark in the book).

The finale of the story, featuring the final and decisive confrontation between the protagonist and the antagonistic force, determining whether or not the protagonist will succeed or fail in gaining the main plot goal. Takes place in the final eighth of the story (the second half of the Third Act), starting around the 88% mark, and lasting until the last or next-to-last scene.

Creating Stunning Character Arcs: The Climax
What Is the Role of Theme in a Story’s Climax?

The overarching opposition fueling the entire plot of a story and presenting obstacles to the protagonist on a macro and micro level.

What’s the Difference Between Conflict and Tension?
Most Common Writing Mistakes, Pt. 31: One-Dimensional Conflict
The Four Different Types of Conflict in Dialogue
5 Ways to Keep Readers Riveted With Conflict

Contagonist

A term unique to Dramatica ’s list of archetypes. As defined by Melanie Anne Phillips and Chris Huntley, the Contagonist “hinders and deludes the Protagonist, tempting it [ sic ] to take the wrong course or approach.”

What’s a Contagonist? (How to Keep Story Conflict High Without the Antagonist)

Content Editing

A content editor looks at the big picture: character arcs, plot arcs, tone, and pacing. Also may comment on POV issues and/or narrative voice. A content edit is the first edit a story should go through after the rough edges have been knocked off the first draft.

Your Novel Is a Hot Mess! How to Edit Your Book
5 Steps to a Thorough Book Edit

Copy Editing

The process of ensuring that a piece of writing is correct and consistent in terms of grammar, spelling, and punctuation; that it is logically structured and audience-appropriate; and that the intended meaning of the text is communicated clearly through suitable word choice and style.

How to Edit Fiction: Watch Me Correct My Own Story in Real Time
6 Tips for How to Organize Your Novel’s Edits
5 Ways to Trim Your Book’s Word Count

Court Intrigue

A subcategory of epic fantasy that’s currently popular and is the fantasy equivalent of Dumas’s The Three Musketeers . Good examples of this are Robin Hobbs’s Assassin trilogy, George R. R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire series, Martha Wells’s The Element of Fire , and Dave Duncan’s The King’s Blades trilogy.

A mystery novel that usually features a bloodless crime, with very little violence, sex, or coarse language (but not always a pure “clean read”). Usually, the person solving the crime is an amateur and has the support/friendship of a police officer/detective/medical examiner. Readers usually identify with the main character because they are positive and socially acceptable (even their small faults).

Creative Nonfiction

The use of literary style and writing technique to tell a true story. It’s an embellishment, but only for the sake of telling a story that teaches a lesson or conveys a change of heart or mind. Narrative, dialogue, setting, and voice are just a few creative writing tools used to grab a reader’s interest and leave them changed somehow at the end.

What Non-Fiction Authors Can Teach Novelists

Critique Partner/Critter

A partner with whom a writer exchanges manuscript critiques, in order to get knowledgeable feedback about how to improve a story. Critique partners receive no payment, only your critique of their own writing in return. (See also Beta Reader and Alpha Reader.)

Questions for Critique Partners
When You’ve Chosen the Wrong Critique Partner

Cyberpunk explores the fusion between man and machine. A key element is the perfection of the Internet and virtual reality technology. In a cyberpunk novel, characters can experience and interact with computers in a 3D graphic environment so real it feels like a physical landscape. The society in which cyberpunk is set tends to be heavily urban and usually somewhat anarchic or feudal. The “father of cyberpunk” is William Gibson, author of the seminal cyberpunk novel Neuromancer . Other authors defining this ever-evolving virtual reality include Neal Stephenson and Rudy Rucker.

The wrap up after the story is done. The wind down from the action of the Climax. Sometimes not included in the full arc of the story, but tells afterward details.

Creating Stunning Character Arcs, Pt. 15: The Resolution
The Secrets of Story Structure, Pt. 11: The Resolution
The Characteristic Moment Belongs at the End of Your Book Too

Deus Ex Machina

Literally translates “god from a machine” and was originally a reference to the “god” (played by an actor lowered onto the stage on a “machine”) who descended at the end of the Greek and Roman plays to solve all the mortal characters’ problems and put everything in order for a happy ending.

Deus Ex Machina : Latin for “Don’t Do This in Your Story”

Deuteragonist

A secondary protagonist and the driver of a subplot. Can be a sidekick.

Developmental Editing

Editing concerned primarily with the structure and content of a book that starts near the beginning of the manuscript’s life. A developmental editor works to give the book focus and direction (mostly towards what is “marketable”) by helping to develop author’s ideas, and so will point out inconsistencies in aspects such as logic, voice, and audience.

For further reading:

What Is a Developmental Editor and What Can You Expect?

Words spoken by a character, conventionally enclosed in quotation marks. Dialogue should sound realistic, without attempting to reproduce real speech verbatim. Indirect dialogue, also known as reported speech, is a narrative summary of dialogue.

Get Rid of On-the-Nose Dialogue Once and For All
How to Write Funny Dialogue

Dialogue Tags

Dialogue tags and/or action beats let readers know which character is speaking.

Most Common Writing Mistakes: How Not to Use Speaker Tags and Action Beat

A subgenre related to steampunk, although it is driven more by the culture of the 1920s through the early 1950s. Technology is strongly influenced by diesels.

Storming: A Dieselpunk Adventure

Fiction of almost or exactly one hundred words, but not over. Something you write for fun. Or practice. Or both. Both is good.

Dumb Mechanic

Where a character explains something to a character who doesn’t know anything about the subject. For example, a mechanic explains what is wrong with a machine to someone who knows nothing about mechanics. It’s vital the ignorant character’s lack of knowledge be realistic and believable.

See also, “As you know, Bob” (i.e., a character telling another character something they both know.) The Dumb Mechanic is slightly better than “As you know, Bob,” but the core problem is the same.

Are You Making Your Characters (and Yourself) Look Stupid?

This describes an imagined community, society, or world, in which everything is unpleasant or undesirable. It is the opposite of utopian, and literally means “bad place.”

Epic Fantasy

Sweeping in scope, epic fantasy usually concerns a battle for rulership of a country, empire, or entire world. Drawing heavily upon archetypal myths and the quintessential struggle between a few good people against overwhelming forces of evil, epic fantasy is best represented by author J.R.R. Tolkien’s classic The Lord of the Rings trilogy. Other authors of epic fantasy include New York Times ‘ bestselling Raymond E. Feist ( The Serpentwar Saga ) and Adam Lee ( The Dominions of Irth ). Some other popular epic fantasy authors are Robert Jordan, David Eddings, and Terry Brooks.

A separate section at the end of a work often commenting on the work as a whole and/or serving as an addendum.

How to Write an Epilogue That Works
One Way to Tell if Your Prologue (and Epilogue) Is Unnecessary

The part of the story where background information about characters, events, setting, etc., is provided.

A genre of speculative fiction. Sci-fi typically aims for scientific plausibility, while fantasy often incorporates magical systems. Stories may contain elements of both or be exclusive to one or the other, but all such stories explore fantastic worlds and scenarios.

Fantasy Worldbuilding Questions
One Handy Way to Add Instant Originality to Your Fantasy Novel
Waiter! There’s a Smphurphle in My Fantasy Novel: Do’s and Don’ts of Made-Up Words
Are You Asking These Important Questions About Your Fantasy Setting?

The opening act in your story. In the classic Three-Act structure, the First Act comprises the first quarter of the story. It is primarily concerned with introducing characters, settings, and stakes, as well as setting up the main conflict. It includes such important structural moments as the Hook, the Inciting Event, and the Key Event. It ends with the First Plot Point.

The Secrets of Story Structure: The First Act
Creating Stunning Character Arcs: The First Act
How to Take the Guesswork Out of What Scenes Belong in Your First Act

First Person

A point of view in which readers “see” through the eyes of the main character. It uses pronouns such as “I” and “me.”

For example: “I walked into the house.”

3 Ways You Can Use a First-Person Narrator to Tell a Better Story
Don’t Even Think About Using First-Person Unless…
Most Common Writing Mistakes: Is Your First-Person Narrator Overpowering Your Story?

First Pinch Point

An important structural turning point that occurs in the First Half of the Second Act at the 37% mark. It emphasizes the threat of the antagonistic force, shows what is at stake for the protagonist in the conflict, and introduces important new clues about the nature of the conflict.

What Are Pinch Points? And How Can They Make Your Book Easier to Write?

First Plot Point

The first major plot point in the story, marking the end of the First Act and the beginning of the Second. It takes place around the 25% mark. This is where the protagonist fully encounters the story’s conflict in a way that the choice to leave behind the Normal World of the First Act and enter the “adventure world” of the Second Act.

Never Confuse the Key Event and the First Plot Point in Your Book Again!
The Secrets of Story Structure: The First Plot Point
Creating Stunning Character Arcs: The First Plot Point

Short narration that breaks a story’s linear time sequence by showing the past.

Most Common Writing Mistakes: Are Your Flashbacks Flashy or Flabby?

Flash Fiction

Extremely short fiction. Some flash fiction markets have a limit of 50 words, while others allow up to 1,000 words. Like longer fiction, flash fiction includes conflict and resolution, but some elements may be implied and left to readers’ imaginations. Due to its extreme brevity, flash fiction tends to focus on a single turning point or revealing moment.

Flashforward

Short narration that breaks a story’s linear time sequence by showing the future.

Hook Readers With a Sneak Peek
Foreshadowing

Involves planting hints early on in a book to prepare readers for important revelations and events that occur later in the story.

Front Matter

The material preceding the main body/text of a work: including the title pages, printing/publishing data and/or a table of contents, foreword, preface, author’s note, dedication, etc.

A category of fiction (e.g., romance, mystery, or fantasy). “Genre fiction” is generally considered popular fiction as opposed to literary fiction.

Definitions of Fiction Categories and Genres
What Is Genre Fiction?
Literary Fiction vs. Genre Fiction

Ghost Writer

One who undertakes the physical labor of writing an article, book, or memoir for someone else, usually in secret. One who produces written content as a third party for someone else, nominally for a fee in exchange for all credit for said written content belonging to someone else.

5 Writing Lessons I Learned Ghostwriting for New York Times Bestsellers

Happily Ever After. Romance writers use this to describe a genre as well as a moment. “A great HEA read.” Or, “you do get your HEA?” Most often seen with Harlequin and the “cozy” genre.

Head Hopping

A common gaffe that occurs when the narrative breaks “out of POV” and jumps without warning from the perspective of one character into the perspective of another.

Most Common Writing Mistakes: Head-Hopping POV

Hero’s Journey

The Hero’s Journey is a narrative structure or pattern, identified by Joseph Campbell as being the common thread in many historical and mythological stories and purported to be the strongest psychological storyform. At its most basic level is it is a classic adventure storyform, featuring a hero who must overcome opposition and save his world. However, it can be applied to vastly different types of stories. Also known as the Monomyth.

The Writer’s Journey by Christopher Vogler
The Hero’s Journey: An Author’s Guide to Plotting

Historical Fiction

A literary genre where the plot takes place in the past, often (but not always) including historical figures.

7 Easy Ways to Research a Historical Novel
Why Your Novel May Not Be Historical Fiction After All

Any moment of interest designed to “hook” a reader’s curiosity. Specifically, it applies to the opening Hook in the book’s first chapter, which piques reader curiosity about the plot and protagonist and convinces them to read the book.

The Secrets of Story Structure: The Hook
How to Drive Your Readers Wild With Hints and Story Hooks—Without Frustrating Them
Think You Wrote a Great Hook for Your Book’s Beginning? Find Out Why It May Not Be Enough

Refers to well-known, respected publishing houses.

Impact Character

A character who is a strong catalyst for change in the protagonist, causing inner conflict and helping put the plot into motion.

The Impact Character: Why Every Character Arc Needs One

Inciting Event/Incident

The moment that “officially” kicks off a story’s main conflict/plot. This is the protagonist’s first brush with the conflict—the Call to Adventure, which the character will start out by rejecting to some degree. Usually takes place after the story’s initial set-up, at the 12% mark, halfway through the First Act. This is the first prominent turning point in the story.

Your Book’s Inciting Event: It’s Not What You Think It Is
The Secrets of Story Structure: Inciting Event and Key Event
Maximize Your Story’s Inciting Event

An undesirable writing method in which the author “dumps” information or extensive description on the reader all at once, instead of weaving the information into the action of the story.

Most Common Writing Mistakes: Info Dumps
This Is How to Transform Info Dumps Into Exciting Plot Reveals
How to Use Dialogue to Avoid Lengthy Info Dumps

In Medias Res

The Latin term for “in the middle,” which is applied to idea of beginning a story in the middle of things .

Dostoevsky and the Art of In Medias Res
In Medias Res : How to Do It and How Not to

Internal Dialogue

Reproduces a character’s thoughts and is often (though not always) indicated by italics.

The Do’s and Don’ts of Internal Monologue
5 Ways to Write Character Thoughts Worth More Than a Penny

If the Inciting Event is what gets your plot rolling, the Key Event is what sucks your protagonist into that plot. Even if you have a great big Inciting Event (like, say, the beginning of a war), it can’t affect your character until the Key Event drags him into the mess (as would happen if he were drafted into the Army).

Books for children.

Line Editing

This form of editing means going over a manuscript line by line and editing it for grammar errors as you go. It doesn’t entail any extensive rewriting, but there may be some use of color editing to liven up flat prose, and there may be some reduction of redundancies (such as repeated information). This type of editing may include the use of a style guide, such as the Chicago Manual of Style.

Is a Professional Editor a Waste of Money?

Single sentence story summary, specifically used as pitch. See Premise Sentence.

6 Reasons a Premise Sentence Strengthens Your Story

Love Interest

A principle secondary character for whom the protagonist has romantic interest (and/or the romantic subplot itself).

How to Take Advantage of Your 4 Most Important Characters

MARY SUE (female), MARTY-STU (male)

Begun by fan fiction writers but now a part of writers’ general vocabulary. A derogatory term for a character who is able to do everything, with unrealistic abilities.

How to Spot (and Kill) Your Mary Sue Characters

Short for Main Character. The lead of the story.

Protagonist and Main Character— Same Person? The Answer May Transform Your Story!

An experienced adviser who offers—sometimes reluctantly—to show the hero “the way.” Usually a trustworthy ally, the mentor figure will often impart an object or piece of information that will prove vital later in the hero’s quest. The name itself comes from a character in Homer’s The Odyssey . Examples include: Obi-Wan Kenobi from Star Wars , Gandalf from Lord of the Rings , and “Irv” in Cool Runnings (a less trustworthy mentor figure).

4 Ways to Write a Thought-Provoking Mentor Character

Main Female Character. The female lead in a romance story. Usually gets the guy in the end.

Middle Grade fiction, targeted to children ages 8 to 12 years old. Typically features a main character in the same age range and avoids “mature” content such as graphic violence or sexually explicit material. That’s not to say the stories are simplistic, of course.

Microfiction

Extremely short fiction. Some flash fiction markets have a limit of 50 words, while others allow up to 1,000 words. Like longer fiction, flash fiction includes conflict and resolution, but some elements may be implied for the sake of brevity and left to readers’ imaginations. Due to its extreme brevity, flash fiction tends to focus on a single turning point or revealing moment. (See Flash Fiction.)

The Second Major Plot Point in a story’s structure. It occurs in the middle of the book, halfway through the Second Act, at the 50% mark. This is where the protagonist experiences a Moment of Truth, which allows a better understanding of the antagonistic force and the external conflict, as well as the internal conflict driving the character arc. It signals a shift from the reactive phase of the first half into the active phase of the second half.

The Secrets of Story Structure: The Midpoint
Creating Stunning Character Arcs: The Midpoint
How the Perfect Midpoint Moves Your Protagonist From Reaction to Action
How to Transform Your Story With a Moment of Truth

Main Male Character. The male lead in a romance story. Usually gets the girl in the end.

An image or phrase with thematic significance that is repeated throughout the book.

Strengthening a Thematic Motif Through Repetition

MPS: Missing Parent Syndrome

The rather common occurrence in which the protagonist is underage but the parents and/or guardians are somehow left out for the majority of the plot. This can be due to death (Frodo in Lord of the Rings ) or boarding school ( Harry Potter ) or visitation to another world ( Narnia ) or just about any other reason.

“Manuscript.” A yet unpublished work, whether written or typed.

New Adult (Fiction) is aimed at an older age group than Young Adult (12-18) and focuses on new adult experiences such as the first serious relationship, first serious job, going to college, and moving out on their own.

The overall progression of a story. Also, specifically, the summary aspects of the writing, as distinct from dialogue, direct thoughts, and “shown” action. “Internal narrative” is told from a character’s point of view and, often, in his or her voice.

Keep Your Story Moving With a Cohesive Narrative
6 Steps to Create a Fantastic Narrative Voice
Top 4 Editing Tricks for Creating a Seamless Narrative

Normal World

The initial setting in the story, meant to illustrate the characters’ lives before they meet with the story’s main conflict. This world may be destructive to the protagonist (in which case, the protagonist must learn to move away from it and live without it), or it may be healthy (in which case, the protagonist will have to leave it in order to defend it). The Normal World may be a definitive setting, which will change at the beginning of the Second Act, when the character enters the “adventure world” of the main conflict. However, it may also be more metaphorical, in which case the setting itself will not switch to a new setting, but rather the conflict will change the setting around the protagonist.

Creating Stunning Character Arcs: The Normal World
5 Misconceptions About Your Story’s Normal World
Provide Contrast Using Your Character’s Normal World

A fictional prose work with a relatively long and often complex plot, usually divided into chapters, in which the story traditionally develops through the thoughts and actions of its characters.

A story that runs from around 40K to 50K words. Normally, it has no subplot and no more than two POV characters. One of the harder forms to sell traditionally, though this is changing.

3 Reasons You Should Consider Writing a Novella Right Now

A short novel that is often about romantic relationships and is usually not very serious. Word count is 7,500 to 17,500 words.

A type of point of view (POV), in which the narration is told from an omniscient or “all-knowing” perspective (sometimes the author’s, sometimes just generally), in which things the characters would have no way of knowing are shared with readers. One of the most difficult types of POV to do well.

What Every Writer Ought to Know About the Omniscient POV

On the Nose

A poor style of writing that presents the story in a way that is too straightforward, without irony or subtext. Especially common in dialogue, in which characters always say exactly what they’re thinking or feeling.

Your manuscript has been submitted, usually by your agent, to a list of editors at publishing houses who may or may not have agreed to read it.

A sketch of every event that makes up the structure of a story, which is written before a first draft to edit out any structural weak spots beforehand.

How to Outline Your Novel
What Should Your Book Outline Look Like? [Free Download]

The rate at which a story progresses and events unfold.

Here Are Five Great Ways to Pace Your Story
4 Pacing Tricks to Keep Readers’ Attention
5 Ways to Use Pacing to Write a Powerful Story

Writers who prefer to write “by the seat of their pants,” meaning without previous outlining.

Can You Structure if You’re a Pantser?
The Mirror Moment: A Method for Both Plotters and Pantsers
Thinking About Outlining Your Novel? One Pantser’s Story

A speculative fiction genre that involves elements such as vampires, shapeshifters, fairies, elves, etc. Often set in modern-day urban settings. Often romantic in nature.

How to Tell the Difference Between Fantasy and Paranormal

A writer who prefers to write a book after going through an outlining process.

Passive Voice

The opposite of active voice.

Examples:

Active Voice: Beautiful giraffes roam the Savannah.

To Be or Not To Be: In Defense of the Passive Voice

Pinch Point

A scene or event that adds pressure to the heroes and reminds readers of the antagonist’s plan or presence within the narrative. One of two turning points that take place in the Second Act (at the 37% and 62% marks, respectively).

One of the major turning points in a story’s structure. See also First Plot Point, Midpoint, and Third Plot Point.

What Are Plot Points?
Are Your Plot Points Too Weak?
A Matter of Timing: Positioning Your Major Plot Points Within Your Story
Point of View

The first stage of the writing process, which generally includes brainstorming, planning, mapping, researching, and outlining. Prewriting encompasses everything a writer does before beginning the first draft, and it accomplishes such goals as determining the intended theme, organizing plot points, and establishing characters. See also Outlining.

6 Tasks You’ll Love Yourself for Checking Off Your NaNo Pre-Writing List

A separate, introductory section to a work.

Skip the Prologue!
When Not to Skip the Prologue
Find Out if Your Prologue Is Destroying Your Story’s Subtext

Proofreader

Someone reading through a completely edited work to find and/or correct typographical errors (i.e., typos).

Protag/Protagonist

The character whom the story is about and who is most directly affected by the antagonist. This character may be the narrator/POV character (such as Harry Potter or Katniss Everdeen), or the protagonist may be a character who is viewed by someone else (as Atticus Finch and Heathcliff are viewed by Scout and Nelly Dean, respectively).

3 Ways to Choose the Right Protagonist
The Only Reason You Should Ever Choose a Protagonist

Query Letter

A letter written when seeking representation from a literary agent. It describes your story and shows agents why your book is worth their time and effort and is a good fit for their agency.

How to Write a Great Query Letter

Query Trenches

Generally refers to looking for representation from a literary agent (although it is possible to directly query publishers).

Red Herring

A false clue meant to mislead the reader. It creates a false trail for the reader to follow. A red herring can be an object, a character, part of the setting, etc.

The final section of the story—usually the last two to three scenes in the final chapter. This is where any final loose ends are resolved after the main conflict has already been decided.

The Secrets of Story Structure: The Resolution
Creating Stunning Character Arcs: The Resolution

The power to evoke enduring images, memories, and emotions.

Rising Action

A series of events within the book’s conflict building up—with greater and greater tension—to the story’s Climax.

A fiction genre focusing on romantic love.

Romance University

R&R: Revise and Resend/Resubmit

An agent or editor saw something they liked in your work but felt it need a significant revision. They’d like you to make the changes they suggested and resubmit it. It doesn’t necessary mean they’ll take it though.

How to Structure Scenes in Your Story
How to Write Interesting Scenes
7 Questions You Have About Scenes vs. Chapters

Scene Sequence

A series of scenes with an overall related focus. A sequence has a unified focus which can usually be summed up in a simple idea (e.g., a rescue, a wedding, a trial, a battle). Scene sequences have their own defined beginning, middle, and end within the overall story.

The division of a Scene into a scene (the action that happens when a character has a goal , then conflict interferes with that goal and there is an outcome ) and its sequel (the character reacting to the previous outcome, then facing a dilemma , and finally making a decision about it that will determine what the character’s goal is in the next Scene).

Learn How to Structure Your Scenes–in 5 Minutes!
Incidents and Happenings: Scenes That Aren’t Actually Scenes

Science Fiction

Aka Sci-Fi. Fiction that incorporates scientific elements such as futuristic societies, advanced technology, and alien worlds. Though usually aiming for scientific plausibility, it ranges in realism from currently understood physics and biology to highly speculative science.

(A) A self-contained story that continues within the world of a previous story. It typically follows the characters, setting, or themes from the original, but with a new story premise and problem.

(B) The second half of a Scene, following the scene (goal, conflict, disaster). It contains the reaction, dilemma, and decision that the character has in response to the events of the scene.

How to Write a Sequel That’s BETTER Than the First Book

Serial Fiction

Novel (or longer) length fiction written in installments and published at regular intervals, either on a blog, in a magazine, or as small e-books.

How the Amazon Kindle Serials Program Works

Every character has his opposite, which allows the author to draw important contrasts and plumb the depths of his theme. Just like the Antagonist is the opposite of the Protagonist, the Skeptic character archetype is the opposite of the Sidekick. This is someone who doubts everything, particularly the Protagonist’s choices.

The middle act in your story. In the classic Three-Act structure, the Second Act comprises the biggest part of the story, from the 25% mark to the 75% mark. It is primarily concerned with developing the main conflict. It includes such important structural moments as the First Pinch Point, the Midpoint, and the Second Pinch Point. It begins with the First Plot Point and ends with the Third Plot Point.

