CRE WRI ETA

Characterization

The techniques authors use to create and develop characters.

Direct Characterization

When the narrator explicitly describes a character's traits.

Indirect Characterization

Character traits revealed through characters’ actions, dialogue, and thoughts.

Protagonist

The main character driving the story's action.

Antagonist

Opposes the protagonist; can be a person or an idea.

Antihero

A flawed protagonist lacking traditional heroic traits.

Tragic Hero

A high-status character whose fatal flaw leads to downfall.

Flat Character

A simple character with one or two traits.

Round Character

A complex character possessing multiple traits.

Dynamic Character

A character who undergoes significant change or growth.

Static Character

A character who remains unchanged throughout the story.

Foil Character

A character that contrasts another to highlight specific traits.

Bit Players

Characters with small roles in the narrative.

Point of View (POV)

The perspective from which a story is told.

First Person

Narration by a character using 'I,' which offers subjective insights.

Second Person

Rare narrative style addressing the reader as 'you'.

Third Person Omniscient

The narrator knows everything about all characters.

Third Person Limited

Focuses on the thoughts and experiences of one character.

Sensory Details

Descriptive elements that engage the senses to create vivid narratives.

Imagery

Language that creates vivid mental pictures.

Dialogue

Written conversational exchange between characters.

Dialogue Tags

Words that attribute speech to the character.

Pre-writing

The brainstorming and organizing phase of writing.

Drafting

Writing the initial version of the story.

Revising

Improving the structure, flow, and content of writing.

Editing

Polishing grammar, punctuation, and style.

Foreshadowing

Hints at future events to build suspense.

Symbolism

Using objects or events to represent deeper meanings.

Creative Nonfiction

Factual content presented in a narrative form.

Fiction

Imaginative prose that tells stories in various genres.

Poetry

A genre focusing on heightened language and expression.

Drama

Literature designed for performance, emphasizing dialogue.

Diction

The poet's choice of words.

Syntax

The structure of sentences in poetry.

Imagery

Descriptive language appealing to the senses.

Simile

A figure of speech comparing two different things using 'like' or 'as'.

Metaphor

A figure of speech that directly refers to one thing as another.

Symbolism

The use of symbols to signify ideas and qualities.

Monostich

A stanza consisting of a single line.

Couplet

A stanza consisting of two lines.

Quatrain

A stanza consisting of four lines.

Rhyme Scheme

The pattern of rhymes at the end of lines in a poem.

Onomatopoeia

Words that imitate sounds.

Alliteration

The repetition of initial consonant sounds in a series of words.

Assonance

The repetition of vowel sounds in nearby words.

Consonance

The repetition of consonant sounds in the middle or end of words.

Rhyme

Repetition of sounds at the end of lines of poetry.

Caesura

A pause within a line of poetry.

Enjambment

Continuation of a sentence without a pause beyond the end of a line.

Gustatory

Related to the sense of taste.

Tactile

Related to the sense of touch.

Olfactory

Related to the sense of smell.

Auditory

Related to the sense of hearing.

Visual

Related to the sense of sight.

Emotion

Internal states that connect readers to characters.

Clichés

Overused phrases that lack originality.

Strong verbs

Action words that convey meaning without excessive modifiers.

Imagery

Descriptive language that creates mental images.

Plot

The sequence of events that make up a story.

Theme

The central idea or underlying message of a story.

Stock Characters

Stereotyped figures like the mad scientist or cruel stepmother.

Sacrificial Characters

Exist solely to die for dramatic purposes.

Psycho

A character with mental issues stemming from trauma or experience.

Phobic

Deals with anxiety through extreme avoidance.

The Confidant

A character the protagonist confides in or relies on.

Unseen/Absent Character

Mentioned but never appears directly in the story.

Tercet

Three lines

Quintet

Five lines

Sestet

Six lines

Septet

Seven lines

Octave

Eight lines