how to make creative writing more engaging

Creative Writing Techniques: 39 Tips for Crafting Compelling Stories (Fully Explained)

By: Author Paul Jenkins

Posted on Published: June 20, 2023  - Last updated: July 10, 2023

Categories Writing

Creative writing is a form of self-expression that allows you to communicate your thoughts, emotions, and ideas uniquely and engagingly. Whether you’re writing a novel, a short story, a poem, or a screenplay, there are many techniques you can use to make your writing more exciting and impactful. These techniques can help you create vivid imagery, develop compelling characters, and convey complex ideas clearly and concisely.

One of the most popular creative writing techniques is the use of metaphors, which compare a characteristic of something unknown to something known. This technique adds fun and personality to your writing and can help you create vivid and memorable descriptions. Another technique is using similes, which make comparisons using “like” or “as.” Similes can be used to create visual images that help readers understand complex ideas or emotions.

Creative writing is a powerful tool that can help you connect with others, explore your thoughts and feelings, and share your unique perspective. By mastering these techniques and experimenting with different styles and forms of writing, you can unlock your full creative potential and create works of art that inspire and entertain others.

Key Takeaways

• Creative writing is a form of self-expression that allows you to communicate your thoughts, emotions, and ideas uniquely and engagingly.
• Metaphors and similes are popular creative writing techniques that can help you create vivid imagery and convey complex ideas clearly and concisely.
• By mastering different styles and forms of writing, you can unlock your full creative potential and create works of art that inspire and entertain others.

1. Metaphors: Compare a Characteristic of Something Unknown to Something Known

Metaphors are a powerful tool in creative writing that can add depth and meaning to your work. They are an analogy that compares a characteristic of something unknown to something known. They help readers understand complex ideas by relating them to something familiar.

Metaphors can describe abstract concepts, emotions, and sensory experiences. For example, you might use a metaphor to describe the feeling of falling in love as “a rollercoaster ride.” This comparison helps readers understand the ups and downs of love by relating it to something they are familiar with.

When using metaphors, it’s important to choose accurate and interesting comparisons. Avoid cliches and overused comparisons, as these can make your writing stale and unoriginal. Instead, try to create unique and unexpected comparisons to surprise and delight your readers.

To create effective metaphors, it’s also important to consider the context of your writing. Think about the tone and mood you want to convey and the themes and ideas you want to explore. You can create a more cohesive and impactful piece by choosing appropriate metaphors for your writing.

2. Similes: Make Comparisons Using ‘Like’ or ‘As’

Similes are figurative language that compare two things using the words ‘like’ or ‘as’. They are often used in creative writing to make descriptions more vivid and interesting. Here are some examples:

• The clouds were like fluffy pillows in the sky.
• Her hair was as black as coal.
• The water shimmered like diamonds in the sunlight.

As you can see, similes help create a picture in the reader’s mind by comparing something familiar to something unfamiliar. This makes your writing more engaging and memorable.

It’s important to choose appropriate comparisons that make sense when using similes. Avoid using cliches or overused comparisons, as they make your writing seem unoriginal. Instead, develop unique and creative similes that capture the essence of what you’re describing.

Here are some tips for using similes effectively in your writing:

• Use similes sparingly. While similes can be effective, overusing them can make your writing seem forced or contrived.
• Make sure your similes are accurate. Don’t use a simile that doesn’t make sense or is factually incorrect.
• Use similes to create a specific mood or tone. For example, you might use a dark or ominous simile to create foreboding in your writing.
• Experiment with different types of similes. You can use similes to compare anything from emotions to objects to natural phenomena.

3. Analogies: Draw Parallels Between Two Seemingly Unrelated Things

One of the most effective creative writing techniques is the use of analogies. Analogies allow you to draw parallels between two seemingly unrelated things, which can help your readers understand complex ideas and emotions more easily.

Analogies can be used in many different ways in creative writing. For example, you can use analogies to describe a character’s personality, explain a difficult concept, or add depth and richness to your descriptions.

To create an analogy, start by identifying two things that seem unrelated but share some common qualities. For example, you might compare a person to a tree, noting that both grow and change over time. Or you might compare a difficult situation to a storm, noting that both can be unpredictable and overwhelming.

Once you have identified your two objects, think about the qualities they share and how you can use those qualities to create a comparison. For example, if you compare a person to a tree, you might write something like: “Like a tree, she stood tall and strong, weathering the storms of life with grace and resilience.”

Analogies can be a powerful tool in creative writing, but it’s important to use them sparingly and effectively. Too many analogies can make your writing feel forced or contrived, so choose your comparisons carefully and use them only when they add something meaningful to your work.

4. Imagery: Use Vivid and Descriptive Language to Create Mental Pictures for Readers

Imagery is a powerful tool writers use to create mental pictures in the minds of their readers. Using vivid and descriptive language can transport your readers to different places, times, and emotions. Here are some tips on how to use imagery effectively in your writing:

• Use sensory details: Sensory details are descriptions that appeal to the five senses: sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch. By using sensory details, you can help your readers experience the story in a more immersive way. For example, instead of saying, “The flower looked pretty,” you could say, “The bright red petals of the rose glistened in the sun, emitting a sweet fragrance that filled the air.”
• Be specific: The more specific your descriptions, the more vivid the mental picture you create in your readers’ minds. Instead of saying, “The car drove down the street,” you could say, “The sleek, silver sports car zoomed down the winding road, its engine roaring like a lion.”
• Use metaphors and similes: Metaphors and similes are comparisons that help readers understand complex ideas by relating them to something familiar. For example, instead of saying, “She was sad,” you could say, “Her heart felt heavy like a stone sinking to the bottom of a lake.”
• Use personification: Personification is a literary device that gives human qualities to non-human things. By using personification, you can make your descriptions more engaging and memorable. For example, instead of saying, “The wind blew through the trees,” you could say, “The wind whispered secrets to the leaves, causing them to dance and rustle in the breeze.”

5. Personification: Assign Human Qualities to Non-Human Entities

Personification is a powerful literary device that can add depth and emotion to your writing. It involves assigning human qualities to non-human entities, such as animals, objects, or abstract concepts. Doing this can create a more relatable and engaging story that resonates with your readers.

When using personification, you should carefully choose the right characteristics to assign to your non-human entities. For example, you might describe a tree as “strong and steadfast” to emphasize its resilience or a river as “wild and untamed” to highlight its power and unpredictability. The key is to choose appropriate and meaningful qualities for the story you are trying to tell.

One of the benefits of using personification in your writing is that it can help you create a more vivid and memorable image in your reader’s mind. By giving non-human entities human qualities, you can help your readers understand and connect with them on a deeper level. This can make your story more engaging and enjoyable to read.

However, it’s important to use personification sparingly and appropriately. Overusing this technique can make your writing feel forced or contrived and can distract from the story you are trying to tell. Instead, strategically use personification to enhance your storytelling and create a more powerful emotional impact.

6. Show, Don’t Tell: Describe Actions, Thoughts, and Feelings Rather Than Simply Stating Them

Creative writing is all about immersing your readers in the story and making them feel like they are a part of it. One of the best ways to achieve this is by using the “Show, Don’t Tell” technique. This technique encourages you to describe actions, thoughts, and feelings rather than simply stating them. Doing so can create a more engaging and vivid story that draws readers in and keeps them hooked.

When you “show” rather than “tell,” you allow your readers to experience the story for themselves. Instead of telling them that a character is angry, for example, you can show them by describing how the character clenches their fists, grits their teeth, and scowls. This creates a more vivid image in the reader’s mind, allowing them to empathize with the character and deeply feel their emotions.

To effectively use the “Show, Don’t Tell” technique, it’s important to use descriptive language that appeals to the senses. Use vivid imagery to describe what characters see, hear, smell, taste, and touch. This will help readers feel like they are in the story and allow them to experience it more fully.

Another key aspect of this technique is to use actions to convey emotions. Instead of telling your readers that a character is sad, for example, you can show them by describing how the character slumps their shoulders, avoids eye contact, and speaks quietly. This creates a more powerful emotional impact and makes the story more engaging and interesting.

7. Repetition: Reinforce a Point or Create Emphasis by Repeating Words or Phrases

Repetition is a powerful tool in creative writing that can reinforce a point or create emphasis. Repeating words or phrases can help to drive home a message, create a sense of rhythm, and make your writing more memorable. Here are some ways to use repetition in your writing:

1. Repetition of Words

Repeating a word can be a simple yet effective way to create emphasis. It can be used to highlight a key point or to create a sense of urgency. For example, “You must study, study, study to succeed.” The repetition of “study” emphasizes the importance of studying.

2. Repetition of Phrases

Repeating a phrase can create a sense of rhythm in your writing. It can also reinforce a point or create a memorable image. For example, “The night was dark, dark as coal, dark as the inside of a coffin.” The repetition of “dark” creates a vivid image in the reader’s mind.

3. Repetition of Structure

Repeating a structure can be used to create a sense of order or to emphasize a point. For example, “First, you must study. Then, you must practice. Finally, you must perform.” The repetition of “you must” creates a sense of order and emphasizes the importance of each step.

4. Repetition of Sound

Repeating a sound can be used to create a sense of rhythm or to emphasize a point. For example, “The rain pattered on the roof, splattered on the windows, and chattered on the pavement.” The repetition of the “at” sound creates a sense of rhythm and emphasizes the sound of the rain.

8. Alliteration: Use the Repetition of Consonant Sounds at the Beginning of Words

One creative writing technique that can add a musical quality to your writing is alliteration. Alliteration is the repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of words close to each other. By using alliteration, you can create a rhythmic and memorable effect that can enhance the overall impact of your writing.

One common use of alliteration is in poetry, where it can help create a certain mood or tone. For example, consider the famous line from Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Raven”: “Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary.” The repetition of the “w” sound in “weak” and “weary” creates a sense of weariness and melancholy that fits the mood of the poem.

Alliteration can also be used in prose to create emphasis or to draw attention to certain words or phrases. For example, you might use alliteration to highlight the importance of a particular character or object. Consider this sentence: “The shimmering sword sliced through the darkness, sending sparks flying.” The repetition of the “s” sound in “shimmering,” “sword,” and “sparks” draws attention to the sword and its action, making it stand out in the sentence.

When using alliteration, it’s important to avoid overdoing it. Too much alliteration can become distracting or even annoying to the reader. Instead, use alliteration sparingly and strategically, focusing on the words and sounds most impacting your writing.

9. Assonance: Repeat Vowel Sounds Within Words

Assonance is a powerful tool to add rhythm and melody to your writing. It is a literary technique that involves repeating vowel sounds within words. The repetition of these sounds creates a musical effect that can add emphasis, mood, and tone to your writing.

Assonance is not the same as rhyme, which involves repeating the same sound at the end of words. Instead, assonance focuses on repeating vowel sounds within words, regardless of whether the words rhyme. For example, “The rain in Spain falls mainly on the plain” is an example of assonance, as the “ai” sound is repeated throughout the sentence.

Assonance can be used in a variety of ways to enhance your writing. Here are a few examples:

• Create a musical effect: By repeating vowel sounds, you can create a musical effect that can add rhythm and melody to your writing. This can help your writing flow more smoothly and make it more engaging to read.
• Emphasize certain words or phrases: By repeating vowel sounds in certain words or phrases, you can draw attention to them and make them stand out. This can help you emphasize important points or create a mood or tone in your writing.
• Add depth and complexity: By using assonance, you can add depth and complexity to your writing. This can help you create more nuanced and layered, more satisfying writing .

10. Onomatopoeia: Use Words That Imitate the Sounds They Represent

You should consider using onomatopoeia to make your writing more vivid and engaging. Onomatopoeia is the use of words that imitate the sounds they represent. This literary device can help you create a more immersive experience for your readers by allowing them to hear the sounds in their minds as they read.

Onomatopoeia can be used in a variety of ways. You can use it to describe nature’s sounds, like birds chirping or leaves rustling. You can also use it to describe the sounds of objects, like the beep of a car horn or the clanging of pots and pans in the kitchen. Onomatopoeia can even be used to describe the sounds of emotions, like the thumping of a heart or the sigh of relief.

One of the advantages of using onomatopoeia is that it can help you create a more sensory experience for your readers. Using words that imitate the sounds they represent, you can help your readers hear the sounds in their minds as they read. This can make your writing more engaging and memorable.

Another advantage of using onomatopoeia is that it can help you create a more realistic and authentic experience for your readers. Using words that imitate the sounds they represent can help your readers feel like they are in the scene with your characters. This can help you create a stronger emotional connection with your readers and make your writing more impactful.

Here are a few examples of onomatopoeia that you can use in your writing:

• Sizzle: This word imitates the sound of something cooking on a hot surface, like a steak on a grill.
• Buzz: This word imitates the sound of a bee or other insect flying around.
• Hiss: This word imitates the sound of air escaping from a tire or a snake slithering through the grass.
• Thump: This word imitates the sound of something heavy hitting the ground, like a book falling off a shelf.

11. Anaphora: Repeat the Same Word or Phrase at the Beginning of Successive Clauses

Anaphora is a rhetorical device that can create a powerful effect in your writing. It involves repeating the same word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses or sentences. This repetition can help to emphasize an idea, create a rhythm, and make your writing more memorable.

When you use anaphora, you start each sentence or clause with the same word or phrase. This repetition can help to create a sense of unity and cohesion in your writing. It can also help emphasize a particular point or idea you want to convey to your reader.

Anaphora is often used in speeches and other forms of persuasive writing. For example, Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech is full of examples of anaphora. In this speech, King repeatedly repeats the phrase “I have a dream” to emphasize his vision of a better future.

Using anaphora in your writing can help to create a similar effect. Repeating a word or phrase can create a sense of anticipation in your reader. They will be waiting for the next instance of that word or phrase, which can help to keep them engaged with your writing.

Here are some tips for using anaphora effectively in your writing:

• Choose a word or phrase that is important to your message.
• Use anaphora sparingly. Too much repetition can become tedious for your reader.
• Vary the length and structure of your sentences to keep your writing interesting.
• Experiment with different words and phrases to see which ones work best for your message.

12. Epistrophe: Repeat the Same Word or Phrase at the End of Successive Clauses

Epistrophe is a creative writing technique where the writer repeats the same word or phrase at the end of successive clauses or sentences. This technique is also known as epiphora. Epistrophe is used in poetry, speeches, and prose to create emphasis and rhythm.

Epistrophe is similar to anaphora when the writer repeats the same word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses or sentences. The difference between the two is that epistrophe repeats the word or phrase at the end of the sentence, while anaphora repeats it at the beginning.

One famous example of epistrophe is from Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address: “Government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.” In this example, Lincoln repeats the phrase “of the people, by the people, for the people” at the end of each clause, creating a powerful and memorable effect.

Epistrophe can be used to create a sense of finality or to emphasize a particular point. It can also create a sense of rhythm or musicality in the writing. When using epistrophe, it’s important to choose a word or phrase that is meaningful and impactful, as repetition can quickly become tedious if it’s not used effectively.

13. Anadiplosis: Repeat the Last Word of One Clause at the Beginning of the Next Clause

Anadiplosis is a powerful literary device used in creative writing to create a sense of rhythm and repetition. In Anadiplosis, you repeat the last word of one clause at the beginning of the next clause. This technique is often used to emphasize a particular word or phrase and to create a sense of continuity in the text.

Anadiplosis is commonly used in poetry, speeches, and other forms of creative writing. It is a versatile technique that can be used to create various effects. For example, Anadiplosis can create a sense of urgency or build momentum in a narrative.

Anadiplosis can also create a sense of symmetry or balance in a text. By repeating a word or phrase, you can create a sense of harmony and order in your writing. This technique can be especially effective with literary devices like alliteration or rhyme.

Here are some examples of Anadiplosis in action:

• “Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering.” – Yoda, Star Wars.
• “The love of wicked men converts to fear; That fear to hate, and hate turns one or both To worthy danger and deserved death.” – William Shakespeare, Richard II.
• “When I give, I give myself.” – Walt Whitman, Song of Myself.

14. Chiasmus: Reverse the Order of Words in Two Parallel Phrases

Chiasmus is a literary device that reverses word order in two parallel phrases. It is a rhetorical device commonly used in literature, speeches, and other forms of creative writing. The word “chiasmus” comes from the Greek word “Kiasmos,” which means “crossing” or “x-shaped.”

Chiasmus is a powerful tool for writers because it can create a sense of balance and symmetry in a sentence. It can also help to emphasize a particular point or idea. By reversing the order of words, writers can create a memorable and impactful phrase that sticks with the reader.

Here are a few examples of chiasmus in action:

• “Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.” – John F. Kennedy
• “You forget what you want to remember, and you remember what you want to forget.” – Cormac McCarthy, The Road
• “It is not the years in your life but the life in your years that counts.” – Adlai E. Stevenson

Notice how each of these examples has a similar structure. The first phrase sets up an idea, and the second phrase reverses the order of words to create a memorable and impactful statement.

When using chiasmus in your writing, it’s important to ensure that the reversed phrases make sense and flow well. It’s also important to use chiasmus sparingly, as overusing it can make your writing seem contrived or forced.

15. Adnomination: Repeat Words with the Same Root, Differing in One Sound or Letter

Adnomination is a literary device that involves repeating words with the same root but differing in one sound or letter. This technique can create a particular sound and effect in text. It can also be used to describe the repetition of a word but in a different sense. Adnomination is used frequently for emphatic contrast or punning.

Using adnomination can add emphasis and depth to your writing. It can help to create a poetic effect, making your writing more memorable and engaging for your readers. Adnomination can also help to create a sense of rhythm and flow in your writing.

Here are a few examples of adnomination:

• “She was the light of his life, the fire in his soul, and the wind in his sails.”
• “The city was a maze of streets, alleys, and avenues.”
• “The cat sat on the mat, looking fat and happy.”

As you can see from these examples, adnomination can create a sense of repetition and rhythm in your writing. It can also create a sense of contrast or comparison between different words.

When using adnomination in your writing, it’s important to use it sparingly. Overusing this technique can make your writing feel forced and contrived. Instead, try to use adnomination naturally and organically to your writing style.

16. Flashbacks: Reveal Past Events to Provide Context or Deepen Characterization

Flashbacks are a powerful tool that can reveal past events and provide context to your story. By taking the reader back in time, you can deepen the characterization of your protagonist, reveal important backstories, and create a more complex and nuanced narrative.

When using flashbacks, it’s important to be strategic. You don’t want to disrupt the flow of your story or confuse your reader. Here are some tips to help you use flashbacks effectively:

• Use flashbacks sparingly. Too many flashbacks can be disorienting and disrupt the flow of your story. Use them only when necessary to provide context or deepen characterization.
• Make sure your flashbacks are relevant. Your flashbacks should directly relate to the main story and help move the plot forward.
• Use clear transitions. Make it clear to your reader when moving into a flashback and returning to the present. You can use formatting, such as italics or a change in tense, to help differentiate between the two.
• Don’t rely on flashbacks to provide exposition. While flashbacks can be a great way to reveal important backstories, they shouldn’t be used as a crutch to provide exposition. Make sure your story is strong enough to stand on its own.

17. Dialogue: Use Conversations Between Characters to Convey Information and Develop Relationships

Dialogue is essential for creative writers to convey information and develop relationships between characters. You can reveal their personalities, motivations, and conflicts by writing conversations between characters. Dialogue can also move the plot forward and create tension in the story.