The Secrets of Story Structure: The First Half of the Second Act
The Secrets of Story Structure: The Second Half of the Second Act

Second Pinch Point

An important structural turning point that occurs in the Second Half of the Second Act at the 62% mark. It emphasizes the threat of the antagonistic force, shows what is at stake for the protagonist in the conflict, and introduces important new clues about the nature of the conflict.

Second Plot Point

See Midpoint.

More than one book telling the same or related stories.

Creating a Book Series: Great Idea or Think Again?
FAQ: How to Write Character Arcs in a Series
How to Outline a Series of Bestselling Books

The physical place in which the story’s events happen.

16 Ways to Make Your Setting a Character in Its Own Right
4 Setting Questions That Will Deepen Your Characters
Ineffective Setting Descriptions

Science Fiction, aka Sci-Fi. Fiction that incorporates scientific elements such as futuristic societies, advanced technology, and alien worlds. Though usually aiming for scientific plausibility, it ranges in realism from currently understood physics and biology to highly speculative science.

Science Fiction & Fantasy. A combined genre of speculative fiction. Sci-fi typically aims for scientific plausibility, while fantasy often incorporates magical systems. Stories may contain elements of both or be exclusive to one or the other, but all such stories explore fantastic worlds and scenarios.

The period of time when you put aside your work in progress, in order to be able to come back to it later with fresh eyes.

Why You Should Walk Away From Your Writing

Short Story

A story too short to be divided into chapters, usually under 7,500.

Let’s Write a Short Story

(In contrast to Telling): Conveying an atmosphere, emotion, or mood by relating the movements or expressions of objects or players rather than stating facts about them.

Showing: The boughs bowed and swayed, dumping their icy load onto the quivering children.

Telling: The frightened children got soaked by a load of snow falling from the branches.

Showing: His face paled and his hands trembled as he slunk through the doorway.

Telling: He felt nervous and hesitated to enter the room.

Showing and Telling: The Quick and Easy Way to Tell the Difference
Most Common Writing Mistakes: Are Your Verbs Showing or Telling?
Most Common Writing Mistakes, Pt. 33: Telling Important Scenes, Instead of Showing
3 Tips for Improving Show, Don’t Tell
8 Quick Tips for Show, Don’t Tell

Sidekicks, by definition, are almost always with the main character, which allows the conflict to be ongoing. A person who helps and spends a lot of time with someone who is usually more important, powerful, etc.

Why Your Hero Needs a Yappy Sidekick

Speaker Tags

In its most basic form, this consists of the speaker’s name and a speech-related verb ( said , shouted , asked , etc.). Often the simplest way of indicating which character is speaking.

Most Common Writing Mistakes: How Not to Use Speaker Tags and Action Beats
Most Common Writing Mistakes: Avoiding “Said”

Speculative Fiction

Speculative fiction is a fiction genre speculating about worlds that are unlike the real world in various important ways. In these contexts, it generally overlaps one or more of the following: science fiction, fantasy, horror, supernatural, superhero, utopian, dystopian, apocalyptic, post-apocalyptic, and alternate history. It is often used as an umbrella term for science fiction and fantasy when considered as a single genre. The term is used this way in academic and ideological criticism of these genres, as well as by some readers, writers, and editors of these genres.

What Is Speculative Fiction?

Standalone Book

Either a book that is not part of a series, or a book that is part of a series but does not depend on the other books in the series to make sense. Used most often in the former sense to indicate a book that has no sequels.

Standard Manuscript Format

The standard way editors, agents, and publishers want your manuscript formatted before you send it to them.

The cover page should be separate from the rest of the manuscript. It should include:

– name of the manuscript and author (or pen name) – approximate word count (rounded to the nearest hundred) – Your name, address, phone number, e-mail, and website – Your agent’s details (if you have an agent)

font: Twelve point, Times New Roman or Courier New Black.

margins: One-inch margins on all four sides.

indent: Half-inch paragraph indentations for the first line of each and every paragraph.

space: Double space; no extra line between paragraphs.

align: Align left.

page numbering: Number pages beginning with the actual story (don’t count or put page numbers on the title page).

scene breaks: Indicate scene breaks by inserting a blank line and centering the number sign (#) in the center of the line.

page header: Include your last name, the manuscript’s title, and the page number in the page header of every page except for the title page. Align the header to the right.

chapters: Begin chapters on new pages (insert a page break or format using styles). Center the chapter title, even if it’s only Chapter One (or Chapter 1), about one-third of the way down the page. Skip a couple of lines and begin the text of the chapter.

end: Center a number sign (#) on an otherwise blank line one double-spaced line down from the final line of text of the final chapter or epilogue at the end of the manuscript. Or write The End. (The end should be labeled so an agent or editor isn’t looking for extra pages that aren’t there.)

italics: Use italics for italicized words (versus underlining them).

character spacing: Use a single character space, not two spaces, between sentences.

The standard document format is MS Word (.doc) If you have a newer version of MS Word, Open Office, Pages, or something else, save the document in .doc (This is usually found somewhere like, File>>Save As, “MS Word 97-2003 (.doc)” Almost everyone can read .doc files.)

Finally, check the publisher or agent’s website. Some will have specific fonts, spacing, or other ways they want things done that might vary slightly from the general guidelines.

Formatting 101: how to format your novel for submission

A subgenre of fantasy fiction which is largely determined by its setting, which is typically an alternative-Victorian reality, laden with steam-powered technology. Corsets are optional.

Using the same word or phrase twice, recently enough that the reader remembers it; depends partly on how distinctive the word is. Can be distracting if not used intentionally.

A subcategory of a major genre. For example, “sword and sorcery” and “portal fantasy” are subgenres within the fantasy genre, while “cozy” and “noir” are subgenres within the mystery genre.

A secondary thread of the story, with its own beginning, middle, and end, the subplot may or may not be directly connected to the main plot, and generally involves supporting characters.

5 Tips for Organizing Subplots
Can a Character’s Arc Be a Subplot?
Does Your Story Need Subplots?

Substantive Editing

A detailed and complete editing of a book, involving not just suggestions for the overall story, but also line-by-line editing of the prose itself. This is the most intensive type of editing.

The meaning beneath the dialogue—what the speaker really means, even though it’s being said directly.

Subtext: The Art of Iceberging
I Just Figured Out What All My Favorite Stories Have in Common—and It Blew My Mind
The Only 5 Ingredients You Need for Story Subtext

A description of the book’s content. Sometimes written as marketing copy—with a hook and no spoilers—to convince readers to buy the book. Sometimes written as a complete description of the plot—including spoilers—to convey the entire story to a potential agent or editor.

A detailed description of your story’s complete plot (including spoilers and the ending), written in either one or three pages, for the purpose of sharing with a literary agent.

A line of text—usually a short, tantalizing sentence—which appears under the title of the book on the front cover and also in catalogue listings.

(In contrast to Showing): Conveying information by stating facts about them, instead of relating the movements or expressions of objects or players.

Telling Important Scenes, Instead of Showing
Are Your Verbs Showing or Telling?
Three Places Where You Should Tell Instead of Show

The moral statement at the heart of the story, usually a general, universal principle, which is then conveyed via the story’s specific message, as proven by the protagonist’s character arc and specifically his inner conflict between a Lie and a Truth.

Plot, Character, and Theme: The Greatest Love Triangle in Fiction
Want a Powerful Theme for Your Novel? Play Devil’s Advocate!
What’s the Difference Between Your Story’s Theme and Its Message?

The final act in your story. In the classic Three-Act structure, the Third Act comprises the final quarter of the story, from the 75% mark to the 100% mark. It is primarily concerned with the final, climactic confrontation between the protagonist and the antagonistic force. It begins with the Third Plot Point, includes the Climax, and ends with the Resolution.

The Secrets of Story Structure: The Third Act
Creating Stunning Character Arcs: The Third Act
How to Write a Flat Character Arc: The Third Act
How to Write a Negative Character Arc: The Third Act

Third Person

The uninvolved narrator of the story, who refers to the actual players by name or as he/she/they, e.g.: “Peter ran in and hugged Susan.” Contrast this with a “first-person narrative,” e.g.: “When I saw Susan at the bar, I ran up and hugged her.”

Everything You Need to Know About Writing a 3rd-Person POV

Third Plot Point

The Third Plot Point in a story’s structure occurs in between the Second and Third Acts, at the 75% mark. This is where the protagonist experiences the lowest moment of defeat and is faced with a choice about whether the quest is worth the effort—symbolically representing whether or not the character will embrace or reject the Lie. The character then enters the Climax ready for the final confrontation with the antagonistic force.

Creating Stunning Character Arcs: The Third Plot Point

Three-Act Structure

The three-act structure is an approach to story structure that divides a fictional narrative into three parts, often called the Setup, the Confrontation, and the Resolution.

Structuring Your Novel
5 Secrets of Story Structure

A story element or plot device that is particular to certain genres or stories, to the point they become a storytelling cliche. Examples include love triangles in Young Adult fiction or the “chosen one” in fantasy and science fiction.

Turning Point

A major moment in the story when the plot “turns” by changing in a dramatic way, almost always as the result of a “reveal” or twist that presents the characters with new information about the conflict.

Unreliable Narrator

The narrator’s unreliability might be obvious to the reader throughout, it might be revealed gradually, or it might come as a revelation that provides a major plot twist. Common examples are Vladimir Nabakov’s Humbert Humbert from Lolita and Alex from A Clockwork Orange . A lesser known example is Micky DeWitt from Flank Street .

Upmarket Fiction

A type of fiction that is an amalgamation between commercial fiction (something with a wide audience that fits into a typical genre) and literary fiction (something that doesn’t fit exactly into a standard genre classification). Upmarket fiction can appeal to audiences of both commercial and literary fiction. It offers exceptional writing that doesn’t fit into a mold, yet has the potential for mass appeal.

Urban Fantasy

A subcategory of contemporary fantasy, urban fantasy is set in a contemporary city. Often co-existing with the familiar city life is a hidden, magical aspect of the city frequently including magical creatures. Charles de Lint is one of the primary authors of urban fantasy. To some extent, Mark Helprin’s A Winter’s Tale is an urban fantasy as well as Neil Gaiman’s Neverwhere .

The tenor and style of a story’s narrative. Authorial voice is the “sound” unique to the author. However, each author can and will use multiple variations of voice for each character’s POV and dialogue as well.

Writing Voice: 6 Things You Need to Know to Improve It
What Every Writer Needs to Know About Finding Your Writing Voice

World Building

(A) The act of designing a story world, including its culture, language, technology, magic, biology, landscape, history, etc. The author does this to build a consistent backdrop for the story. It is especially important for science fiction and fantasy (and even historical novels), in which the story world may be much different from the world readers inhabit.

(B) The art of distilling the elements of a story world, building the world within the minds of readers. This can be done through setting descriptions, exposition, dialogue, or character actions and interactions. In most cases, avoid info-dumping exposition and AYKB dialog. Instead, weave in the worldbuilding as a seamless part of the story itself.

How to Decide if You Should Use a Real-Life Setting in Your Story

Young Adult (Fiction), a genre aimed at adolescents ages 12-18. Often told in first-person with fast pacing. Focuses on new, fresh, “first time” experiences and coming-of-age experiences. There is often a strong romantic subplot. This genre, like romance, includes many other subgenres under it such as YA Romance, YA Fantasy, and YA Mystery.

Work-in-progress. The story or novel the author is currently writing.

An adjective for when you say a writerly thing. If you wear a blazer with leather patches on your sleeves and sit at a coffee shop with your laptop, it could be said that you’re being writerly. 😉

Writer’s Block

A state in which the writer doesn’t know how to proceed with writing. It can result from simply not knowing what should happen next in the story, or from larger life issues, such as depression.

Conquering Writer’s Block and Summoning Inspiration
7 Things to Try When Writing Is Hard
Are You Struggling to Be Creative? This Might Be Why

The “vomit” draft, part of pre-writing. The writer “vomits” up whatever story ideas they have without concern as to structure, consistency, or sense. Used to a) explore world/worldbuild, b) explore/develop characters/character interactions c) develop and/or test plot elements d) anything the author wants.

Can You Think of Any Terms This Glossary Is Missing?

Help me turn this into a tool we can all reference and that will help other authors understand what it is we’re talking about when we use crazy terms like “logline,” “pinch point,” and “MS.” Post your suggestions and definitions in the comments, and I’ll update the list.

Wordplayers, tell me your opinion! What writing terms aren’t listed here and should be? Tell me in the comments!

Sign Up Today

K.M. Weiland is the award-winning and internationally-published author of the acclaimed writing guides Outlining Your Novel , Structuring Your Novel , and Creating Character Arcs . A native of western Nebraska, she writes historical and fantasy novels and mentors authors on her award-winning website Helping Writers Become Authors.

What a fantastic idea, K.M.!

Here we go…

Words spoken by a character, normally enclosed in quotation marks. Dialogue should sound realistic, without attempting to reproduce real speech verbatim.

Internal dialogue reproduces a character’s thoughts, and is often (though not always) indicated by italics.

Indirect dialogue, also known as reported speech, is a narrative summary of dialogue that’s taken place.

Dialogue tags and/or action beats let the reader know which character is speaking.

https://www.helpingwritersbecomeauthors.com/8-tips-for-awesome-dialogue/

https://www.helpingwritersbecomeauthors.com/on-the-nose-dialogue/

THIRD PERSON The uninvolved narrator of the story, who refers to the actuals players by name or as he/she/they, e.g. “Peter ran in and hugged Susan”. Contrast this with a ‘first-person narrative’, which may be present tense (“I gape at the sight of Susan standing at the bar, rush up and hug her tight.”) or past tense (“When I saw Susan at the bar, I ran up and hugged her.”)

TAGLINE A line of text – usually a short, tantalizing sentence – which appears under the Title of the book on the front cover and also in catalogue listings, e.g.: Title: Aquila Tagline: Can Silvanus Escape That God?

SHOWING (In contrast to TELLING): Conveying an atmosphere, emotion or mood by relating the movements or expressions of objects or players rather than stating facts about them, e.g. “The boughs bowed and swayed, casting their icy load onto the quivering children” instead of “The frightened children got soaked by a load of snow falling from the branches.” Or “His face was white and his hands trembled as he slunk through the doorway” instead of “He felt nervous and hesitated to enter the room.”

A genre fiction centered on contemporary women and women’s issues that is often written in a light, humorous pace, and that generally deals with the protagonist and her relationships with family, friends and/or romantic partners. Often referred to as women’s commercial fiction.

MENTOR An experienced advisor who offers – sometimes reluctantly – to show the hero “the way”. Usually a trustworthy ally, the mentor figure will often impart an object or piece of information that will prove vital later in the hero’s quest. The name itself comes from a character in Homer’s The Odyssey.

Examples include: Obi-Wan Kenobi from Star Wars, Gandalf from Lord of the Rings, and “Irv” in Cool Runnings (a less-trustworthy mentor figure).

Good stuff, thx!

Trope—A story element or plot device that is particular to certain genres or stories, to the point where they become a storytelling cliche. Examples include love triangles in young adult fiction or the “chosen one” most common in fantasy and science fiction.

Protag/Protagonist—The character whom the story is about and who is most directly affected by the antagonist. This character may be the narrator/POV character (such as Harry Potter or Katniss Everdeen) or the protagonist may be a character who is viewed by someone else (as Atticus Finch and Heathcliff are viewed by Scout and Nelly Dean, respectively).

MC – Short for Main Character. The lead of the story.

Info Dump – An undesirable writing method where the author “dumps” a lot of information or extensive description on the reader all at once, instead of weaving the information into the action of the story.

Anti-Hero – A character who is not the main Antagonist, or a supporting character of the Protagonist, but one who opposes the hero or the hero’s ideas in some way.

An ANTI HERO is a protagonist who lacks conventional heroic qualities such as idealism, courage, and morality. These individuals often possess dark personality traits such as disagreeableness, dishonesty, and aggressiveness.

Like Captain Mal in Firefly or Holden in The catcher in the rye

I still don’t understand the concept of the anti-hero for some reason.

It is tricky. I think there are several definitions out there. Sometimes they are even split into Anti-Hero and Anti-Villain, but I still think that the application within stories of an Anti-Hero is pretty broad.

If you are still having difficulty, consider this, an Anti-hero is a hero who doesn’t act like a hero and who probably doesn’t want to be a hero or ‘good’ in the typical sense of the word. An anti-villain is a villain who acts more like a hero, but who ultimately proves themselves a villain even if they are ‘soft’. There are plenty of good broad definitions out there, but this helped me think of it in a broad sense.

Let’s use the example of a evil lab. Inside the lab there are innocent people. The protag needs to destroy the lab. A hero would try to get all the innocent people out before blowing it up. While an anti-hero may just blow it up. In an anti-hero’s mind, the ends justify the means.

Thanks, all the examples are very helpful. Sounds like an antihero can play up a lot of drama.

STUTTER (WRITING)

BURLY DETECTIVE SYNDROME

Frequently referring to a character by a description (“the burly detective”), usually out of fear of overusing the character’s name or pronoun (see Stutter (Writing)).

Cool never heard of these.

May I add R&R? This one was driving me crazy when I was reading it. I had to search everywhere for the definition!

R&R: Revise and Resend/Resubmit An agent or editor saw something they liked in your work but felt it need a significant revision. They’d like you to make the changes they suggested and resubmit it. It doesn’t necessary mean that they’ll take it though.

Good one. Never heard of it either.

1) An antagonistic character who bears personality traits commonly associated with noble and heroic characters

2) A heroic character who bears personality traits commonly associated with villainous or disreputable characters.

This is a popular one today. Third time I read it and it still makes no sense to me. Think my brain is shutting down and rebooting.

“Point-of-view”

Whoo! You’re today’s super-definer!

HISTORICAL FICTION

A literary genre where the plot takes place in the past, often (but not always) including historical figures

So the only difference between regular fiction and historical is the time period correct?

As I understand it, that’s fairly accurate. Within that, though, excellently written historical fiction also tends to focus in a much deeper way on the details of bringing an unfamiliar era to life (which would be approached much differently/taken for granted in a story with a more contemporary setting).

As time passes, though, the historical “cut-off” date is always bumping up, so as you can see, the line between the two is sometimes rather transparent. 😉

For a bit more, you can read Katie’s article here: https://www.helpingwritersbecomeauthors.com/why-your-novel-may-not-be-historical/

What a great idea! Awesome list worth sharing.

A separate section at the end of a work often commenting on the work as a whole/serving as an addendum.

CLIMATIC MOMENT-the moment in the climax where the overall goal is reached or not reached, the moment when the protagonist defeats the antagonist or visa versa

YA-young adult, usually a genre

BLURB-a short summary of what the book is about, meant to hook the reader

Pacing–the rate at which a story progresses and events unfold.

I wish I knew more about the pacing process. Some books are paced differently than others and wonder is there a method to the madness.

Most issues with pacing have to do with story structure. Check out Katie’s Structure series for more information (and the Story Structure Database for plenty of examples).

Stories can be divided into four roughly equal parts (Act 1, Act 2A, Act 2B, Act 3), each with its own mission relative to the story’s development, and the turning points (“Plot Points”) between them form the major story pacing milestones. Actually, you can divide the story even further with the Inciting Incident, two Pinch Points, and the Climax at the odd eighth marks.

Story structure is all about keeping things balanced and well-paced. If you can hit all the major milestones where they need to go, all the while raising stakes, conflict, and tension right up to the climax, your story’s pacing should take care of itself.

Wow, that’s awesome. That’s what I need to master. The elements of story structure. Thank you!

Oh, and the difference in pacing that you sense for different stories is more likely due to different types of conflict or story problem than to any difference in structure. Lots of action-based conflict will feel faster paced than relationship drama, but everything will still follow the same basic structure behind the scenes.

That’s true. I definitely sense it in movies and books. Didn’t know it was due to differences in conflict though. But looking back it makes perfect sense. Hindsight is 20/20 right?

Some books were unevenly paced in different parts but the overall story was great. The one I’m thinking of had a lot of relationship drama, so pace seemed slower.

Storming was very balanced in its entirety so I didn’t really notice the pace so much. I just felt drawn into the story. Finished Cinder and had the same feeling. Currently reading the Einstein Prophecy and it’s having the same balanced affect on me. The ones that are balanced tend to be page turners!

With cars if your tires are not balanced it could be a bumpy, not so pleasant ride. It seems even more so with story structure. Cool. I think I’m finally learning something!

If I drank, I’d grab a cool one.

Ditto what Scrutinizer said. Pacing demands are different for different types of stories, but the key is to make it so seamless that readers don’t even think about it. Glad you felt that way about Storming !

“As you know, Bob…”

A method of dumping exposition through dialog, infamous for its awkwardness and lack of realism. It involves an otherwise unnecessary conversation between two characters that the author forces on them solely to inform the reader of what the characters both already know. Writers often choose this technique to avoid taking the reader out of the story to reveal important background information, but it usually works against them by taking the characters out of the story instead.

For further study: https://www.helpingwritersbecomeauthors.com/as-you-know-bob/

This one is funny. Had a hardy chuckle! I’m definitely guilty of AYKB.

Holy fudgeknuckles Batman, what a great idea! I Love it.

One of the most recent definitions I’ve thoroughly enjoyed is that of the impact character in relation to engineering character arcs. SO AWESOME. Seems like this impact character/s are strong catalysts for change in the protagonist causing inner conflict and help put the plot into motion. This has greatly helped my understanding of the story.

IMPACT CHARACTER=

1. “Impact character” probably isn’t at the top of your list. But it should be. Because you can’t create a character arc without one.

2. “Impact character” is the term coined by Dramatica authors Melanie Anne Phillips and Chris Huntley to describe what is just as accurately termed by editor Roz Morris the “catalyst character.” This is the character who slams into your protagonist, catalyzes him into change, and has a major impact on his life.

3. The impact character is the one who enables, empowers, or sometimes just plain forces another character(s) to change.

4. The impact character may be a friend, or he may be a foe.

5. If the antagonist represents the story’s outer conflict, then the impact character represents the inner conflict.

6. Just like the antagonist, the impact character is a conflict-causer. Just like the antagonist, he’s at odds with the protagonist. But unlike the antagonist, the conflict isn’t necessarily the result of opposing goals. Rather, its core is the opposing worldviews of the protagonist and the impact character. The protagonist believes the Lie; the impact character (lucky dog!) already knows the Truth.

Even in posting this I learned something new! Conflict helps produce plot. What’s a plot without conflict right? It’d be a pretty stale story. The conflict can be external and internal, and both are essentially related to the antagonist and impact character. So if I understand this correctly the impact character is the catalyst for change in the protagonist helping him/her overcome the inner conflict that enables them to overcome the outer conflict represented by the evil antagonist to achieve their goal to live happily ever after….or not.

Further reading: https://www.helpingwritersbecomeauthors.com/impact-character-2/

BETA READER

(paraphrasing from Google as it seemed like an excellent summary)

“Beta readers provide feedback during the writing and/or editing process and are not explicitly proofreaders or editors, but can serve in that context. Elements highlighted by beta readers encompass things such as plot holes and problems with continuity, characterization, and believability. In fiction and non-fiction, the beta might also assist the author with fact-checking.”

Novella: a story that runs around 40K to 50K words. Normally, it has no subplot and no more than two POV characters. One of the harder forms to sell traditionally, though I’ve ready recently this is changing.

Good one! I knew it was shorter but didn’t know the details.

Mimesis: where syntax echoes, mimes the narrative.

I’ll have research this one.

(And btw, did I mention that I LOVE this whole idea?! THANK YOU SO MUCH! ;D)

YA – Young Adult (Fiction), a genre aimed at adolescents ages 12 -18. Often told in first person with fast pacing. Focuses on new, fresh, ‘first time’ experiences and coming of age experiences, and there is often a strong romantic subplot. This is a genre that, like Romance, includes many other genres under it such as YA Romance, YA Fantasy, and YA Mystery. Differentiate from NA – New Adult (Fiction) which is aimed at an older age group and focuses on new adult experiences such as the first serious relationship, first serious job, going to college, and moving out on their own.

