Creative Writing: Vocab

adaptation

the process of changing or adjusting to fit a new place, condition, or use

antagonist

a person, group, or force that fights or competes against the main character, known as the protagonist

apperception

the conscious process where the mind interprets, understands, and gives meaning to a new sensory experience by connecting it to past knowledge and life experiences

archetypal

acting as a pure, original model, or serving as the most typical example of a person, object, or concept

archetype

an original model, a perfect example, or a recurring pattern in stories and human behavior that people everywhere instantly recognize

consciouness

the state of being awake and aware of one's own body, thoughts, feelings, and the world outside

culture

the shared set of beliefs, values, customs, behaviors, and knowledge that people in a group or society learn, share, and pass down from generation to generation

dogma

a core belief or set of principles laid down by an authority and accepted by a group as unquestionably true

ethereal

describes something extremely delicate, light, and airy, as if it does not belong to the real, physical world

fable

a short, fictional story that teaches a life lesson or moral

fairy

imaginary magical beings from European folklore

fairy tale

a short, traditional story for children that features magic, imaginary creatures like giants or goblins, and a happy ending

folklore

the traditional body of stories, beliefs, customs, and art shared by a specific group of people and passed down through generations, usually by word of mouth

folktale

an old story passed down by word of mouth through many generations.

hermetic

completely airtight or sealed tight

heroine

a woman or girl who is admired for her great courage, noble qualities, or brave actions

idiosyncrasy

a distinct habit, mannerism, or unusual feature that belongs to just one person or thing

implant

a medical device, material, or artificial tissue placed inside or on the surface of the body during surgery

inculcate

to teach an idea, habit, or value to someone by repeating it often so it stays in their mind

interpretation

the act of explaining, shaping, or showing your personal understanding of what something means

legend

an old story passed down from the past that may not be true

literary

connected to books, writing, and literature

mystery

something that is unknown, strange, or hard to explain

myth

an old, traditional story

narcissistic

someone who has an excessive interest in or admiration for themselves

originate

to start, begin, or create something

overarching

comprehensive, all-embracing, or most important because it includes, covers, or influences every part of a broader system, plan, or topic

parallel

a stylistic device where an author constructs parts of a sentence, a series of sentences, or whole story elements to share a similar grammatical form, sound, meaning, or meter

pathological

relating to disease, caused by a mental or physical illness, or describing an extreme, uncontrollable behavior like a compulsive habit

phobia

an intense, irrational, and lasting fear of a specific object, activity, or situation that poses little or no actual danger

proportion

a part, share, or number compared to a whole

protagonist

the main character in a book, movie, or play

psychological

relating to the mind, thoughts, and feelings

resonance

a physical phenomenon that happens when an object or system is shaken or pushed by an external force at the exact same frequency at which it naturally vibrates

resurgence

a return of something after a long break

retelling

a new version or fresh presentation of a known story, legend, or event

sanitize

to clean something so that germs or bacteria drop to a safe level

science fiction

a genre of creative work that explores how imagined science, advanced technology, and future worlds change society and human behavior

supernatural

things that exist or happen outside the normal laws of science and nature

symbol

an object, mark, word, or sound that stands for or represents an idea, concept, or physical thing

symbolic

when a physical object, color, action, or creature stands for a deeper, abstract idea beyond its literal sense

symbolize

to serve as a sign, shape, or object that stands for, represents, or means something else

tale

a narrative or a story about real or imaginary events

theme

the central idea, message, or underlying meaning in a story, art piece, or discussion

trajectory

the curved path that a moving object, like a rocket, bullet, or planet, follows through space or air

universally

by everyone, everywhere, or in every case without exception

values

the deeply held principles, beliefs, and standards that guide how people decide what is right, wrong, important, or useful

vary

to change, differ, or become slightly different from time to time or from one thing to another

wonder

a feeling of great surprise and admiration, a marvel or amazing thing, or a wish to know and understand something