When writing dialogue, it is important to make it sound natural and believable. People do not always speak in complete sentences and often interrupt each other. Use contractions, slang, and regional dialects to make the dialogue more authentic. However, avoid using too much jargon or technical language that may confuse the reader.

To make the dialogue more engaging, use body language and gestures to show how the characters feel. For example, if a character is nervous, they may fidget or avoid eye contact. They may clench their fists or raise their voice if they are angry. These nonverbal cues can add depth and complexity to the conversation.

When writing dialogue, it is important to remember that every character has a voice and personality. Each character should have a unique way of speaking, with their vocabulary, tone, and syntax. This can help the reader distinguish between characters and make them more memorable.

18. Monologue: Allow a Character to Express Their Thoughts or Feelings in an Extended Speech

Monologues are an effective tool in creative writing that allows characters to express their thoughts or feelings in an extended speech. This technique is often used in theater but can also be used in books, movies, and other mediums. Monologues can be addressed to other characters in the scene, or they can be one character talking to themselves or the audience.

To write a compelling monologue, you must first understand your character’s motivations, fears, and desires. This will help you create a speech that is authentic and believable. You should also consider the setting and tone of the scene. Is the character angry, sad, or happy? Is the scene serious or humorous?

A good monologue will have a clear beginning, middle, and end. It should also be concise and to the point. Avoid rambling or going off on tangents. Use descriptive language and vivid imagery to engage the reader and bring the scene to life.

When writing a monologue, it’s important to remember that it should reveal something about the character. It should provide insight into their personality, beliefs, and values. It should also advance the plot or reveal something important about the story.

19. Symbolism: Use Objects, Characters, or Events to Represent Abstract Ideas or Concepts

Symbolism is a powerful literary device that can add depth and meaning to your writing. It uses objects, characters, or events to represent abstract ideas or concepts. Doing so can create a richer and more complex narrative that engages your readers on multiple levels.

One of the most important things to remember when using symbolism is that the symbol should be closely related to what it represents. A strong symbol usually shares key characteristics with whatever it is meant to symbolize or is related to it in some other way. For example, a dove symbolizes peace because of its gentle nature and association with religious stories.

Characters can also be symbolic. They can represent specific ideas or concepts or embody broader themes or motifs. For example, in “The Great Gatsby,” the character of Jay Gatsby represents the American Dream, while the character of Daisy Buchanan represents the corruption and superficiality of the wealthy elite.

Events can also be symbolic. They can represent larger societal issues or personal struggles. For example, in “To Kill a Mockingbird,” the trial of Tom Robinson represents the racial inequality and injustice prevalent in the American South during the 1930s.

When using symbolism, it’s important to remember that it should enhance your story rather than detract from it. Don’t use symbols just to use them; make sure they serve a purpose and add meaning to your narrative.

20. Irony: Create a Contrast Between What Is Expected and What Actually Occurs

Irony is a useful tool in creative writing that can help you create a contrast between what is expected and what actually occurs. Using irony, you can create a sense of surprise, humor, or even tragedy in your writing. There are three types of irony: verbal, situational, and dramatic.

Verbal Irony

Verbal irony is when a character says one thing but means the opposite. This type of irony is often used for comedic effect. For example, if a character says, “I just love being stuck in traffic for hours,” when they don’t enjoy it, that’s verbal irony.

Situational Irony

Situational irony is when the opposite of what is expected happens. This type of irony can create a sense of surprise or even tragedy. For example, if a firefighter’s house burns down, that’s situational irony.

Dramatic Irony

Dramatic irony is when the audience knows something that the characters do not. This type of irony can create tension and suspense in your writing. For example, if the audience knows that a character is about to be betrayed, but the character does not, that’s dramatic irony.

21. Hyperbole: Use Exaggeration for Emphasis or Effect

When it comes to creative writing, one technique that can be particularly effective is hyperbole. Hyperbole is a figure of speech that exaggerates something for emphasis or effect. Using hyperbole, you can create vivid images, convey strong emotions, and add humor to your writing.

Hyperbole can be used in a variety of ways. For example, you might use it to describe a character in your story. Instead of saying that your protagonist is “tall,” you might exaggerate and say they are “towering over everyone in the room.” This helps to create a stronger image in the reader’s mind and emphasizes the character’s physical presence.

Another way to use hyperbole is to add humor to your writing. For example, you might describe a character’s reaction to a situation exaggeratedly, such as saying they “nearly died of shock” when they received unexpected news. This can add a lighthearted touch to your writing and make it more engaging for readers.

When using hyperbole, it’s important to balance exaggeration and believability. While hyperbole is meant to be an exaggeration, it shouldn’t be so extreme that it becomes unbelievable or ridiculous. It’s also important to use hyperbole sparingly, as too much can make your writing feel over-the-top and tiresome.

22. Understatement: Minimize the Importance of Something for Emphasis or Humor

Understatement is a creative writing technique that involves intentionally representing something as less significant than it is. It is the opposite of hyperbole, which exaggerates the importance of something. Understatement is used to downplay the value or importance of something, often to create emphasis or humor.

Using understatement can be an effective way to make a point without being too direct or confrontational. It can also create a sense of irony or humor in your writing. For example, if you are writing a story about a character who has just won the lottery, you might use understatement to describe their reaction to the news. Instead of saying they were ecstatic, you could say they were “moderately pleased” or “mildly surprised.”

One of the benefits of using understatement is that it can create a sense of humility in your writing. It can show that you know the limitations of your knowledge or perspective. For example, if you write an opinion piece on a controversial topic, you might use understatement to acknowledge other valid viewpoints. You could say, “While it is true that some people believe X, others might argue Y.”

Another benefit of understatement is that it can create a sense of surprise or shock in your writing. By downplaying the importance of something, you can create a sudden shift in tone that catches the reader off guard. For example, if you are writing a horror story, you might use understatement to describe a gruesome scene. Instead of describing the blood and gore in graphic detail, you might say “there was a small amount of blood on the floor.”

23. Juxtaposition: Place Contrasting Elements Side by Side to Highlight Their Differences

Juxtaposition is a powerful tool in creative writing that involves placing two contrasting elements side by side to highlight their differences. This technique can create tension, irony, humor, or convey social or political commentary. By juxtaposing, you can draw attention to the differences between the two elements and create a more vivid and compelling narrative.

Juxtaposition can be used in various ways in creative writing. For example, you can use it to compare and contrast characters, settings, themes, or ideas. This technique can effectively highlight the differences between two characters or settings and create a sense of conflict or tension.

Another way to use juxtaposition is to create irony. By placing two seemingly unrelated elements, you can create a sense of irony that can be both humorous and thought-provoking.

For example, in George Orwell’s Animal Farm, the pigs who lead the revolution and establish a new social order are eventually revealed to be just as corrupt and oppressive as the humans they overthrew. This juxtaposition creates a powerful irony and underscores the novel’s social and political commentary.

Juxtaposition can also be used to create mood and atmosphere. By placing two contrasting elements side by side, you can create a sense of tension or unease that can add depth and complexity to your writing.

For example, in Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Masque of the Red Death,” the opulent and decadent party that the protagonist attends is juxtaposed with the looming presence of the Red Death, creating a sense of dread and foreboding that adds to the story’s horror and suspense.

24. Parallelism: Use Similar Grammatical Structures to Create Balance and Rhythm

Parallelism is a writing technique that uses similar grammatical structures to create balance and rhythm within a sentence. Using parallelism, you repeat a specific grammatical pattern throughout a sentence or paragraph. This repetition creates a sense of rhythm and balance, making your writing more engaging and memorable.

Parallelism can be used in many different ways, including:

• Creating lists: When you list items in your writing, you can use parallelism to make the list more readable and memorable. For example: “She loved to dance, sing, and act.”
• Emphasizing important points: Parallelism can be used to emphasize important ideas or concepts in your writing. For example: “You must work hard, study diligently, and never give up if you want to succeed.”
• Comparing and contrasting: Parallelism can also be used to compare and contrast ideas in your writing. For example: “He was both kind and cruel, generous and selfish, all at the same time.”

When using parallelism, it’s important to ensure that your repeating structures are truly parallel. This means that they should have the same grammatical form and structure. For example, if you use parallelism to create a list, each item should be structured similarly. This will make your writing more clear and compelling.

In addition to creating balance and rhythm, parallelism can help you convey your ideas more effectively. Repeating a specific grammatical pattern can draw attention to important ideas and make them more memorable. This can be especially useful when trying to persuade or convince your readers.

25. Oxymoron: Combine Contradictory Terms to Create a Striking Effect

An oxymoron is a figure of speech that combines two contradictory terms to create a striking effect. This literary device is often used in creative writing to add depth and complexity to a text. Oxymorons can create a sense of irony or humor or emphasize a point.

Oxymorons consist of two words that have opposite meanings. For example, “bittersweet,” “jumbo shrimp,” and “living dead” are all examples of oxymorons. These terms may seem contradictory, but when used together, they create a unique and memorable image in the reader’s mind.

When using oxymorons in your writing, it’s important to consider the context in which they are used. An oxymoron can be used to create a sense of irony or humor, but it can also be used to emphasize a point. For example, “cruel kindness” can highlight the negative impact of well-intentioned actions.

Oxymorons can also be used to create memorable and impactful descriptions. For example, the phrase “silent scream” creates a vivid image of a person expressing intense emotion without making a sound. Similarly, the phrase “dark light” can describe a situation where light and darkness are present.

26. Paradox: Present a Seemingly Contradictory Statement That Reveals a Deeper Truth

Paradox is a literary device that involves presenting a statement that appears contradictory but, upon further examination, reveals a deeper truth or meaning. It’s a powerful technique that can add depth and complexity to your writing.

One classic example of a paradox is the statement, “Less is more.” At first glance, this statement seems to contradict itself. How can less be more? But upon closer inspection, we can see that the statement reveals a more profound truth: that sometimes, simplicity is more effective than complexity.

Another example of a paradox is the statement, “The enemy of my enemy is my friend.” This statement appears contradictory because how can someone who is also an enemy be considered a friend? But upon closer examination, we can see that this statement reveals a deeper truth: sometimes, people with a common enemy can work together towards a common goal.

Paradoxes can be used in a variety of ways in creative writing. They can add depth and complexity to characters, reveal hidden meanings and truths, and create a sense of mystery and intrigue. When using paradoxes in your writing, it’s vital to ensure they are relevant to the story and add value to the reader’s understanding.

To create a paradox, consider the theme or message you want to convey in your writing. Think about how you can present a statement that appears contradictory but reveals a deeper truth. Consider using contrasting words or phrases, such as “love and hate” or “life and death,” to create a sense of tension and intrigue.

27. Pun: Use a Play on Words for Humor or Emphasis

Puns are a popular literary device that can add humor and emphasis to your writing. A pun is a play on words involving words with similar sounds but different meanings. Puns can be used for comedic effect, to create irony, or to add depth to your writing.

To use a pun in your writing, you need to identify words or phrases that have multiple meanings or that sound similar to other words. For example, you could use a pun by saying, “I’m reading a book on anti-gravity. It’s impossible to put down!” This pun relies on the double meaning of “put down,” which can mean physically placing something down and losing interest.

Puns can also be used to create irony or to add depth to your writing. For example, you could use a pun in a serious piece of writing to draw attention to a particular point. This can be an effective way to add emphasis to your message without being too heavy-handed.

When using puns, it’s important not to overdo them. Too many puns can be distracting and can take away from the overall message of your writing. Instead, use puns sparingly and strategically to add humor or emphasis where needed.

28. Foreshadowing: Hint at Future Events in the Story

Foreshadowing is a literary technique that hints at future events in a story. It is a powerful tool that builds suspense, creates tension, and keeps readers engaged. By foreshadowing, you can prepare your readers for what’s to come and make the story more satisfying when the events finally unfold.

There are several ways to use foreshadowing in your writing. One common method is to use symbolism. For example, you might use a recurring image or object to hint at something that will happen later in the story. This can help create a sense of continuity and add depth to your writing.

Another way to use foreshadowing is through dialogue. You can use your characters’ conversations to hint at future events or big reveals. This can be a joke, an offhand comment, or even something unsaid that adds personality to your characters while planting the seed for later revelations.

Foreshadowing can also be used to create dramatic irony. This is when the reader knows something that the characters do not, which can create tension and anticipation. For example, if a character is planning a surprise party, but the reader knows that the guest of honor hates surprises, the reader will be on the edge of their seat waiting for the reveal.

When using foreshadowing, it’s essential to strike a balance. You don’t want to give away too much information too soon, but you also don’t want to be so subtle that your readers miss the hints altogether. It’s a delicate dance, but foreshadowing can be a powerful tool in your creative writing toolbox.

29. Euphemism: Use a Mild or Indirect Expression to Replace a Harsh or Blunt One

In creative writing, euphemism is a technique used to substitute a harsh or blunt expression with a mild or indirect one. It helps to convey a message without being offensive or unpleasant. Euphemism is often used in literature to add depth and subtlety to a character’s dialogue or to describe sensitive subjects.

For example, instead of saying, “he died,” a writer might use the euphemism “he passed away,” which conveys the same meaning but more gently and respectfully. Similarly, instead of saying, “She’s fat,” a writer might use the euphemism “She’s curvy” or “She’s full-figured,” which are less harsh and more positive.

Euphemism can also be used to create irony or humor. For instance, in George Orwell’s novel “Animal Farm,” the pigs use euphemisms to manipulate the other animals and justify their actions. They refer to stealing food as the “readjustment of rations” and executions as “sending to the knacker.”

However, it’s important to use euphemisms carefully and appropriately. Overuse can make writing sound insincere or cliché. It’s also important to consider the context and audience. What may be an appropriate euphemism in one situation may not be in another.

30. Stream of Consciousness: Write from the Perspective of a Character’s Thoughts and Feelings

Stream of consciousness is a writing technique that captures the natural flow of a character’s extended thought process. This technique is often used to convey the character’s thoughts and feelings realistically, and it can be a powerful tool for immersing the reader in the story.

To write from the perspective of a character’s thoughts and feelings using the stream-of-consciousness technique, you need to incorporate sensory impressions, vague ideas, unusual syntax, and rough grammar. Your writing may not flow logically, but it will be more authentic and reflect the character’s inner world.

One way to get started with stream-of-consciousness writing is to imagine that you are the character and try to write down everything that comes to mind. Don’t worry about grammar or punctuation at first; focus on capturing the character’s thoughts and feelings as they come. You can always go back and edit later.

Another technique is to use a prompt or trigger to get the character’s thoughts flowing. For example, you could write about a specific event or memory important to the character or use a sensory detail like a smell or sound to evoke a particular emotion.

Remember that stream-of-consciousness writing can be challenging for readers who are used to more traditional storytelling techniques. To make your writing more accessible, you can use formatting tools like italics or bold text to indicate when the character is thinking versus speaking or paragraph breaks to signal a shift in the character’s thoughts.

31, Epistolary: Tell a Story Through Letters, Diary Entries, or Other Documents

Epistolary writing is a technique that involves telling a story through letters, diary entries, or other documents. This technique can create a sense of intimacy between the reader and the characters and provide a unique perspective on the story.

To write an epistolary story, you should first develop a narrative arc. This means you should clearly understand your story’s beginning, middle, and end before you start writing. Once you have this in mind, you can start thinking about the letters or other documents that will make up your story.

One of the advantages of epistolary writing is that it allows you to create a sense of immediacy and intimacy that is difficult to achieve with other techniques. By using letters or diary entries , you can give the reader a direct insight into the thoughts and feelings of your characters. This can be particularly effective if you write a story dealing with complex emotions or relationships.

Another advantage of epistolary writing is that it allows you to experiment with different voices and styles. Because a different character writes each letter or diary entry, you can use this technique to create a sense of diversity and variety in your story. This can be particularly effective if you are writing a story that deals with multiple perspectives or points of view.

32. Magic Realism: Blend Elements of the Fantastical with the Everyday

Magic realism is a literary genre that combines fantastical elements with the everyday. It is a unique and fascinating technique that allows writers to create a world that is both familiar and strange, where magical and supernatural events are presented as a regular part of everyday life.

In magic realism, the fantastic is not presented as something extraordinary or unknown but as a part of the world. This creates a sense of wonder, enchantment, and connection to the world around us.

To write in the magic realism genre, you need to blend the fantastical with the everyday seamlessly and believably. This can be achieved by using a variety of techniques, such as:

• Subtle Magic: In magic realism, magic is often presented subtly , with small, everyday events taking on a magical quality. For example, a character might be able to see the future, or a tree might have the power to heal the sick.
• Symbolism and Metaphor: Magic realism often uses symbolism and metaphor to convey its message. For example, a character might be represented by an animal, or a magical event might represent a larger theme or idea.
• Mixing Genres: Magic realism often blends different genres, such as fantasy, horror, and romance, to create a unique and compelling story.
• Magical Realism vs. Fantasy: It is important to note that magical realism differs from fantasy. In fantasy, the magical elements are presented as something separate from the real world, while in magic realism, they are presented as an integral part of it.

33. Anthropomorphism: Give Human Traits to Animals or Objects

Anthropomorphism is a literary device attributing human traits to non-human things, such as animals or objects. This technique can add depth and complexity to your writing, allowing you to explore human emotions and experiences through the lens of non-human characters.

When using anthropomorphism, it’s important to balance realism and fantasy. While you want your non-human characters to be relatable and engaging, you also want them to be believable within the context of your story. Consider the following tips when incorporating anthropomorphism into your writing:

• Use specific details to create a vivid and realistic portrayal of your non-human characters. Think about their physical appearance, mannerisms, and behaviors and how they might differ from those of humans.
• Avoid relying too heavily on stereotypes or clichés when creating your non-human characters. Instead, draw on real-life observations and experiences to create unique and nuanced personalities.
• Consider the implications of giving human traits to non-human characters. How might this affect the themes and messages of your story? What commentary might you be making on human nature and society?

34. Allegory: Use a Story or Characters to Represent Abstract Ideas or Moral Lessons

Allegory is a powerful technique in creative writing that allows you to convey complex or abstract ideas through characters, events, or symbols. An allegory is a narrative in which the characters and events represent abstract ideas or moral lessons. This literary device is often used to convey political or social commentary or to explore philosophical or religious themes.

The use of symbolism is key to creating a compelling allegory. Symbols are objects, characters, or events that represent something beyond their literal meaning. When used in an allegory, symbols can represent abstract concepts or ideas in a way that is more accessible to the reader.

For example, George Orwell’s Animal Farm is an allegory in which the animals represent different factions of society, and the story’s events represent the Russian Revolution and the rise of Stalinism. Using animal characters and events that mirror real-world historical events allows the reader to connect with the story deeper and understand the underlying message.

Allegories can be used to explore a wide range of themes and ideas, from political and social commentary to personal growth and spiritual enlightenment. Some common themes explored through allegory include the struggle between good and evil, the nature of humanity, the search for truth and meaning, and the consequences of greed and corruption.

35. In Medias Res: Begin the Story in the Middle of the Action

One of the most effective ways to hook your readers is to start your story in media res, Latin for “in the middle of things.” This technique involves beginning your story during action rather than with exposition or background information. By plunging your readers into the middle of the story, you can immediately capture their attention and keep them engaged.