“Manuscript” (In writing lingo: a yet unpublished work whether written or typed)

Unreliable narrator. The narrator’s unreliability might be obvious to the reader throughout, it might be revealed gradually, or it might come as a revelation that provides a major plot twist. Common examples are Vladimir Nabakov’s Humbert Humbert, and Alex from A Clockwork Orange. A lesser known example is Micky DeWitt from Flank Street.

Alliteration: A stylistic literary device identified by the repeated sound of the first consonant in a series of multiple words, or the repetition of the same sounds of the same kinds of sounds at the beginning of words or in stressed syllables of a phrase.

PROOFREADER

Someone reading through a completely edited work to find and/or correct typographical errors (i.e. typos).

SUBTEXT: is the meaning beneath the dialogue; what the speaker really means, even though he’s not saying it directly. As humans, we often don’t articulate our thoughts exactly.

Subtext in Dialogue – The Writer’s Toolbox – Ask The Writer – Gotham … https://www.writingclasses.com › toolbox

I’d like to add “on submission” or “on sub” especially juxtaposed with being “in the query trenches”.

I recently heard two writers who are in the query trenches referring to themselves as being on sub and realized there is some confusion out there about the difference between the two.

Query Trenches: generally refers to looking for representation from a literary agent (although it is possible to directly query publishers)

On sub: your MS has been submitted, usually by your agent, to a list of editors at publishing houses who may or may not have agreed to read it.

Oh, that also makes me wonder if “house” was on your list, referring to publishers.

Perfect! Thanks, Merriam. I added “House” as well.

I am building a similar list myself, going beyond the ordinary of literary terms and picking what I think should be learned by all writers. A few of your words are on my lists. I welcome you to look through my list to see if it helps you. I did words for the A to Z challenge. I would list them here, but there are nearly 70 words.

AtoZ 2014: http://writing.chrisvotey.com/atoz-2014/ AtoZ 2015: http://writing.chrisvotey.com/atoz-2015/

Awesome! Thanks, Chris.

Kidlet: 1. a diminutive child. 2. term of endearment between parent/child; older to younger sibling.

Thank you, sincerely, for this resource. Definitely raised hand (!), baffled by various terms, WIP, MC, YA et al.

Hah. That made me laugh so hard I almost have to include in the glossary. 😉

LOL… that’s great, so glad to hear! 😀

Of all the things I’ve almost been included in, this would rank among the top!

Can’t credit for the idea, although sadly my memory fails to provide me with the name of whoever came up with the idea.

These definitions almost seems to be too simplistic.

1. Sidekicks, by definition, are almost always with the main character, which allows the conflict to be ongoing https://www.helpingwritersbecomeauthors.com/why-your-hero-needs-yappy-sidekick/

2. a person who helps and spends a lot of time with someone who is usually more important, powerful, etc. (Merriam-Webster)

You go, you guys! This is awesome. We’ll have this puppy filled out before you know it.

A scene is a sequence of events that happens at a particular place and time and that moves the story forward. The scene consists mostly of “showing” though it may contain some “telling.” The scene has a particular structure that gives the story motion. Showing using the following tools: • Action. • Dialogue. • Interior Monologue. • Interior Emotion. • Sensory Description. Telling using the following tools: • Narrative Summary • Exposition • Description

I like this one. Thx!

Creative Nonfiction:

I echo many of the other commenters: this is a great idea!

Here’s a definition you could add:

COPY EDITING

For Further Reading:

https://www.helpingwritersbecomeauthors.com/how-i-self-edit-my-novels-15-steps-from/

Nice. I’ll have to follow that link for more info. Thx.

If you are going to include AYKB, you should also have the Dumb Mechanic dialogue.

Dumb Mechanic Where a character explains something to a character who doesn’t know what they are talking about. The example from the name is a mechanic explaining what is wrong with a machine to someone who knows nothing about mechanics. It’s vital that the lack of knowledge needs be real and believable. It also needs to be limited to the needs of the moment. So a gear-head stopping to fix a lawyer’s car might explain a air bubble in the gas line, if that was the problem, but not how an engine works in detail.

I’m learning stuff here too! I’d never heard it called that.

Here’s one that wasn’t on the list but which you might want to include:

https://www.helpingwritersbecomeauthors.com/6-tasks-youll-love-yourself-for-checking-off-your-nano-pre-writing-list/

https://www.helpingwritersbecomeauthors.com/book/outlining-your-novel/

Good one! Thanks!

SWEET. I absolutely adore prewriting. I’ve never heard it defined like this.

At first I was like “Pshaw! I know tons of writing terms! And then I started to scroll down the page and my mouth dropped open. MFC? SF? SFF? What? I need this index! What a brilliant idea, K.M.Weiland. 😀

Hah. I’m learning stuff too!

ALPHA READER

Write Your Best Book

Check out my latest novel!

( affiliate link )

Free E-Book

5 Secrets of Story Structure by K.M. Weiland

Subscribe to Blog Updates

Subscribe to blog posts rss, sign up for k.m. weiland’s e-letter and get a free e-book, love helping writers become authors.

Return to top of page

Words with Friends Cheat
Wordle Solver
Word Unscrambler
Scrabble Dictionary
Anagram Solver
Wordscapes Answers

Make Our Dictionary Yours

Grammar and writing tips
Fun language articles
#WordOfTheDay and quizzes

By signing in, you agree to our Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy .

We'll see you in your inbox soon.

40 Basic Writing Terms and Meanings

DESCRIPTION happy woman writing on computer
SOURCE Hill Street Studios / DigitalVision / Getty Images

Whether you’re a professional writer, amateur writer, or student, it’s important to know and be able to define basic writing terminology. This will allow you to communicate effectively with others about your writing, which is necessary to properly understand assignments and interpret feedback from editors, readers, or teachers.

1. Antagonist

In writing, the antagonist is the character who is in opposition to a story’s main character ( protagonist ) or hero. The antagonist is sometimes a villain or adversary with nefarious intentions but is often just a character whose goals are incompatible with those of the main character.

2. Anthology

An anthology is a collection of short stories published together in a single volume. Sometimes all of the stories in an anthology are written by the same person, but not always. Sometimes they include stories written by several authors, but all with a similar theme.

3. Autobiography

When an individual writes a book that tells the story of his or her life, the person is writing an autobiography . This author of this type of book has to be the person who is the subject of the book.

4. Bibliography

When writing a book, paper, or essay based on factual information compiled from a variety of sources, you will need to include a bibliography. A bibliography is simply a list of sources that were used to gather information used in the finished piece of writing. There are several bibliography formats , each of which is used in different situations. You can use a bibliography generator to help you create one.

5. Biography

A biography is a book that tells the story of a person’s life. The author of the book is someone other than the person who is the subject of the book.

6. Character

In writing, a character is usually a person featured in a book, story, or other written work. Some works of fiction have non-human characters that communicate using language, such as talking animals, aliens, fairies, spirits, etc.

7. Citation

When a writer quotes or paraphrases someone else’s work or ideas in a written work, the writer is responsible for including a citation that specifies the source of the information. This is how writers attribute credit to the sources they consult when researching topics to write about.

In writing, context refers to the circumstances surrounding the information the author is providing to readers. Context sets the stage for the story or factual information being presented, providing insight into the reasons for and motivations behind a character’s actions and decisions.

9. Copywriting

The act of writing text for sales materials is called copywriting . This type of writing involves writing advertisements, website content, brochure content, and more.

10. Creative Writing

Creative writing involves creating original literary works focused on telling a story or evoking emotion in the reader. Creative writing can be works of fiction or nonfiction. There are many types of creative writing , including books, poems, and essays. Generally, any written work that is not academic, technical, journalistic, or professional represents an example of creative writing.

DESCRIPTION woman writing in cafe
SOURCE Anouk de Maar / Cultura / Getty Images

11. Dialogue

Dialogue is a conversation that takes place between at least two people. In writing, dialogue is the exchange of information and ideas between or among the various characters. It is the conversations that characters have with one another.

Written works often go through multiple drafts before being finalized. When a writer completes a work that still needs to be edited or reviewed, the document is in draft form. People sometimes use the phrase rough draft instead of simply saying draft . A document remains in draft form until it has been finalized for submission or publication.

An e-book is a written work that is published and made available to readers in electronic form. This type of publication is available to readers as a digital download or to read online.

14. Epilogue

An epilogue provides information about what happened to beyond a story’s ending point. It may explain what happened to key characters or how issues left unresolved at the conclusion of the story were finally resolved.

An essay is a brief written work in which a writer provides information on a particular topic while (usually) also sharing his or her opinion. There are several types of essays , including persuasive and descriptive essays. Essay writing is an important skill for students to have.

16. Feature Story

A feature story is a non-fiction human interest story written for a magazine, newspaper, or website. Rather than simply recounting the news, this type of writing involves providing more in-depth information about a topic of interest to readers of the publication or website on which it is published.

17. Fiction

A work of fiction is one that is not true. It is not considered a lie, but rather a story that is a product of the writer’s imagination rather than being based on a situation that actually happened.

When referring to written work, the term genre refers to a specific category or type of writing. Writing genres include fairy tales, fiction, historical fiction, and many other examples of genre types .

Some works of fiction and nonfiction have a hero . In this context, a hero is a character that does something to save the day. Sometimes the hero is the main character, but not always. Any character — even the antagonist — can exhibit bravery or great sacrifice to benefit others.

20. Journalism

Journalism involves writing fact-based accounts of current events for the purpose of providing the general public with truthful information about what is happening or has happened. Journalists may write for print, broadcast, or online media outlets.

21. Manuscript

The completed version of an unpublished book or other writing is referred to as a manuscript. Once an author completes a manuscript, it will usually be submitted to the publisher. If the author has a contract with a publisher, the manuscript will be edited prior to publishing. If the work isn’t yet under contract with a publisher, the manuscript will be submitted for review.

22. Minor Character

A character who plays a role in the plot of a work of writing who is not one of the major players in the story. The person may be someone in a main character’s group of friends or extended family who is referenced or speaks up at times but doesn’t play a focal role.

23. Narrator

In a book or other piece of writing, the person who tells a story is the narrator . In a story that has a narrator, the events are presented from the narrator’s point of view. Written works can have many types of narration .

24. Nonfiction

A written work of nonfiction is one that is true. A nonfiction novel is a story based on events that actually took place. Other examples of nonfiction books include historical accounts, business books, cookbooks, and do-it-yourself manuals.

DESCRIPTION woman writer with headphones on
SOURCE Westend61 / Getty Images

A novel is a book-length work of fiction that tells a story. Novels are written in narrative form, which means that the story unfolds as a “sequence of related events” Generally, a book should be at least 40,000 words to be considered a novel. There are many examples of novels , ranging from classic works of literature to best-selling modern books across a wide variety of genres.

26. Novella

The term novella can be used to describe fictional works that are longer than a short story but not as lengthy as a full novel. They generally fall in the range between 17,000 and just under 40,000 words.

27. Plagiarism

Plagiarism occurs when a writer uses someone else’s quotes or ideas and presents them as if the writer came up with the information on his or her own. It can involve directly copying text from someone else’s work, but there are actually several types of plagiarism that every writer must avoid.

The plot of a story is the main events that occur as the tale is told. Most plots follow a five-part structure that sets the stage with an introduction that is followed by a raise in action, the climax, a decrease (or fall) in action, then the final resolution of the story’s central issue.

29. Plot Hole

A plot hole is a writing error that occurs when key information is left out of a story or contradictory information is included. When there is a plot hole, things will occur in the story that wouldn’t be possible or practical in the context of what readers have been told along the way.

30. Plot Twist

A plot twist occurs when the story in a book takes an unexpected turn. Readers may think they have an idea of what is about to happen, but then something happens to completely change the course of the story. This technique is commonly used in suspenseful works of fiction.

Poetry is a type of creative writing that uses language to express emotions or ideas while also conveying information. They are a form of artistic expression in the form of literature. Poems tend to be very short. They are written in lines or verses rather than paragraphs and sections or chapters. There are several types of poetry .

32. Point of View

In writing, point of view (POV) refers to the perspective from which a story is told. When the main character is the narrator of a novel story, that story is using first person POV. You will be able to tell because the word “I” will be used to convey this individual’s perspective. When stories provide the perspectives of multiple characters (he saw, she said), this is an example of third person POV. When the written work directly addresses the reader (you should), this reflects second person POV.

33. Protagonist

The main character in a work of fiction is called the protagonist . The protagonist is the person around whom a story revolves.

A script contains the dialogue that actors will say when playing their roles in shows, movies, or plays. Writers who create this kind of work are called scriptwriters .

35. Short Story

A short story is a brief work of fiction told in brief story form. Too short to stand alone as a book, short stories are sometimes compiled into an anthology for publication. They are also often published in magazines or on websites. They typically have between 3,500 and 7,500 words. There are many types of short stories . Short stories can focus on any genre or topic.

The way a particular person writes is referred to as that individual’s style . It includes things like the author’s tone, word choice, and overall voice.

37. Subject Matter

Subject matter refers to the topic of a piece of writing. It is what a story or other type of written work is about. The word subject is often used interchangeably with the phrase subject matter in this context.

38. Subplot

Some novels or short stories have a subplot in addition to the main plot. A subplot is a secondary story line that is going on in addition to the story’s primary plot.

39. Thesis Statement

When writing a research paper or essay, you’ll need to begin with a brief statement summarizing the main point or argument to be explored in the document. This is a thesis statement . A well-written thesis statement properly conveys to readers what to expect as a result of reading the document. Because everything in the document should relate to the thesis statement, it can also help writers stay on-topic.

40. Young Adult

Books and stories written specifically for teens and tweens are described as young adult (YA) works. These works are generally written for young people between the ages of 12 and 18.

Expand Your Writing Vocabulary

By learning these basic writing terms and what they mean, you’ll expand your vocabulary of literary terms. Of course, this is only the beginning. Once you have mastered the basics, you’ll want to continue to learn more terminology about writing. Get started by reviewing examples of literary terms and other topics related to language arts .

What is Creative Writing? A Key Piece of the Writer’s Toolbox

Not all writing is the same and there’s a type of writing that has the ability to transport, teach, and inspire others like no other.

Creative writing stands out due to its unique approach and focus on imagination. Here’s how to get started and grow as you explore the broad and beautiful world of creative writing!

What is Creative Writing?

Creative writing is a form of writing that extends beyond the bounds of regular professional, journalistic, academic, or technical forms of literature. It is characterized by its emphasis on narrative craft, character development, and the use of literary tropes or poetic techniques to express ideas in an original and imaginative way.

Creative writing can take on various forms such as:

short stories
screenplays

It’s a way for writers to express their thoughts, feelings, and ideas in a creative, often symbolic, way . It’s about using the power of words to transport readers into a world created by the writer.

5 Key Characteristics of Creative Writing

Creative writing is marked by several defining characteristics, each working to create a distinct form of expression:

1. Imagination and Creativity: Creative writing is all about harnessing your creativity and imagination to create an engaging and compelling piece of work. It allows writers to explore different scenarios, characters, and worlds that may not exist in reality.

2. Emotional Engagement: Creative writing often evokes strong emotions in the reader. It aims to make the reader feel something — whether it’s happiness, sorrow, excitement, or fear.

3. Originality: Creative writing values originality. It’s about presenting familiar things in new ways or exploring ideas that are less conventional.

4. Use of Literary Devices: Creative writing frequently employs literary devices such as metaphors, similes, personification, and others to enrich the text and convey meanings in a more subtle, layered manner.

5. Focus on Aesthetics: The beauty of language and the way words flow together is important in creative writing. The aim is to create a piece that’s not just interesting to read, but also beautiful to hear when read aloud.

Remember, creative writing is not just about producing a work of art. It’s also a means of self-expression and a way to share your perspective with the world. Whether you’re considering it as a hobby or contemplating a career in it, understanding the nature and characteristics of creative writing can help you hone your skills and create more engaging pieces .

For more insights into creative writing, check out our articles on creative writing jobs and what you can do with a creative writing degree and is a degree in creative writing worth it .

Styles of Creative Writing

To fully understand creative writing , you must be aware of the various styles involved. Creative writing explores a multitude of genres, each with its own unique characteristics and techniques.

Poetry is a form of creative writing that uses expressive language to evoke emotions and ideas. Poets often employ rhythm, rhyme, and other poetic devices to create pieces that are deeply personal and impactful. Poems can vary greatly in length, style, and subject matter, making this a versatile and dynamic form of creative writing.

Short Stories

Short stories are another common style of creative writing. These are brief narratives that typically revolve around a single event or idea. Despite their length, short stories can provide a powerful punch, using precise language and tight narrative structures to convey a complete story in a limited space.

Novels represent a longer form of narrative creative writing. They usually involve complex plots, multiple characters, and various themes. Writing a novel requires a significant investment of time and effort; however, the result can be a rich and immersive reading experience.

Screenplays

Screenplays are written works intended for the screen, be it television, film, or online platforms. They require a specific format, incorporating dialogue and visual descriptions to guide the production process. Screenwriters must also consider the practical aspects of filmmaking, making this an intricate and specialized form of creative writing.

If you’re interested in this style, understanding creative writing jobs and what you can do with a creative writing degree can provide useful insights.

Writing for the theater is another specialized form of creative writing. Plays, like screenplays, combine dialogue and action, but they also require an understanding of the unique dynamics of the theatrical stage. Playwrights must think about the live audience and the physical space of the theater when crafting their works.

Each of these styles offers unique opportunities for creativity and expression. Whether you’re drawn to the concise power of poetry, the detailed storytelling of novels, or the visual language of screenplays and plays, there’s a form of creative writing that will suit your artistic voice. The key is to explore, experiment, and find the style that resonates with you.

For those looking to spark their creativity, our article on creative writing prompts offers a wealth of ideas to get you started.

Importance of Creative Writing

Understanding what is creative writing involves recognizing its value and significance. Engaging in creative writing can provide numerous benefits – let’s take a closer look.

Developing Creativity and Imagination

Creative writing serves as a fertile ground for nurturing creativity and imagination. It encourages you to think outside the box, explore different perspectives, and create unique and original content. This leads to improved problem-solving skills and a broader worldview , both of which can be beneficial in various aspects of life.

Through creative writing, one can build entire worlds, create characters, and weave complex narratives, all of which are products of a creative mind and vivid imagination. This can be especially beneficial for those seeking creative writing jobs and what you can do with a creative writing degree .

Enhancing Communication Skills

Creative writing can also play a crucial role in honing communication skills. It demands clarity, precision, and a strong command of language. This helps to improve your vocabulary, grammar, and syntax, making it easier to express thoughts and ideas effectively .

Moreover, creative writing encourages empathy as you often need to portray a variety of characters from different backgrounds and perspectives. This leads to a better understanding of people and improved interpersonal communication skills.

Exploring Emotions and Ideas

One of the most profound aspects of creative writing is its ability to provide a safe space for exploring emotions and ideas. It serves as an outlet for thoughts and feelings , allowing you to express yourself in ways that might not be possible in everyday conversation.

Writing can be therapeutic, helping you process complex emotions, navigate difficult life events, and gain insight into your own experiences and perceptions. It can also be a means of self-discovery , helping you to understand yourself and the world around you better.

So, whether you’re a seasoned writer or just starting out, the benefits of creative writing are vast and varied. For those interested in developing their creative writing skills, check out our articles on creative writing prompts and how to teach creative writing . If you’re considering a career in this field, you might find our article on is a degree in creative writing worth it helpful.

4 Steps to Start Creative Writing

Creative writing can seem daunting to beginners, but with the right approach, anyone can start their journey into this creative field. Here are some steps to help you start creative writing .

1. Finding Inspiration

The first step in creative writing is finding inspiration . Inspiration can come from anywhere and anything. Observe the world around you, listen to conversations, explore different cultures, and delve into various topics of interest.

Reading widely can also be a significant source of inspiration. Read different types of books, articles, and blogs. Discover what resonates with you and sparks your imagination.

For structured creative prompts, visit our list of creative writing prompts to get your creative juices flowing.

Editor’s Note : When something excites or interests you, stop and take note – it could be the inspiration for your next creative writing piece.

2. Planning Your Piece

Once you have an idea, the next step is to plan your piece . Start by outlining:

the main points

Remember, this can serve as a roadmap to guide your writing process. A plan doesn’t have to be rigid. It’s a flexible guideline that can be adjusted as you delve deeper into your writing. The primary purpose is to provide direction and prevent writer’s block.

3. Writing Your First Draft

After planning your piece, you can start writing your first draft . This is where you give life to your ideas and breathe life into your characters.

Don’t worry about making it perfect in the first go. The first draft is about getting your ideas down on paper . You can always refine and polish your work later. And if you don’t have a great place to write that first draft, consider a journal for writing .

4. Editing and Revising Your Work

The final step in the creative writing process is editing and revising your work . This is where you fine-tune your piece, correct grammatical errors, and improve sentence structure and flow.

Editing is also an opportunity to enhance your storytelling . You can add more descriptive details, develop your characters further, and make sure your plot is engaging and coherent.

Remember, writing is a craft that improves with practice . Don’t be discouraged if your first few pieces don’t meet your expectations. Keep writing, keep learning, and most importantly, enjoy the creative process.

For more insights on creative writing, check out our articles on how to teach creative writing or creative writing activities for kids.

Tips to Improve Creative Writing Skills

Understanding what is creative writing is the first step. But how can one improve their creative writing skills? Here are some tips that can help.

Read Widely

Reading is a vital part of becoming a better writer. By immersing oneself in a variety of genres, styles, and authors, one can gain a richer understanding of language and storytelling techniques . Different authors have unique voices and methods of telling stories, which can serve as inspiration for your own work. So, read widely and frequently!

Practice Regularly

Like any skill, creative writing improves with practice. Consistently writing — whether it be daily, weekly, or monthly — helps develop your writing style and voice . Using creative writing prompts can be a fun way to stimulate your imagination and get the words flowing.

Attend Writing Workshops and Courses

Formal education such as workshops and courses can offer structured learning and expert guidance. These can provide invaluable insights into the world of creative writing, from understanding plot development to character creation. If you’re wondering is a degree in creative writing worth it, these classes can also give you a taste of what studying creative writing at a higher level might look like .

Joining Writing Groups and Communities

Being part of a writing community can provide motivation, constructive feedback, and a sense of camaraderie. These groups often hold regular meetings where members share their work and give each other feedback. Plus, it’s a great way to connect with others who share your passion for writing.

Seeking Feedback on Your Work

Feedback is a crucial part of improving as a writer. It offers a fresh perspective on your work, highlighting areas of strength and opportunities for improvement. Whether it’s from a writing group, a mentor, or even friends and family, constructive criticism can help refine your writing .

Start Creative Writing Today!

Remember, becoming a proficient writer takes time and patience. So, don’t be discouraged by initial challenges. Keep writing, keep learning, and most importantly, keep enjoying the process. Who knows, your passion for creative writing might even lead to creative writing jobs and what you can do with a creative writing degree .

Happy writing!

Brooks Manley

Creative Primer is a resource on all things journaling, creativity, and productivity. We’ll help you produce better ideas, get more done, and live a more effective life.

My name is Brooks. I do a ton of journaling, like to think I’m a creative (jury’s out), and spend a lot of time thinking about productivity. I hope these resources and product recommendations serve you well. Reach out if you ever want to chat or let me know about a journal I need to check out!

Here’s my favorite journal for 2024:

Gratitude Journal Prompts Mindfulness Journal Prompts Journal Prompts for Anxiety Reflective Journal Prompts Healing Journal Prompts Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Journal Prompts Mental Health Journal Prompts ASMR Journal Prompts Manifestation Journal Prompts Self-Care Journal Prompts Morning Journal Prompts Evening Journal Prompts Self-Improvement Journal Prompts Creative Writing Journal Prompts Dream Journal Prompts Relationship Journal Prompts "What If" Journal Prompts New Year Journal Prompts Shadow Work Journal Prompts Journal Prompts for Overcoming Fear Journal Prompts for Dealing with Loss Journal Prompts for Discerning and Decision Making Travel Journal Prompts Fun Journal Prompts

Inspiring Ink: Expert Tips on How to Teach Creative Writing

You may also like, how to make an intention journal.

