LITERARY DEVICES WE COVERED SO FAR:

So far in this Story Devices Series, we’ve explored a rich variety of literary devices to put in your “writer’s toolbox“:

• Foreshadowing
• Repetition (including anaphora, refrain, and motif)
• Aposiopesis
• Euphemism
• Metaphor and Simile
• Extended Metaphor
• Allegory
• Allusion

And yet, we’ve barely scratched the surface.

But here’s the thing: knowing about literary devices isn’t true knowledge until you’ve put them into practice. These tools come alive when you wield them in your own stories.

WRITING PROMPTS:

So before we move on to one of the most essential techniques a writer can have (the craft of irony), let’s take a moment to review and practice what we’ve learned with some writing prompts.

I encourage you to review each of the devices we’ve covered and apply at least one of each in a short story of your own using the writing prompts below (or maybe weave them into a work-in-progress):

Here are three writing prompts designed to challenge you using the devices we’ve covered so far, including allegory:

Writing Prompt #1: The Garden Gate Never Opens

Every morning, the townspeople pass a locked garden gate in the center of town. No one knows what’s inside, only that it’s been sealed since before anyone was born. One day, the gate creaks open on its own. Write a story about what happens next. Ensure the garden and the town symbolize something deeper. Perhaps it’s a social commentary on current events. God knows there’s plenty to criticize!

Use anaphora, metaphor, and simile. Employ aposiopesis and euphemism. Integrate allegory and allusion. Use foreshadowing and refrain to deepen the mystery. These elements reveal a hidden truth about human nature or society.

Writing Prompt #2: The Boy Who Spoke in Metaphors

In a world where poetic and metaphorical speech is outlawed, a young boy can only express himself through it. He is taken into custody for euphemizing his grief too artfully. As the townspeople gather to judge his fate, he uses every literary device he knows to try and shift their hearts.

Let the story mirror a real historical event through allusion or allegory. Experiment boldly with metaphor. Use anaphora, aposiopesis, and simile creatively.

Writing Prompt #3: The Return of the Queen

After a mysterious absence, the rightful queen returns to a war-torn kingdom where no one remembers her name. As she walks the streets, fragments of memory awaken in the people. But are they real, or is it the Mandela effect?

Use motif and repetition to create a rhythm of return. Use euphemism to veil the trauma of the past. Use allusion to hint at classical or mythic figures she resembles. Let the entire story function as an allegory for lost identity and political awakening.

I’ll skip the next two Thursday posts on literary devices to give you extra time to write. The following week, we’ll recap on how the practice went and share ideas. Then we’ll prepare to dive deep into the next powerhouse device: irony.

Join me on the post “Response to Writing Prompts” on November 13th to share your stories. I can’t wait to read them!!!

Happy writing!

~M.C. Convery