To use in media res effectively, you need to start with a scene that is both interesting and relevant to the story. This scene should raise questions in the reader’s mind and create a sense of urgency. For example, you might start a mystery novel with the detective already on the killer’s trail or a romance novel with the couple amid a heated argument.

One advantage of starting in media res is that it allows you to avoid the pitfalls of exposition. You can reveal this information through action and dialogue rather than telling your readers about the characters and their backgrounds. This not only makes your story more engaging but also helps to create a more immersive reading experience.

However, it’s important to remember that in media res is not appropriate for every story. If your story requires a lot of exposition or background information, starting in media res may confuse your readers and make it difficult for them to follow the plot. Additionally, if you start your story too far into the action, you may miss important opportunities to establish character and setting.

36. Frame Narrative: Use a Story Within a Story to Provide Context or Commentary

A frame narrative, also known as a frame story or framing device, is a literary technique that uses a story within a story to provide context or commentary. It is a powerful tool for writers who want to tell a complex story with multiple layers of meaning. Using a frame narrative, you can create a rich, immersive world that draws readers in and keeps them engaged.

In a frame narrative, the outer story serves as a frame or container for the inner story. The outer story provides context and commentary on the inner story, and the inner story provides depth and complexity to the outer story. This technique can create various effects, from suspense and mystery to humor and satire.

One of the most famous examples of a frame narrative is “The Canterbury Tales” by Geoffrey Chaucer. In this work, a group of pilgrims travels to Canterbury and decides to pass the time by telling stories. Each pilgrim tells a story, resulting in a collection of stories within a story. This technique allows Chaucer to explore various themes and ideas, from love and marriage to religion and politics.

Another example of a frame narrative is “One Thousand and One Nights,” also known as the Arabian Nights. This work is a collection of Middle Eastern and South Asian stories and folk tales compiled in Arabic during the Islamic Golden Age. The frame story is about a Persian king who marries a new bride every day and executes her the next morning.

To avoid this fate, the clever Scheherazade tells the king a story every night but leaves it unfinished, promising to finish it the next night. This goes on for 1,001 nights, and by the end, the king has fallen in love with Scheherazade and spares her life.

37. Unreliable Narrator: Use a Narrator Whose Credibility Is in Question

When it comes to creative writing, one technique that can be used to add depth and complexity to a story is the use of an unreliable narrator. An unreliable narrator is a character who tells the story but whose credibility is in question. This can be achieved through deliberate deception or unintentional misguidedness, forcing the reader to question the narrator’s reliability.

Using an unreliable narrator can add intrigue to a story, as the reader is forced to question the truthfulness of what they are being told. This can create a sense of tension and uncertainty that can keep the reader engaged throughout the story. Additionally, an unreliable narrator can explore themes of perception, truth, and memory as the reader is forced to consider what is real and imagined.

There are several ways to create an unreliable narrator in your writing. One way is to use a first-person point of view, as this allows the reader to see the story through the eyes of the narrator. This can make it easier to create a sense of intimacy with the character but also make it harder to trust their version of events.

Another way to create an unreliable narrator is to use a mentally unstable or emotionally compromised character. This can make it harder for the reader to separate truth from fiction, as the character’s perception of reality may be skewed. Villains, insane people, fools, liars, or hypocrites can all be examples of unreliable narrators.

38. Multiple Narrators: Tell the Story from the Perspectives of Different Characters

If you want to add depth and complexity to your story, consider using multiple narrators. This technique allows you to tell the story from different characters’ perspectives, providing a more nuanced view of the events and allowing the reader to see the story from different angles.

To use multiple narrators effectively, it’s important to choose characters whose perspectives are compelling and distinct. You want to avoid confusing the reader, so make sure each character has a distinct voice and point of view. Consider the following tips:

• Choose characters who have different backgrounds, experiences, and goals. This will allow you to explore different aspects of the story and add complexity to the plot .
• Use chapter headings or other markers to indicate when the perspective is changing. This will help the reader track who narrates the story and prevent confusion.
• Be consistent with the point of view. If you use first-person narration for one character, stick with that for the entire chapter or section. This will help maintain consistency and clarity.
• Use multiple narrators to reveal different aspects of the story. For example, one character might have access to information that the others do not, or they might interpret events differently based on their own experiences and biases.

39. Cliffhanger: End a Chapter or Scene with Suspense to Keep Readers Engaged

One of the most effective techniques to keep readers engaged is to end a chapter or scene with a cliffhanger. A cliffhanger is a writing device that creates suspense and leaves the reader wanting more. It can be a sudden twist in the plot, a revelation, or a question left unanswered.

You must build tension and anticipation throughout the chapter or scene to create a cliffhanger. You can do this by introducing a problem or challenge the protagonist must overcome. As tension builds, you can escalate the stakes and introduce new obstacles that complicate the situation.

When you reach the end of the chapter or scene, you should leave the reader with a sense of uncertainty or anticipation. You can do this by ending with a question, a revelation, or a sudden twist in the plot. The key is creating a sense of urgency that makes the reader want to turn the page and discover what happens next.

Here are some tips for creating effective cliffhangers:

• Keep it short and sweet: A cliffhanger should be no more than a few sentences long. It should be concise and to the point, leaving the reader with a clear sense of what is at stake.
• Use strong verbs: To create a sense of urgency, use strong verbs that convey action and movement. Avoid weak or passive language that slows down the pace of the story.
• Leave the reader with a question: A cliffhanger should leave the reader with a question that needs to be answered. This can be a question about the plot, the characters, or the setting.
• Escalate the stakes: As the tension builds, you should escalate the stakes and make the situation more difficult for the protagonist. This will create a sense of urgency and keep the reader engaged.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are some common creative writing techniques used in literature.

Many creative writing techniques are used in literature, but some of the most common ones include imagery, symbolism, foreshadowing, and flashbacks.

Imagery uses vivid descriptions and sensory details to create a mental picture in the reader’s mind. Symbolism represents abstract ideas or concepts using objects, characters, or actions. Foreshadowing uses hints or clues to suggest what will happen later in the story. Flashbacks are scenes that occur in the past and are used to provide background information or reveal something important about a character or event.

How can descriptive writing techniques be used to enhance storytelling?

Descriptive writing techniques can enhance storytelling by creating a vivid and immersive experience for the reader. By using sensory details such as sights, sounds, smells, and textures, you can transport your reader to the world you’ve created and make them feel like they’re a part of the story. Descriptive writing can also create mood and atmosphere, reveal character traits, and set the tone for the story.

What are some examples of persuasive writing techniques?

Persuasive writing techniques convince the reader to take a particular action or adopt a particular point of view. Some standard techniques include emotional appeals, such as fear or desire, to get the reader to act. Another technique is using logic and reasoning to present a strong argument for your point of view. You can also use rhetorical questions, repetition, and other persuasive devices to make your argument more compelling.

How can identifying different writing techniques improve my writing?

Identifying different writing techniques can improve your writing by giving you a better understanding of how to use them effectively. By studying the techniques used by other writers, you can learn how to create more engaging characters, build tension and suspense, and create a more immersive world for your readers. You can also learn different techniques to achieve different effects, such as creating a sense of mystery or building empathy for your characters.

What are some of the most important elements when using creative writing techniques?

When using creative writing techniques, it’s important to consider the audience you’re writing for, the genre you’re writing in, and the purpose of your writing. It would help if you also considered the tone and style of your writing and the pacing and structure of your story. It’s important to use techniques appropriate for your story and help you achieve your desired effect.

What are some examples of different types of creative writing beyond fiction and poetry?

Creative writing encompasses various genres and styles, including memoirs, personal essays, screenplays, and even video game scripts. Some writers also use creative writing techniques in non-fiction, such as journalism and academic writing. The key to using creative writing techniques effectively is to adapt them to the specific genre and style of writing you’re working in.

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• 13 Ways to Make Your Writing More Interesting to Read

There are numerous characteristics of a good essay: original thinking, a tight structure, balanced arguments, and many more .

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But one aspect often overlooked is that a good essay should be interesting . It should spark the curiosity of the reader, keep them absorbed, make them want to keep reading and learn more. A boring essay risks losing the reader’s attention; even if the points you make are excellent, a dull writing style or poor handling of a dry subject matter can undermine the positive aspects of the essay. The problem is that many students think that essays should be like this: they think that a dull, dry style is suited to the purposes of academic writing, and don’t consider that the teacher reading their essay wants to find the essay interesting. Academic writing doesn’t have to be – and shouldn’t be – boring. The good news is that there are plenty of things you can do to make your writing more interesting, even though you can only do so much while remaining within the formal confines of academic writing. Let’s look at what they are.

1. Be interested in what you’re writing about

If there’s one thing guaranteed to inject interest into your writing, it’s actually being interested in what you’re writing about. Passion for a subject comes across naturally in your writing, typically making it more lively and engaging, and infusing an infectious enthusiasm into your words – in the same way that it’s easy to chat knowledgeably to someone about something you find interesting. This makes it relatively easy to write interestingly about a subject you have a real passion for. However, problems arise when you’re forced to write an essay about subjects for which you lack enthusiasm. It’s difficult to conjure up passion for your least favourite subjects, and that will come across in your writing. There are steps you can take, though: here are some tips on writing about a subject you don’t enjoy.

• Adjust your mindset : convince yourself that there are no boring subjects. If the subject or essay comes across as boring, blame yourself; if you find yourself feeling negatively about it, try to find the interest in it. Think about how it relates to the real world and how important the subject is. Find interesting snippets of information about it and look at it from a new angle.
• Think about your reader : consider the fact that not everyone will find the subject as boring as you do. As you write, keep the reader in mind and imagine them to be the world’s biggest fan of this subject.
• Find the fans : if you find it impossible to get into the mindset of your audience, try Googling the subject to find forums, videos or blog posts in which the subject is discussed by people who do find it interesting. This will help you picture whom you’re writing for, and give you a different perspective on a subject you may not have found inspiring up to now.

2. Include fascinating details

Another factor that can make an essay boring is a dry subject matter. Some subjects or topic areas are naturally dry, and it falls to you to make the essay more interesting through your written style (more on this later) and by trying to find fascinating snippets of information to include that will liven it up a bit and make the information easier to relate to. One way of doing this with a dry subject is to try to make what you’re talking about seem relevant to the real world, as this is easier for the reader to relate to. In a discussion of a seemingly boring piece of legislation, for instance, you could make a comment along the lines of “if it were not for this legislation, none of us would enjoy the freedom to do such and such today”, or “Legislation A ultimately paved the way for Legislation B, which transformed criminal law as we know it.” Make it seem exciting!

3. Emulate the style of writers you find interesting

When you read a lot, you subconsciously start emulating the style of the writers you read. It’s therefore beneficial to read widely, as this exposes you to a range of styles and you can start to take on the characteristics of those you find interesting to read. If you feel engaged with a piece of writing, the writer must be doing something right! As you read, think consciously about what the writer is doing to hold your interest, perhaps underlining or copying out certain phrases, techniques, sentence structures and so on. Then apply their techniques to your own writing.

4. Write in the active voice

It’s the oldest trick in the book, but using the active rather than the passive voice will automatically make your writing more interesting to read. It results in more direct, energetic writing that makes the reader feel more ‘in the moment’. Unfortunately, many students employ the passive voice in the belief that it makes their writing sound more academic or intellectual; in fact, it makes their writing sound boring. Remember, the active voice is when the subject of the sentence “acts”, while the passive voice is when the subject is acted upon. Passive : It was concluded by the scientists that the methods used were… Active : The scientists concluded that the methods used were… The subject in this example is “the scientists” and the “act” they are carrying out is “concluding”. As you can see in this example, the active voice almost always results in neater and more elegant phrasing, which is more concise and enjoyable to read.

5. Borrow some creative writing techniques

There’s clearly a limit to the amount of actual ‘story-telling’ you can do when you’re writing an essay; after all, essays should be objective, factual and balanced, which doesn’t, at first glance, feel very much like story-telling. However, you can apply some of the principles of story-telling to make your writing more interesting. For example, just as the opening sentence or paragraph of a novel is incredibly important in capturing the attention of the reader early on, so the first paragraph of your essay is essential in making your reader want to continue reading it. Start with an attention-grabbing ‘hook’ to draw them in, such as a controversial statement, a tantalising snippet of information or a rhetorical question (more on these below). Here are some more techniques you can adopt from creative writing to improve your essays .

6. Think about your own opinion

Your essay is bound to be boring if all you do is paraphrase what everyone else says about something. A good essay – in humanities subjects, at least – incorporates the writer’s intelligent responses to what others say, and this critical consideration not only shows that you’re thinking at a high academic level, but it automatically adds more interest and originality to your writing. So, think independently and don’t be afraid to demonstrate that you’re doing as much.

7. Cut the waffle

Rambling on and on is boring, and almost guaranteed to lose the interest of your reader. You’re at risk of waffling if you’re not completely clear about what you want to say, or if you haven’t thought carefully about how you’re going to structure your argument. Doing your research properly and writing an essay plan before you start will help prevent this problem. Editing is an important part of the essay-writing process, so once you’ve done a first draft, edit out the waffle. Read through your essay objectively and take out the bits that aren’t relevant to the argument or that labour the point. As well as editing out chunks of text, it’s important to be economical with words – not using ten where five will suffice, and avoiding clunky phrases such as those outlined in this article . During the editing process, tighten up your phrasing by eliminating unnecessary words and reordering any sentences that read badly.

8. Using a thesaurus isn’t always a good thing

You may think that using a thesaurus to find more complicated words will make your writing more interesting, or sound more academic, but using overly high-brow language can have the wrong effect. It alienates the reader and makes you sound pompous, with the result that the essay is more laborious to read and the reader may quickly lose interest. Despite this, many undergraduates admit to deliberately over-complicating their language to make it sound more high-brow. If you want to keep your reader interested, keep your language clear and simple.

9. Avoid repetitive phrasing

Avoid using the same sentence structure again and again: it’s a recipe for dullness! Instead, use a range of syntax that demonstrates your writing capabilities as well as making your writing more interesting. Mix simple, compound and complex sentences to avoid your writing becoming predictable.

10. Use some figurative language

As we’ve already seen, it’s easy to end up rambling when you’re explaining difficult concepts, – particularly when you don’t clearly understand it yourself. A way of forcing yourself to think clearly about a concept, as well as explaining it more simply and engagingly, is to make use of figurative language. This means explaining something by comparing it with something else, as in an analogy. For example, you might use the analogy of water escaping from a hole in a bucket to explain the exponential decay of a radioactive substance, as the rate of depletion of both depends on how much remains, making it exponential. This gives the reader something familiar to visualise, making it easier for them to understand a new concept (obviously this will not be a new concept for the teacher who set your essay, but they will want to see that you can explain concepts clearly and that you have a thorough grasp of it yourself).

11. Avoid clichés

Clichés are overused words or phrases that make your writing predictable, and therefore less interesting. An example would be “at the end of the day”, but there are many such favourites of student essay-writers. Don’t forget that your teacher will have a stack of essays to read in one sitting; if you use the same tired expressions everyone else uses, your essay will blend in with all the others. Make it stand out by shunning the clichés you know your classmates will be using.

12. Employ rhetorical questions

One of the ways in which ancient orators held the attention of their audiences and increased the dramatic effect of their speeches was by making use of the rhetorical question. What is a rhetorical question? It’s essentially one you ask without expecting your audience to answer – one that you will answer yourself, like the one we asked in the previous sentence. This can be an effective way of introducing a new line of enquiry, or of raising questions that you’re going to address in more detail. A good place to use a rhetorical question is at the end of a paragraph, to lead into the next one, or at the beginning of a new paragraph to introduce a new area for exploration. The rhetorical question, “But is there any evidence to support X’s claim?” could, for instance, begin a paragraph that discusses evidence for an opinion introduced in the previous paragraph. What’s more, as we’ve already seen, you could use a rhetorical question as your ‘hook’ to lure readers in right at the beginning of your essay.

13. Proofread

Finally, you could write the most interesting essay a teacher has ever read, but you’ll undermine your good work if it’s littered with errors, which distract the reader from the actual content and will probably annoy them. Before you submit your essay, proofread it thoroughly to ensure that the grammar is elegant, the punctuation is perfect and the spelling is flawless. Don’t just use a spelling and grammar checker, as these don’t always pick up on all the errors.

Do you want to take your writing to the next level? Our Creative Writing summer school will teach you how to experiment with a number of different writing techniques, plan, edit and proofread your own work and introduce you to new concepts and ideas. 

Image credits: banner ; carousel ; rose ; scientists ; baby ; thesaurus ; hawk ; questions . 

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How to Make Your Writing More Interesting & Engaging

Once we grab our readers’ attention, a feat of its own, convincing them to continue reading is another challenge many writers face. This problem concerns not only novelists and marketers but also researchers like you.

You devote countless hours conducting your investigation and are eager to share your findings with the world, but you’re not alone in this endeavor. Thousands of other academics want the same goal, making it difficult for editors to sort through the overwhelming number of submissions they receive.

How, then, can you improve your chance to publish your academic papers successfully? Write better. Not only does the substantive information need to be interesting, but also your writing style should enhance readability and engagement. A monotonous and dull paper means no audience, which translates to editors rejecting your paper, even if your research findings are solidly grounded.

To help you spruce up your paper, we provide the following quick list of ways to improve your writing style.

1. Shorten Those 19th Century-Length Sentences

Academics write long-winded sentences. Add scientific terminology to the mix, and you’ve created an incredibly hard-to-read journal manuscript. To help readers digest your paper’s content, shorten your sentences. Not all conditions, modifiers, and exceptions need to be included in one sentence. Below are a few ways to achieve concise, higher-impact sentences. With these tips, you’ll reduce the chance of losing readers who feel lost in your entangling prose.

• Break apart longer sentences, particularly those longer than 20 words.
• Use logical transitional phrases to link ideas together instead of relying solely on conjunctions.
• If you have a series of long clauses, break them up by inserting brief ones.
• Save your most powerful content for concise phrases. Short sentences stand out, and the key message you want to convey won’t drown in a sea of words.

2. Avoid Repetitive Phrasing

Here’s a scenario we often encounter:

“You used the same word four times in a paragraph, particularly in consecutive sentences. You might want to diversify the vocabulary,” an editor suggests.

The author retorts, “But they’re technical terms. I have to use them to be accurate.”

 Don’t you tire of reading the same words over and over? Your audience feels the same way. Constantly seeing similar patterns is dull, and even our brain disapproves of such writing. When we become accustomed to repetitive things like words on a page, our eyes gloss over them and we lose focus. Keep your readers engaged by switching up your prose. The following are a few ways to help you diversify your vocabulary.

• Use synonyms when possible, but be careful that the substitution fits the context.
• Don’t forget that pronouns and other demonstratives are your friends. Make sure that pronoun references are clear, however.
• Organize your paragraphs so that similar ideas and topics are together. This method will help you establish more precise references for pronouns and demonstratives.
• Repetition can be useful for emphasizing a certain point. Use it sparingly or the repeated phrases may lose their impact.

3. Diversify Sentence Structures Within a Paragraph

Like expanding word choice , varying grammatical compositions can help engage readers. For example, consistent use of “subject + verb+object” in consecutive sentences is tedious to read and is akin to child-like writing patterns. Our brains will gloss over the monotonous text. What can you do to correct this problem? Here are a couple of pointers.