8 Spiritual Benefits of Journaling (That Might Surprise You)

What is creative intelligence an introduction, leave a reply cancel reply.

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Productivity
Favorite Journals

Using Ambitious Vocabulary for 11+ Creative Writing Success

English Creative Writings with Model-Solved Answers Hints Plan and Checklist

As a writer, it's essential to have a strong vocabulary that can help you express your ideas and evoke emotions in your readers. Ambitious vocabulary refers to the use of sophisticated and impressive words in writing. Using ambitious vocabulary can help you stand out from the crowd and make your writing more engaging and memorable.

In this article, we will explore what ambitious vocabulary is, provide examples of ambitious vocabulary, discuss techniques for incorporating it into your writing, and highlight common mistakes to avoid.

What is Ambitious Vocabulary?

Ambitious vocabulary refers to words that are not commonly used in everyday language but are more complex and sophisticated. These words can include sensory words, vivid verbs, similes and metaphors, personification, and alliteration. Using ambitious vocabulary can help you create a vivid and memorable image in your reader's minds and engage them in your story.

Examples of Ambitious Vocabulary

Using Sensory Words

Sensory words can help create a sensory experience for your readers. By using words that describe how things look, smell, sound, taste, or feel, you can transport your readers to the scene you're describing. For example, instead of saying "the flowers were beautiful," you can say "the delicate petals of the vibrant flowers swayed in the gentle breeze, releasing a sweet, intoxicating fragrance."

Using Vivid Verbs

Vivid verbs can help you create a more active and engaging sentence. Instead of using generic verbs like "walked" or "ran," you can use verbs that are more descriptive and specific. For example, instead of saying "he walked to the store," you can say "he sauntered down the street, taking in the sights and sounds of the bustling city."

Using Similes and Metaphors

Similes and metaphors can help you make your writing more descriptive and interesting by comparing two seemingly unrelated things. For example, instead of saying "the sunset was beautiful," you can say "the sky was ablaze with fiery colors, like a canvas painted by a master artist."

Using Personification

Personification involves giving human characteristics to non-human things. This technique can help you make your writing more creative and engaging. For example, instead of saying "the wind was blowing," you can say "the mischievous wind whispered secrets as it danced through the trees."

Using Alliteration

Alliteration involves using the same sound at the beginning of multiple words in a sentence. This technique can help you make your writing more rhythmic and memorable. For example, instead of saying "the rain was heavy," you can say "the relentless rain rattled against the roof."

Techniques to Incorporate Ambitious Vocabulary in 11 Plus Creative Writing

Understanding the Context

Understanding the context is crucial when using ambitious vocabulary. Make sure the words you use to fit the tone and style of your writing. Using overly complex words can confuse your readers and make your writing feel forced.

Reading Widely

Reading widely can help you expand your vocabulary and give you inspiration for using ambitious vocabulary in your writing. Try to read a variety of genres and styles to expose yourself to different writing styles and techniques.

Using a Thesaurus

A thesaurus can be a valuable tool for finding synonyms for commonly used words. However, be careful not to overuse it or use words that you're not familiar with.

Practicing Writing Prompts

Practicing writing prompts can help you incorporate ambitious vocabulary into your writing in a low-stress environment. Use prompts to experiment with different writing styles and techniques and try incorporating ambitious vocabulary into your writing.

Editing and Revising

Editing and revising your writing can help you identify areas where you can use more ambitious vocabulary. Go back through your writing and look for opportunities to replace common words with more sophisticated and impressive ones. Remember, editing and revising are essential steps in the writing process and can help you refine your work.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

While using ambitious vocabulary can enhance your writing, it's essential to avoid common mistakes that can detract from your work. Here are a few mistakes to avoid:

Overusing complex words

Using too many complex words can make your writing difficult to read and understand. Use ambitious vocabulary sparingly and only when it adds to the tone and style of your writing.

Using words you're not familiar with

Using words you're not familiar with can make your writing feel forced and inauthentic. Make sure you understand the meaning and context of the words you use.

Using the wrong word

Using the wrong word can change the meaning of your sentence and confuse your readers. Make sure you use words that fit the context and meaning of your writing.

Using ambitious vocabulary can help you elevate your writing and make it more engaging and memorable. By using sensory words, vivid verbs, similes and metaphors, personification, and alliteration, you can create a more descriptive and engaging narrative. Remember to understand the context, read widely, use a thesaurus, practice writing prompts, and edit and revise your work. Avoid common mistakes like overusing complex words, using words you're not familiar with, and using the wrong word. By incorporating ambitious vocabulary into your writing, you can gain full marks in 11 plus creative writing and make your work stand out from the crowd.

11 Plus Vocabulary Test Papers Product Image

Dear Parent, Before You Leave...

Subscribe to Newsletter

** Get 10% off coupon code on your first order, valid sitewide.

PiAcademy Partners

PiAcademy Practice Papers and Expert Tuition - 7+ 11+ 13+ SATs and GCSE

More than 20,000 registered members!

Exam papers.

Creative writing vocabulary

Part of English Vocabulary

Exciting writing

Watch – explore new words to make your writing exciting.

This video can not be played

To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.

It's time to write a story! Follow the brave knight on her exciting quest and find out how many words you know.

Video Transcript Video Transcript

Josh is sat at a desk holding up a pen and paper excitedly.

Pens and paper at the ready. Let’s do some exciting writing!

As the storyteller, you help us see the story as you imagine it.

A thought bubble appears above Josh’s head, filling the screen.

We see Aria dressed in a suit of armour.

Yes, our main character. A courageous knight on an epic quest.

Our hero is looking for treasure … but where?

Aria the knight performs actions to represent brave and courageous , before looking down at a treasure map of the castle with a route marked in red.

In a dark, spooky castle of course.

Aria the knight creeps through a dark corridor as a roar echoes through the castle.

Thunderous roars echo through the room.

Gruesome ghosts hide around every corner.

We see spooky hands and eyes peeping around corners and hiding in the dark.

Wow, that was exciting .

The nightmarish roars get louder as they approach a large creaky door.

The door is slowly opening with a tense, heavy, rusty creak.

What beast must lay on the other side? A spiky , scaly , smelly and… small dragon.

We see close ups of parts of the dragon’s body, the teeth, the scales, the spikes, a plume of fart.

Ahh, they look like an adorable , friendly dragon.

Look! The treasure, how intriguing ! Oh, another treasure map!

A great starting point for our next piece of exciting writing!

What is vocabulary?

Vocabulary is the collection of words that we use. We can always learn new words.

Find out more about the words you’ve explored.

What new words have you learnt?

Let's find out!

The word imagine above a smiling child with a thought bubble, imagining a courageous knight.

Imagine means to make up a thought or picture in your mind.

The word gruesome above a sad looking ghost.

Something that is gruesome is horrible and scary.

The word epic above a girl wearing armour.

If something is epic, it is really exciting.

The word scaly above a cute scaly dragon.

Something that is covered in scales. Like the skin of a fish or dragon.

If something is adorable, it’s lovely and cute.

The word spooky above a spooky looking castle door.

If something is spooky, it is strange and a bit scary.

The word courageous above a brave girl dressed as a knight in armour.

Someone who is courageous is very brave, even if they are scared.

Activity: Explore your own vocabulary through writing

Can you answer the questions below with your own exciting writing ?

Download the colouring sheet. image Download the colouring sheet

500 Descriptive Words To Improve Your Writing

These descriptive words will help improve your writing. All these describing words are from my own personal notes. I’m an avid, and active, reader, and over the last couple of years I’ve jotted down the descriptive words that I pop out to me.

This list of descriptive words for writing was born from a desire to become enhance my vocabulary and become a better storyteller, and writer. Three things I care a lot about – just a fun fact about me .

I’ve learned over time – and with many failures – that working with describing words on a page is akin to a potter at the molding wheel. And as writers, we use them to slowly shape our stories whether it’s writing about driving around the world or inspiring people to create their own list of bucket list ideas .

The list is separated by parts of speech ; You’ll find a list of adjectives, descriptive phrases, action verbs, and more.

At the end are some phrases I like, that I have read here or there over the years. Make sure to check out our list of descriptive adjectives as well.

I hope you use this list of descriptive words , and phrases and garner inspiration to enhance your tales.

500 Describing Words to Improve Your Writing

“This is one of the best resources I’ve come across in a long time…”

Get our Descriptive Word Cheat Sheet for FREE . You’ll get immediate access to our PDF cheat sheet of Descriptive Words. A resource you won’t find elsewhere. Perfect for papers, writing and resumes!

1 – although.

“he was making headway, albeit rather slowly.”

1 – very typical of a certain kind of person or thing.

“the archetypal country doctor”

1 – without purpose or direction.

“Don’t live an aimless life.”

1 – To face or endure danger or pain; showing courage.

The brave healthcare workers are putting their life on the line.

1 – perplexed and confused; very puzzled.

“I had a bewildered look on my face”

1 – giving out or reflecting a lot of light; shining.

The sun was bright in his eyes.

2 – vivid and bold color.

The grass in Ireland is bright green.

1 – Bright or Radiant.

The brilliant light was blinding.

1 – Clever or Smart

He was a brilliant student. He always chose to use the right word.

1 – unlimited, infinite, or immense.

The boundless energy of the kid wore me out.

1 – socially unconventional in a way regarded as characteristic of creative

Running this travel blog has led me to live a boho life.

2 – woman’s fashion aesthetic is characterized by flowing print fabrics, layers of clothing, and costume jewelry such as long strings of beads, dangling earrings, and multiple bangles.

she went for the boho look in a floor-length green dress teamed with a fringed jacket and chandelier earrings.

1 – hurt by repeated blows or punishment.

he finished the day battered and bruised.

2 – damaged by age or used repeatedly.

I finished the day battered and bruised.

1 – a taste sensation that is peculiarly sharp or acrid.

The bitter fruit tasted terrible.

1 – lacking due thought or consideration

Zack Morris showed a blithe disregard for the rules.

2 – Happy or Lighthearted Character

Want to watch a blithe romantic comedy?

1 – having a blue tinge; somewhat blue.

The bluish tint of the water was stylish.

1 – Lost in deep sadness of thought.

The kid was brooding that his parents wouldn’t buy the toy.

1 – having the characteristic of a baby.

He acted babyish when he lost the game.

1 – not fake; or counterfeit

This is a bona fide masterpiece.

1 – lose or hanging.

My eyes are baggy after a red-eye flight.

1 – loved very dearly.

The teacher was beloved by his students.

1 – a low murmuring or humming sound.

The buzzing bee flew across the park.

1 – strong, or strongly built.

The burly bear was intimidating.

1 – having a lot of bounce.

The trampoline was extra bouncy.

2 – confident or having a jaunty rhythm.

The man was bouncy and full of life.

1 – very apt to stay afloat.

The pool floaty was extremely buoyant.

2 – cheerful.

The buoyant salesman was very charming.

1 – lacking plants or life.

The bleak desert was barren.

2 – Cold and Miserable Outlook.

After his divorce, he had a bleak outlook on life.

1 – expressing or marked by earnest entreaty or pleading.

The beseeching peasant feared for his life.

1 – having the taste of butter.

The buttery bread warmed the soul.

1 – having feelings or actions control or remaining calm.

Even though he was afraid he remained composed.

1 – caverns in either size, shape, or atmosphere.

The cavernous mansion stood empty.

2 – Giving the impression of dark and vast.

The cavernous eyes.

1 – a series of columns set at specific intervals, and supporting a roof.

The ancient marble colonnades are just one reason to explore the best islands in Greece .

1 – free from worry or anxiety.

he was a carefree soul.

1 – having a rough texture; large grains.

The treated wood was coarse.

1 – anxious to protect or avoid potential danger or mishaps.

he was careful not to get into trouble.

1 – making or liable to make a harsh, high-pitched sound when being moved or when pressure or weight is applied.

“I climbed the creaky stairs”

1 – dirt free, unmarked, or have been washed.

the room was clean.

1 – having a wavy outline

The crenelated coast when backpacking Thailand is breathtaking. ..

1 – covered by clouds.

It was too cloudy to go hiking.

1 – present from birth.

“a congenital defect of the heart.”

1 – a striking array of colors.

The colorful painting lit up the room.

1 – rude language.

They didn’t allow the colorful speech to get past the sensors.

1 – Happy / Sprightly

He was chipper after getting married in Sweden .

1 – rude shortness

The curt manager’s comments angered the waiter.

1 – confused

The chef was confounded by the dinner tickets.

1 – continuing occurrence

I suffer from chronic indigestion.

2 – present and encountered.

Chronic meddling always causes problems.

1 – relating to the community / Collective ownership.

The communal garden gives us great vegetables every year.

1 – huge in size, power, or stupendous.

The colossal rocks blocked the dusty path.

1 – pleasing

Chicago food has some of the most delectable meals I’ve ever had.

1 – delicate

The dainty glass broke from the fall.

2 – tasty

The dainty sandwich was filling.

1 – untidy in appearance

Boys often have a disheveled room.

1 – devoted to a cause or purpose

Star Wars has dedicated fans.

2 – given a purpose

He has a dedicated server to protect his data.

1 – awarded or received marks of honor.

He was decorated with a medal for winning the race.

2 – furnished with something ornamental

A hallmark of the parade are the decorated floats.

1 – chosen but not yet installed

the ambassador designates the future assignments.

He has a designated server to protect his data.

1 – bright, brilliant, or showy, colorful, and impressive.

The dazzling fireworks were the highlight of the festival.

1 – eating food quickly.

The Lion is a devouring beast.

2 – destructively consuming/absorbing

Don’t let devouring loneliness defeat you.

1 – below / far from the surface

His joy was buried deep below the surface of an ocean of swirling emotions.

Deep-Pocketed

1- Having a great deal of money; being wealthy.

The deep-pocketed businessman donated a large sum of money to the charity.

Disagreeable

1- Having a disposition that is not pleasant or agreeable; disagreeable behavior or remarks.

“I’m sorry I was so disagreeable earlier. I had a really bad day.”

DILAPIDATED

1 – fallen into decay or deteriorated

The dilapidated home needed an intense amount of love and care.

1 – serving for ornamental decoration.

The decorative replica was made to be displayed. And invoked a strong emotion.

1 – moving from the common direction.

Do follow the popular path. Instead, go into the unknown, and discover your divergent path.

Compassionate

1 – Showing concern and sympathy for others, especially those in distress.

When I saw the homeless man on the side of the road, I felt compassion for him and wished I could help him.

Entertaining

1 – A movie that is enjoyable and amusing.

The new comedy starring Melissa McCarthy was very entertaining.

1 – hard to pin down, identify, or isolate.

They knew the elusive thief lurked nearby.

1 – enthusiastic joy

They were exuberant about their upcoming trip to some of the most beautiful places in the world .

1 – vertical position

Few erect columns were peppered throughout the temple ruins.

1 – having the ability to expand.

The expansive landscape is seemingly never-ending.

1 – deriving style, ideas, and taste from a wide range of sources.

The eclectic mix of opinions caused an argument.

EXASPERATING

1 – cause a strong feeling of annoyance

The planes exasperating delay made everyone late.

1 – fully detailed or well planned.

The elaborate design of Bangkok’s royal palace is breathtaking.

1 – uttered, or emphasizing on.

The emphatic refusal helped them close the deal.

1 – productive / desired effects.

The efficient writer finished before the deadline.

2 – being involved or an immediate agent.

The efficient action helped make a change.

EVER-DEEPENING

1 – go deeper

He had an ever-deepening love for sports.

1 – thorough / all possibilities

The exhaustive to-do list was intimidating.

1 – seemingly without end

The endless forest instilled a mood of tranquility.

EXTRAVAGANT

1 – exceeding normal limits or excessively elaborate

The extravagant building is grand.

2 – extremely high in price

The extravagant purchase maxed out his credit card purchase.

1 – elegance

The elegant clothes belonged to the king.

1 – relating to or named after

The eponymous landscape outside Dingle is one of the best places to visit in Ireland .

1 – relating to a celebration, festival , or feast.

The festive dinner got a little out of hand.

1 – tinged with red in the face, from shame, heat, or physical exertion.

Caught in a lie, his face became flushed with embarrassment.

1 – very hot or passionate desire.

I have a fervent desire to explore the world.

FAST-MOVING

1 – moving quickly

The fast-moving current washed away our supplies.

FANTASTICAL

1 – based on fantasy

Game of Thrones takes place in a fantastical world, filled with dragons, and magic.

1 – unrestrained violence or brutality

The ferocious lion hunted his prey.

1 – having to do with the burial.

They found treasure in the Pharaoh’s funerary chamber.

1 – focused on something.

The dog was fixated on the squirrel.

1 – loving having fun.

The fun-loving locals love putting on their annual festival.

1 – covered with grass

The grassy knolls are stunning.

1 – a large number of

He had charm galore.

1 – repulsion, or inspiring horror.

The movie was too gruesome for me.

1 – possessing glory

When backpacking New Zealand you see glorious landscapes.

Good-Looking

1 – Very good-looking, or beautiful. Can be used to describe people, things, or places. For example, “She is a glorious sight in that dress.”

1 – painful or distressing

It was a harrowing adventure filled with an unexpected twists, turns, and sacrifices.

1 – an unrestrained expression

I was greeted with a hearty welcome.

2 – wholesome or substantial

I enjoyed the hearty meal.

1 – relating to an herb

Those herbaceous florae were savory.

1 – alone

He was isolated during the exam.

INTOLERABLE

1 – not tolerable or unbearable

The intolerable noise kept me up all night.

1 – picturesque or pleasing

The idyllic Irish landscapes are some of the best in Europe.

1 – great in size or degree

Our immense Universe is without limits.

1 – extreme degree

The intense amount of work was overbearing.

1 – irk or tedious

Sometimes we all have to do Irksome tasks.

1 – prone to act, acting momentarily

To lose weight sometimes we have to deny our impulses for bad food.

1 – tempting

The inviting meal made my mouth water.

1 – existing in, or belonging to

The innate behavior of a child was to cause trouble.

1 – memorable or cannot be washed away or erased.

The indelible landscape means there are hundreds of places to visit in the United States .

INFURIATING

1 – the feeling of extreme anger.

The infuriating delay at the airport made him miss his flight.

1 – spotless / extremely clean

Singapore is an immaculately clean country.

2 – having no flaw

The glass in Venice is immaculate.

1 – having many complex parts

Mona Lisa is an intricate painting. Making it the most famous in the world.

1 – belonging to the inside,

I great battles happen inside the interior of our minds.

1 – sprightly

he took a jaunty stroll through the park.

1 – having a disorienting effect

The jarring truth is that dreams without goals, remain dreams.

1 – ready, or in favor of

I am keen to go to the bar.

2 – sensitive perception

He had a keen nose.

1 – having lungs

The lunged fish swan in the pond.

1 – transparent or clear; Glasslike

The limpid waters in Thailand or famed around the world.

1 – expending or bestowing excess

The lavish palace of Versailles is one of the most popular day trips from Paris .

1 – outlandish, or eccentric

Some ludicrous movies aren’t bad.

1 – filled with desire or lust

She was filled with lascivious thoughts.

1 – lack of interest, or energy

His listless attitude held him back in life.

1 – sad or lonely

Ah, the lonesome road, has many trails, but many rewards.

1 – highly significant, outstanding

The monumental task can be accomplished by taking little steps every day.

1 – expressing sadness

A melancholy nature will keep you stuck.

MERITORIOUS

1 – deserving reward or praise.

A meritorious life of service.

1 – intrusive or getting involved in

The meddlesome raccoon knocked over the trash can.

1 – Huge, exceedingly large

Many of the mammoth caves in the United States are worth visiting.

1 – existing today

Many modern-day advances give our lives ease.

1 – inferior in size or degree

The minor problems in life or nothing to sweat over – life is too short .

1 – covered by mist.

The heavy air of the misty morning endowed the park with an eerie coolness.

1 – covered by mystery

The monk has a mysterious nature.

OUT-OF-PLACE

1 – not where it should be

The restaurant felt out of place.

1 – elaborate or excessively decorated

The ornate .ruins draw in visitors.

OUTSTANDING

1 – standing out

His outstanding skills put him in line for a promotion.

2 – unpaid

Outstanding bills can be stressful.

1 – lack of sharpness

His obtuse answer made no sense.

1 – lacking remembrance, or memory

Don’t be oblivious to the opportunities that life presents you.

1 – wealth, abundance

The opulent hotel is worth the price tag.

1 – characteristic of a person

His hot temper was peculiar.

2 – different from the normal

The book had a particular plot twist in the book.

1 – not spoiled, or corrupted

The pristine beaches had soft sand.

2 – earliest state

The pristine state of the forest

1 – a sense of peace

The peaceful forest instilled a peace of tranquility.

1 – argumentative quarrelsome

He has a pugnacious nature.

1 – mental and emotional state of fear

Don’t panic. Breathe and slow down.

1 – able to be passed

The currents were passable during the low tide.

1 – turning, a pivot

Taking my first trip to Ireland was a pivotal moment in my life.

1 – critical

It was a pivotal piece of the puzzle.

1 – polishing, smooth, glossy

Polish your writing before publishing the piece.

1 – by or in itself

That’s not the facts per se, but valuable to know.

1 – notably luxurious or rich

His plush life made him soft.

1 – elevated or arrogant

The pompous rhetoric is hurtful.

2- exhibiting an air of self-importance.

The pompous politician lost sight of his vision.

1 – extreme or severe

After rigorous training, he was ready to test himself.

Sidesplitting

1 – When something is so funny that it causes one’s sides to split, it is side-splitting.

My mom’s joke was sidesplittingly funny.

1 – like thunder

The thunderous roar of the waves beating along the coast.

DESCRIPTIVE WORDS FOR WRITING: ACTION and Strong VERBS

These are some of the best words. They are great when wanting to show a clear meaning of a sentence or improve a short story.

1- regard something as being caused by.

I attribute my grammar skill to how many questions I ask.

1 – provide clear evidence; declare that something exist.

I attest that life is good

1 – make minor changes.

I had to amend your application before sending it in.

1 – regard (an object, quality, or person) with respect or warm approval.

I admire your commitment to learning the English Language.

1 – praise enthusiastically

I acclaimed actor won the best actor for his deep performance.

1 – achieve or complete successfully.

I accomplish my goals.

1 – increase in sound

They amplify the sound at the concert.

2 – make copies of something

The notes amplify that new evidence. ..

1 – change, or make changes too

They altered the rules of the game.

1 – (of a problem, opportunity, or situation) emerge; become apparent.

“a string of new difficulties have arisen “

2 – get or stand up.

“he arose at 5:30 to work out.”

1 – to clear out or save (Usually water from a boat)

They bailed him out of trouble.

1 – talk enthusiastically for a long time

Just one of the many fun facts about me . Sometimes I like to babble about travel.

1 – to set upon

We were beset with locals trying to make a sale.

2 – to set with ornaments

The roses are beset with thrones.

1 – fail to give a true notion or impression of (something); disguise or contradict.

I newspaper story belied the facts.

2 – fail to fulfill or justify (a claim or expectation); betray.

The notebooks belie Darwin’s later recollection.

1 – hit repeatedly with blows.

He battered the broken car.

1 – become perplexed.

I was bewildered by the lack of work the team had done.

1 – bend the head or upper part of the body as a sign of respect, greeting, or shame.

It is common to bow in Asia.

2 – play (a stringed instrument or music) using a bow.

The techniques by which the pieces were bowed.

1 – think deeply about something that makes the person unhappy.

He brooded over his bad day.

1 – encourage or help

I need to boost my spirits.

2 – push from below

She needs to boost to master the English Language.

1 – cast a spell or enchant.

I was bewitched by the lush landscape.

1 – low murmuring or humming sound.

Flies buzz when they fly.

1 – lock with a bar that slides into a socket.

He bolted the door for protection.

2 – ran away quickly.

He bolted down the street.

1 – strike hard.

He bashed the wall in anger.

2 – criticize.

He bashed the smoking industry.

1 – break or burst

They bust the water balloon.

2 – lose something

He went bust at the poker table…

1 – squeeze together

Compress the laptop’s file to save space.

1 – to bring to an end.

The summit concluded with world peace.

2 – to reach a logical end or decision.

The magazine concludes that Rome is one of the most beautiful cities in the world .

He concluded his college application with a question.

1 – unmarked, free dirt

He cleaned the room every other week.

1 – fall or hang in copious or luxuriant quantities.

“the cool water cascading down the waterfall.”

1 – decrease in size, number, or range.

“glass contracts as it cools.”

2 – become shorter and tighter to affect the movement of part of the body.

“The heart is a muscle that contracts about seventy times a minute”

1 – wind into rings

The sailor coiled the rope.

1 – to cover something

Massive trees canopied the small island.

1 – to form short bends or ripples / Wrinkle

Don’t crinkle my shirt.

2 – a think crackling sound

The crinkling bag woke up the dog.

1 – chuckle or laugh

He chortled with amusement.

2 – sing or chant

She chortled in her happiness.

1 – broken into small parts.

The Greek Islands are filled with crumbling ruins.

1 – beg or sponge

He cadges for a free cup of coffee.

1 – sharp, quick, repeated noises

The crackling fire.

1 – to dig and bring to light.

Don’t dredge up those painful memories.

1 – travel somewhere in a hurry

I dashed through the forest.

2 – strike, or destroy

The ship was dashed upon the rocks.

She dashed his spirits.

1 – cause (someone) to feel consternation and distress.

A deep feeling of dismay overtook the room.

1 – greatly astonish or amaze

I’m often dumbfounded after watching the task force meetings.

1 – eat / destroy / adsorb quickly

I want to devour the big meal.

2 – read eagerly

Amy always devours a good book.

1 – make (someone’s) clothes or hair messy.

Boris Johnson disheveled his hair before being on camera.

1 – to lessen the courage of

A lesser man would be daunted by this challenge.

1 – to set apart for a purpose. to distinguish as a class

We designate this room as the class lab.

2 – to point out a location

A marker designating where the trial starts.

1 – to feel aversion to (Offend)

His distaste for the joke was apparent.

1 – to dig

Suspicion led him to delve into his wife’s bag.

1 – to search for information

He delved into the past to find the problem.

1 – to get carried along (by water, air, etc)

The windy drift pushed the hot air balloon to the west.

1 – a pile of something in heaps

Snow drifts covered the landscape.

1 – to stray or move from a principle, standard, or topic.

Don’t deviate from your goals. Stayed focused even when life is tough.

1 – to cause annoyance or irritation

I hope you’re not exasperated by this list of descriptive words.

1 – Set up / to fix/put together in an upright position

The father and son erected the tree house.

1 – to become known,

Jane emerged from her travels a most well-rounded person.

1 – To make it ornamental or make it more attractive.

Frank embellished his life story to impress his date.

1 – to furnish / to provide with

I’m endowed with a good sense of humor .

1 – allure or tempt

He was enticed by the smell of the chocolate.

1 – eliminate by wearing away surface

The rocks are effaced by wear and tear.

1 – rot slowly

Don’t let your anger fester about your tough English test.

1 – steal secretly

He filches the cookie from the jar.

1 – give a false appearance

The company feigned how bad his leg hurt.

1 – containing frescoes

The frescoed walls of the chapel inspired my love of art.

1 – to pass quickly or shift

The chortling birds flitted around the forest.

1 – to flow in an irregular current

The stream gurgling stream swept over the rocks.

2 – ta gurgling sound

The gurgling stream blocked the path.

1 – to gather,

Tim garnered his courage before presenting his essay to his teachers.

1 – move quickly

He hastened his journey home.

1 – lift or raise by tackle

Hoist the flag.

1 – lift or raise or pull

He heaved the trunk onto the oak table.

1 – a harmful or disquieting occurrence

The past mistakes haunted him.

2 – to visit often to seek the company of

I spend a lot of time haunting the bookstore.

1 – cross one with another.

The intertwined vines were impassable.

1 – place a body in a tomb or grave

The king was interred with all the honor due him.

1 – weave.

It’s dangerous to interweave lies and the truth.

1 – to make, irritated, or weary

He was irked trying to learn all the English grammar rules.

1 – endow or influence

He imbued the spirit of the old times.

INTERSPERSE

1 – spaced in intervals

The interspersed paintings covered the east wing.

1 – sharp uneven surface

The jagged mountains dotted the horizon.

1 – come into contact or pushing

The jostling crowd flooded to the door.

2 – vying for a position.

The workers began to jostle for the new job.

1 – expend or bestow

His lavish habits cost him a lot of money.

1 – slow parting

The effects lingered long after it was over.

1 – take a large shape or an impending occurrence

The teacher loomed over the student to make sure he wasn’t cheating.

1 – an area to stop

Lay-by the dock the ship tied up.

1 – utter barely audible sounds in a low voice.

He muttered to himself about his workload.

1 – hypnotizing

The mesmerizing beauty of the best islands in Croatia is not easily forgotten.

1 – settle snugly

A small town nestled among the mountains.

1 – grab or catch

He nabbed the best spot in the class for the English lesson .

1 – a slow trickle, to seep out of something

The oozing gunk stained the floor.

1 – exiled

He was ostracized after his betrayal was made public.

1 – to peer through / to look furtively.

Don’t peek around the corner.

1 – to go deep into, or thrust into something.

I plunged into the task of self-development.

1 – landscape with a level surface, and little change

He wandered the plateau looking for his lost wallet.

1 – search for information.

His friend probed him with questions about the girl.

1 – sprinkled throughout

The olive trees peppered the Greek countryside.

1 – work laboriously

The book plodded along slowly.

1 – soaked in

The city was steeped in charm.

1 – a loud sharp noise

He shirked when he thought he saw a ghost.

1 – to spread without restraint

The sprawling landscape of the desert is one of the best things to do in Tucson .

1 – fill with things or with satiety

He was stuffed after Thanksgiving dinner.

1 – feeling to do something (usually wrong)

He was tempted to eat the candy.

DESCRIPTIVE WORDS FOR WRITING: LIST OF ADVERBS

1 – Suddenly or Unexpectedly.

The car stopped abruptly.

2 – In a rude manner.

His mom abruptly cut him off.

3 – Steep

The hill ascends abruptly.

Apathetically

1- Without enthusiasm or interest.

She played with the dog apathetically, barely looking at it.

ADDITIONALLY

1 – extra factor or circumstance.

brokers finance themselves additionally by short-term borrowing.

2 – used to introduce a new fact or argument.

Additionally, the regulations require a clean environment.

ALTERNATELY

1 – one after the other or next

Alternately, don’t give up when things get hard.

Begrudgingly

begrudgingly (adverb) – unwillingly; reluctantly

I begrudgingly gave him my number.

Deliberately

1- done or planned with care and intention

The mother deliberately left the child in the car while she went into the store.

Dramatically

1. in a dramatic manner

The actress dramatically read the lines from the script.

EFFECTIVELY

1 – being effective or in effect

John effectively finished his to-do list before stopping for the day.

1 – evident or provide evidence

He was evidently born in Ohio.

1 – expert in something

He expertly navigated his way through the maze of alleyways.

Extraordinary

1 – strikingly unusual or different; remarkable

This painting is extraordinary!

FURTHERMORE

1 – what precedes

Furthermore, people should travel more.

1 – a gloomy or somber

He grimly walked to see his boos.

1 – a sinister character

The dark figure had a grimly stance that shadows seemed to cling to.

Inquisitively

1- Inquisitively is defined as in a curious or questioning manner.

Looking inquisitively at someone means looking at them in a way that suggests you want to know more about them. For example, you may be staring intently at their face as if you are trying to read their thoughts.

Intelligently

1 – In an intelligent way

The mother cat was intelligently trying to get her kitten out from under the car.

1 – to a great degree

The immensely talented writer self-published his book.

INTENTIONALLY

1 – intentional manner or awareness

He intentionally arrived at the airport early.

1 – intense

He intensely focused on the problem at hand.

IMPULSIVELY

1 – from impulse

He impulsively got up early every morning.

He invitingly offered me a free drink.

INFURIATINGLY

1 – extreme anger

Moving to my wife in Sweden is an infuriatingly slow process.

1 – born or existing in.

He innately loved filling his head with quotes about adventure.

1 – lasting or unforgettable cannot be removed.

The indelibly hued landscape when backpacking Italy changed my life.

INTRICATELY

1 – complex with many parts

The intricately designed plot has levels of detail.

1 – eager or intense

They are keenly attuned to your bad behavior.

1 – clear; glassiness

The limpidly rushing water of the cascading waterfall.

LUDICROUSLY

1 – meriting laughter or exaggeration

He ludicrously lost his wallet.

Synonym for Richly or Grandly

1 – marked by excess

The lavishly decorated crown marked him as king.

Methodically

1 – In a precise and orderly way.

The scientist methodically recorded the data.

MONUMENTALLY

1 – large, or to an extreme degree

He monumentally failed in his task.

1 – without doubt

The claims were patently false.

1 – peace or tranquility

he peacefully listened to the sounds of birds singing outside his window.

1 – strict

He rigorously worked at his craft every day.

ROMANTICALLY

1 – romantic

He was romantically involved with her.

DESCRIPTIVE WORDS FOR WRITING: NOUNS

1 – the process of absorbing.

The absorption of the spilled water.

2 – The whole occupation of the mind.

The absorption of my work overtakes every other desire.

1 – strong desire to do or to achieve something which takes hard work.

People trying to improve their skills with this list of descriptive words for writing have a lot of ambition.

2 – determination to achieve success.

life offers many opportunities for those with ambition.

1 – a large quantity of something.

I have an abundance of ambition.

2 – The condition of having a copious quantity of something; bountifulness.

The vineyard has an abundance of grapes.

1 – a person who is very knowledgeable and enthusiastic about an activity, subject, or pastime.

“He’s a wine aficionado.”

1 – a dark volcanic rock that displays a columnar structure and is made of fine-grained.

The fertile soil was made of decomposed basalt.

1 – something of monstrous size

That’s a behemoth-sized lion.

1 – a person who is socially unconventional in a way regarded as characteristic of creative artists; a bohemian.

The town bohos opened an art gallery.

1 – an increase

A boost in the economy.

1 – a room or pantry used for storing wine or hard liquor.

Can you grab the wine out of the buttery?

1 – a beer that has a strong hop taste; or liquor with the sharp taste of plant extracts.

What bitters do you have on tap?

1 – a combination of qualities of color, such as shape, or form, that pleases the aesthetic senses, especially the sight.

“I was struck by her beauty .”

Synonym for Rock or Stone

1 – a large rock, mostly worn smooth by years of erosion.

The boulder blocked the path.

1 – move quickly.

He buzzed through these descriptive words.

1 – Irish name for a beehive hut.

The ruins of a clochán sat on the other side of the field.

1 – a written or spoken agreement, especially one concerning employment, sales, or tenancy, that is intended to be enforceable by law.

“both parties must sign employment contracts “

1 – a mass of something that falls or hangs in copious or luxuriant quantities.

“A cascade of pink bougainvillea.”

2 – a large number or amount of something occurring or arriving in rapid succession.

“a cascade of antiwar literature”

1 – an ornamental decoration at the ridge of a roof or top of a wall or screen.

High on the roof was a cresting decoration.

1 – Someone who chips

The chipper was hard at working cutting down the tree.

1 – one delegated by a superior to execute a duty or an office

The commissary was tasked with finding a cure.

1 – a series of loops

The coil of pumps was confusing.

2 – everyday troubles

Sometimes we all need to shrug off the coils of the workday.

1 – any of an order (Coniferales) of mostly evergreen trees and shrubs having usually needle-shaped or scalelike leaves like pine, cones, and arillate fruit.

The group of conifer trees took over the forest.

1 – to create

Christians believe in the creation story.

1 – an agreement or promise / attached to someone or something

I have a commitment to my wife.

1 – a cover carried above by a person of rank / or a cloth suspended

The canopy covered the diners on the patio.

1 – a heap of stones in a heap. Usually a landmark or memorial. Typically on a hilltop or skyline.

The stony cairn marked the way back.

Characteristics

1- Colorful Having many different colors. The sunset was so colorful.

Loyalty is one of his best characteristics

1 – something to eat considered rare and luxurious

What is your favorite delicacy in Italy?

2 – the quality or state of being dainty of someone or something

Spiderwebs have a delicacy.

1 – to flow along

To drift through life is sad.

2 – an underlying meaning or design.

The spy understood the drift of his orders.

1 – dislike food or drink

Many have a distaste for mushrooms.

1 – representation in images or describing words depicting something or someone.

The depiction of the movie wasn’t congruent with the book.

1 – a deep place or state of being

The depths of our abilities remain unknown until we push for greatness.

1 – an arrangement, or state of being engaged

Social engagement took most of my day.

1 – a massive structure

The social edifice holds together certain rules.

plural noun

1 – city districts / or surroundings in your space or vicinity

The crystal environs of the waterfalls.

1 – a public showcase

The art exhibition was a success.

1 – a high position of superiority, Commanding or in a profession.

His eminence in the film made him a legend.

1 – refined taste, dignified gracefulness

The novel had an air of elegance and wit.

EXASPERATION

1 – a state of exasperated or exasperating someone/feeling irritation

He was exasperated after working all day.

1 – the act of representing a medium

I don’t understand the expression that artists are trying to achieve.

FOCAL POINT

1 – point of attention.

The focal point of this blog post is describing words that help others master descriptive writing .

1 – an embarrassing mistake or error.

Interpreting someone is considered a social faux pas.

1 – the front of the building

The store’s facade was highly decorated.

1 – a false, or fake appearance

His friends saw through his thinly veiled facade.

A love this descriptive word.

1 – a boisterous and loud burst of laughter.

The joke caused a guffaw in the room.

1 – enthusiastic and filled with joy.

1 – a gloomy or somber outlook

He had a grim disposition on life.

The grim tale left me afraid.

1 – the quality or current state

The grandeur of ancient Rome inspired our world.

1 – grand

Many of the best places to visit in Europe are grand in design, scope, and scale.

1 – strong wind

The gust of wind caused the bike to tip over.

1 – an outburst of feeling

He had a gust of energy that came with the good news.

1 – either side of an arch.

The dog loves to have his back haunches scratched.

1 – a great number

A host of ants took over the picnic.

1 – something to indicate

He gave the indication that he was going to travel this summer.

1 – a stage or exception

In this instance, we all need to be quiet.

2 – example

For instance, pasta tastes better in Italy.

1 – inside limits or inner constitution

Travelers loved the lavish interior of the modern-day art gallery.

1 – limestone land or limestone plateau

The karst lands were filled with sinkholes and caverns.

1 – a plant organism made up of alge

Working the lichen spotted lake held a natural charm rarely found.

1 – machine for interlacing

Working the loom is hard and painful.

1 – soil made of silt, sand, and clay.

The loam ground was hard to walk.

LAUNDERETTE

1 – a self-service laundry

The launderette was packed with others.

1 – causing wonder and astonishment

Abu Simbel, in Egypt, is a marvel to behold.

1 – a great number of

This myriad list of descriptive words is very helpful – like our list of descriptive words for personality -.

1 – middle of the day

The midday meal made him want a nap.

1 – a single massive stone in a column or obelisk

Monoliths pepper the old landscape.

1 – a single massive stone in a column or obelisk from prehistoric origin.

The Menhir’s of Stonehenge tower over all who stand before it.

METROPOLITAN

1 – one who lives in a metropolis

The metropolitan knew the city backward and forwards.

1 – wealth and Abundance

The opulence of the Blue Mosque makes it one of the best things to do in Turkey .

1 – of an unusual size

The outsize bed wouldn’t fit.

1 – a dirty slovenly place

Clean up this pigpen of a room.

1 – the quality of excitement or attractive

He was charming and had a large amount of pizzazz.

1 – an earnest entreaty

They plead for another helping of mashed potatoes.

1 – a bar something is hung on

The bird sat on the perch.

1 – a medical instrument for exploring

The doctor used a probe to discover what was wrong.

1 – a person despised or rejected

The thief was treated as a pariah.

1 – chasing after

Our pursuits define our lives.

1 – contradictory phases or conclusions.

Life is full of many a paradox.

1 – state of fear

Don’t panic about your writing . Just learn more descriptive words that will improve your writing.

1 – a close inspection; under a microscope

His paper was under a lot of scrutiny.

1 – riot or commotion

Tumult uprisings are a big part of history.

2 – loud noise

a tumult of noise kept me from sleeping.

1 – tiles

The tiling walls were stunning.

DESCRIPTIVE WORDS FOR WRITING: LIST OF PREPOSITIONS WITH DEFINITION

preposition

1 – surrounded by; in the middle of

He walked amid the rolling hills and lush landscape.

2 – in an atmosphere or against a background of.

Mid accusations of cheating the student were suspended.

DESCRIPTIVE WORDS FOR WRITING: DESCRIPTIVE PHRASES

Here are a lot of describing words that I’ve picked up from various books, and blog posts. I fell in love with this word list. And are great for adding detail.

Pro tip: The describing words are all around you. Listen to how people use descriptive language in your favorite movies, tv shows, and podcast. Try to find describing words in the things you read. The lesson you are looking for and the right words are all around you! You just have to look for the lesson to find the best describing word.

ARID STEPPE

1 – one of the vast treeless tracts in Europe and Asia.

The arid steppe of Mongolia is famous around the world.

ATLANTIC SWELLS

1- Waves crashing on the coast.

The Atlantic swells crashed against the crenelated coast.

BROODING SUMMITS

1 – sad terrain, a phrase to describe mountain ranges.

The brooding summits, covered in clouds, look like a storm is coming.

BEHIND THE TIMES

1 – not aware of or using the latest ideas or techniques; out of date.

When it came to tech, he was behind the times.

CRYSTALLINE LAKES

1 – a good description to describe a still lake. Or a phrase lake on a nice day.

The crystalline lake boasted the perfect space to camp.

CRUMBLING CASTLES

1 – a castle falling apart.

Ireland’s peppered with crumbling castles.

CRESTING MOUNTAINS

1 – descriptive of a scenic mountain range.

The cresting mountains of New Zealand are unforgettable.

EVER- DEEPENING

1 – getting deeper

The ever-deepening snow made the terrain impassable.

HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE

The historical significance of Rome echoes even until today.

INFINITE HILLS

The infinite hills of New Zealand lure thousands of visitors a year. This is one of my favorite descriptive phrases.

ICY ROLLERS

1 – cold waves

The icy rollers of the Atlantic Ocean beat along the coast.

INDELIBLY WILD

The indelibly wild forest of Peru.

LUNAR-SCAPED

1 – landscape similar to that on the moon

The Lunar-scaped beaches on Milos, put it high on many travelers’ lists of Greek Islands to visit.

LONG-FORGOTTEN

The long-forgotten castle has centuries of neglect.

A great descriptive word for the forest!

1 – covered by moss

The moss-clad rocks sat along the stream.

MODERN HIGH-RISE SKYSCRAPERS

The hundreds of workers wasted their lives in modern high-rise skyscrapers.

Descriptive Words for Food

1 – having a pleasing smell

1 – having a brittle texture and a dry, brittle sound when broken

Crunchy

1 – having a brittle texture and a crisp, crackling sound when broken

1 – having a strong, satisfying flavor

1 – having a pleasing, sugary flavor

1 -having a sour, acidic taste

Salty

1 – having a salty, savory flavor

1 – not having a strong or distinctive flavor

1 – having a hot, pungent flavor

1 – having a lot of flavors

1 – something that tastes extremely good

1- providing the body with essential nutrients

1 – making someone want to eat something

Scrumptious

1 – extremely delicious and appetizing

1 – a sweet liquid produced by flowers and used as a drink or in cooking

1 – producing an excessive flow of saliva

1 – of or relating to the sense of taste

1 – arousing or tempting the appetite

1 – having an extremely pleasing taste

1 – delightfully beautiful or elegant

1 – extremely luxurious and expensive

Scintillating

1 – brilliantly sparkling

1 – strikingly unusual or different

1 – restoring or invigorating

1 – promoting good health

1 – energetically alive and vigorous

1 – pleasantly firm and fresh

1 -full of juice

1 – having a strong, distinctive taste

Mouth-watering

1- so delicious as to make the mouth water

1 – easily broken or chewed and having a delicate, pleasing texture

Descriptive Words for Trees

Words to describe trees is one of the most requested updates for this post. So I have updated the list with a bunch of tree descriptive words. I hope you enjoy it!

massive
towering
gigantic
enormous

Descriptive Words in Spanish

ágil – agile
bello – beautiful
brillante – brilliant
cálido – warm
claro – clear
colorido – colorful
cortés – courteous
curioso – curious
dulce – sweet
enérgico – energetic
fresco – fresh
gentil – gentle
inteligente – intelligent
joven – young
ligero – light
lindo – pretty
maduro – mature
maravilloso – marvelous
nervioso – nervous
optimista – optimistic
pacífico – peaceful
perezoso – lazy
romántico – romantic
sensible – sensible
serio – serious
simpático – likable
triste – sad
vibrante – vibrant

LIST OF DESCRIPTIVE ADJECTIVES

Here are some words to describe the positive qualities of people’s personalities. And using words like this to showcase a personality can connect those feeling with your readers.

affectionate – readily feeling or showing fondness or tenderness.

Agile – able to move quickly and easily.

Altruistic – showing a disinterested and selfless concern for the well-being of others; unselfish.

amiable – having or displaying a friendly and pleasant manner.

bright – giving out or reflecting much light; shining. – A very common descriptive phrase.

Bonza – excellent; first-rate.

charming – very pleasant or attractive.

Conscientious – wishing to do one’s work or duty well and thoroughly

imaginative – having or showing creativity or inventiveness.

List of Common Adjectives

These are great for common adjectives that can be used for anything from a descriptive phrase, descriptive writing, or a cover letter.

compassionate

distinguished

enthusiastic

fashionable

fascinating

independent

influential

intelligent

mesmerizing

WORD LIST OF ATTRIBUTIVE ADJECTIVES

What are attributive adjectives?

These are words to can be placed inside a sentence that can modify a person or a thing. These different adjective are only used before nouns.

Example Sentence: The tender steak made my mouth water.

Heart-stopping

Too-yummy-to-be-believed

Face-to-face vicious

adjective for thick vines

coiling, twisting, writhing
constricting
claustrophobic

WORD LIST OF MULTIPLE ADJECTIVES

What are multiple adjectives?

Sometimes called paired adjectives. This is using more than one word to describe a noun.

Almost an adjective can be multiple adjectives if it can be paired together with other describing words to describe a noun. The key is to put them in the right order.

But here are some common ones.

Example Sentence: The thick, dense college application seemed daunting.

Smart, energetic

Small, round

Short, Fast

Pretty Little

WHAT ARE COORDINATE ADJECTIVES

Similar to paired adjectives, Coordinate adjectives

are two – or maybe even more – adjectives that describe the same noun. They are separated by a common.

LIST OF POSITIVE ADJECTIVES

Positive words are a great way to make your readers feel something about a character, place, or object. Positive words of descriptive are powerful.

Example: He was brave enough to use a new word to showcase his skill in front of the class.

Adventurous

Affectionate

Broadminded

Knowledgeable

Self-confident

Warmhearted

descriptive words starting with m

Magnificent.

impressively beautiful, elaborate or striking

Example: The view from the top of the mountain was simply magnificent.

given to unpredictable changes in mood or feelings

Example: He was in a moody state after his fight with his girlfriend.

Melancholic

feeling or expressing a deep sadness or gloominess

Example: The melancholic music helped me release my emotions.