• Mix compound and complex sentences and insert simple sentences to give readers’ eyes periodic breaks.
• All your sentences shouldn’t be the same length, regardless of their grammatical construction.

4. Vary Consecutive Paragraph Structures and Lengths

You can apply the advice from all three points above to paragraphs and sections.

• Make sure consecutive blocks of text don’t begin with the same phrases/words.
• All your paragraphs don’t need to be the same length.
• Switch around structures. Use bullets and numbered lists where appropriate.
• Keep your paragraphs short. No one wants to read a wall of text!

We hope this checklist of bulleted revision tips has given you some new tools for strengthening your writing skills and producing clearer drafts. As always, if you would like additional tips and advice on how to improve your drafting techniques, feel free to browse our articles on our Resources page.

And don’t forget to receive professional proofreading and editing services , including manuscript editing and other academic editing services , for your next research paper or academic document before submitting it to journals.

Additionally, if you are a business professional or independent writer, consider using one of the following services to enhance your writing and wow your audience.

Business Editing Services ( Document Editing , Report Editing , Blog Editing )

Editing services for writers ( script editing , book editing ).

Nicole Bianchi

Writing, Copywriting, & Marketing Strategies

7 Editing Tips That Will Make Your Writing More Engaging

Published May 21, 2020 | Last Updated April 10, 2024 By Nicole Bianchi 2 Comments

A few months ago, I wrote a review of award-winning editor Jack Hart’s book Storycraft: The Complete Guide to Writing Narrative Nonfiction .

(That’s my Amazon affiliate link above — I’ll make a small comission if you buy a copy at no extra cost to you. Thanks!)

Storycraft is one of my favorite books on the craft of writing (I share several of my other favorite books in my article here ). Even though Hart aimed his book at writers of nonfiction, I believe there is much that writers of fiction can glean from its pages too.

In fact, there’s one chapter in particular that’s a goldmine of editing tips for any kind of writing. Recently, I collected my top takeaways from the chapter and arranged them as an editing checklist for myself when I work on blog posts, essays, and short stories.

I’ve found these tips incredibly helpful so, today, I wanted to share seven of them with you!

These powerful editing tips will help you breathe life into your writing, turn plodding sentences and paragraphs into fast-paced narratives, and capture the attention of your readers.

Let’s dive in.

1. Get Moving in Your Introduction

Hart emphasizes the importance of getting moving right out of the block. Make sure your opening paragraphs aren’t dry and filled with exposition. Instead, they should include a sentence or two that catches your reader’s interest and entices them to read more.

Hook your readers with action, curiosity, or intrigue.

The hook might be the very first sentence in your piece — a real attention grabber like the opening line of George Orwell’s 1984 ,

It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen.

In my recent memoir essay “ Expecting the Unexpected in New York City ”, I followed that approach, opening with this sentence,

During the two-and-a-half years that I went to college in New York City, I witnessed a crime only once.

However, you can also bury the hook several paragraphs into your piece as I did in my essay “ The Hidden Treasure Beneath My Library ”, and as Joan Didion did in her essay “Some Dreamers of the Golden Dream” when she writes, after three paragraphs,

Imagine Banyan Street first, because Banyan is where it happened.

Even if the hook appears several paragraphs into your story or essay, make sure those preceding paragraphs are fast moving. They might even hint that a twist or something else unexpected is coming.

And that leads into tip #2.

2. Push Scenes Forward with Continuous Motion

Scenes should not be stagnant. At the end of a scene, the action should move forward. The characters shouldn’t be glued to their chairs and talking to each other like robots. That will bore our readers to tears!

If you have scenes with dialogue, include descriptions of what the characters are doing while they’re talking. Often, this is more effective at revealing what they’re feeling then if you used words like “angrily.”

For example, compare these two sentences:

“I’m not talking about this,” he said angrily.

“I’m not talking about this,” he said and slammed the door behind him.

When you’re editing your piece, look to see if you’ve included motion to push scenes forward. If you’re writing an informative blog post, this might mean including a story to illustrate a point.

3. Use the Language of Action

Are your action scenes as powerful as they could be?

Hart points out that the most powerful action words describe causality.

For example, let’s say you’re describing a woman driving a car. She tries to swerve out of the way of something in the road. You could write, “The car jerked to the left.”

But Hart suggests that it would be more gripping to write, “She jerked the wheel to the left”. It puts us closer to where the action is happening.

4. Write in the Active Voice

With tip #3 in mind, when you edit your piece, make sure you’ve written your sentences in the active voice and not the passive.

If your high school grammar is a little rusty, you can read a quick review of passive sentences here . Essentially, in a passive sentence, the subject receives the action rather than performing it.

For example, politicians and business executives like to use the passive voice when they want to avoid claiming responsibility for a mistake. They might write, “Mistakes were made.”

It’s a neat little trick because this sentence avoids taking responsibility by failing to tell us who made the mistakes.

Note that you can’t fix a passive sentence by tacking the subject onto the end. “Mistakes were made by all of us” is still passive.

So how to fix it?

Just write, “We all made mistakes.” Now the sentence is active.

5. Eliminate Unnecessary Words

In his book On Writing Well (Amazon affiliate link), William Zinsser notes,

…The secret of good writing is to strip every sentence to its cleanest components. Every word that serves no function, every long word that could be a short word, every adverb that carries the same meaning that’s already in the verb, every passive construction that leaves the reader unsure of who is doing what–these are the thousand and one adulterants that weaken the strength of a sentence.

Hart agrees and recommends eliminating the following unnecessary words in order to write strong sentences:

1. Progressive tense and auxiliary verbs. Write “The wind blows” or “The wind blew” instead of “the wind is blowing” or “the wind had blown.”

2. Empty Words. For example, eliminate “There are”, “There is”, “There was”, “It is”, “It was”. I shared more about empty words in my article here .

3. Beginning of an action. For example, don’t say “He began to race around the room.” Just write, “He raced around the room.”

6. Use Time Markers and Straight Chronology

Sometimes when you’re writing a narrative, it’s necessary to skip forward or backward in time. However, if you do, be sure you use clear time markers so your readers don’t get confused.

If your reader has to stop to try to figure out when something is happening, it will definitely slow down the pace of your narrative.

A time marker just means that you write a line explaining when the next scene is going to take place. For example, “None of this would have happened if I hadn’t received that call two days earlier …” or “Fast forward three weeks later.”

Hart points out that sometimes your time markers can be more subtle,

You might simply note the fall colors on the trees when you open a new scene that jumps ahead from summer to autumn. Or you could slip in the height of the sun in the sky when a character walks out of a building.

He also believes straight chronology is the easiest for readers to follow, so evaluate your piece to see if a flashback really is necessary. Sometimes I’ll rearrange paragraphs in my piece because I realize that jumping backward and then forward in time might be confusing to my readers.

7. Speed up, then Slow Down

Speed up during the boring parts. Slow down during the climatic scenes.

How do you speed up? Wherever you have lots of exposition, make sure you’re only communicating what’s absolutely necessary for your readers to know.

I’ll ask myself, “Is this paragraph of description necessary? Is this back-story necessary?”

When you reach a climatic moment in your piece, however, you’ll want to slow down the pace of your writing to keep your readers in suspense. It will give the writing a breathless quality.

Hart quotes Pulitzer-Prize winner Tom French,

The reason you slow down is so that the reader can really feel and process and really enter that scene…And how do you slow down?…You allow more space on the page. You allow more sentences. You literally write in shorter sentences. You get more paragraph breaks. You use space. You find pauses inside the scene that occur naturally that you would normally skip over.

I wrote more about varying sentence structure in my article here .

The Takeaway

These seven editing tips are simple and straightforward. You can start using them right away to make your writing more engaging and fast-paced.

By following these tips, you’ll better hold the attention of your readers and, thus, be more effective at sharing your message with the world.

If you’re looking to strengthen your writing and storytelling skills, I definitely recommend getting a copy of Hart’s book. It’s an in-depth read with lots of fantastic actionable advice.

Make sure to check out the other five tips I shared from his book in my previous review here .

What was your biggest takeaway from Jack Hart’s tips above? Let me know in the comments.

And If you enjoyed this post, please share it with a friend who you think might find it helpful too. Thanks for reading!

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Ria Sharma says

June 14, 2020 at 4:22 am

Hi Nicole Greetings

I love your blog a lot. Such meaningful and helpful posts .Keep writing and keep posting .

Thnx and cheers

Nicole Bianchi says

June 15, 2020 at 5:38 pm

Thank you so much, Ria! 🙂 I really appreciate that.

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• Writing Advice

5 Ways to Make Your Writing More Engaging

by Sara Seitz · March 1, 2021

The idea of storytelling seems easy enough on the surface.

You explain events as they happened (or as you picture them happening) in a way that makes sense to your audience.

We engage in this kind of storytelling every single day. We tell our spouses about the drama at work by rehashing the action as it happened. We recite scenes from our favorite movies by describing each detail in order. We muse with our friends by walking through the events of our pasts.

We tell stories just as we would share our favorite recipes or writing exercises: by giving the play-by-play.

While this tactic works well for describing an experience, it is not the best approach for writing a novel.

If you want to elevate your prose beyond basic play-by-play storytelling, you need to provide your reader with more than just an explanation of what happened. You need to immerse them in the action and the emotion of your story.

In this article, we’ll show you five simple ways to make your writing more immersive. It won’t happen overnight. But with practice, these tips will help you transform boring play-by-play into engaging prose that will grab your reader and never let go.

How to Elevate Writing Beyond Simple Play-by-Play

When it comes to reciting a story about your day or sharing your favorite brownie recipe, play-by-play storytelling is exactly what you need. It is simple to follow and tells your audience everything they need to know.

But writing an entire novel using play-by-play tactics is boring. It doesn’t matter how much action or drama your plot contains, no one wants to read three hundred pages of “this happened, then this, then he did this.”

This type of writing fails to engage the reader. You can’t expect someone to be sucked into your world when all you’re doing is explaining what is happening.

Instead, you need to paint them a picture of what is happening. You need to make them feel the action and the sorrow and the joy. You need to put your reader inside your character’s mind and at the center of the scene.

Before we get into how, exactly, to accomplish this, let’s first take a look at an example of the typical play-by-play style writing used by many aspiring writers:

Alda grabbed her hat and put it on before stepping outside. She raced to the car as her mother yelled at her from the window. Ignoring the threats, she jumped into the driver’s seat and tore off in the direction of Justin’s house. Tears rolled down her cheeks as the old jeep rumbled down the empty street.

Clearly, something very emotional is happening to Alda. We get that from the description of the scene, but we don’t necessarily feel it. If this kind of “removed” writing went on, most readers would lose interest after only a few pages.

Now let’s look at a some ways to pump up this prose to make it more engaging.

1. Add Detail

Adding detail is one of the most straightforward ways to engage you reader.

In basic play-by-play writing, you are telling the reader what is happening. But you aren’t telling them much more about the world. This makes it hard for your audience to connect with the action.

Describing the scenery, objects, and your character’s actions in more detail can help pull your reader into the story.

Alda grabbed her stained baseball cap and slid it onto her head as she crashed through the front door. Her mother’s screams echoed from the open bedroom window, her voice cracking on every vowel. Alda ignored the cutting threats and slid onto the sun-warmed driver’s seat of the old jeep. She jammed the key into the ignition and spun out of the driveway. Tears poured from her eyes, blurring her vision as she drove down the deserted street.

When coming up with descriptive text, consider all five senses . Don’t just talk about what your character sees and hears; describe what they might be tasting, smelling, and feeling.

Keep in mind the mood of the scene as you choose your descriptors as well.

Describing a flower as “buoyant” or “jovial” in the middle of a funeral scene doesn’t give your audience an impression of the loss and sorrow your characters are feeling. It may help to make a list of mood-appropriate adjectives for each scene before you write it.

2. Use Varied Sentence Structure

Sucking your reader into the world you’ve created isn’t the only way to keep them engaged. Often, you can retain your audience’s interest in the text simply by breaking up the rhythm of it.

Play-by-play writing inherently takes on a repetitive and balanced rhythm. Each sentence tends to be of a similar length–kind of like a lullaby.

So if you don’t want to put your reader to sleep, you need to vary your sentence structure.

Use short sentences and fragments to increase your pacing and depict fast-moving action. Use longer sentences to slow the pacing down. Use both to break up the monotony of boring play-by-play writing.

Alda grabbed her hat and put it on as she crashed through the front door and raced to the car. Her mother’s voice echoed from an open window. Harsh threats. Alda ignored them with ease and slid behind the wheel of the old jeep. The engine rumbled to life. The tires squealed. She’d make it to Justin’s in no time. Assuming she could find her way through the veil of tears that blurred her vision.

Lean on short sentences and fragments during high-intensity scenes and those that contain a lot of action. But be sure to slow things down with longer prose as the action ceases and during scenes when your character is feeling bored, sad, or content.

3. Bypass Unnecessary Steps

One thing that makes play-by-play writing boring even with details and varied sentence structure is the inclusion of unnecessary steps.

Your reader knows what’s necessary to start a car and back out of a driveway. Unless you are writing an instruction manual for driver’s ed, you don’t need to include these steps in your scene.

If a scene sounds awkward because you’ve skipped over a time-consuming step, try changing your focus to fill that gap.

Instead of describing how Alda pulls the keys out of her pocket and starts the car, move your focus in and show the reader how her hands are shaking as she turns the key and grips the wheel.

Don’t tell the reader that the jeep backs out of the driveway and onto the street. Instead, move the focus out and describe how her mother’s screams and the roaring engine echo off the houses of the quaint suburban neighborhood as she drives away.

4. Filter the Text Through Your Character

One thing almost all play-by-play writing lacks is a strong voice.

Voice is the combination of tone, point of view, vocabulary, and context that makes each book sound different from the next.

Voice has just as much to do with you and your writing style as it does your characters.

All books should use a coherent voice throughout (that’s the part that comes from you). But voice should also be influenced by the characters themselves. Meaning, the voice of your book should shift as your character’s mood shifts and as you jump from one character to the next.

You wouldn’t expect a spoiled brat from the city to see the world the same way as a weather-worn cowboy from the plains.

These different perspectives should be apparent in the way you write scenes from each character’s point of view. This is true whether you are using first or third person.

Play-by-play writing will always contain some traces of your voice. But it lacks the stronger voice of your character. By filtering your voice through your character you will add another dimension to your writing. And, more importantly, engage your reader in your character’s plight.

Alda pulled the old ballcap on as she crashed through the front door. She ignored her mother’s weak insults and weaker threats and headed for the mudder at the end of the driveway. The scalding leather never felt so good on the backs of her thighs. The rumbling engine felt better. She drove the pedal into the floorboard and reveled in the squeal of the tires as the old jeep lurched onto the road. She had made it halfway to Justin’s before she realized she was crying like a little baby.

5. Include Internal Action

Adding your character’s voice to a scene simply means using vocabulary, syntax, and tone that makes sense given their age and world perspective. But you can go beyond this to help your reader identify and engage with your character.

You do this by adding internal action to each scene.

If you are writing from first-person point of view, this is easy and hard not to do. Your character is telling the story, so of course, they are going to add their thoughts and feelings to the narrative.

But this can also be done from third-person perspective.

By breaking up your play-by-play with insight into how your character is feeling and what is running through their mind, you help break the monotony. It also gives you a tool to explain steps without sounding like an instructional guide.

Consider not just what your character would do in reaction to some event, but how they would feel as they do it. Now use description and variable sentence structure to insert these thoughts and feelings into the text.

Alda ripped her old ballcap from the hanger next to the door and charged into the blinding afternoon light. Mom was screaming from the bedroom. She didn’t care. The old hag could spew as many threats as she wanted. Alda was done. Done for good this time. She hopped behind the wheel of the old jeep and shoved the keys into the ignition. The sunbaked leather bit into the backs of her thighs. Just more pain to add to the heaps already swelling in her chest. She set off in the direction of Justin’s, the squealing tires and rumbling engine bringing a smile to her lips despite the tears streaming down her cheeks.

Elevate Your Writing

If you frequently find yourself writing in play-by-play style, don’t expect to be able to overhaul your prose overnight.

It takes practice and patience to learn how to describe a scene you can see in your head in a literary way, rather than a logical way. This is especially true when you are penning your first draft of a story.

But once you get the bones of the scenes on paper, it is much easier to pick back through your work to add and takeaway text to make your story more interesting.

Adding detail, varying sentence structure, skipping unnecessary steps, and filtering your prose through your character while including their internal thoughts and feelings will all help your reader engage more with your story.

Have questions or other pointers to share? Drop a comment in the box below.

Tags: Description Immersive writing Show dont tell Voice

Sara Seitz is a freelance writer by day and novelist by night. In the fiction realm, she enjoys writing engaging, character-driven stories that highlight the plight of the underdog and leave the reader guessing until the very last page. Interested in hiring Sara? Visit her freelance site at penandpostwriter.com

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How to make your sentences more engaging

We all know the power of truly engaging writing. Here are five simple techniques that will bring some instant pizzazz to your writing – regardless of the intent.

We all know the power of truly engaging writing. Everyone has lost themselves in a book written by a talented author: in the worlds and characters seeming to leap off the page and living in our imagination instead.

However, when we try to recreate that magical prose, too often our sentences come out as dull and uninspiring—regardless of whether we’re writing creatively or for another purpose.

Writing more engaging sentences isn’t some mystic art: with just a few small tweaks — and some techniques borrowed from the greats — your writing could captivate people too. Here are five simple techniques that will bring some instant pizzazz to your writing – regardless of the intent.

1. Use figurative language

Storytelling and imagery are deeply imprinted on the human psyche, all the way back to the days of daubing red ochre on cave walls. A well-placed piece of imagery can immediately transport a reader to another world – and makes your writing more compelling.

There are many literary devices that you can use to do this, including:

A comparison of one thing with something else – especially effective if the comparison is unconventional or unexpected.

Derek was as silent as a mouse

The trees rose above the horizon, like arrows pointed at the stars

The people crowded onto the train carriage like cattle being corralled into a pen.

Like a simile, a metaphor compares one thing to another. However, rather than using ‘like’ or ‘as’, a metaphor states that the thing is something else (but is not intended to be taken literally).

Steven’s words cut deeper than a knife

Isabella’s eyes turned to ice

The road ahead was a ribbon stretching across the desert.

The computer was a dinosaur compared to his smartphone.

Personification

Giving a non-human object, animal or idea a human attribute – making that thing feel more human and relatable.

The sun smiled upon Sarah’s face.

The vintage car coughed and wheezed as Robert started it up.

The stolen brooch lay on the dresser, staring at Teresa accusingly.

In addition, you can use other literary devices that can heighten imagery, such as:

• Alliteration: repetition of consonant sounds in a sequence of words or syllables
• Assonance: repetition of vowel sounds, so that they almost rhyme
• Onomatopoeia: words that mimic the sounds they describe

All three of these devices are used in the examples above – can you spot them?

2. Action stations

One of the simplest ways to make your writing more engaging is to use active voice rather than passive voice. This blog post goes into detail about the differences between active and passive voice, but the basic rule is:

• Active voice = subject of the sentence performs the verb action ( Olivia purchased the car)
• Passive voice = subject of the sentence receives the verb action (The car was purchased by Olivia)

In almost all circumstances, active voice is easier to understand, uses fewer words, and is more engaging than passive voice.