Mischievous

Playful or causing trouble in a playful way Example: The mischievous child kept on playing pranks on his siblings.

difficult or impossible to understand or explain

Example: The disappearance of the man is still a mysterious case to this day.

having or showing impressive beauty or dignity

Example: The Taj Mahal is a majestic work of art.

having a smooth, rich, or full flavor or personality

Example: The mellow sound of the saxophone helped me relax.

relating to the present or recent times as opposed to the remote past

Example: The modern technology we have today has made life easier.

Magnanimous

generous or forgiving, especially towards a rival or less powerful person

Example: Despite losing the game, he still remained magnanimous and congratulated the winning team.

unassuming or moderate in size, quantity, or importance

Example: She is a modest person who never seeks attention.

Descriptive Words Starting With N

feeling or showing anxiety or worry.

Example: I’m nervous about my upcoming job interview.

having or showing high moral principles or ideals.

Example: He was a noble man who always put others before himself.

making a lot of sound, often in an unpleasant or disruptive way.

Example: The party next door was very noisy and kept us up all night.

existing or occurring as part of nature; not artificial or man-made.

Example: The park was a beautiful natural oasis in the middle of the city.

clean, orderly, and well-organized.

Example: His desk was always so neat and tidy.

pleasingly stylish or clever; neat or attractive.

Example: The nifty new gadget made my life easier.

quick and light in movement or action.

Example: The nimble cat easily caught the mouse.

feeling a sentimental longing for the past, typically for a period or place with happy personal associations.

Example: Looking at old family photos made her feel nostalgic for her childhood.

providing nourishment or food that is essential for health and growth.

Example: The salad was full of nutritious vegetables and healthy fats.

worthy of attention or notice; remarkable.

Example: His notable achievements in the field of science made him a household name.

descriptive words of a leader and Leadership Skills

Here are some great descriptive words that are great for describing effective leaders, passionate leaders, and other leadership qualities.

Charismatic

Having a compelling charm or appeal that inspires devotion in others.

Example: His charismatic personality made him a great public speaker. And a successful leaders.

having or showing a powerful imagination and the ability to think about or plan the future with wisdom or foresight.

Example: Steve Jobs was a visionary who revolutionized the technology industry. And held many leadership roles throughout his life.

Feeling or showing self-assurance; having faith in oneself and one’s abilities.

Example: A confident leader can inspire confidence in others. Which makes him a true leader.

Settling an issue; producing a definite result.

Example: A decisive leader is able to make tough decisions when necessary.

Having the ability to understand and share the feelings of others.

Example: An empathetic leader is able to connect with and inspire their team. Which makes them effective leaders.

Relating to the identification of long-term or overall aims and interests and the means of achieving them.

Example: A strategic leader is able to plan and execute successful business strategies.

Inspirational

providing inspiration or motivation to others; uplifting and motivating.

Example: An inspirational leader can inspire their team to achieve great things. And allows him to be a true leader.

Trustworthy

deserving of trust or confidence; reliable.

Example: A trustworthy leader is one who can be relied upon to keep their promises.

able to withstand or recover quickly from difficult conditions.

Example: A resilient leader is able to bounce back from setbacks and continue to lead effectively.

having or showing a modest or low estimate of one’s importance.

Example: A humble leader is able to put the needs of others ahead of their own and lead with integrity. And a true leader is humble, and it’s a sign of effective leadership.

What are Negative Adjectives?

Negative adjectives are adjectives that describe something negatively, or with a negative connotation. And indicating that it lacks or has the opposite of a positive quality. They can be used talk about a personality trait, character trait, and change your writing style.

Examples of negative adjectives include “bad,” “ugly,” “harmful,” “horrible,” “unpleasant,” “unfortunate,” “unfriendly,” “unhappy,” “displeasing,” “unfair,” and “unsatisfactory.”

These adjectives can be used to express criticism, disapproval, or disappointment towards someone or something. Negative adjectives can also be used to contrast one thing with another, such as in phrases like “less beautiful,” “not as smart,” or “less effective.”

positive personality adjectives

Affable – friendly, easy-going and pleasant to talk to
Ambitious – determined to succeed and reach goals
Assertive – confident and self-assured; able to stand up for oneself and one’s beliefs
Authentic – genuine and true to oneself; not fake or artificial
Benevolent – kind, caring and generous, with a desire to do good for others
Brave – courageous, not afraid to face challenges or danger
Charismatic – possessing a compelling charm or appeal that inspires devotion in others
Compassionate – empathetic, caring and understanding towards others who are suffering
Confident – having faith in oneself and one’s abilities; self-assured
Creative – imaginative, original and innovative
Diplomatic – able to handle delicate or difficult situations with tact and sensitivity
Empathetic – having the ability to understand and share the feelings of others
Enthusiastic – passionate, energetic and eager to do things
Gracious – courteous, kind and polite
Honest – truthful and sincere; not deceptive or deceitful
Humorous – having a sense of humor and able to make others laugh
Independent – self-sufficient and able to take care of oneself
Intuitive – able to understand or know something instinctively, without the need for conscious reasoning
Optimistic – hopeful and positive, expecting good outcomes and opportunities
Passionate – having strong emotions and intense feelings towards something or someone.

WHAT IS A PRESENT PARTICIPLE?

A word formed from a verb that ends in ing.

Sentence: He couldn’t stop laughing.

What is a Pronoun?

Pronouns are words that replace a noun.

A word formed from a verb that ends in ing.

Sentence: He couldn’t stop laughing.

What is a Collective Noun?

A collective noun is a word that refers to a group of things or animals as a single unit. Some common collective nouns are flock, herd, pack, and swarm.

What is a Prepositional Phrase?

A prepositional phrase is a group of words that begins with a preposition and ends with a noun or a pronoun. The preposition shows the relationship between the noun or pronoun and the verb.

What are Some Popular Synonyms?

Some popular synonyms are beautiful, pretty, handsome, and stunning.

What are Transition Words

Transition words are used to connect ideas, show relationships between ideas, and indicate the logic of thought or argument. They are used to signal the start and end of paragraphs, introduce new paragraphs, and connect related thoughts within a paragraph.

There we go! Over 500 descriptive words that will help you improve your writing! This list is always being updated as I find new describing words I like through reading and writing. Becoming a good writer and increasing your skill , and learning a new word is an endless quest. These are great words that can improve your follow-up comments or inline feedback on your writing.

And I hope that you found the list of adjectives, nouns, descriptive phrases, and verbs useful. And helps you get a little better and expand your vocabulary.

Check back for new descriptive words monthly!

400 Descriptive Words List to Make Your Writing Shine

Do you want to make your writing more engaging? Check out this descriptive words list with 400 words you can use today.

As you strive to be a more engaging writer, using descriptive words can help. It’s easy to overuse these words, but sprinkling them in here and there is a great way to colorize your writing.

Descriptive words are adjectives , which describe nouns and pronouns, or adverbs, which describe verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs. Identifying and using these will help you write stronger pieces and descriptive essays .

This descriptive word list is a good place to start. It also pairs nicely with our list of mood words .

Descriptive Words List: 400 Words to Make Your Writing More Colorful

Example sentences using adjectives, common endings for adjectives, list of adverbs in english, example sentences using adverbs, a final word on descriptive words list, what are some good descriptive words, what words describe movement.

Descriptive words take writing from boring to engaging. Consider this sentence:

She swam across the water.

While this tells you what is happening, it has little to help you imagine the scene. If you add some adjectives and adverbs and transform the statement to this:

She swam speedily across the choppy water.

Now you have a better picture of what happened. In order to transform your writing in this way, you need a number of descriptive words at the ready, and this list of descriptive words will help.

List of Descriptive Adjectives in English

Adjectives are the most common type of descriptive words, so first we will look at these. These words describe features like shape, texture, color, and size. They help differentiate between items in a group by calling out distinguishing features.

In English grammar, you can use the following to describe nouns and pronouns:

Adventurous
Accomplished
Comfortable
Embellished
Enthusiastic
Everlasting
Fashionable
Intelligent
Quarrelsome
Querulous
Questionable
Thoughtless
Uninterested

This list is not exhaustive, and there are many synonyms and other words that could be added. In addition, all colors are considered adjectives and describing words . Nationalities, like American or English, can also fit this list.

As you work on creating descriptive writing, get used to using these and similar words. You might also find our list of pronouns useful.

To better understand how adjectives look in sentences, consider these examples:

The fuzzy red fox jumped over the tall fence. (red, tall)
We like to visit the beautiful forest (beautiful)
The garden shed feels damp this morning. (garden, damp)
The trip to Disney World was magical. (Magical)
The beautiful bird sat on the rough branch and sang. (beautiful, rough)
The woman is short, but her husband is tall. (short, tall)
I prefer cold climates. (cold)
The luxurious hotel included soft robes for each guest. (luxurious, soft, each)

Because listing all adjectives in the English language is impossible, knowing their endings is helpful, especially for ESL language learners. Some of the common endings for adjectives include:

If you see a word ending in one of these, and you know it isn’t a noun, chances are high it is an adjective.

The English language also uses adverbs to describe verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs. These descriptive words show intensity, number, and extent. They often end in -ly.

Accidentally
Aggressively
Apathetically
Assertively
Astronomically
Beautifully
Begrudgingly
Blearily
Deceivingly
Deliberately
Differently
Dramatically
Emotionally
Exceptionally
Frightfully
Frenetically
Frivolously
Hysterically
Inquisitively
Intelligently
Impressively
Ludicrously
Methodically
Mysteriously
Neglectfully
Obnoxiously
Occasionally
Pointlessly
Significantly
Splendidly
Substantially
Technically
Unexpectedly
Victoriously
Vitally
Vivaciously
Voluntarily

Again, this is not an exhaustive list. As you learn to identify adverbs or use them in your writing, look for words that describe verbs and other descriptive words that end in -ly.

Editing tip: Sometimes adverbs can also serve as filler words that you can remove or use to slow down or speed up a piece.

To better understand how adverbs show up in sentences as descriptive words, consider these examples:

The electric car drove so quietly we didn’t hear it coming. (so, quietly)
My dog barked angrily at the intruder. (angrily)
The girls sang beautifully. (beautifully)
He swam across the pool quickly. (quickly)
The box is surprisingly heavy for its size. (surprisingly)
The toddler walked very carefully across the slippery floor. (very, carefully)
Language learning is incredibly easy for some students, and incredibly hard for others (incredibly)

As you learn how to become a better writer , descriptive language is a big part of the picture. Adjectives and adverbs are the parts of speech that allow you to describe other things vividly. While you can overuse them, they can add color and interest to your writing when used well.

Keep this list of descriptive words handy. When you have a need, pull it out and find one that fits your writing. Whether you’re writing a sentence, a short story, or an entire novel, you’ll find it easier to get descriptive when you have these words on hand.

Check Like this? Check out our list of sensory words .

FAQs on Descriptive Words List

Descriptive words are words that make something easier to identify by describing its characteristics. Some good words that fit this include: Bright Adventurous Jovial Charming Peaceful

Some descriptive words describe the movement of an object. These include: Swiftly Fluidly Gracefully Smoothly Disjointedly

Nicole Harms has been writing professionally since 2006. She specializes in education content and real estate writing but enjoys a wide gamut of topics. Her goal is to connect with the reader in an engaging, but informative way. Her work has been featured on USA Today, and she ghostwrites for many high-profile companies. As a former teacher, she is passionate about both research and grammar, giving her clients the quality they demand in today's online marketing world.

View all posts

Always Write

A blog about writing and ghostwriting

TESTIMONIALS
Blog writers
Book writers
Children’s book writers
Christian writers
Fiction writers
Ghostwriters
Memoir writers
Plain language
Press release writers
Report writers
Speech writers
Screenplay writers
Translation service
Promote book
David Leonhardt – Biography

Glossary of writing terms and definitions (Updated for 2024!)

Befudddled by the terms that writers and publishers use? Here is a glossary of writing terms and definitions to help you navigate the lingo.

We use many terms in writing. As with any activity, a novice to this world could be easily confused. Here is a selection of writing terms and definitions that you are bound to run into sooner or later.

I will try to leave out words specifically related to word usage, such as compound sentence, synonym and pronoun, as well as words related to poetry. There are so very many of those, and this writing glossary is already long enough without them.

Writing terms and publishing definitions

Abstract. A brief summary of an article (theoretically in plain English), a standard part of most academic writing.

Active voice. When the verb focuses on what the subject of the sentence is doing.

Adaptation. Same story in a different format, typically a screen adaptation of a novel.

Advance. If you are lucky enough to be in demand by a publisher, you might be paid an advance to write your book – prior to actually writing it.

All rights. The publisher holds all rights to publish in any form, but does not own the copyright.

Allegory. A method of telling a story using characters or objects to deliver a message metaphorically.

Antagonist. Often the villain, the antagonist is the character that tries to stop the protagonist (the hero or main character) from succeeding, like Darth Vader or the Big Bad Wolf.

Anthology. A collection of stories compiled together, usually with a loose theme or commonality.

Attribution. Giving credit for a quote, illustration or other element to its source.

Audience. The intended reader, usually described by demographics.

Autobiography. The writer’s life story told in the first person.

Author. The person whose byline is on the work, not necessarily the same as the writer (such as when a ghostwriter has done the writing).

Back matter. Pages at the end of the book that support the manuscript, such as bibliography, acknowledgements, etc.

Backlist. Books from a previous year that are still in print.

Backstory. The history behind characters and events, often included as flashbacks or slipped into the dialogues or recollections of the characters.

Beta readers. Readers who read a manuscript before publishing to test it out on the target audience.

Bibliography. The list of sources used in researching a book or article.

Biography. A life story.

Blurb. A short summary of a book published on its back cover .

Board books. Books printed on thick cardboard, typically for preschoolers.

Boilerplate. A template of text that can be used to create multiple documents.

Byline. The name of the author credited with a book or article.

Canon. The most authoritative source of information on a given topic.

Category. General topic areas, broader than a genre, used to organize books in the market.

Chapter book. Any book organized into chapters, but usually referring to those targeting an audience under 12 years of age.

Characters. Sentient beings who .do the action and dialogue, usually people, sometimes animals and occasionally inanimate objects.

Chick lit. Fiction written specifically for a female audience.

Citation. Reference to the source of information.

Climax. The culminating point of highest tension in a story.

Clips. Published samples of a writer`s work.

Copy editing. Editing text for basic elements such as spelling, grammar and consistency.

Copy writing. Writing fairly straightforward text, usually for business or administrative purposes.

Copyright. The assignment of ownership of a work, generally covering the finished work and/or its execution, but not the idea behind it.

Denouement. The final results of a story, once all conflicts and mysteries have been resolved.

Dialogue. Words spoken by the characters in a story.

Draft. The complete unedited version of a text.

Dustjacket. Paper covering, usually in full color, covering a hardcover book.

eBook. Electronic version of a published book.

Edit. To rework a draft for grammar, flow, length or any other factor required to polish it for publication.

Editor. The person who edits a manuscript or manages the writing of a publication.

Editorial. A work expressing an opinion.

Embargo. Prohibition of publishing or distributing a work until a specified date, often (and foolishly) used with press releases.

Endnote. An explanation of a point, placed at the end of a book.

eReader. Device for reading and storing eBooks.

Fair use. The use of a small portion of a work (generally less than 10 percent) for educational or illustrative purposes, with attribution, and not infringing on copyright.

First rights. The right to publish first, but does not preclude others from publishing at a later date. There can be qualifying first rights, such as “first electronic rights” or “first print rights” or “first North American rights”.

Font. The typeface used in a published work.

Footnote. An explanation of a point, placed at the bottom of a page.

Format. The layout aspects of a manuscript, including spacing, margins, indentations and font.

Front matter. Pages at the beginning of the book that support the manuscript, such as title page, table of contents, etc.

Galleys. A typeset draft of a book.

Genre. The type of book, such as true crime, biography, science fiction, etc.

Ghostwriter . A person who writes anonymously in someone else’s name, so that the client is credited with the work.

Glossary. This one is just too obvious. This writing glossary is actually somewhat short compared to what some more formal glossaries are.

Grade level. A measure of readability correlating to how easy or hard a text is to read.

Graphic novel. A full novel in comic book format.

Hard copy. The printed version of a manuscript.

Hardcover. A book bound with a thick cardboard stock cover, usually with a paper dust jacket.

Half title. The page at the beginning of the book that contains nothing but the title.

High concept. The idea of a book, boiled down to a single sentence.

Historical fiction . Fiction set in the past, attempting to fit in with the events and activities of the time.

Hook. A line that draws the reader into the book from the very beginning.

House style. A specific publisher’s preferred style.

Imagery. Descriptions that employ the five senses.

Imprint. A credited division within a publishing company used for branding purposes, much as a “make” of an automotive manufacturer.

ISBN. Stands for International Standard Book Number, a unique identifier assigned to each published book for inventory and ordering.

Kidlit. Stories, usually full books, targeting children up to the age of 12.

Kill fee. Payment made to a writer for an article that was written, but not published.

Lead paragraph. The first paragraph of a book, article or chapter.

Literary agent. Someone who represents authors to publishers.

Logline. A single sentence that describes a screenplay.

Manuscript. Final copy of a work prior to publishing.

Mark up. To add editing notes on a manuscript.

Mass market paperback. A small trim book intended for the general public, often a cheaper version of a hardcover book.

Memoir. An autobiography or a lengthy narrative of a specific period of one’s life.

Middle grade. Referring to books targeting an audience of around 10 to 15 years of age.

Mood. The feeling that the author is trying to convey in the story.

Narrative. A chronology of events that forms a story.

Narrator. The person recounting a story, usually in the third person.

Novel. A fiction book over 40,000 words.

Novelization. A book that has been adapted from a movie or some other format.

Novella. A fiction book under 40,000 words.

On acceptance. An arrangement whereby a writer is paid if and when the editor accepts the article for publication.

On publication. An arrangement whereby a writer is paid if and when the article is published.

On spec. When there is no arrangement between the writer and an editor, and the writer prepares an article with the hope that an editor will accept it.

Outline. A summary of the content of a book in point form, usually to organize the content before writing, often forming the basis for the table of contents.

Paperback. A softcover book, usually with a cardstock cover slightly thicker than the paper within.

Parody. An imitation of a serious work or narrative, usually written in a sarcastic or humorous fashion.

Passive voice. When the verb focuses on what is being done to the object of the sentence.

Pen name. A pseudonym that an author adopts so as not to reveal one’s real name.

Personification. Human traits assigned to an animal or inanimate object.

Pica. A measure in typesetting equal to 1/6 of an inch.

Picture book. A book with a picture on every spread, typically for young audiences.

Pitch. The approach of an author to an agent or editor. For a book, this is typically a query letter with a synopsis.

Pitch bible. A proposal, usually for a TV series, that includes the synopsis and a business case for the series.

Plagiarism . The unauthorized use of another person’s words.

Plain language . Writing for clarity, generally using simple sentence structure and common words.

Plot . The storyline.

Point. A measure in typesetting equal to 1/72 of an inch (also a form of ballet, but that’s not the point here).

Point of view. The perspective from which a story is told, expressed as through whose eyes the reader perceives the events.

POD. See ‘print on demand’.

POV. See ‘point of view’.

Premise. The idea on which the story is based.

Print On Demand. A process of remotely printing books as they are ordered.

Print run. The number of books or magazines printed at one time.

Click To Tweet

Proofreading . Checking for technical errors in the text. When we proofread, we look for spelling, punctuation, capitalization, grammar and related items, not for style or structure.

Proposal. Summary of a book and the business case for publishing it, usually written before a manuscript is drafted.

Protagonist. The main character of the story, with whom the reader identifies, like Harry Potter or Frodo Baggins.

Pseudonym. A pen name that an author adopts so as not to reveal one’s real name.

Public domain. Any work not protected by copyright.

Query letter . A letter sent by the author to literary agents or publishers to seek representation or publishing.

Readability. A measure of how easy or hard a text is to read, usually based on two or three calculations.

Rejection slip. A letter sent by a publisher to an author to reject the submitted manuscript.

Reprints. Material published after having already been published elsewhere.

Rights. Ownership of a work and how it may be used.

Royalties. A percentage of revenues paid by the publisher to the author.

Run-on sentence. A sentence that is far too long and should be broken into two or more sentences, often because the writer is not skilled enough to shorten the text or to divide it, but also sometimes just because the writer likes the sound of one’s own typing, but in other cases (such as this one) just to prove a point, or because the song the writer is listening to while writing hasn’t ended yet (my favorite reason).

SASE. Stands for “self-addressed stamped envelope”, which publishers and agents often demand that you include when you submit them a manuscript (assuming you want the manuscript returned).

Satire. A literary device to make fun of or mock something (for examples, see ‘run-on sentence’ above).

Screenplay . Full detail of a film, from dialogue through camera angles.

Script. See ‘screenplay’ above, but also the full details of a play or a video.

Self-publishing. A method of publishing whereby the author commissions books directly from a printer, publishing a work himself.

Serial. Any publication that publishes at regular intervals. Also a killer in true crime.

Short story. Fiction typically under 5,000 words and published in a publication along with other material, rather than as a stand-alone.

Side-by-side book. A book written in two languages, with one language version on each even page and the other language version on each odd page..

Simultaneous submissions. Sending a manuscript to multiple publishers or agents at the same time, sometimes considered acceptable and sometimes not.

Slant. The angle or perspective a writer uses to approach a story.

Small press. A publishing company other than one of the major ones, often specializing in one or a few genres.

Softcover. See ‘paperback’.

Soliloquy. A monologue, usually to reveal inner thoughts of a character, or in film used by the antagonist to give audiences the chance to prepare for the hero’s attack.

Spine. The end of a book that is visible when it is placed between two other books on a shelf.

Style. The ensemble of characteristics that define a writer or a work, including word choice, sentence structure and literary devices.

Style sheet. A list of grammar or word use specifications for a publication.

Submission guidelines. The rules to follow when submitting a manuscript to a publisher.

Subplot. A secondary plot that contrasts with the main plot or is enfolded within the main plot.

Synopsis. A summary of a book or a screenplay’s plot, usually two to three pages long.

Tardis. I threw that one in just to see if you were still listening. It’s not really a writing term, but it is amazingly cool!

Tear sheet. Sample of the author’s published work.

Theme. The general topic of a work.

Thesis. The key argument the author puts forward, generally in non-fiction.

Tone. The implied attitude of the writer toward the subject of the work.

Trade paperback. A softcover book larger in trim size than a mass market paperback.

Treatment. A detailed description of a film, on which a screenplay is based.

Trim size. The width and height of a book’s pages.

True crime. The genre that covers real life crime.

Typeface. The font specifications.

Vanity publishing. A service to help authors publish books mostly for their own use, rather than for mass market distribution.

Voice. The persona that the author adopts to convey their message, which will be reflected in the style of the writing.

Weight. The boldness of the text.

White space. Any area of a page without text or images.

WIP. See “work in progress”.

Word count. The number of words in a manuscript.

Work for hire. An arrangement whereby a writer is hired for a specific project, and is not considered an employee and does not retain any rights.

Work in progress. An author’s partially written manuscript.

Writer. The person who wrote the book or other work, either the author or the ghostwriter.

Writer’s block . The inability to decide what next to write.

Young adult. Referring to books targeting an audience of around 10 to 15 years of age.

We’ll be adding more writing terms and definitions as we think of them. In fact, no blog post on this website has been updated as often as this one.

Although I have no plans to make the ultimate writing terminology guide, this writing terms glossary could still get pretty long one day.

David Leonhardt is President of The Happy Guy Marketing, a published author, a "Distinguished Toastmaster", a former consumer advocate, a social media addict and experienced with media relations and government reports.

Would you like to share your thoughts? Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

International
Schools directory
Resources Jobs Schools directory News Search

Creative Writing Vocabulary

Subject: English

Age range: 11-14

Resource type: Lesson (complete)

Last updated

19 February 2022

Share through email
Share through twitter
Share through linkedin
Share through facebook
Share through pinterest

Creative writing vocabulary lesson that explores how to use vocabulary to introduce new characters. Includes a model example, detailed teacher and student notes, engaging tasks, differentiated materials, and a huge range of adjectives for students to adapt and adopt into their own creative writing.

A useful lesson for both KS3 and GCSE English Literature and English Language students.

Includes differentiated activities, source materials, engaging tasks and extensive student and teacher notes.

Check out our English Shop for loads more free and inexpensive KS3, KS4, KS5, Literacy and whole school resources.

AQA English Language Paper 1 and Paper 2 Knowledge Organisers AQA English Language Paper 1 Section A package AQA English Language Paper 1 Sections A and B package AQA English Language Paper 1 package AQA English Language Paper 2 Question 5 package AQA English Language Paper 1 Question 5 package AQA English Language Paper 2 Section A package AQA English Language and English Literature revision package

An Inspector Calls whole scheme package An Inspector Calls revision package

Macbeth whole scheme package Macbeth revision package

A Christmas Carol whole scheme package A Christmas Carol revision package

Jekyll and Hyde whole scheme package Jekyll and Hyde revision package

Romeo and Juliet whole scheme package

Power and Conflict poetry comparing poems package Power and Conflict poetry whole scheme package

Love and Relationships poetry whole scheme package

Unseen Poetry whole scheme package

Or check out some Citizenship GCSE, RE, PSHE + RSE resources at EC Resources

Creative Commons "NoDerivatives"

Get this resource as part of a bundle and save up to 65%

A bundle is a package of resources grouped together to teach a particular topic, or a series of lessons, in one place.

Creative Writing

Creative writing complete scheme of work pack. Designed for KS3 students but easily adaptable for GCSE English Language students, the pack includes resources on both narrative and descriptive writing. Includes: 1) Creative writing introduction 2) Characters - developing mystery and mysterious figures focused on The Signal-Man 3) Plot development and structure lesson around The Signalman 4) Structure and endings lesson exploring The Signalman and other examples 5) Speech punctuation and character development lesson 6) Themes and motifs lesson 7) Genre lesson exploring westerns, their conventions and how students can adapt genre themselves 8) Setting and descriptive writing lesson, exploring structure and vocabulary 9) Vocabulary improvement lesson with a focus on character 10) Pathetic fallacy and personification 11) Short story analysis - plot, structure, narrative voice 12) Short story structure analysis 13) Creative writing punctuation workshop with differentiated worksheets 14) Assessment planning lesson 15) Assessment review lesson 16) Short story analysis of language - Desiree's Baby 17) Short story analysis - structure 18) Six week homework pack 19) Six week scheme of work document

Your rating is required to reflect your happiness.

It's good to leave some feedback.

Something went wrong, please try again later.

Great resource, thanks for sharing!

EnglishGCSEcouk

Thank you very much for your kind feedback! It is very much appreciated and we are glad you found the resource useful. :)

Empty reply does not make any sense for the end user

TeacherKat217

Thanks very much for your kind review!

Really great ideas for developing vocabulary! :)

Thanks very much for your kind review! :)

Thank you for sharing.

Report this resource to let us know if it violates our terms and conditions. Our customer service team will review your report and will be in touch.

Not quite what you were looking for? Search by keyword to find the right resource:

5 Ways to Incorporate Vocabulary in Writing

…fun vocabulary writing activities for middle and high school ELA…

Teachers often want students to incorporate vocabulary in their writing. The whole purpose of vocabulary instruction is to expand students’ spoken and written vernacular. We can ask students to use their vocabulary in sentences or in stories, but those approaches are expected. In this post, let’s look at some less traditional methods for helping students not only understand their words at a deeper level, but also use them in writing with context clues.

Method 1: WORD POEMS

Diamantes are relatively easy to write. Students write the vocabulary word on the first line and a synonym or (for an added challenge) antonym on the last line. The lines in between have various types of context clues. Here is an example:

dark, gloomy

enshrining, mourning, honoring

grave, catacomb, crypt, repository

entombing, mummifying, burying

grievous, lamentable

As students create their diamantes, which seem simple, you will notice that many of them will choose to use a thesaurus. In order to come up with related adjectives, verbs, and nouns, students will need to get creative and explore synonyms. This experience deepens their vocabularies and associations with the words.

Ready to take it further? Ask students to write a paragraph explaining how the words in their diamante contribute to the positive or negative connotations of the original vocabulary word(s). For instance, most of the words in the example poem lean more toward a negative, depressing view of death. It makes us think of someone who lived an honorable life which, perhaps, ended too soon.

Relevant and engaging vocabulary writing assignments #MiddleSchoolELA #HighSchoolELA

Method 2: SCHOOL ASSOCIATIONS

Have students apply their vocabulary words to sentences about other classes. Why? This writing activity brings more meaningful connections than asking students to write random sentences, which they normally end up finding or adapting from online, anyway. Let’s take a look at what this might mean for a few SAT vocabulary words:

In Math, Mrs. Banks assigned an adequate amount of homework. It was just enough practice to reinforce the day’s lesson on one-variable equations, but not enough to feel like busy work.

The science project Ms. Rigsby assigned is a culmination of everything we have learned this semester. Thank goodness we get to work with a partner!

Our ELA teacher, Mr. Davis, has an insatiable appetite for reading. He is encouraging us to read 40 books this year!

After students write their associations, which, you may notice, can also be longer than one sentence, encourage them to draw pictures. What does an average amount of homework look like? What science concepts are involved in a culminating project? What would Mr. Davis look like if his appetite for books were insatiable?

Care to enrich the assignment? Have students write a little bit more for each word, incorporating different parts of speech or word patterns. To illustrate:

I did not adequately study for the math exam. Mrs. Banks did give us an adequate amount of homework during the course of the unit, but I didn’t complete it all diligently. As a result, my test score makes me feel inadequate .

If your students need practice with identifying word families, word parts, and related words, make sure to grab this free vocabulary resource .

Method 3: RAFTS

RAFTs are a fun way to get students writing in different genres. If you’ve never used them before, the basic premise is to assign students a point of view from which to write, an audience, a format, a topic. For instance, students might use their vocabulary words in this situation:

Role: Shark

Audience: Fish of the Sea

Format: Apology Letter

Topic: Sending condolences for eating so many of their friends; plans to adopt a stringent vegetarian diet

Maybe condolences and stringent are the vocabulary words students are most focused upon, but they can use additional vocabulary words in their responses as well.

RAFTs have two major benefits, in my mind.

They allow students choices! Create several options, and have students choose one.

The topics are creative, which students often appreciate.

Vocabulary text messages assignment.jpeg

Method 4: RESPONSES TO READING

Our vocabulary words don’t always come from the literature we are reading, which is okay! However, that also means the tie between new words and reading responses isn’t always there. Ask students to incorporate their vocabulary words in all reading responses, even if they only use a small percentage of the words.

For instance:

If students are completing a double-entry journal, they can use their vocabulary words in the right-hand column under What I Think…

Students can also incorporate their words in journal responses during independent reading.

Include vocabulary words in one pagers and/or booksnaps .

Ask students to create a character “to do list” using as many vocabulary words as possible. For example, Madeline from Everything Everything might have a to-do-list that looks like this:

Find medical documentation that substantiates my “so-called” illness.

Forgive my mother for her egregious mistake of stealing away 13 years of my life.

Find a competent therapist to help me process these feelings of anger and confusion.

Figure out more of Olly’s strange quirks , like why he wears all black.

Tap or click on the image to grab a free vocabulary activity download!

Method 5: GALLERY WALK

Make writing with vocabulary words a social activity via a gallery walk. While you can do this activity in any number of ways, here is what I recommend:

Hang large chart paper in various places around the room (one chart paper for each vocabulary word). Using 6 to 8 vocabulary words seems to work best, although you can use more if you have large class sizes or if students don’t need to rotate through every word before completing the activity.

At the top or in the center of each piece of paper, write a vocabulary word.

Have students work in small groups, rotating between stations.

At each station, students should come up with different ways to use that vocabulary word. Think of collocates - words that are often found together. Encourage students to draft sentences that use each vocabulary word with common collocates. Students can write one or two sentences, and the next small group of students will rotate and add onto what is already there.

To illustrate:

Group 1 - After the marathon, I guzzled so much water that I felt bloated . My throat had felt as dry as the Sahara Desert.

Group 2 - Why did I not guzzle milk , you might ask? Well, have you ever run a marathon? A gallon of milk doesn’t sit as well in your belly as a gallon of water .

Group 3 - Some people like to guzzle juice and coffee , but those individuals are generally eating breakfast, not running around the world.

Group 4 - If you choose to guzzle soda while running, that is your business, but I’d strongly advise against it.

Group 5 - Next time you decide to eat or drink greedily, I’d suggest guzzling some pizza and Kool-Aid while lounging by the pool. This marathon running is for the birds.

Group 6 - Now, let’s get in my gas guzzling car and go home.

I’d suggest modeling an example for students before asking them to write their own sentences during the gallery walk. Just project a vocabulary word on the board. Then, brainstorm some collocates. Finally, begin asking students to volunteer sentences that use the vocabulary word and a collocate. Once you have somewhat of a mini conversation on paper like the example above, they should have the idea.

When students have completed the gallery walk, assign one small group to each word, and have them share out.

I hope these methods help your students to use vocabulary in writing meaningfully. The goal should always be to engage students in practice that deepens their understanding of the word, associations with it, and ability to use the word in conversation and writing.

How to teach vocabulary in secondary classrooms, 5 creative reading response activities, 9 ways to help secondary students enjoy writing, resource spotlight:.

These vocabulary in writing activities are geared toward middle and high school students. Through creative and informative responses, students will practice using their words in memorable ways.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Melissa is the creator of Reading and Writing Haven and a collaborative blogger on Teachwriting.org .

A middle and high school English teacher for over a decade now turned instructional coach, Melissa is an avid reader and writer, and she loves sharing ideas and collaborating with fellow educators. Melissa use her degrees in English, Curriculum & Instruction, and Reading as well as her Reading Specialist certification to ponder today’s educational issues while developing resources to help teachers, students, and parents make learning more relevant, meaningful, and engaging.

When she's not teaching, Melissa lives for drinking a good cup of coffee, loving on her family, working out, and contemplating the structure of a sentence as well as how she can lead her students to deeper reading comprehension (Melissa's true nerdy passions).

Visit Melissa on Instagram , Facebook , or Twitter for English teacher camaraderie and practical, engaging teaching ideas.

5 engaging ways to incorporate vocabulary in writing practice #SecondaryELA #Vocabulary

H umanising L anguage T eaching

February 2022 - , year 24 - issue 1, issn , 1755-9715.

21st Century Skills

Creativity and Vocabulary Learning Strategies: A Case Study

Zsófia Széll, Hungary

Zsófia Széll is a language teacher and PhD student at the Department of English Language Pedagogy, Eötvös Loránd University. Her primary research interest is creativity in English teaching and English teacher training. Email: [email protected]

Introduction

Vocabulary learning is an extensively researched area in applied linguistics research. Both the nature of vocabulary learning as mental process and learning strategies have been a focus of interest in the profession for some time. Creativity in English language teaching (ELT) is similar in a sense that it is gaining more and more focus; however, this is a rather new highlight in ELT research. The connection between creativity and vocabulary learning strategies has not yet been explored in the field which merits discussion. From a theoretical point of view, some more complex vocabulary learning strategies and creative tasks have certain elements in common.

Studying how this connection manifests in practice will help understanding the nature of this connection and possibly provide practical conclusions that can be used by teachers to improve the effectiveness of vocabulary learning and to foster creativity. As this area mostly entails uncharted waters in applied linguistics and ELT research, initial investigation is best done through a case study. While setting the theoretical background I attempted to define vocabulary knowledge and to discuss types of vocabulary learning strategies as well as to provide a definition of creativity in ELT. After this, I explored the potential connection between vocabulary learning and creativity through a couple of specific examples in research.

Defining vocabulary knowledge

Possessing an adequate range of vocabulary is a prerequisite to being able to use a foreign language effectively. Moreover, EFL learners’ vocabulary knowledge has been found to closely related to general language proficiency (Qian & Lin, 2020). In order to understand an unsimplified text, the reader needs to know 5-8000 word families (a word family is a group of words that stem from the same root, such as pretend, pretender, pretentious ) (Ur, 2012). However, as proficiency develops, the breadth of vocabulary known by the speaker also increases.

What vocabulary knowledge actually means requires some explanation. There are several ways to look at vocabulary knowledge, one of these is to see it as receptive (passive) or productive (active). The former simply denotes recognition of word, while the latter means the ability to actually use the word correctly. (Nation, 2001).

Breadth and depth are the traditional types of vocabulary knowledge differentiated by Anderson and Freebody (1981). Breadth is the number of vocabulary items known, depth refers to different aspects of knowledge such as collocation or multiple different meanings, which is more than simple form-meaning connection. In order to examine vocabulary knowledge, focusing on breadth alone is insufficient as this describes only one aspect of vocabulary knowledge and thus provides a limited evaluation (Webb, 2020). This traditional view is expanded can be expanded by two more factors: automaticity of use and appropriateness in use (Gu, 2020).

One way to look at how learners actually learn vocabulary is the incidental/intentional distinction. Incidental learning happens unconsciously through repeated encounters with vocabulary items while intentional learning progresses through tasks and activities designed to help learners consciously learn new vocabulary items. Ideally, these two aspects exist parallel to each other (Webb, 2020). One way to help learners focus on intentional vocabulary learning is through the use of learning strategies.

Learning strategies

Generally speaking, language learning strategies are ‘the particular approaches or techniques that learners employ to try to learn an L2’ (Ellis, 1997, pp. 76-77). A traditional division of learning strategies is the cognitive (strategies used to change manipulate information in the mind), metacognitive (strategies in connection with planning the learning process), and social/affective (strategies based on interaction with other people) division (Ellis, 1997). According to Ellis (1997), a range of research has been done on strategy training, especially vocabulary learning strategy training, which generally indicate a beneficial effect on students’ performance. Gu (2020) also notes that strategy training has been generally proven to improve effectiveness of vocabulary learning and to increase vocabulary size.

A great number of different vocabulary learning strategies are described in the literature. Oxford and Crookall (1990) differentiate between decontextualizing, semi-contextualizing, and fully contextualizing techniques. Decontextualizing techniques remove the vocabulary items from their context, such as word lists, flashcards, and dictionary use. Semi-contextualizing techniques like word grouping, word association, or the keyword technique allow only limited context. Fully contextualizing techniques use natural communicative context and are simply defined as practice in the four skills: reading, listening, speaking, and writing. Another important issue noted by the authors is that even though skill practice is often considered the “the very pinnacle of L2 vocabulary learning techniques” (Oxford & Crookall, 1990, p. 22), practice alone is not enough to achieve vocabulary development, as the learner’s interest and the use of learning techniques is also necessary.

Defining creativity

Creativity is known to be difficult to define. Many authors note that creativity is slippery and elusive in nature, something that causes serious difficulties in creating a suitable, all-encompassing definition (Pugliese, 2010; Ryhammer and Brolin, 1999). The description of different views and models of creativity will not be pursued here because of length constraints, but a detailed overview of theories of creativity can be found in Kaufman and Sternberg (2010). This study will use the two-way model of creativity developed by Széll (2021) specifically for the context of EFL teaching and which is described below.

As detailed in Széll (2021), creativity is a complex phenomenon: certain conditions enable creativity to arise in a sufficient task which leads to tangible or intangible results. These results then have a reactive effect on the conditions of creativity.

Knwledge: Language knowledge for students, methodological knowledge for teachers
Creativity-relevant mental skills: analgous with Amabile’s (1983) creativity relevant skills category – a way of thinking, a cognitive style that may be improved by practice and experience. This is also parallel with the views of creativity that consider it to be a kind thinking: more specifically, divergent thinking (Guilford, 1950, 1958) that can be measured using standardized creativity tests.
Mtivation: whether intrinsic or extrinsic, motivation is necessary in order to successfully execute a task. Even though Amabile (1983) claims that extrinsic motivation and rewards can be detrimental to creativity, I partially disagree with this stand. Artists in history have displayed outstanding creativity for rewards, and students in English classrooms around the world have shown outstanding creativity in writing stories simply because they intended to pass a language exam.
Cntext: context includes several factors such as a supportive and non-judgemental environment consisting of good group dynamics, accepting and encouraging participants (mostly students and teachers but also parents), an appreciative culture that encourages creativity both formally (educational policy) and informally (a value appreciated by society). Other contextual factors include the physical environment, conducive beliefs, and time and space for creativity in the teaching process.
Task: if the necessary conditions are met, creativity will arise in a task that allows for it. The task needs to be a type that allows for creativity, one that allows for more than one good solution yet established adequate creative limits (Tin, 2013). Open-endedness is another common feature of creative tasks. This means that they have more than one good solution and provide opportunities to generate new ideas (Lee, 2013). Playfulness and collaboration are also listed in some of the literature as characteristics of creative tasks (Lee, 2013; Tin, 2016).
Results: The results that arise are not to be confused with the classic discussion of the creative product – the results may be tangible, e.g. the poem written in English by students, or intangible: the learning process they undergo while trying to write a poem.
Reactive effect: These results have a reactive effect on the conditions, for example, if students write the poem, their motivation can increase due to having enjoyed the task, group cohesion could improve which will result in a better context for creativity, and through practice they will improve both in English language knowledge and in creativity relevant mental skills.

Figure 1. The two-way model of creativity

Source: Széll (2021)

Because of the two-way nature of the model, it logically follows that in order to enhance creativity, one might intervene in any part of the model and see positive changes. The model shows the possible areas where improvements could lead to fostering creativity.

The connection between creativity and vocabulary learning

Oxford and Crookall (1990) claimed that the learners’ interest and the use of personalised vocabulary learning techniques is necessary for successful learning. Creative tasks improve creativity conditions through arousing interest by reactive effect as shown in the two-way model of creativity. The question that arises here is whether tasks aimed at vocabulary learning can be creative. It is obvious that there is not much creativity in the mechanical memorisation of word lists; however, semi-contextualizing and fully contextualizing tasks do allow for the necessary open-endedness while still setting sufficient creative limits.

Let us look at this in more detail through two examples: a semi-contextualised learning strategy called the keyword technique as described in Tölgyesi (2014) and a contextualised learning strategy, the writing of fanfiction in blog format - a kind of creative writing investigated by Sauro and Sundmark (2016). Tölgyesi (2014) describes the keyword technique as an associative process in which the learner connects the new vocabulary item to a phonetically similar item in their L1 and combines the two meanings in an image that is somehow shocking, funny, or surprising. Clearly, this task forces learners to use the mental processes outlined earlier in the two-way model. It also allows a degree of freedom in choosing the association while establishing clear limits as the new vocabulary item that needs to be learnt is fixed and given. Playfulness and emotional involvement appear as part of this technique.

Sauro and Sundmark (2016) studied creative writing in the tertiary context in their unique study which focused on the use of writing fan fiction based on Tolkien’s The Hobbit. Their participants were English teacher trainees who had to participate in a collaborative blog-based fanfiction project where they had to impersonate certain characters from The Hobbit. This task definitely exhibits all characteristics of a creative task: it provided clear limits as the character the participants had to impersonate was set for them, it allowed a degree of freedom in the way participants described the characters’ feelings and experiences, it brought a sense of playfulness in bringing such an unusual twist to an English class, and it also utilized collaboration.

The researchers intended to find out whether using fanfiction can be beneficial for improvement in both literary and general language skills. They found that students considered the task engaging, and there were improvements in both creative writing skills and general English skills. Most importantly for this investigation, they found that the task greatly enhanced participants’ vocabulary learning. The researchers found that “mimicking the language of The Hobbit required them to understand and use words that were more old-fashioned or formal than they were accustomed to using” (Sauro & Sundmark, 2016, p. 7) and that “imitating the writing style of Tolkien allowed them to expand their vocabulary particularly with respect to adjectives and adverbs, which they observed to be characteristic of Tolkien’s writing” (Sauro & Sundmark, 2016, p. 7).

As seen through these examples, creative tasks and complex vocabulary learning strategies can indeed have common features. Obviously, not all learners would be excited either by a chance to participate in the writing of fanfiction or by the option to use other vocabulary learning strategies that are more complex than memorising paired lists. However, based on the nature of these tasks, it seems logical that creative people would naturally gravitate towards tasks and opportunities that allow them to use and express their creativity; these tasks would arouse interest, foster motivation, and help them achieve greater vocabulary learning success. From the EFL teacher’s point of view, it is a priority to find ways to motivate learners, to tailor tasks and activities to individual needs and preferences. To help EFL teachers achieve this, it is necessary to understand creativity as a factor and its potential connection to vocabulary learning strategies and tasks aimed at helping intentional vocabulary learning. As a first step in the direction of exploring this connection, this research endeavour examines the case of a highly successful language learner who engages in creative writing as a learning strategy to better understand what strategies this successful learner of English uses to learn vocabulary and these strategies’ connection to creativity as well as to explore and understand the role of creativity in the participant’s language and more specifically, vocabulary learning. To achieve this, I intended to answer the following research questions:

RQ1 How can the participant’s vocabulary knowledge and creativity be described?

RQ2 What characterizes the vocabulary learning strategies used by the participant?

RQ3 What is the connection between creativity and vocabulary learning in the participant’s case?

Research design

This qualitative research endeavour is a case study focusing on the case of a highly successful Hungarian EFL learner who engages in creative writing. The participant in this study is a twenty-year old female first-year university student studying English studies at one of the universities in Hungary, who will be referred to by the pseudonym Linda, who was selected because I personally know her because of having been her teacher.

Data collection consisted of four distinct consecutive steps. First, I asked Linda to send me products of her writing and she sent me four pieces: a poem written for vocabulary learning, two reflective essays written as homework for English classes, and an essay written for a literature class at university. Next, I asked her to fill in a vocabulary breadth test (https://my.vocabularysize.com/). After that, I asked her to do a creativity test standardized on the Hungarian population (Barkóczi & Zétényi, 1981) consisting of four sub-tests: circles, picture completion, unusual uses, remote associations. Finally, she participated in a semi-structured interview that was 60 minutes long and yielded 3800 words of data.

As it was described earlier in the theoretical background, vocabulary knowledge is more complex than a simply number of words known which may be provided by a vocabulary size test and creativity is a complex phenomenon which cannot be simply described by the scores provided by a creativity test (Barkóczi & Zétényi, 1981). Nonetheless, the use of these tools is justified by the need to explore the case in as much detail as possible. Data triangulation is necessary to ensure credibility; the data sources described above were supplemented by my personal observations as someone who have thought Linda. As her teacher, I have a reasonably accurate evaluation of Linda’s language skills in general and her vocabulary knowledge as well as a general picture of her personality, creativity, and motivation and this more subjective observation was compared to the test results.

The tools used in this research endeavour were the vocabulary breadth test at VocabularySize.com (https://my.vocabularysize.com/), the creativity test consisting of four different subtasks in Barkóczi and Zétényi (1981), and an interview guide created by the researcher. The selection, implementation, and evaluation of the creativity test was done with the help of an expert psychologist.

Some ethical issues are relevant regarding this study. The participant was informed about the proposed steps of the research. Even though this person was my student, I made it absolutely clear to place no pressure on her by emphasizing that participation is completely voluntary and non-participation has no consequences at all, and consent and participation may be withdrawn any time throughout the research process. The identity of the participant will be preserved by the use of a pseudonym, Linda. All written and spoken data is stored in a safe place accessible only to the researcher.

As does all research, this study also has its limitations. Researcher bias is an aspect that cannot be neglected as I was the EFL teacher of Linda. While acknowledging that all observations and opinions I formed during this process are necessarily subjective, data triangulation helped offset this difficulty. Personal observations were supplemented by other, more objective data sources such as the creativity test, the vocabulary size test, and the tangible creative products written by the participant.