You can also make your sentences more active by using verbs to describe things, rather than adjectives or adverbs. For example:

“I can’t believe you saw the movie without me!” said Cynthia angrily.

Could be better phrased as:

“I can’t believe you saw the movie without me!” raged Cynthia .

The sun’s rays were warm on Alan’s skin

The sun warmed Alan’s skin

The easiest way to do this is to use Outwrite , which will suggest these changes for you. You can also use the tool to restructure any sentence you like, simply by highlighting it.

3. Appeal to the senses – hearing, smell, taste

One of the most effective techniques to make your sentences more engaging—particularly in creative writing—is to appeal to all five senses (sight, sound, taste, smell and touch). This makes your writing more real, effectively bypassing the higher brain functions and appealing to your reader at a primal level. It’s even more effective if you can do it unexpectedly, or combine more than one sense to build a complete picture. For example:

As Ben walked through the carnival gates, the first thing that struck him was the aroma of popcorn and hot dogs drifting through the air. He could almost taste the sweetness of the fried onions and the tartness of the cheap tomato ketchup. Every colour imaginable swirled against the darkness of the night sky. A cacophony of competing sounds assaulted his ears: dodgems crashing into each other, teenage laughter rising, the music from the rides merging into a discordant symphony. He reached up instinctively, seeking his father’s hand, a lifetime of calluses rough against Ben’s own soft palms.

4. Work the rhythm

We respond at a fundamental level to rhythm. Writing has its own rhythm, too, which we can manipulate via different sentence lengths and punctuation to make our writing more interesting.

Varying your sentence lengths is a very effective way to make your reader sit up and pay attention.

Long sentences are calming, to a point: lulling your readers into a (false) sense of security — at least, until they start to go on a little too long, which starts to create a sense of anxiety or discomfort.

Whereas short, staccato sentences have impact. They punch the reader in the face. Quick. Hard. Powerful.

Punctuation within sentences serves a similar function – a comma , a semicolon and a colon all indicate a slightly different length of pause (along with their strict grammatical functions). Using brackets, em-dashes or en-dashes instead of commas can also make a clause more or less prominent, and keeps your readers engaged.

5. Break it up

Finally, don’t underestimate the visual impact of your writing.

Big blocks of text send us to sleep, especially in the digital age. Use formatting on the page (or screen) to add interest to your writing: for example, insert relevant images to break up blocks of text.

Introduce headings at regular intervals – these can be more frequent for short, informal writing like blogs; they are generally less frequent (and may also feature two or three levels of sub-headings) for more formal writing.

Meanwhile, design features like pull-out boxes or different fonts can highlight key pieces of text. Use italics to emphasise key words (this is generally preferred to bold or CAPS nowadays). Using bullet points for lists or examples helps break up the text, and improves reader engagements.

All of these techniques are at play in this blog post – why not scroll back up and see how many you can spot?

An even easier way to make your sentences pop

There you have it. Five quick and easy ways to turn turgid prose into sparkling, witty sentences.  

Of course, you can also let Outwrite’s paraphrasing tool improve your sentences for you: just double-click on or highlight a sentence, select your rewriting goal, and Outwrite will generate a list of suggestions for you.

The Reliable Narrator

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6 Tips to Master Narrative Writing and Tell Effective Stories

Unlock the power of storytelling with a reliable guide to mastering narrative writing. Discover essential techniques and tips to create engaging stories that captivate your readers .

What is Narrative Writing?

Narrative writing is a type of creative writing that tells a story. Real or imaginary, it aims to engage readers by creating characters, setting, and plot, in a compelling sequence of events.

Narrative writing can transport readers to another time or place. Novels, short stories, memoirs, and biographies all fit this definition. These narratives allow readers to experience the joys and struggles of characters, explore new worlds and ideas, and gain a deeper understanding of the human experience. 

Why is it Important?

Narrative writing allows writers to share experiences, thoughts, and emotions in a way that resonates with others. Whether it’s a thrilling adventure or a heartfelt memoir, these stories have the power to inspire, educate, and entertain.

Here are some reasons why narrative writing is one of the most powerful tools in a writer’s arsenal:

Table of Contents

Storytelling: .

Narrative writing is the art of storytelling, and storytelling is an essential part of the human experience . It allows us to connect with others and offers a different perspective to help make sense of the world. 

Emotional connection: 

Narrative writing has the power to evoke emotions. Stories can make us laugh, shed a tear, and keep us on the edge of our seats. Creating characters audiences can identify with and situations that are relatable can help readers become invested in a story.

Self-expression: 

Narrative writing can be a powerful tool for self-expression. Telling a story allows writers to explore their thoughts and experiences, and express them in a creative way.

By sharing stories through narrative writing, writers can gain a deeper understanding of themselves and their place in the world. In turn, these narratives can instill those same ideas in readers.

Imagination: 

Narrative writing encourages creativity and imagination. By creating fictional worlds and characters, writers can stretch their imaginations and explore new ideas and perspectives. Imagination can create unique and engaging plots that can captivate readers.

Education: 

Narrative writing can also be a powerful tool for education. Telling stories about historical events, cultural traditions, or scientific concepts can make complex information more accessible and engaging. Writers have the opportunity to create informative and immersive stories.

Techniques for Effective Narrative Writing

Writing a compelling narrative is no easy task. It requires a combination of skill, practice, and an understanding of effective techniques. Whether you’re a seasoned writer or just starting out, the following techniques can help take your stories to the next level.

Showing, not telling

One of the most important techniques for effective narrative writing is showing, not telling . This means instead of telling the reader what is happening, a writer should use descriptive language and vivid details to show the reader what is happening.

Instead of telling readers, “John was angry,” a writer can show John’s anger by describing his actions or body language. “John slammed the door and clenched his fists, his face turning red with anger” shows the reader that John is angry in a more visual way.

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Dialogue is another important technique in narrative writing. Writers can use it to reveal characters, advance the plot, and create tension and conflict. Make sure characters speak in a natural and understandable way. Stiff and awkward-sounding dialogue can disengage readers.

One tip for writing effective dialogue is to read your text aloud. This can help identify any awkward or unnatural phrasing, and ensure dialogue sounds like something a real person would say.

Description

Description is a key part of narrative writing. It helps create vivid worlds for readers to explore. However, it’s important to strike a balance. Too little description can leave readers feeling lost. Too much description can slow down a story and overwhelm the reader.

One way to create effective descriptions is to use sensory details. Describing what a character is seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, and feeling, engages the reader’s senses and brings a fictional experience to life.

Point of View

Point of view refers to the perspective from which a story is told. There are several options for narrative writing, including first-person, third-person limited, and third-person omniscient.

The first-person point of view uses “I” or “we”. Third-person limited uses “he” or “she” to tell the story, but from the perspective of one character. Third-person omniscient also uses “he” or “she” to tell the story, but from an all-knowing perspective.

Choosing the right point of view for your story can have a significant impact on how it is perceived by readers. These perspectives can influence the level of emotional engagement and understanding that is experienced.

Adjective and Adverb Usage 

While descriptive language is important in narrative writing, overusing adjectives and adverbs can make it feel cluttered and tedious to read. Instead of relying on a string of adjectives and adverbs to describe something, use more precise language to create a clear image.

Instead of writing, “The sky was beautiful and blue,” a more precise description might be, “The sky was a deep shade of azure.”

Creating Tension

A common mistake in narrative writing is failing to create tension. Without conflict or action, a story can feel flat and unengaging, and leave the reader feeling bored.

One way to create tension is to introduce obstacles for a character to overcome. This could be a physical block, like a locked door, or a more emotional or psychological challenge, like a difficult decision or a betrayal by a trusted friend.

By introducing tension and conflict into a story, writers can create a sense of urgency and keep the reader engaged.

Reliable Thoughts: Narrative Writing

Mastering the art of narrative writing is essential for any writer looking to create engaging and memorable stories. By using effective writing techniques, writers can create narratives that are compelling and exciting, and transport readers to a different world.

Like any writing, narrative writing requires practice and dedication to truly master. By honing your craft, experimenting with different techniques, and learning from your mistakes, you can develop your writing skills and create stories that captivate your readers from start to finish. 

With these tips and techniques in mind, you are well on your way to mastering the art of narrative writing and becoming a skilled storyteller.

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Improve Your Creative Storytelling Skills For More Engaging Writing [Podcast Ep. 21]

Want to learn how to improve your creative storytelling skills f or more engaging writing and better blog posts?

In this special feature episode, I interview podcaster and live storyteller Adrien Behn of The Strangers Abroad Podcast .

She’ll be sharing:

• What a story is
• Her unique creative storytelling process and practice (including how she gets into a flow state to write!)
• Creative ways to tell a story, write better blog posts, and create quality travel blog content — which you can then add to your blog post planner template
• How to “murder your darlings” (an important writing technique!)
• How to repurpose long-form stories in a blog writing format for social media
• Some powerful creative writing exercises and prompts

Basically, if you’re interested in improving your storytelling and captivating an audience, you won’t want to miss this episode!

Table of Contents

Improve Your Creative Storytelling Skills For More Engaging Writing – Podcast Episode Audio

…or click the links below to tune in on your preferred audio platform:

Click here to listen on Apple Podcasts/iTunes

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Prefer video?

Here is the livestream interview replay:

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These resources are meant to help you grow your traffic, community, and income faster and with less overwhelm.

Improve Your Storytelling Skills With These Related Episodes:

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How To Map Out & Crush Your Blogging Goals

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13 Clever Ways To Boost Your Travel Blogging Income

How To Enjoy Social Media – Growth Strategy Included

How To Create A Blog Content Plan – Template Included

10 Strategies For Monetizing A Travel Blog

How To Grow Your TikTok Account & Make Money As A Blogger

How To Write Better Emails With Email Storytelling

Improve Your Creative Storytelling Skills For More Engaging Writing – Episode Transcript

This transcript was created with the help of automation software. I’ve tried to go in and add text where the software missed words and information, so some sections may not be 100% word-for-word what was said in the video interview. 

Bolded & larger heading lines are Jessie, while the typical paragraph font is Adrien.

When I think of somebody who is a storyteller, I immediately think of Adrien Behn, who I am so excited to interview for this episode of The Profitable Travel Blogger Podcast .

Q: Adrien, can you share more about yourself and your storytelling experience?

I’m excited to be here! I’m a storyteller of multiple mediums. I write for the written word, I podcast and then I do live storytelling.

Basically I take true stories from my life — typically focused on travel, but not always — and I reformat them into different mediums.

By the way, all three of those offer a really wonderful way to have a holistic understanding of storytelling. Once I choose my medium I adjust my voice for it, because the way that I would tell the same story in a blog post versus a narrative podcast episode versus a live storytelling event is completely different.

But I love all three. They’re like my children — I can’t choose which one I love more.

I really started getting into storytelling through my podcast, Strangers Abroad , where I interview strangers that I meet while traveling. And then I kind of sandwich each episode with a personal story of my own as to where I’m at and what am I experiencing.

I’m currently working on the second season of my podcast and the format is a little bit different, but it’s very, very storytelling based.

Q: Amazing! Now let’s dive into the topic of actually improving your storytelling. To start, what is a story?

It’s really interesting because storytelling is fundamentally what makes us human. And yet many people don’t know how to do it; however, when we hear stories, we’re addicted to them.

That’s why the movie industry, the book industry, podcasts and all of these storytelling platforms are massive because we are addicted to this thing that humans have created on our own basically.

Our ability to tell stories is really what separates us from animals.

In terms of what a story is, it’s a series of events where the stakes are raised. There’s a climactic point and then a moment of change after it’s all happened, so keep this in mind as you consider story writing topics.

Now there are a few different storytelling structures that different writers or teachers follow. I would say the most common one is called The Hero’s Journey, which is where an individual starts off in their regular world and then there’s a call to action.

Something has to happen. They need something or they need to rescue someone or they need to go find something.

And that journey to find this thing brings us to the climax.

Then, at the end, they return back to their world, but changed.

Now I have a lot of feelings on the does the protagonists have to be changed, but that’s the typical storytelling arc.

A storytelling isn’t just a list, but a series of events. For instance, if you say “I went to the store, I couldn’t find sauerkraut, I came back home.” That’s a series of events without feelings.

But if I said “I went to the store as I had this insane craving for sauerkraut because I was missing my grandfather. I just wanted to taste a little bit of nostalgia. And then I got to the grocery store and I was crestfallen because I couldn’t find any sauerkraut anywhere, and that’s all I really wanted.”

I just made that up on the spot, but hopefully you get my point. A story is a series of events with feelings embedded within and there’s a moment of change at the end.

Q: Touching on something you said earlier, do you feel there doesn’t need to be a big change in the protagonist for a story to take place?

I’ve argued with a fair amount of storytellers about this. I believe that there are sometimes stories we tell where you get to the end and you don’t necessarily feel different.

What I think is really interesting with this though, is if you don’t feel different, analyze why you don’t think that you are different.

Because I think that at the end of the day there is ultimately change, but it’s not always this crazy “Phoenix out of the ashes” kind of transformation.

But the person I woke up today is very different than the person I’ll be when I go to sleep because I’ve shed skin cells and grown new ones and I’ve had new conversations and I’ve read different things.

It’s more about analyzing the little changes which are much harder to see as we consider possible story writing topics.

I don’t think a story needs to be this crazy thing. It can literally be about eating salmon.

Q: I love that! Actually, in my past photography training my instructor assigned us this exercise to take a mundane object, like a water bottle, and photograph it 10 times, then 20 times, then 30 times. Do you think something like this could be used as a storytelling exercise, for instance, having to make eating salmon into a captivating story?

Totally! I focus on more memoir writing, but I read a lot of fiction books because I think that the way that fiction is written can be manipulated into memoir as well because memoir is not necessarily fact-based off of memory, which can be made dated; you know, it can be forgotten, changed, rewritten, it’s malleable.

There are a lot of writing prompts and creative writing exercises that I use that are designed for fiction that you can absolutely use for storytelling. For instance, write the story about dinner, but from the perspective of your cup. There are so many creative ways to tell a story!

Q: Where do you find writing prompts and creative writing exercises?

I usually make up my own, though one book that I found really helpful is called The 3 AM Epiphany (affiliate link) . And it’s all about this feeling. My partner, who is also a storyteller, and I talk about it all the time, how at night there is this magic creativity that kind of comes bubbling up to the surface.

And the 3am epiphany kind of touches upon that and then gives a ton of writing prompts.

I find that my best writing is when I’m just a little sleepy. Maybe I’m getting on a 6am flight somewhere and I’m sitting on the subway and there’s something about not being totally there that allows my brain to just relax and make different connections that it wouldn’t normally.

Maybe it’s also a little less judgment. You’re not thinking so much about, “Oh this is bad or this is weird.”

Going back to writing prompts, a lot of storytelling shows are based around a theme that you’re given.

So if, say, the theme is ghosts, it doesn’t have to be like “I see a woman standing in my kitchen and she’s not supposed to be there. She’s translucent.”

It could be being ghosted or something else; you can interpret it however you want.

Writing based around a theme is really interesting.

And again, because writing for the page and a podcast and the stage are all different, the voices used will be different from each other.

For instance, I can manipulate audio. I think that I can get the audience more into my thoughts and feelings in a way that I can’t do on the stage, and I can use soundscape or music as part of my podcast production workflow to really emphasize that.

Whereas with the page, it’s only words and I have to be able to convey that same powerful emotion or message with just how I’m typing, you know?

Then onstage I can use my body and movements.

Q: So if someone is writing a story, how can they tell if it’s actually a good story?

Again, a good storyteller can make eating salmon sound interesting. It’s all on how you tell it.

I find that the way to convey a really great story is to give it a structure:

• introduction
• rising accent
• falling action
• and then some type of resolution

That’s a story.

If you say just a sentence like “Oh, this one time my Grandma Danko made the salmon so terrible she buried it in the backyard”; that’s funny and it’s cute, but it’s not a story.

In my opinion, storytelling is basically a form of telepathy. I will never know what is going on in your head, but you telling me a story and you telling me what you were thinking and what you were feeling is the closest that I’m going to get.

Q: So you touched on storytelling structure quite a bit. Do you feel you have anything else to add to that kind of idea of constructing the story?

I would say that this most powerful tool that you can use with storytelling is vulnerability and just being as honest about your feelings as possible.

Because when we’re vulnerable and we’re honest about what we’re really feeling, it gives other people permission to feel the things that they’re feeling.

We don’t always feel good things and they’re really scary. But I think that storytelling is a way for you to take control of it and be like, “Yes, I feel these feelings, but they don’t own me. I am not all of the emotional baggage that I carry around every single day.”

The more vulnerable you are, the better because you never want to adjust how you were thinking and feeling based on what you want others to think about.

Honestly, I like the stories where I’m not the hero; where I’m messing up over and over again and I’m being kind of a jerk because that kind of makes other people feel better about their own experiences.

Never augment your thoughts and your feelings. Tell the truth. People want that. We’re starved for the truth.

Q: Absolutely. Now you had mentioned something to me previously about “murdering your darlings.” What is that and how do you do it?

To “murder your darlings” happens during the writing process. Sometimes I will say, “Okay, I know I want to convey this and I’ll write three different sentences,” but then I love them all.

However, you can’t put all of them in because you’re just regurgitating the same thing. And when you’re trying to convey a message, you only want to say things once if they really need to be said.

“Murdering your darlings” is killing two of the sentences and being okay with it. It’s a way for you to not get completely attached to your writing.

And I love nothing more than when I give someone a piece that I’ve worked on — either in audio or in writing — and they tear it to pieces and they show me things that I couldn’t have seen before. This whole writing tactic is all about non-attachment for the sake of the greater piece.

I don’t technically kill sentences I love. I lock them up somewhere else. Actually, I have lists of notes in Evernote that I never delete because if I’m really into a sentence, maybe it just hasn’t found its place yet.

Q: Now I’m curious. You talked about getting rid of sentences, but what about entire pieces? Do you find sometimes that you spend hours working on a whole podcast script or a blog post idea , and then you feel like it doesn’t work and you get rid of it?

I did that the other day. I was really stuck on a podcast script that had an episode quickly coming up. I wrote it last Friday and it was bad. And I knew it.

But you know what?

I think that I needed to just kind of have a morning of word vomiting and getting it out in order to have the epiphany that I had Sunday morning.

On Friday I felt super blocked and I think it was because I was writing about a story when I was in my teens, so it took me longer to get back to that place emotionally to remember all the details that the first two hours were just me, clicking along and just trying to get back there.

But then on Saturday, I gave myself a break. By the way, I don’t do work on Saturdays and that’s important; it’s part of my creative storytelling process and practice.

And then I talked it out with my partner a little bit. And then Sunday morning it just came to me. I felt a faucet that had been turned on and the story just flew out of me.

I didn’t use anything from the piece that I wrote on Friday and I’m okay with that because sometimes you just need to get it out of your system to ultimately create quality content.

Q: Do you feel like in your head you had a deadline, so you were trying to force the story to be timely? And do you feel like for your process, is it more important to sometimes forget the deadline if you need more time to write your story?

Absolutely!

That episode I was just talking about actually should have come out today, but I’m editing the whole thing right now.

By giving myself a little bit more time, I found many more insights as well as sentences that needed to be there. I’d rather it be spectacular and worth the wait then for me to put something that’s just okay out. That would be embarrassing.