Another limitation of the study is created by certain characteristics of the aforementioned creativity test, standardized by Barkóczi & Zétényi (1981). The test was standardised 40 years ago, in the same country but in a completely different economic and cultural context. In such a long period of time, cultural changes could possibly have changed the way people think and associate and in order to provide a more relevant basis of comparison, the test should be standardised again. To offset this limitation, scores were compared to Albert (2008) who studied first-year English studies majors. As this is a relatively recent study and Linda is also a first-year English studies student, this comparison is perhaps more informative.

Results and discussion

Linda is a twenty-year old university student studying English studies. She first encountered English at the age of four in the form of colouring books and soon decided to learn the language of her own accord. She started English classes at school at the age of seven. She did not receive any formal instruction outside school, but she did use the language more and more. She started reading in English in sixth grade and has been reading in English since. She also started watching films and writing in English in different genres. For school, writing meant assignments in English classes and outside school this constituted writing film reviews, a hobby which she described as connecting films and creative writing, as “in some films nothing really happens on screen, it’s hidden, which is very hard to rationally explain, creative writing is writing narratives, emotions, intuitions, impressions for these, to display these creatively and thus reflect on these films” (Linda).

Another important aspect of her profile as a language learner is her high level of internal motivation, which I was easily able to see during the process of teaching her and which she also described during the interview. A key element of this motivation seems to be self-sufficiency, as she described herself as someone who started to read and learn a language of her own accord at the age of five, and this freedom of decision is still important to her:

When there is something at school that I have to do for a deadline, it is very important to me that I do it with my own methods, I really don’t like it if it’s given, if it’s fixed what lines I can or have to follow to do something. (Linda)

Her degree of internal motivation was also evident from the way she described the language itself. She described “the wonder, the many combinational possibilities, and the beauty” of the language that can truly be appreciated once the learner reaches a reasonable level of proficiency and is able to use most grammar freely. She emphasized this beauty through the example of vocabulary, the fact that “words can have a hundred different shade of meanings”.

Finally, after having described her language learner profile in general to provide the background for the results, answering RQ1 became possible. Linda achieved scores on the creativity test that were higher than the average of the national standard as described by Barkóczi and Zétényi (1981, p. 32). Her scores were also higher in two of the subtests than the average measured by Albert (2008, p. 104) on a population consisting of first-year English studies majors. The vocabulary breadth test result was 19600 word families which is comparable to native speaker proficiency. This is in line with my personal impressions about Linda as her teacher: I came to know her as hardworking, talented, and proficient to a degree that is unusual with her age and background. In my lessons she was often the first to answer questions, offer a range of new ideas, and the one to know all the items in a vocabulary revision activity. Overall, I had the personal impression of her being creative well above the average and possessing an outstanding breadth and depth of vocabulary knowledge, which is in line with what the test scores suggest.

Self-expression and vocabulary learning through creative writing

Another data source which corroborates the results discussed in the previous section is the actual pieces of writing provided by Linda. These pieces were written during the past five years, one of them about five years ago, two pieces about three years ago, and the fourth one during the past six months. Looking at these pieces we see products remarkable at her age. The oldest one of these, a poem, was written five years ago with the explicit primary purpose of vocabulary learning. It bears no title and was inspired by Shakespeare. This work displays a general high level of proficiency and an effortless ease of vocabulary use. This short excerpt of the poem, five out of 59 lines, illustrates this well.

You can scoff at me all you want

and bristle with frenzied fury at my heedless command,

throw a tantrum if you will, submerge me in your caustic talk,

right here at my doorstep you may as well try to wrest the power from my grasp,

but your lackluster jostle of you ungrateful people, will nonetheless end in capital collapse (Linda, Poem with no title)

Writing this poem was actually not a compulsory school task. She was instructed to write an example sentence with new vocabulary items; a task that she deemed “incredibly boring” and decided to try and fit all of them into one coherent piece.

The second piece of writing was a reflective essay written as a reaction to one of Edgar Allan Poe’s works during her secondary school studies. The title of the piece was fixed by her teacher leaving the students the freedom to actually decide on the themes to connect to the title. According to Linda, the most important thing she learnt from this piece was to better express a certain mood through writing, even if the reader has never read the original work, as demonstrated by the short excerpt below.

The stages of his struggle are clear and incisive; in the beginning hope still sparkling brightly, the light gradually becoming weaker and weaker, and in the end completely dimming out. I think the character always knew deep in his subconscious that there was no escape, for his tormentors carefully monitored every move of his, and were devising more cruel ways to end his life… (Linda, The Struggle of Man)

The third piece of writing was a reflective piece to a Sherlock Holmes story read earlier by the class. This task was also free in the respect that there were no fixed themes or aspects to explore nor even a title provided by their teacher. In this piece, Linda wanted to explore what the villain of the story might have thought and felt by placing herself in his shoes through a fictional narrative. The use of humour is very strongly present in this piece, indeed, Linda claimed that today she would not write something so “bluntly comic” but it served her purpose well at that time. What she meant by this is perhaps best illustrated by her description of a simple ambush and the knocking out of the accomplice as a dramatic event. The successful use of humour in this instance could not have been achieved without the conscious use of vocabulary items such as foreboding, ominous, or fellow-in-crime, which evidences not only breadth but depth of vocabulary knowledge.

Both I and my trusted accomplice felt a grave foreboding as we were heading into the cellar for the final time on the ominous day. I shall never forget the look on Mr. Holmes’ face when he ambushed us – how he swung that cane, and rendered my fellow-in-crime unconscious. You would undoubtedly think it had been a most theatrical scene; the clash of two geniuses… and you would be right. It had been most dramatic. (Linda, An Account of the Robbery)

The last piece of writing was written in the past six months as an assignment for a literature class at university, a three-page essay written about William Faulkner’s A Rose for Emily for which she had to choose from a number of critical essays written about this work. While the focus of this piece of writing was obviously not language proficiency development, it does however evidence improvement in proficiency compared to her older products: her writing has become more natural and occasional errors, especially in punctuation have virtually disappeared, while her evident fondness of using advanced vocabulary items to highlight and underline her message remained unchanged:

While all the aforementioned facets of phenomenology are present in Faulkner’s short story, it is another aspect which renders „A Rose for Emily” such an intrusive, disturbing experience and an aesthetic masterpiece: it is the ever-shifting, deliberately unbalanced device of illusion-making and illusion-shattering. (Linda, The Phenomenological Approach in „A Rose for Emily”: The Creating and Shattering of Illusions)

After taking all her work and how she commented on them into consideration, the bottom line is that Linda obviously feels a joy by expressing her thoughts, voice, and mood through language as strongly as possible. This started at school for her when she had to “write summaries, shorter stories about what we read […] I liked it very much that I have to rephrase and summarize the story with my own words”. She also has a realistic view of herself as a language learner as she says that she is a “hard-working and conscientious language learner”, who is aware of the fact that her vocabulary is well above average: “I like to think that I have a wide range of vocabulary in different contexts; legal, historical, everyday, and I try to improve it every day, I think my vocabulary is good…”. When asked about how her vocabulary developed into what it is today, it turned out that apart from school, the biggest influence in this regard in Linda’s life was reading. She described improvement of both vocabulary depth and breadth in detail:

The more different texts I encountered in genre, age, and context, so not only literature but scientific texts and critiques and news… I would say the multifaceted nature of these texts and that I submerged into certain elements of them. It was both a widening and a deepening. Reading is really it for me, I discovered its different aspects by myself, and I really like doing that, when I really get into something and I try to widen and deepen what I know by teaching myself. (Linda)

Her consciousness about how vocabulary knowledge works was further highlighted when we discussed her vocabulary learning habits. As a beginner learner, she simply memorised words and their meanings; however, after the achievement of a basic level of proficiency, her teacher soon switched the class to learning based on the use of synonyms, so her vocabulary notes consisted of two-three synonyms for each new vocabulary item. She seems to have stopped conscious memorization after that, and described the mental process of learning words in the following way:

I meet them in more and more different contexts […] usually when I meet a new word I already have some kind of idea like whether the meaning is positive or negative or what context it belongs to… I might have met it already, when I see a new word and don’t know its meaning, it’s never completely black, I can always place it somewhere to an extent […] If we take a word like nefarious, I know what that means, but if I didn’t, I would still know by some association or earlier encounter that the meaning is rather negative. Hidden associations in the back of my brain emerge when I meet these words, and when I check their meaning I can remember them easily. (Linda)

When asked about the connection of creative writing to language learning and vocabulary learning more specifically, Linda claimed that the only piece of writing she ever wrote with the primary purpose of vocabulary learning was the poem discussed earlier. However, she did underline the fact that vocabulary expansion was “always there, even if not a primary aim”. She also thinks creative writing is a tool that could be used for vocabulary expansion for everyone, regardless of proficiency level. She expressed surprise at how effective writing the poem actually was for memorizing vocabulary, as the rhythm of the lines “got completely stuck” in her head.

All in all, to answer RQ2, these findings can be summarized in the following way. In the past, Linda started learning vocabulary by using simple mechanic or decontextualizing strategies (rote learning), but with time these strategies became more complex. She started using what Oxford and Crookall (1990) would call a semi-contextualising strategy, learning with synonyms. Finally, she moved on to fully contextualizing techniques which use natural context, i.e. reading, watching films, and engaging in creative writing. This progress proceeded parallel to her general improvement in language proficiency.

Creativity in general, creativity in language and vocabulary learning

In line with my expectations and what the literature suggests, Linda struggled to define creativity in general or specifically in the context of language learning. She sees creativity as having different types like social, problem-solving, or artistic and as something that typically has a product or result. These associations are not surprising and are generally in line with how different theories approach creativity.

When asked if these different types have anything in common, two thought emerged repeatedly during our discussion. One was a need for openness: “It is important to be open to accepting and evaluating new views, and to fit them into your own thinking and thought processes… I think this is a basic criterion”. The other element that we discussed in some length is that creativity is a way of thinking. She describes her own way of thinking as both analytical and creative at the same time:

My brain works in a way that it can never stop, it keeps thinking and analysing, when I’m with people or friends I keep analysing them as well […] I think this is a kind of creativity as well as my views are constantly being shaped, I let in new things, reach some kind of conclusion, than, say, question the whole thing because I get to know something completely contradictory, this is a creative thinking and reflective process. (Linda)

This creative thinking was also mentioned when we discussed who creative writing is suitable for as a way to learning vocabulary. Linda described openness and the ability to think creatively as prerequisites to successful creative writing, as opposed to closed-mindedness and a mechanic following of set formulas. She illustrated this through the example of the way her classmate wrote reflective essays in literature classes.

She had a sheet with 30-40 questions, like what does this or that symbolize? As she was writing the analysis, she kept ticking questions […] but she did not adjust what she had to say to the poem as she really only wrote a sentence about all the aspects instead of deciding, say, that imagery is really important and building the piece around it. […] She prefers this way of thinking, she has a formula which works all the time and she will get the points. So maybe this method [creative writing] would not work for her as is not flexible, she doesn’t allow deviation from her own formula. She colours inside the lines… (Linda)

To answer RQ3, these findings require some consideration. The fact that Linda considers creativity to primarily consist of openness and a way of thinking is a key element here. She is obviously attracted to tasks and activities both at school and as a hobby that allow the use of such thinking and require a degree of flexibility. Her natural disposition towards these properties make complex creative tasks such as writing film reviews or poems exceptionally good all-purpose tools in her case both for general proficiency development and more specifically for improving vocabulary knowledge.

Through the analysis of different data sources, the profile of a highly successful language learner emerged who is both talented and motivated and possess a range of vocabulary that is well beyond the average. Additionally, Linda also displays high levels of creativity whether we consider creativity as simply divergent thinking like Guilford (1950) or whether as a more complex construct like the two-way model of creativity. This affinity towards creativity obviously attracted her to outlets of creativity; tasks and opportunities where she could utilize her skills in this regard. Now, at the age of 20, these influences culminated in her intention of picking creative writing as her minor at university.

One interesting finding of this study is how exceptional creativity seemed to find its own outlet even when the task provided did not allow for it – the creation of the unnamed poem is a clear example of this. While writing example sentences with words does not necessarily seem a very creative task, the boredom proved sufficient pressure for Linda to freely reinterpret the task into something more to her taste. Indeed, I have seen something similar happen in my professional practice with another student, whose task was to record his answers to a number of given questions in the topic of the environment – not a very interesting task to many – and to my surprise I received a song with guitar accompaniment that still perfectly fulfilled the requirements of the original task. The internal pressure to do something enjoyable while still fulfilling the requirements seems to have provided sufficient creative limits (Tin, 2013) for creativity to emerge.

Another important finding is how creative writing as a task seems to have contributed to Linda’s vocabulary development and what this ultimately tells us about the characteristics of tasks in a more general sense. Linda’s development can of course be attributed to several factors. Clearly, interest and motivation are important elements here. As any basic methodology book would say, motivation is a crucial factor of success in language learning. This importance seems to hold true for creativity as well. If we accept that creativity is more than divergent thinking, as described in the two-way model of creativity discussed earlier, motivation is exceptionally important for creativity to emerge. Turning a boring task into one that allows for enjoyment and creativity will increase motivation and allow creativity and enjoyment to emerge. These results will then reactively affect the whole process, creating a positive feedback loop that will benefit the learner. It seems that turning the task into one that allows for creativity is the key part here – sometimes it will be done by the learners themselves, as seen through the example of Linda and her poem. More often, however, it will and should be done by the teacher in order to allow all learners to benefit from such opportunities.

Albert, Á. (2008). Creativity and oral narrative task performance: A study of first year English majors (Doctoral dissertation). Retrieved from: https://edit.elte.hu/

Amabile, T. M. (1983). The social psychology of creativity . Springer Verlag.

Anderson, R. C., & Freebody, P. (1981). Vocabulary knowledge. In J. Guthrie (Ed.), Comprehension and Teaching: Research Reviews (pp. 77-117). International Reading Association.

Barkóczi, I., Zétényi, T. (1981). A kreativitás vizsgálata , Országos Pedagógiai Intézet.

Ellis, R. (1997). Second language acquisition . Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Gu, P. Y. (2020). Strategies for learning vocabulary. In S. Webb (Ed.), The Routledge handbook of vocabulary studies (pp. 271–287). Routledge.

Guilford, J. P. (1950). Creativity. American Psychologist, 5 (9), 444-454. https://doi.org/10.1037/h0063487

Guilford, J. P. (1968). Intelligence, creativity and their educational implications . Knapp.

Kaufman, J. C., & Sternberg, R. J. (2010). The Cambridge handbook of creativity . Cambridge University Press.

Lee, B. C. (2013). Suggestions for language learners: Creativity development in EFL classrooms. Primary English Education , 19 (3) , 87-109.

Nation, I. S. P. (2001). Learning vocabulary in another language . Cambridge University Press.

Oxford, R., & Crookall, D. (1990). Vocabulary learning: A critical analysis of techniques . TESL Canada Journal, 7(2), 09. https://doi.org/10.18806/tesl.v7i2.566

Pugliese, C. (2010). Being Creative: The challenge of change in the classroom . Delta Publishing.

Qian, D. D., & Lin, L. H. F. (2020). The relationship between vocabulary knowledge and language proficiency. In S. Webb (Ed.), The Routledge handbook of vocabulary studies (pp. 66–80). Routledge.

Ryhammar, L., & Brolin, C. (1999). Creativity research: Historical considerations and main lines of development. Scandinavian Journal of Educational Research, 43 (3), 259-273. https://doi.org/10.1080/0031383990430303

Széll, Z. (2021). The two-way model of creativity. Central European Journal of Educational Research, 3 (2), 56–65. https://doi.org/10.37441/cejer/2021/3/2/9263

Tin, B. T. (2013). Towards creativity in ELT: The need to say something new. ELT Journal, 67 (4), 385-397. https://doi.org/10.1093/elt/cct022 38

Tin, B. T. (2016). Creativity in second-language learning. In R. H. Jones (Ed.), The Routledge handbook of language and creativity . Routledge.

Tölgyesi, Zs. (2014). Kádban próbáltad már? Működő memóriatechnikák nyelvtanulóknak. [Have you tried it in the bathtub? Working memory techniques for language learners]. Tudomány Nyelviskola.

Ur, P. (1996). A course in language teaching . Cambridge University Press.

Webb, S. (2020). Introduction. In S. Webb (Ed.), The Routledge handbook of vocabulary studies (pp. 1–12). Routledge.

Please check the Pilgrims f2f courses at Pilgrims website.

Please check the Pilgrims online courses at Pilgrims website

4.Széll. FINAL doc

Encouraging Movement During Distance Learning, Eva Slapnik, Slovenia

Let's learn to listen, eva slapnik, slovenia.

IMAGES

Creative Writing Vocabulary List
8 Infographics That Will Help You Improve Your Writing
Pin by Paula alvarez on ไวยากรณ์อังกฤษ in 2020
Vocabulary for Creative Writing
Creative Writing Adjectives
8BCD0369-8D3B-404E-AD53-A7E75734E893

VIDEO

How To Improve Your Vocabulary For GCSE English Language
Creative Holiday Sentence Starters: Spark Your Writing & Conversation Skills!
Easy writing Vocabulary/Skills❗Writing skills tips
Fantastic Atmosphere
5 Smart Alternatives to Enhance Your Speech & Writing
Academic Vocabulary: What,Why, How?

COMMENTS

Use Vocabulary in Creative Writing to Make Brilliant Stories
Exploring the Significance of Vocabulary in Creative Writing. Creative writing is incredibly important because it lets us express ourselves and connect with others. It allows us to unleash our imagination, share personal stories, and evoke emotions in readers. The best kind of Creative writings have a great storytelling. They are full of rich ...
The Ultimate Glossary of Writing Terms
The use of literary style and writing technique to tell a true story. It's an embellishment, but only for the sake of telling a story that teaches a lesson or conveys a change of heart or mind. Narrative, dialogue, setting, and voice are just a few creative writing tools used to grab a reader's interest and leave them changed somehow at the ...
Improve Your Vocabulary: A Quick Guide for Creative Writers
Read a lot. Reading is the best way to improve your vocabulary. It's immersive, enjoyable, and will introduce you to more varied words. Make it a habit to read often, and try to read widely. Don't limit yourself to one genre, age range, or style. Whether fiction, non-fiction, articles, or instruction manuals, reading as widely as you can ...
Creative Writing Vocabulary Terms Flashcards
A figure of speech in which a term or phrase is applied to something to which it is not literally applicable in order to suggest a resemblance. Ex: A mighty fortress is our God. Hyperbole. Obvious and intentional exaggeration. Ex: To wait an eternity. Study with Quizlet and memorize flashcards containing terms like Imagery, Irony, Voice and more.
40 Basic Writing Terms and Meanings
Use our list of writing terms to expand your writing vocabulary. This will increase your understanding & help you communicate thoughts about your writing. ... Creative writing can be works of fiction or nonfiction. There are many types of creative writing, including books, poems, and essays. Generally, any written work that is not academic ...
What is Creative Writing? A Key Piece of the Writer's Toolbox
5 Key Characteristics of Creative Writing. Creative writing is marked by several defining characteristics, each working to create a distinct form of expression: 1. Imagination and Creativity:Creative writing is all about harnessing your creativity and imagination to create an engaging and compelling piece of work.
Creative Writing: Introductory
personification. symbolism. imagery. rhetorical question. parallelism. apostrophe. aside. If you need inspiration for your next story or poem, be sure to review this list of words related to creative writing. We won't keep you in suspense: you'll learn all about plot, characterization, dialogue, and more.
Using Ambitious Vocabulary for 11+ Creative Writing Success
Techniques to Incorporate Ambitious Vocabulary in 11 Plus Creative Writing. Understanding the Context. Understanding the context is crucial when using ambitious vocabulary. Make sure the words you use to fit the tone and style of your writing. Using overly complex words can confuse your readers and make your writing feel forced.
Bank of ambitious vocabulary for creative writing
Building ambitious vocabulary. A range of worksheets and activities aimed at building ambitious vocabulary for different purposes. £4.00. Report this resource to let us know if it violates our terms and conditions. Our customer service team will review your report and will be in touch. Last updated.
Creative writing vocabulary
Expand your creative writing vocabulary with these learning resources for KS1 English students aged 5-7 from BBC Bitesize.
500 Descriptive Words To Improve Your Writing
AMBITION. 1 - strong desire to do or to achieve something which takes hard work. People trying to improve their skills with this list of descriptive words for writing have a lot of ambition. 2 - determination to achieve success. life offers many opportunities for those with ambition.
400 Descriptive Words List To Make Your Writing Shine
These words describe features like shape, texture, color, and size. They help differentiate between items in a group by calling out distinguishing features. In English grammar, you can use the following to describe nouns and pronouns: Abandoned. Abrupt. Academic. Acute. Admirable. Adorable.
PDF Creative Writing Fundamentals
Creative Writing Fundamentals _____ 1 Creative Writing is a very subjective discipline and mode of writing. However, there are some universal elements to consider and strengthen, no matter what genre you wish to write in. This guide will briefly go over images, voice, setting and story, which are central to any kind of Creative Writing you wish ...
Glossary of writing terms and definitions (Updated for 2024!)
Editor. The person who edits a manuscript or manages the writing of a publication. Editorial. A work expressing an opinion. Embargo. Prohibition of publishing or distributing a work until a specified date, often (and foolishly) used with press releases. Endnote. An explanation of a point, placed at the end of a book.
Creative Writing
A vocabulary list featuring Creative Writing. ... Practice Answer a few questions on each word. Use this to prep for your next quiz! Vocabulary Jam Compete with other teams in real-time to see who answers the most questions correctly! Spelling Bee Test your spelling acumen. Read the definition, listen to the word and try spelling it!
Creative Writing Rubric vocabulary
the ability to form mental pictures of things or events. 4 Exemplary 3 Proficient 2 Developing 1 Emerging My Score. Ideas & Content. main theme. supporting details · My main theme and supporting details are clear and strong. · My main theme and supporting details are often there in the story. · My main theme is there in some of the story ...
Develop Vocabulary for Creative Writing
Step 4: Exercises to Expand Your Child's Vocabulary. 1) Ask your child to make spectrum charts for the words 'said' and 'looked'. Use the following list of synonyms to help you get started, but, do add your own favourites: glimpsed, replied, stared, gazed, muttered, watched, examined, challenged, scanned, observed, denied.
Creative Writing Vocabulary
Creative writing vocabulary lesson that explores how to use vocabulary to introduce new characters. Includes a model example, detailed teacher and student notes, engaging tasks, differentiated materials, and a huge range of adjectives for students to adapt and adopt into their own creative writing. A useful lesson for both KS3 and GCSE English ...
Creative writing sample
A vocabulary list featuring Creative writing sample. ... Practice Answer a few questions about each word. Use this to prep for your next quiz! Vocabulary Jam Compete with other teams in real time to see who answers the most questions correctly! Spelling Bee Test your spelling acumen. Read the definition, listen to the word and try spelling it!
GCSE Creative Writing Vocabulary Flashcards
4 words to describe the sky. inky; overcast; dim; colourless. 4 verbs for shouting. shriek; roar; yell; bellow. 7 verbs for talking quietly. whisper; buzz; mumble; murmur; mutter; sigh; breathe. Study with Quizlet and memorize flashcards containing terms like 5 words for bright, 2 words for walking slowly, 4 words for walking lightly and more.
5 Ways to Incorporate Vocabulary in Writing
Method 1: WORD POEMS. Diamantes are relatively easy to write. Students write the vocabulary word on the first line and a synonym or (for an added challenge) antonym on the last line. The lines in between have various types of context clues. Here is an example: sepulcher. dark, gloomy.
Creativity and Vocabulary Learning Strategies: A Case Study
Self-expression and vocabulary learning through creative writing. Another data source which corroborates the results discussed in the previous section is the actual pieces of writing provided by Linda. These pieces were written during the past five years, one of them about five years ago, two pieces about three years ago, and the fourth one ...