As long as you don’t have people really waiting on you then, yeah, give yourself another day if you need it.

Q: Do you have any advice for improving your writing?

Write every day! This is an essential part of my creative storytelling process and practice, as it’s the only way to find your voice.

I mean, I look back at stories that I wrote a year or two ago and it is so different now because now it’s almost a workout routine that I do every day, except Saturdays. It is a muscle that you have to work at every single day.

The other thing that you should do:

You have to read a lot of other literature. Personally, I have a lot of people that I read where it’s like I love their voice. I love what they’re doing here and I feel very inspired by it.

I will try to consume and keep tabs on the people whose work I really love or I find that my work is very similar to theirs. You want to be able to kind of take the temperature.

Q: Do you feel with that have you’ve ever gotten into the sort of comparison and competition mindset where you’re following someone for inspiration but then you’re sort of getting into a more envious mindset?

I feel when I was younger doubt weighed really heavy on my podcasting process because I would criticize myself, like, “Oh, this audio quality isn’t great. I don’t really know what I’m doing.”

But the more that you practice storytelling — and I don’t know if it’s pride or just feeling more comfortable — but that doubt kind of went away. It doesn’t bother me anymore because I feel I know what my voice is and I know how my voice stands in the chorus of other people who are doing very similar things.

I mean, when it comes to the comparison thing I will sometimes dip into the sort of, “Oh, I wish I got a book deal or I want a Netflix special.” That happens. But I also know that everyone I admire was once in my position and I need to go through what I’m going through in order to get those things.

I just think of it more as part of the process and, if anything, it fuels me more. These things become goals as I get into a growth mindset for success .

Q: Now, I know from being friends with you that you have a very specific creative writing process. You’ve kind of touched on it a bit, but can you share a bit more about what this process is, what it looks like, and why it works?

Creativity is a wild wind that is very hard to domesticate, but I guess you don’t domesticate her.

I’ve found that there are certain times where I am more creative than others. Personally, I’ve found that I’m most creative in the morning.

And I’ve found a series of things that help me get into a state of flow during my creative writing process, which is when you’re kind of at your peak creativity.

For instance, the first thing I do is I wake up and I exercise. For me running is the best way to click myself into this writing mode. On days that I run I definitely have bigger writing projects.

Then I meditate, shower, make breakfast and then I do morning pages — which is just a very cathartic process of writing down all your thoughts; all your frustrations. Maybe you write down the weird dream you had last night, or a to-do list. The point is to just get all of the gunk out of your brain.

It’s like stretching, as it warms you up to get into the writing process.

A lot of times my notes start with this — all my feelings — and then it just naturally goes into the piece I have to write on that day. I start getting all my clunky notes out and then I get into full gear.

Now, I would say the number one most important thing about this entire process is that I don’t talk to anyone. I don’t check my phone, I don’t check email, I don’t talk to the people that I live with.

How diva is that?

But it’s worth it, so I don’t care. Fortunately, everybody with the exception of my father is really, really cool with it.

There is something about conserving that energy and giving it only to myself that makes my writing super. I wake up with enough bees in my brain, and I don’t need more thoughts from the outside world to interrupt me.

On an ideal day, I wouldn’t really talk to somebody until I maybe 3pm or 4pm, when I’ll get all of my menial tasks done.

But I will say there is a weird caveat. I think it goes back to the nighttime creativity thing. I actually work on my live storytelling at night because I am more social and I want to be more physical; more animated. And there’s something about, again, being a little sleepy that makes me a better joke writer.

Q: Do you have any advice for people for when they get stuck in an uncreative rut or they feel writer’s block coming on? What strategies or tips would you give someone?

Many times when I’m struggling with a sentence and I want to work on it on my own, I tend to fall into the camp of over-complicating things.

To help, I’ll just write out exactly what happened in four sentences. And from there it’s like, “Okay, I see it” and then I’m able to kind of flesh it out more and put on the bells and whistles.

Noticing when you’re over-complicating things is something that I’ve struggled with and then simplifying it to its bare bones is what I’ve done to fix that.

I’m actually a creative extrovert, although I need deep introversion to work through a larger story or I really need to talk stuff out with people. I have a handful of people that I will talk to and once I’m talking it out somehow my brain synapses shoot different ways and I can just kind of see it better.

And I have people in my life who know my voice and I respect their opinion and they’re not going to offend me honest feedback.

Also, when it comes finding creative ways to tell a story, sometimes you need to let a piece breathe and you need to know when to step away and think about something else, like I did with the podcast episode I mentioned earlier.

Q: And then what is your strategy for taking stories that you might share on in a blog writing format or a podcast episode — where you have a lot of space and time to create them, like a whole page or an hour of air time — and then paring it down for social media?

I think that when it comes to taking a piece from a blog writing format to a social media format, I whittle it down into the main storytelling steps:

• What’s the information?
• What’s the inciting incident?
• Rising action?
• Falling action?
• Resolution?

I’ll often go through my script and just select what works and adjust my voice a bit, or re-write something if it helps me to better create quality content.

And by the way, having a template like the above can help you learn how to enjoy social media instead of agonizing over it! It’s also a smart strategy for growing on Instagram , a platform where thoughtful captions can help you gain traction.

Q: Storytelling is a great technique to use for selling, for instance, when a blogger might be promoting a product they’ve created or the product of an affiliate partner. Do you have any advice for bloggers or anyone who wants to pair storytelling with selling effectively?

It is still very feelings- and emotions-based and emotionally based, so consider the resolution of the product.

A good salesperson identifies their audience’s pain points and plays into them. For instance, they might say something like “Aren’t you tired of doing X, Y, and Z, and wouldn’t it be great if you had X, Y and Z? My product is the thing that can help.”

And I mean, we’ve all seen commercials that have brought us to tears. I mean, put on a Sarah McLaughlin song and I’m weeping, you know?

I think that good salespeople are actually just storytellers. They’re just selling a product at the end of it.

Honestly, I’ve even been hooked into giving somebody my email because they’ve identified my personal pain points well.

Jessie’s Bonus Note: Yes! When it comes to email marketing for bloggers  I personally love writing storytelling emails when selling digital products . I’ll usually think about a benefit of a product and then create a personal story of how this strategy or the solution has helped me. Sort of a before and after story.

Alright, now I hope you enjoyed this episode on how to improve your creative writing skills for more engaging writing.

I hope you feel inspired and empowered to go work on your storytelling skills, find creative ways to tell a story, and maybe even pinpoint your own creative writing process.

Don’t forget to grab  free access to my Travel Blogger Resource Library . The tools inside will really help you grow much faster and easier.

Also, make sure to  subscribe to the podcast on iTunes  so you get notified when future episodes publish.

Happy blogging!

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How to Make Writing Fun: Engaging Tips for Enjoyable Composition

Written by Dan

Transforming the writing process into an engaging experience is essential for writers of all ages and stages. Finding joy in writing can dramatically improve a writer’s motivation and the quality of their work.

By incorporating playful strategies and creative exercises, the act of writing transcends routine, becoming an adventure in expression and imagination.

Emphasising the fun aspects of writing helps combat writer’s block and stirs enthusiasm, leading to a nurturing environment where ideas flourish.

Creating an enjoyable writing practice involves tapping into one’s creativity, which may include using fun activities like story maps or writing prompts that prompt laughter and thought-provoking scenarios.

It’s about constructing a space where the writer feels comfortable and inspired.

Regular writing fosters skill development, and by making it an enjoyable habit, young and seasoned writers alike can enhance their abilities while looking forward to each writing opportunity.

Table of Contents

Key Takeaways

• Embracing creativity leads to a more enjoyable writing experience.
• A supportive environment is key to maintaining writing motivation.
• Consistent practice is vital for skill enhancement in writing.

Igniting the Spark of Creativity

To make writing entertainment, one must stoke their creativity. This section details how to use writing prompts, engage with existing works, and try creative writing activities to ignite the imagination.

Exploring Writing Prompts and Ideas

Writing prompts are a splendid way to kick-start a creative session. They can challenge a writer to think differently and start on an unexpected journey.

For instance, someone could explore unique creative writing prompts that range from everyday scenarios to the utterly fantastical, planting the seeds for a range of stories or themes to explore.

Engaging with Literature and Poetry

Immersing oneself in literature and poetry is known to enrich one’s own creative faculties .

Reading diverse genres and styles exposes a writer to new phrases, plots, and character depths that they can then weave into their writing.

One can draw inspiration from a collection of sentence prompts that derive from poetic lines or literary excerpts, integrating the rhythms and nuances of seasoned writers into their work.

Creative Writing Activities for Inspiration

Engaging in creative writing activities often sparks inspiration and breaks through the feared writer’s block.

Writers can embrace strategies such as changing environments or engaging in collaborative storytelling, much like the guidance found in the article on overcoming the writer’s block .

Through these activities, they can solicit feedback, challenge their own norms, and unlock a treasure trove of creative ideas.

Cultivating a Fun Writing Environment

Creating a fun writing environment involves more than just a physical space; it involves incorporating elements that stimulate creativity and enjoyment.

One can transform the writing process into a delightful activity by using music and art, ensuring a comfortable setting, and integrating technology.

Using Music and Art to Enhance Writing

Music can significantly influence the atmosphere of a writing space, providing a rhythmic backdrop that can both soothe and energise the writer. For example, classical music might create a focused environment, while jazz could stimulate creative thinking.

Similarly, the presence of art , such as a colourful comic strip on the wall, can serve as a source of inspiration and a visual break from the text.

The Importance of a Comfortable Setting

A comfortable physical environment is crucial for a pleasant writing experience. This includes ergonomic furniture, such as a supportive chair and a desk at the correct height to prevent strain.

It also involves natural light and fresh air, which have been shown to improve mood and cognitive function, thereby making the process more enjoyable.

Integrating Technology in the Writing Process

The integration of technology into the writing environment can make the process more fun and efficient. Tools such as digital notebooks and writing software provide freedom to organise thoughts and ideas easily.

Moreover, writing apps with gamification elements can turn the act of writing into an engaging and rewarding experience, making it appealing even for those who may not traditionally enjoy writing.

By thoughtfully considering these aspects, one can cultivate an environment that brings joy to the writing process.

Overcoming Writing Challenges

In the journey of making writing enjoyable, addressing the challenges that hinder progress is crucial. Whether these barriers stem from fear or a lack of skill, tailored strategies can facilitate a more enjoyable writing experience.

Addressing Common Fears and Anxieties

Writers often grapple with fears such as doubt in their abilities or anxiety about the reception of their work. It’s essential to recognise that these fears are common and that overcoming them is a significant step towards enjoying the writing process.

Identifying specific fears , like writer’s block or fear of criticism, allows individuals to tackle these issues proactively with various writing activities .

Strategies for Reluctant Writers

Reluctance to write can stem from numerous factors, including a perceived lack of skill or interest in the activity. To engage reluctant writers , incorporating fun and creative writing prompts can spark interest.

Additionally, setting achievable goals and providing consistent positive feedback can motivate reluctant writers to persevere and discover the joy in writing.

Improving Handwriting and Letter Formation

Handwriting difficulties can diminish the enjoyment of writing, particularly for younger learners. Focusing on handwriting and letter formation through repetitive practice can drastically improve this skill.

Utilising tracing activities and emphasising the correct formation of letters are practical steps in this improvement. This educational resource offers worksheets and activities to help refine handwriting abilities.

By concentrating on the individual challenges a writer faces and offering supportive, growth-oriented tactics, one can transform the writing process into an engaging and pleasurable experience.

Enhancing Writing Through Practice

To make strides in one’s writing abilities, consistent practice paired with reflective refinement are crucial. Adopting a structured approach to daily exercises and attending diligently to the technical aspects of writing can elevate both enjoyment and proficiency.

Daily Writing Exercises

Engaging in daily writing exercises fosters discipline and sparks creativity. An individual might start with a simple goal of 150 words per day and gradually increase the target.

They could explore different genres or focus on a single topic to deepen their expertise. Whether it’s crafting short stories or experimenting with poetry , the key is to make this a regular routine that writers look forward to each day.

• Weekday : Descriptive passages
• Weekend : Creative storytelling

Incorporating Feedback and Reflection

An essential part of improving one’s writing is the ability to incorporate feedback and invest time in reflection . Writers should seek constructive criticism from peers or mentors and reflect on the insights provided.

By keeping a journal to note down reflections on their writing journey, they systematically enhance their skills.

• Collect feedback from various sources.
• Schedule time weekly to reflect on comments and identify areas for improvement.

The Role of Grammar and Spelling in Writing

Strong writing is underpinned by a solid grasp of grammar and spelling . Even the most imaginative stories can lose their lustre if they are riddled with errors.

Hence, one should always utilise tools and resources to check their writing, and consider revisiting the basics through reliable online platforms or comprehensive guides when necessary.

Grammar Resources:

• Online grammar checkers
• English grammar guides

Spelling Improvement :

• Spelling apps
• Daily spelling quizzes

Developing Skills in Young Writers

Cultivating a young writer’s ability requires a deliberate mix of theory and practice. Teachers can transform the process into an engaging and multifaceted educational journey with targeted writing lessons, dynamic writing activities, and a strong emphasis on reading.

Writing Lessons in the Classroom

The groundwork for effective writing begins with structured writing lessons in the classroom. Teachers should focus on age-appropriate literacy frameworks involving students in various writing styles, such as narratives and persuasive texts.

This equips them with a diverse skill set, vital for their development. For example, balancing group activities and solo tasks helps students appreciate different aspects of the writing process.

Fun Writing Activities for Students

Engaging in fun writing activities can significantly enhance a student’s writing experience. Activities like ‘Think-Write-Pass’, where students write spontaneously before passing their work on for peer input, inject a playful element into the learning environment.

Moreover, including tasks that reflect children’s interests and everyday life contexts can create a sense of relevance and increase their willingness to participate.

Encouraging Reading to Improve Writing

A robust relationship exists between reading and writing development. Encouraging students to read a wide range of genres enriches their vocabulary and exposes them to different writing styles.

This exposure is essential for them to be able to analyse and imitate quality writing, thereby enhancing their own writing competencies. Teachers might consider setting up a classroom library to provide easy access to a variety of books.

Related Posts

About The Author

I'm Dan Higgins, one of the faces behind The Teaching Couple. With 15 years in the education sector and a decade as a teacher, I've witnessed the highs and lows of school life. Over the years, my passion for supporting fellow teachers and making school more bearable has grown. The Teaching Couple is my platform to share strategies, tips, and insights from my journey. Together, we can shape a better school experience for all.

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      How do you make writing engaging?

How do you make writing engaging?

Author : Catie Holdridge

Posted : 30 / 06 / 16

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Or, more specifically, how can you make your business writing engaging?

Why, surely that’s a contradiction in terms! Right …?

A lot of people do seem to make a distinction between 1) Work Writing, and 2) Pretty Much Every Other Kind of Writing. It essentially amounts to this: type 2 has the potential to be entertaining and engaging and type 1 … doesn’t. After all, prestigious prizes are awarded for literature, journalism and non-fiction writing. Meanwhile, the kind of writing they have to do at work can be, yes, functional – but probably also dry. That’s just how it is.

You may be unsurprised to hear we don’t think that’s true. OK, you might not win a Pulitzer Prize for your latest proposal, this month’s management report or that email you wrote to Stuart in Accounts. But you can make the reading experience for your potential client, the management team or old Stu a more interesting one. Better still, doing so will make a huge difference to how successful and effective what you’ve written is. We live in a world of too many documents and too little time, and anything that’s actually a pleasure to read already has an advantage.

So here’s how you can help topple the myth that business writing has to be B-O-R-I-N-G:

Begin at the beginning

Begin with your reader. This is always our number one rule, simply because who you’re writing for should colour all the decisions you make when writing. A reader is much, much more likely to be engaged by what you’ve written if it feels relevant to them. Let’s face it, if someone concludes by sentence three that this particular document or email has no relevance to them, what do you suppose the odds of them continuing to read are? Yep – not good.

Ideally, you’d be writing about a topic that already interests them, naturally – but there again, you may not have a choice. And even if you know they’re unlikely to be instantly gripped, you still have the chance to find a way to make it seem as important as you can to them. Ask yourself these questions every time you write, to prime yourself.

And it might sound obvious, but be clear on what you want to say before you get going. Plan the structure first. Combining the thinking and writing processes tends to result in a message that meanders all over the place. And (tough love time), you can’t expect anyone to follow you round the houses on the off-chance they find a point along the way.

Hook ’em in

Engaging writing has to engage from the start. Those first lines are when your reader is weighing up whether to keep going or do something else instead (like reading another document or email, checking social media or simply leaving their desk and grabbing a coffee). It’s at this point that you set their mood for facing the rest. Clearly, it doesn’t bode well if their reaction to the first few lines is, ‘Wow, this is going to be a slog’. So make your introduction work hard to captivate from the beginning. It’s the gatekeeper to the rest of your work.

Of course, the reader isn’t the only one who may find this section problematic. You will still be getting into the swing of writing when you compose your introduction (unless you’re writing it in a panic at the end). This makes it easy to start out a bit long-winded, waffly or flat. But an introduction must have impact. So keep your first sentence or two tight, and definitely don’t go in with reams of background.

One great technique you can use to kick off is the surprise intro: a strong statement that – you’ve guessed it – will come as a surprise and shake the reader out of autopilot. Something like ‘More than 60 per cent of Acme Widgets’ business comes from just 20 customers’ or ‘One in six people are at risk of flooding in England’ has a good chance of making them want to read on to find out more.

Invisible ink

Hands up everyone who likes working really hard to understand something. Thought so.

It’s very important to make your writing effortless to read. The best writing is ‘invisible’. This means that the language used doesn’t draw attention to itself – it’s just a stealth vehicle for the message, which then seems to arrive in your reader’s head as if from nowhere.

And how do you achieve this? Using simple language is a good place to start. Make short words your first choice. Mind you, what this doesn’t mean is that you shouldn’t ever use longer words. It means, when you do, you do so because the longer word is the best fit, not because it seems like a high-class upgrade. So, you might put ‘utilise’ in place of the shorter ‘use’ for its specific meaning of employing something to do a job it wasn’t necessarily designed for. But replacing ‘help’ with ‘ameliorate’ won’t gain you extra points or frequent flyer miles – it just might lose you readers.

The point’s less about always using the shortest word and more about choosing words that are familiar – there’s where your knowledge of the reader comes in. Try to avoid a word that’s likely to send them off to the dictionary, or that could make them feel frustrated, small or stupid because they don’t know it. Treat jargon words the same way, and ban any that won’t be understood. (Do use ones that you’re sure will be a useful shorthand, though – again, it’s about knowing what’s appropriate for the reader.)

In fact, try to write more or less as you’d speak in a meeting: professional but conversational. Reading your work aloud can help to check your written voice is as natural as your speech.

Doing this will also remind you to pick verbs over the noun equivalent where you would say something using verbs – ‘we agreed ‘ rather than ‘we reached an agreement ‘, for example. The same goes for favouring the active voice , where you put the doer before what he, she or it did: ‘ we discussed the matter’ not ‘the matter was discussed by us ‘. (But if you would naturally say it in the passive, use the passive.)

Two-way conversations

You can draw on more conventions of conversation to engage a reader as you would a listener. Borrow its directness. Would you ever refer to yourself – or the other person – in the third person if you were having a chat? ‘Catie would like to determine if a cup of tea would be of value to the addressee.’ No-one wants to sit next to that person in the office.

Yet we often switch to this kind of indirect, detached language when we write. We’ve all seen it. Management would appreciate it if colleagues’ comments were received by Friday , says the memo to no-one in particular, as if written by a disinterested outsider.

But guess what? To be engaging, you have to engage with people. So use ‘you’ to address the reader if you can, plus the odd ‘I’, or ‘we’ for the company. You’ll sound much more human too.

And try using questions. Even closed ones with a simple yes/no answer can be powerful, as you can’t help but answer them in your head (can you?).

Make them see it, feel it and believe it

A common piece of advice in fiction writing is ‘show, don’t tell’ – but it applies just as well to business writing. Showing is more visual and convincing than just proclaiming a fact and hoping you’ll be believed.

Check if you’re relying too heavily on describing words, whether they’re describing things or actions. Either way, they can sound a bit thin if there’s nothing backing them up. So don’t just say ‘sales have been impressive’, get specific: say they’ve ‘doubled’ or ‘increased by 30 per cent in a month’. And don’t just call your team of trainers ‘experienced’ – say how many years they’ve been in the industry or whom they’ve successfully helped. What did that success look like? Did they increase productivity or sales? Be sure to put numbers in a context people can actually relate to .

Commit to what you’re saying. Confident words are compelling, while continually using hedge words like ‘perhaps’, ‘it’s possible’, and ‘it is our intention to’ will chip away at your reader’s faith in you.

Find your rhythm

When it comes to the sound of your writing, think less techno and more jazz. Mix up the length of your sentences to vary the rhythm and keep your reader (who will hear your words in their head) interested.

You probably can – and should – go much shorter with your sentences than you think, sticking to a maximum of 35 words and an average of 15–20. But variety is key. If they’re all similarly longish, it’ll be dull; all short and the effect is like that of being on a bus during rush hour – endless stop-starting, a sense of nausea and a desperate desire to escape.

Use punctuation to keep the rhythm interesting too – a strategically placed dash (like that one), for example, can add a nice dramatic pause. Meanwhile, brackets give the sense of an aside.

If you’re feeling particularly creative, you can play with some literary techniques that’ll make your writing more visual and memorable. One is alliteration – repeatedly using the same letter, as above in ‘stop-starting’ and ‘desperate desire’. The other is the power of three. No-one’s sure quite why, but three does indeed seem to be the magic number. One way you can exploit this is by illustrating with three examples, as (again) with those side effects of riding a bus, or the subheading ‘Make them see it , feel it and believe it ‘.

There’s no need to overdo these last two tricks, but they do give your writing a bit more punch and staying power – which is why advertisers use them.

And finally

One last thing: remember that for your writing to be engaging, you have to be engaged while you’re writing it. Going through the motions won’t result in anything that sounds fresh, especially if you’re still getting used to trying out these techniques.

With all that in mind, let’s go forth and be engaging – yes, even at work. As well as giving everything we create the best chance at success, we just might make the world of business writing a bit more interesting. And that would indeed be something to prize.

Image credit: A and N photography / Shutterstock

The definitive guide to transforming the writing of individuals and teams

Author: catie holdridge.

Catie joined Emphasis with an English literature and creative writing degree and a keen interest in what makes language work. Having researched, written, commissioned and edited dozens of articles for the Emphasis blog, she now knows more about the intricacies of effective professional writing than she ever thought possible.

She produced and co-wrote our online training programme, The Complete Business Writer , and these days oversees all the Emphasis marketing efforts. And she keeps office repartee at a suitably literary level.

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5 Tips to Making Your Writing More Exciting

What makes good writing?

Accuracy. Clarity. Brevity.

Perhaps you enjoy writing or perhaps you find it sort of painful. Regardless, all of us have to write  something  on a daily basis, whether it’s an email, proposal, presentation, article, and just about anything else.

However, the focus shouldn’t be on whether you  want  to write; it should be on your message. If you want your message to resonate, you’ll want to find ways to make your writing more appealing, interesting, and informative. The best way to do this is to pay attention to your word choice.

Here are 5 practical tips you can apply right away.

1. Choose active voice and vivid verbs . Passive voice, or leaving the subject out of the sentence, makes it look like you are trying to avoid responsibility. For example, instead of “the ball was thrown,” write “he threw the ball.” Whenever possible, avoid the “to be” verb (is, are, am, was, were). Instead of saying “he was running the meeting with an iron fist,” say “he ran the meeting with an iron fist.” Instead of “Bill is a great employee,” try “Bill works exceptionally well on a team.”

2.Choose precise words.  All writing is made up of words.  Doh!  you may say,  of course it is . To keep your writing short and to the point, use specific words. For example, rather than “several people,” use “three people.” Did you notice the title of this article? Instead of just saying “Tips to Make Your Writing More Exciting,” we’ve said, “5 Tips ….” Using numbers draws attention and gives the reader a “specific” path to follow.

3.Choose concise phrasing . Instead of “don't have the resources,” use “lack the resources.”  Change “in view of the fact that” to “because.” Rather than “at the conclusion of the meeting,” write “following the meeting.” Shorter phrases make your writing easier to read and more interesting; longer phrases, while technically accurate, muddy up your writing.

4.Choose simple words.  Trying to impress people with big words and complex sentences leads to ineffective writing.  Avoid words like “utilize” rather than “use,” “ascertain” rather than “find out.” Exciting writing is focused and simple.

5.Choose appropriate words.  If you write a technical piece for a publication, client, or colleague, you may choose to use jargon, acronyms, and industry-speak the intended audience naturally understands. When writing a note to a roommate or friend, you may choose to use slang or ultra-casual language. Either way, the reader needs to intuitively understand your point without asking questions or using Wikipedia to figure out what you’re trying to say.

The best way to improve your writing, whether you like to write or not, is to pay attention! While that may sound overly simple, it’s true. Spend time reading and reviewing your work, even if it’s a simple email. Make sure you’ve used clear and concise words, and that you’ve stopped writing when you’ve made your point.

Word choice can showcase your knowledge and education … or make you look juvenile and amateur. As Mark Twain said:  The difference between the right word and the almost right word is the difference between lightning and a lightning bug.

Better writing equals better communication. Good luck!

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5 Ways to Increase Students’ Engagement in Writing

Upper elementary teachers can make small shifts in how they teach writing to spark students’ interest and promote critical thinking.

After a few years of teaching, I started to grow tired of following scripted curriculum to a T. Sure, there are benefits. Children thrive on structure, and it can serve as a tool for teachers, especially those who are just beginning to develop their craft. But if I had to say, “Yesterday we learned… Now watch me as I…” one more time, well, you get the picture.

I was bored—and if I was bored, you bet my students must have been. But out of this boredom (and thanks to the support of my literacy specialist) five strategies blossomed that breathed new life into my teaching. 

1. The Grapple

This is a type of instructional strategy I developed after being inspired by our math curriculum, which starts with an element called the “anchor task.” In her article “ Anchor Task: What? Why? How? ” Amy Bilek explains that an “anchor task is a problem given to students at the beginning of a math block that provides an opportunity to activate prior knowledge, requires students to collaborate and ask questions of each other, and promotes an environment for students to productively struggle and persevere in problem-solving” while still working in the zone of proximal development.

I thought it would be interesting to try this out in writing. The Grapple features a short inquiry or guided practice in the beginning of the lesson. For example, a teacher might post a paragraph of student writing and ask a broad question such as, “What good choices did this author make? Turn and talk.” Marian Small, author and international professional development consultant, may refer to this type of inquiry as “ open questions ” because one question can meet the needs of a broad range of learners, since the question is not too narrow. After turning and talking, students can share what they noticed. The teacher then calls on several students until one of them mentions the strategy of the day.

Students feel empowered when they’ve determined the learning target/objective of the lesson before teaching has even begun. This also gives student writers an opportunity to notice multiple strong writing choices. Jo Boaler (professor at Stanford University and author of Limitless Mind ) might talk about these as “low-floor, high-ceiling tasks.” Low floor refers to accessibility for students needing improvement in the class, whereas high ceiling reaches the most advanced learners who can continue to find challenges. This concept encourages students to be actively engaged while leading their own learning. 

2. Student-Created Anchor Charts

After participating in a Grapple, students are tasked with trying the strategy of the day in their own writing. I then make an anchor chart naming the strategy with examples of student work. For example, my anchor chart might say, “I can elaborate by adding feelings, action, and dialogue.” I would then attach our mentor text’s example and student examples where feelings, action, and dialogue were added. This would give students motivation to try out the strategy in hopes of being featured on our anchor chart.

Students who were featured felt proud and successful (eventually, all writers are featured at some point throughout the year). Other students referred to these charts as tools in order to help them improve their writing. Were these anchor charts always beautiful and Pinterest worthy? No. But they were authentic and purposeful. Another benefit is that anchor charts support students to develop a mindset of celebrating each other’s successes.

3. Free Writing Time

Free writing time gives students space to let their creative ideas flourish and see themselves as writers. I give my students 5 minutes of free writing time each day. I like to do this after lunch, when students can benefit from a quiet activity to help regulate themselves back into an academic setting. On Fridays, we participate in an Author’s Share time (about 20–30 minutes), when student authors can sign up for a slot to share their writing with the whole class as an audience. Since initiating this, I’ve had more avid writers than ever before.

4. Oral Brainstorming

Oral brainstorming helps build class community. Regardless of the genre, students can share about themselves or a variety of other topics with their peers and teacher. For example, when brainstorming narrative story ideas, students might share using the prompt, “I remember one time...” While brainstorming opinion writing, students might share with the prompt, “Something I love is...” Or, in nonfiction writing, students might share with the prompt, “Something I know a lot about is...” If you’re having trouble fitting this into your writing block, try incorporating these prompts into a morning meeting. 

Research proves that oral planning is key to the writing process. Language arts methods books urge prospective teachers to develop children’s writing ability by building upon their proficiency in oral language. These texts often describe early writing as “ talk written down .” Experts acknowledge that writing begins as speech written down. Although this research dates back to 1983, it’s still relevant today.

5. Write an Authentic Teacher Mentor Text

When teachers are vulnerable and share their own writing with students, it pays off. During our narrative writing unit in the beginning of the year, I share my own fourth-grade experience. I write, edit, and revise the story of the time I got called down to the principal’s office. My fourth-grade students connect with this story, become excited about writing, learn a lesson, and see me not only as their teacher but also as a human being and a writer (from whom they are now more willing to accept feedback). By sharing our stories, we share parts of our identity with our students. Doing so creates an environment where they can feel comfortable to do the same with us.

The good news is that these strategies can be incorporated into existing lessons, by making small shifts. They not only help writers improve their craft but also increase engagement. I hope that if you try these small shifts, you will see positive results.

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4 ways to get students excited about writing

Growing up, I liked to write. More specifically, though, I liked to write about things I liked. While I could crank out a decent enough essay like the best of them, my real passion was in creative writing. Buried in the depths of my office closet is a box holding over a dozen spiral-bound notebooks and hundreds of loose pieces of paper (all adorned with my middle-to-high-school handwriting) spinning elaborate tales of drama and adventure, mostly inspired by my favorite fantasy novels.

A few pieces, though, stand out. There’s the short story I wrote for my honors English class in tenth grade, when we were studying the works of Edgar Allan Poe. My teacher gave us the option to either write an essay comparing the themes in multiple examples of Poe’s work or to demonstrate our understanding of the class material by writing an original short story mimicking Poe’s style. I chose the latter. And I got an A.

Looking back at my high school career, I realize how extremely fortunate I was to have English teachers who understood the importance of “leaning in” and getting to know me as a person. The Poe assignment was one of many in which my teachers found ways to tailor writing tasks so that they felt more interesting and relevant. It was their ability to create buy-in on my part that resulted in my not only wanting to write for school but also in my learning to see myself as a writer both inside and outside of the classroom.

There’s a great deal of focus in writing instruction on making sure students consider their audience. Just as we want students to know their audience, however, we, as teachers, need to also know our students so that we can empower them to use their writing voices. Here are four tips on how to go about this in your classroom.

1. Assign authentic writing tasks

My colleague Julie Richardson recently wrote about engaging student interest with authentic writing tasks . Namely, she calls out the importance of having students consider what they want to accomplish with a particular piece of writing, in addition to what their teacher wants. This callout is in keeping with research by scholars including Steve Graham and Sarah Freedman , among others, that demonstrates the importance of considering what sorts of writing tasks students might engage in outside the classroom. Authenticity is an excellent way to get students excited about writing.

By integrating authentic writing tasks into your curriculum, you can help your students see the value in school-based writing. Here are some ideas to get you started:

• Making a thank-you card for a friend or family member
• Using picture books to write simple stories
• Creating comic books or graphic novels
• Summarizing and critiquing movies or episodes of TV shows
• Documenting a family story or recipe
• Reporting on the unexpected origins of an everyday item
• Leaving effective online reviews for products
• Writing a cover letter for a potential job
• Drafting requests to state and local representatives

2. Get to know your students

To get started identifying authentic writing tasks for your students, ask yourself: who are my students? What drives and motivates them? What are their strengths? What are their opportunities for growth? Why should knowing how to write—and to write well—matter to them?

One simple way to start the getting-to-know-you process is by asking students to complete a writer reflection survey. This not only allows you, as the teacher, to learn more about how your students view and approach writing, but it also gives them a chance to self-reflect and consider, perhaps for the first time, how they view and approach writing.

To gauge shifts in students’ perspectives, I recommend administering your survey multiple times (e.g., once at the beginning of the year and once at the end, or between major writing assignments). Some examples of potential statements you might include, asking students to indicate their level of agreement from strongly disagree to strongly agree , are:

• I can stay focused when I write.
• It’s hard for me to remember how to spell words.
• I write differently depending on who will read my writing.
• I like adding extra features to my writing, like illustrations or labels.
• I know who I can go to for help with my writing.
• I usually understand the directions in school writing assignments.
• I see myself as a writer.
• I believe writing is important in everyday life.

For younger students, consider adapting your survey into a classroom activity that gets students up and moving around the room. Designate certain parts of the classroom as “response areas,” then read each statement aloud and ask students to walk to the response area that best matches how they feel about the statement. For example, students who strongly agree with the statement “I can stay focused when I write” might go stand by the back wall, while those who strongly disagree might go stand up front by the whiteboard, while those somewhere in between could stand in the middle of the classroom.

Note, however, that a survey such as the one described here is simply the beginning of an ongoing conversation you’ll need to have with your students as you discover more about who they are and how you can help them feel more confident as writers.

To keep the conversation going, consider asking students to keep a writing journal that they regularly share with you and in which you can provide feedback and answer questions. You might also incorporate peer review sessions into your lessons, as these sessions allow students to hone their writing skills and share their work with peers. Both of these approaches can get students excited about writing and help them begin to see themselves as writers who understand and appreciate the value of writing in their everyday lives.

3. Prioritize an asset-based approach

When getting to know your students, take particular care to use an asset-based approach; that is, do not mistake difference for “less than.” For example, you may have students in your classroom who are more comfortable and fluent expressing themselves in a language other than English. You might have students with disabilities like dyslexia, which can make accurate spelling a challenge. You might have students with ADHD for whom the act of sitting down and quietly drafting a paper is difficult. Does that mean these students have less potential as writers than their peers? Of course not! It simply means that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to writing instruction.

Multilingual students, for whom weaving together words from two or more languages can be as natural as breathing, should be allowed and encouraged to incorporate translanguaging into their writing process. Students with dyslexia or for whom spelling is otherwise a challenge should be provided access to accommodations like spell check and speech-to-text, which research shows can lead to improved writing outcomes. Students with ADHD, meanwhile, may benefit from more explicit guidance on what is expected, prewriting activities such as mind mapping, and having a larger writing task broken down into smaller micro-assignments, as noted by educator Tracy Collins on Edutopia .

The importance of an asset-based approach can’t be overstated and is an invaluable way to get students excited about writing.

4. Aim for inclusivity

Consider that you may also have students whose lived experiences are such that they don’t find some popular assigned prompts relevant. For example, a student who spent their summer at home or working to help support their family probably isn’t going to feel particularly seen if asked to write about what sort of vacation they took while school was out. A student with same-sex parents, if tasked with writing about their family, may wonder if the instructor has considered the possibility that not everyone’s family includes a mom and a dad and whether it’s safe (or even allowed) to talk about their home life at school. Similarly, a female student of color might roll her eyes at being assigned an essay on yet another book written by a white male author who lived in England hundreds of years ago and who never had to deal with the intersection of racism and sexism she faces on a daily basis, or to consider how living at that intersection shapes one’s lived experiences.

Once you’re aware of the multitude of identities in your classroom, you can tailor your writing assignments appropriately. For example, instead of asking students to write about where they may (or may not) have gone on summer vacation, you can ask them to write about the ideal summer vacation, that is, what would they like to do? Where would they like to go, and why? Similarly, if asking students to write about their families, make sure you’ve established that your classroom is a safe space in which diverse family structures are celebrated and are well-represented in the books or other written texts you analyze with your class. Finally, do an author audit of the books assigned as part of your curriculum. Are they all (or mostly all) white male authors? If so, look into alternative books that you could use instead that might be more interesting and relevant for your students. Not sure where to start? Try your school librarian, who will more likely than not be happy to help!

It can be challenging to get students excited about writing. But as those delivering and differentiating the curriculum, it’s vital that teachers consider the needs, interests, and identities of their students. It is only by knowing them well that you can assign truly authentic writing tasks.

When choosing prompts and designing assignments, I encourage you to make a habit of asking yourself, how can I make this something my students want to write about? How can I cultivate a sense of community in my classroom so that each student-writer can show up comfortably and confidently as their whole, authentic self?

You may also wish to read through NWEA’s stances on writing , which contain a wealth of research-backed information demonstrating what effective, equitable writing instruction looks like.

As noted at the beginning of this article, it can be difficult to get students excited about writing. But if you’ve ever seen that spark in a student’s eyes the moment they realize they’re a writer, then you know it’s well worth the effort to try.

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4 Reasons to Start Using Claude 3 Instead of ChatGPT

Still using ChatGPT? It's time you started using Claude 3, instead.

Quick Links

• Claude Is Better at Creative Writing
• Claude Offers Multimodality for Free
• Larger Context Window
• More Messages Per Hour

Key Takeaways

• Claude excels at creative writing, producing engaging and natural-sounding content with less clichés.
• Claude offers free multimodal features, while ChatGPT requires upgrading for similar capabilities.
• Claude boasts a larger context window and potentially more messages per hour than ChatGPT.

In the AI chatbot space, ChatGPT has been the undisputed leader since its launch in November 2022. However, with the release of Claude 3, it is increasingly looking like ChatGPT might be losing that title. Here are four reasons you should consider switching from ChatGPT to Claude.

1 Claude Is Better at Creative Writing

Besides occasional science homework, programming tasks, and fun games, one of the most popular use cases of AI chatbots is creative writing. Most users use AI chatbots to help draft an email , cover letter, resume, article, or song lyrics—basically one creative write-up or another. While ChatGPT has clearly been the favored option owing mostly to its brand name and publicity, Claude has consistently delivered top-notch results even in earlier iterations of the AI chatbots. But it's not just about providing top-notch results. Claude, especially backed by the latest Claude 3 model , outperforms ChatGPT in a wide range of creative writing tasks.

As someone who has consistently used both chatbots since their launch, Claude, although not necessarily the overall better model, is significantly better at creating write-ups that better mimic human "creativity and imperfections." Putting both chatbots to the test, ChatGPT's write-ups, although grammatically correct, were full of tell-tale signs of an AI-written piece. Claude's write-ups read more naturally and sound human. Although not perfect, they are likely to be more engaging and creative.

Too frequently, ChatGPT falls victim to the use of so many clichés and predictable word choices. Ask ChatGPT to write about some business topics, and there's a good chance you will see words like "In today's business environment," "In recent history," and "In the fast-paced digital landscape" in the starting paragraphs.

Putting our theory to the test, it was just as predicted. ChatGPT (GPT-3.5 and GPT-4) used cliché intros in five out of five trials. Here are the first three samples:

Claude, on the other hand, produced varying results four times out of five trials, avoiding the cliche on the first trial:

Besides cliché, ChatGPT, more than Claude, tends to fall victim to the sporadic use of joining words like "in conclusion," "as a result," and a tendency for unnecessary emphasis where emphatic words like "undisputed, critical, unquestionable, must" etc., are used.

But besides these flaws, how do write-ups from each chatbot sound from a holistic point of view?

To top off the comparison, I asked both chatbots to produce rhyming rap lyrics on the theme "coconut to wealth." Claude seems the better option, but I'll let you be the judge.

Here's ChatGPT's take:

And here's Claude's take:

Early adopters of ChatGPT probably have a deep-rooted preference for the AI chatbot, but when it comes to creative writing, ChatGPT has some serious catching up to do in many areas.

2 Claude Offers Multimodality for Free

Besides Google's Gemini AI chatbot, there are hardly any major AI chatbots in the market that offer Claude's multimodal features for free. With the free version of ChatGPT, all you get is text generation abilities, and that's it. No file uploads for analysis, no image processing, nothing else! On the other hand, Claude offers these premium features on its free tier. So, you can use image prompting or upload files for analysis on the chatbot for free if you use the free beta version of the bot.

3 Larger Context Window

Context window is the limit of text data an AI chatbot can process at a go. Think of it as how many things you can keep in your memory (and be able to recall) at a time.

Depending on the version of ChatGPT you use, you should get anywhere between 4k, 8k, 16k, 32k, and 128k context windows. For clarity, a 4k context window can accommodate around 3,000 words, while a 32k window can accommodate around 24,000 words. With the ChatGPT free tier, you get the lowest limits of the context window options (4k or 8k), meaning a few pages of text. You can access the 16k and possibly 32k options on ChatGPT Plus or Team plans, while the 128k context window seems to be an exclusive reserve of the ChatGPT Enterprise plans.

Whereas Claude has a 200k context window on its free and premium plans—a significant improvement from ChatGPT's 4k or 8k window.

Why does this even matter? Well, the larger the context window, the more text data you can process at a time without the AI chatbot making things up. Claude's 200k context window is equivalent to around 150,000 words. Yep, it means you'll theoretically be able to process 150,000 words simultaneously with Claude, while ChatGPT could cap you out at 24,000 words even on its premium tier. You see? The difference is like night and day—at least in theory.

4 More Messages Per Hour

Rate limits can be a pain. You're in the middle of an interesting prompting session, you get an alert that you've reached your limit and have to wait (sometimes hours!) to get a reset. It's a huge joy killer and can set your work back hours. However, this happens both on ChatGPT and Claude, so it's an even ground on that point.

ChatGPT offers 40 messages every three hours on the Plus plan, while Claude offers 100 messages per eight hours. If you're not lost in the optics and do the math, ChatGPT's message limits are slightly better than Claude's. But there's more to it.

OpenAI dynamically throttles your usage limits. This means the limit you see isn't what you'll always get. It depends on the demand, as per OpenAI . On the other hand, despite having slightly lower usage limits, Claude can actually be more liberal with the limits depending on how much text you use per message.

So, if, for instance, you send around 2,000 words (around 200 English sentences of 15–25 words each), you should be able to get "at least" the 100 messages per 8-hour limit. Two thousand words per prompt is a generous number; only a few people get that wordy when doing basic prompting. If you use a lower number of words per prompt, you should be able to get a larger number of messages per hour theoretically.

So, while ChatGPT might seem more generous on the outside if you use both chatbots daily, Claude seems to be the more generous option, although not necessarily at all times.

While early adopters may have a sentimental attachment to ChatGPT, it's becoming increasingly clear that Claude is a force to be reckoned with. As the AI landscape continues to evolve, it will be fascinating to see how these titans of conversational AI push each other to new heights, ultimately benefiting users with ever-improving and more capable chatbots. The future of AI-powered interactions has never been more exciting.

NAB Show: Creative Lens on Live Sports

Sports audiences are old; to attract younger viewers, producers need to make sports more engaging and interactive

LAS VEGAS —The premise of the 2024 NAB Show's "Creative Lens on Live Sports: Next Gen Video Production and Fan Experiences" session was very simple to understand if one casts a discerning eye across the broadcast landscape.

In July 2023, linear TV made up less than half of all TV viewing, according to Nielsen. So all of those content craving eyeballs have gone to other screens, with the big push about streaming and the demands of today’s market.

That’s largely because cable isn’t interactive. And interactivity and the ability to produce one’s own experience is what much of the market, notably Gen Z (the demographic of people born from the late 1990s through the early 2010s) ― wants.

Unlocking Data

“The average age of viewers of most of the major sports leagues is mid-50s,” said Matt Coleman, CEO of Las Vegas-based FansXR and the panel’s moderator. “The younger generation isn’t watching cable.”

Coleman is leading the charge armed with recent data from Deloitte, for instance, from a recent survey that revealed that 67% of Gen Z want interaction when it comes to watching a sporting event.

“Another key point is that 64% of Gen Z viewers say they want their experience to be more immersive, too,” he said. “Generally, our panel was based around next-gen technology and engagement. That’s the main data to unlock, because there is a broad feeling in the industry that using artificial intelligence, biometrics and player tracking are options that fans are really interested in.”

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What that does is allow users (or fans) to tailor a broadcast sporting event into a personal experience. “The younger generation is not really interested in linear experiences that one finds on broadcast, YouTube, etc.” he said. “They expect something interactive that they can control, like they can on TikTok, Xbox and social media.”

They also want to gamble. Coleman cited stat companies, such as Genius Sports (NFL), Sportradar (NBA) and Stats Perform as heavy investors in new data sets and apps for sports when it comes to leagues, like NBA, NFL, FIFA, MLB and the NHL, that can allow in-game betting or prop betting using the likes of FanDuel or DraftKings.

For in-game betting, “The product has to transmit in real-time, so that’s a key part of this equation,” said Coleman, noting that FansXR uses Verizon or T Mobile 5G to operate its system. “We’re one of the first companies globally to work with soccer with TV Azteca (Liga MX) and we launched a real-time product with up to six 2-D and 360 cameras in a web URL interface. The project is sponsored by Caliente, which is looking for new ways to connect with fans; in this case, it’s a second screen experience for the main 2-D broadcast and that drives new sponsorship and advertising for the broadcaster and FansXR.”

And what does it offer fans? “Another way to watch soccer and become their own director,” he said, “as the leagues’ exclusive suppliers provide the data to all of the sports books and the sports books, in turn, present the odds.

“Our product has new software (with the patent pending) and edge compute hardware, and facilitates in-game betting,” he said. “We’ve already done a number of projects, such as the horse racing project where you can could bet in real time at the race track while jumping horse to horse using 360 cameras and LIGA MEX with Azteca, installing our server and cameras onsite at Estadio Cuauhtémoc, in Puebla, Mexico, with Caliente.”

Concerning big projects, the session panelists had plenty to talk about. For instance, Ally Coulsen, marketing director for London-based Disguise, discussed the recent effort to turn NBA courts “into giant TV screens” where players are tracked as they moved across a glass floor.

That calls for bringing in data to create “a more immersive experience,” she said, also noting ESPN’s Catalyst Stage as an example “of a fully immersive XR stage for broadcast,” which serves as “a digital twin” that “changes the game in terms of how you broadcast and tell stories.”

Jason Yim, CEO of Los Angeles-based Trigger XR, pointed out “the cinematic quality” of the video and how this trend is extending beyond, but still melds with, the sports world. “We do a lot of work for the theme parks,” with clients like Imagineering, which is “not just the two hours a sports event happens,” he said.

Yim also discussed how Trigger XR was involved in a project with Verizon “a couple of Super Bowls back” where the viewer “could plant an AR door in your room, step through,” said Yim, “and then you’d be on stage at the Half-Time Show. “A half-million people were in the portal at one time for an average of nine minutes,” he said. “That proves the consumer wants this content.” 

He also noted how the firm has worked with the NHL “first to take the telemetry from the puck and players and actually present it in AR,” which could be watched on Apple Vision Pro and META.

The 5G world and the cloud offer so many options, Yim said, “that you have to work through what the user really wants out of it.”

That’s especially key for Gen Zers. Tim Stevens, global leader, strategic innovation, sports, media and entertainment for Verizon, noted an event in the corporation’s booth at NAB later that afternoon: cutting an NHL game between the New York Islanders and the New Jersey Devils with only five ISO feeds that were mixed in the cloud using 5G and edge computing architecture.

“What is important is taking the live camera feeds to the cloud that are delivered back” with “HLS streaming and delivering it to handsets on the floor,” said Stevens, in “roughly about one second.”

The reason that’s important, he said, is that latency had been several seconds ahead because they ended up 20-30 seconds ahead on handsets; however, taking that latency out of the equation ensures that the fans outside the venue “have a same, very similar or even unique experience,” he said, to those inside, which opens the door for in-game betting. 

“The only way to do that,” said Stevens, “is to make sure that data matches the video. That’s the biggest component.”

Finding Formulas

Grant Nodine, senior vice president of technology for the NHL, continued. “The biggest thing we’ve found,” he said, is that today’s tech flexibility enables the league “to differentiate the content” for the generational divide and offer new ways to present a hockey game. 

“So being able to give them an experience that mirrors what they are after in the event,” he said, “is the most important thing.”

That can even include something as off-the-wall as using the Warner [Bros.] characters with its content. Such moves open new markets, as does live cut production, which Nodine felt is the best way to package content “to produce a very unique output.”

The question is, “How do we find the right formula,” he queried, for various sectors of the NHL fan base when the league airs “1,500 live events a year?” Experimentation has been the answer to that burning question as the technology march continues. 

“Our company is only six years into sports and we’re expecting a big upswing in that sector, notably in the in-game part of the market. It’s not just pregame anymore,” Coleman said. “By following in-game, that can personalize an experience Gen Z viewers (among others) want to make it more immersive. 

Stevens reflected on just how far the market is already, well, immersed (if you will) into this new age. 

“We are so far beyond the mass market. I remember as a broadcaster 20 years ago I had one [live linear] product on the shelf. That’s all I needed. Now the iterations of all the product” are for “different countries and globals, different types of experiences, different platforms,” he said. “It’s mind-boggling. But that’s the only way to really meet the demands of the industry.” 

These new technologies “give us the core fabric,” said Stevens, “to start doing that.”

Mark R. Smith has covered the media industry for a variety of industry publications, with his articles for  TV Technology  often focusing on sports. He’s written numerous stories about all of the major U.S. sports leagues.  

Based in the Baltimore-Washington area, the byline of Smith, who has also served as the long-time editor-in-chief for  The Business Monthly , Columbia, Md., initially appeared in  TV Technology  and in another Futurenet publication,  Mix , in the late ’90s. His work has also appeared in numerous other publications.

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No one has done more to rehabilitate The Phantom Menace than Dave Filoni

There's no bigger fan of the star wars prequels than lucasfilm's chief creative officer.

To describe something in the Star Wars galaxy as divisive is merely to say that it exists. With each new movie or TV series that comes out, the fandom gets increasingly fractured, with factions picking sides and digging in on multiple fronts. The discourse has gotten so toxic that it almost makes the debates from 25 years ago over whether Star Wars: Episode I — The Phantom Menace did or did not have the power to ruin actual childhoods seem quaint in comparison. Not that people ever really stopped arguing about it. But in recent years there seems to be a shift towards a reconsideration of the prequels, a trend that’s generated plenty of “they weren’t that bad, actually” takes, including on this very site . Whether it’s a generational thing, or merely the rose-colored glasses of nostalgia, you can’t count out the influence of the most prominent champion of the prequel trilogy, other than George Lucas himself: Dave Filoni.

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Filoni has become a controversial figure within the fandom too, of course. Some worship him, others despise him, but there’s no denying that he lives and breathes Star Wars . As the guiding force behind Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Star Wars Rebels, and later as Lucas’ chosen successor to lead the creative direction of Lucasfilm, Filoni had the opportunity to delve deeper into the characters, connections, and relationships glossed over in the prequels. He’s spent the better part of the past two decades building out the Star Wars universe in ways that add context and depth to the lore. Sure, he’s angered some fans by stepping on the continuity established in the Expanded Universe, now called Legends, but he also orchestrated the resurrection of Darth Maul (at Lucas’ behest) and brought Grand Admiral Thrawn from the pages of Timothy Zahn’s novels into the main canon, first in animation and then in live-action (in last year’s Ahsoka series ).

Just listening to Filoni talk about the prequels can be enlightening. There’s a clip of him that’s been going around fandom circles for a couple years now, from a roundtable discussion filmed for the behind-the-scenes series Disney Gallery: Star Wars: The Mandalorian . Filoni talks about the stakes of the three-way lightsaber battle at the end of The Phantom Menace , often referred to as the “Duel of the Fates” after John Williams’ iconic musical theme.

“What’s at stake is really how Anakin’s going to turn out,” Filoni says of the climactic fight between Qui-Gon Jinn, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Darth Maul. “Because Qui-Gon is different than the rest of the Jedi, and you get that in the movie. And Qui-Gon is fighting because he knows he’s the father Anakin needs.”

When Qui-Gon was killed by Darth Maul, Filoni explains, Anakin lost the closest thing to a father figure he’d ever had. Obi-Wan reluctantly steps up to train him, but their relationship is never more than brotherly. The lack of a father figure is what sets Anakin on the path to becoming Darth Vader, and it all goes back to that fateful duel.

It seems so obvious when Filoni puts it in these terms. Maybe it doesn’t make up for the overreliance on dodgy CGI, cringe-worthy dialogue, or the walking disaster that was Jar Jar Binks, but it does make you think differently about that sequence and how it ties into the entire Skywalker saga. Similarly, once you’ve watched his shows, especially The Clone Wars , you’ll never look at the prequels the same way again.

Building character through relationships

Most of The Clone Wars series is set between Attack Of The Clones and Revenge Of The Sith , giving the audience a chance to better know the characters from those films, as well as new ones. One of the ways Filoni does this is through their relationships, to one another and to the systems they are beholden to. We see more of Anakin as a hero before he’s seduced by the dark side, and everything that happens in the series provides more justification for that transformation to come. In the 2008 Clone Wars film that launched the show, we are introduced to Ahsoka Tano, Anakin’s own Padawan. Their relationship becomes central to the story, and it’s through her that we see what might have been if the Jedi Council had been just a little more understanding. Padmé also gets more fleshed out as a capable diplomat and skilled negotiator. Meanwhile, Obi-Wan gets a tragic love story with the pacifist Mandalorian ruler Duchess Satine Kryze, and has his own crisis of faith when it comes to the Jedi way.

Making it make sense

Lucas introduced a lot of new concepts to the Star Wars universe in the prequels, like the Jedi Council, the clone troopers, and the mysterious Sith Order. Some of these ideas, like midi-chlorians, those little microscopic guys who communicate the will of the Force to their hosts, were misunderstood and ridiculed. Filoni took it upon himself to provide logical explanations to resolve these retcons and fit them into the existing lore. For instance, in The Clone Wars he sends Yoda on a quest to the unnamed home planet of the midi-chlorians, where he learns about different aspects of the Force.

The series also gives the members of the Jedi Council more screen time. It’s not necessarily to their benefit, though. In fact, their blind spots and rigid adherence to an outdated code make it easier to understand how Anakin became so disillusioned with the Jedi that he wound up slaughtering a temple full of them. It’s not just about Padmé, either. When Ahsoka is framed for bombing a Jedi temple and accused of sedition, Anakin helps exonerate her. But after she refuses to rejoin the Order that so easily cast her out, all he can do is watch his former Padawan walk away. When he finally turns to the dark side in Revenge Of The Sith, this incident makes him seem less like an entitled brat and more like a frustrated warrior worn down by the Jedi’s stubborn refusal to adapt or see reason. The Clone Wars highlights those schisms, and even gives villains like Count Dooku (aka Darth Tyranus) and General Grievous more opportunities to clash with the saga’s heroes.

Another element from the prequels that Filoni expanded upon were the clone troopers (and that’s still going on in The Bad Batch ). To explain why the clones turned on their Jedi allies so remorselessly after Order 66, we learn that they were each implanted with inhibitor chips that forced them to turn and slaughter any Jedi they encountered. We also find out that they can be removed, deactivated, or overcome, through the Force or other means. The formerly interchangeable soldiers get individual names, personalities, and strong opinions. Seeing Order 66 play out on the ground level makes it much more personal.

Clearing up the continuity

The continuity of Star Wars has always been kind of a mess. When the creators themselves (Filoni included) can’t keep it straight, and even the films and TV shows that are supposed to be canon contradict each other, how can casual fans be expected to keep track of it all? With a lot of patience and a high tolerance of minutiae, apparently. After Disney purchased Lucasfilm in 2012 the powers-that-were cleared the board for the new sequel trilogy by wiping the Extended Universe from the canon and relabeling it Legends. The only material created prior to 2014 that’s still considered canon are the films, plus The Clone Wars and Rebels . What that means—besides a lot of pissed off fans of the books, comics, games, and other supplemental material—is that every character Filoni managed to smuggle into the shows from the EU, like Grand Admiral Thrawn, got grandfathered into the new Disney-approved continuity.

It also means that Darth Maul’s resurrection happened just as it was depicted in The Clone Wars , allowing him to appear again in live-action in 2018's Solo: A Star Wars Story . But that one isn’t only due to Filoni. It was Lucas who wanted to bring Darth Maul back. When Filoni asked him how that was supposed to work, given that the audience saw him fall down a shaft in two pieces, Lucas reportedly responded, “ I don’t know, you’ll figure it out. ” That he did.

Bringing it full circle

You could make the argument that the prequels should be able to stand on their own, without any further context needed to appreciate them. Watching The Clone Wars , Rebels , or any of the other projects that address the trilogy’s plot holes and weak spots, won’t erase the shortcomings of Episode I , II , or III . But Dave Filoni and his team at Lucasfilm seem to have no plans to leave them alone anytime soon. Just last year, Filoni wrote an episode of Ahsoka in which she worked through her complicated feelings about her former mentor and got some much needed closure through a vision. The audience got some closure too, with the unexpected treat of seeing Hayden Christensen don Anakin’s robes once again (after he reprised the role for the first time since 2005 in the Obi-Wan Kenobi series). With an upcoming feature film on the horizon that will tie all of the current shows together, we have a very good feeling that we’ll be seeing him again. At least, we hope so—and hope is what Star Wars is all about.