Expressing Creative Thoughts through Imaginative Writing

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In creative writing, the writer must consider the language to be used which will make the creative work different
from other forms of writing. The language of creative writing is different if compared to technical writing and
academic writing. Words are flowery, expressive and more interesting. This is to capture not just the mind but
also the heart of the audience and to make the audience feel a different reading experience.
Language of Creative Writing
1. Imagery
2. Figures of Speech
3. Diction
Writing as an Expression of the Senses
1. Imagery refers to descriptive details or elements in a written work that appeal to or are perceivable by the
senses. A person is said to have five senses, namely: 1) sight (a.k.a. the visual sense), 2) hearing (a.k.a. the
auditory sense), 3) smell (a.k.a. the olfactory sense), 4) touch ([Link] tactile sense), and 5) taste (a.k.a. the
gustatory sense). You may add movement (a.k.a. kinesthetic ) to complete the definition of imagery. While
you’re at it, why not add as many more senses that you can think of—a sixth sense, common sense, sense of
humor, nonsense, sensibility, etc.
Eg. a deep red sunset (sight) – classical music (hearing), musk scent (smell), bittersweet coffee(taste), satin
blankets (touch), slow-swaying hips (movement)

Language Trivia: Describers and Classifiers

Describers can also come in the form of noun group heads.

Classifiers are words that subclassify or label a thing. (eg., assistant registrar) Classifiers can be adjectives (urban
growth), nouns (city girl), or participles (living organisms; developed economy). All describers precede
classifiers.
(eg., an impressive, state-of-the art, computer technology)

2. Figures of Speech
Writers use figures of speech and figurative language to create images that would deepen the readers’
comprehension of a text. Figures of speech and figurative language create the so-called figurative images which
increase reading pleasure.
Figures of Definition Sample text
Speech/Figurative
language
Simile Indirect comparison of two “Then she burst into view, a girl lovely as morning
things using “like” or “as” and just as fair…” (Waywaya. F. Sionil Jose)
Metaphor Direct comparison between two “Everything that exists, aromas, light, metals were
objects. little boats that sail toward the isles of yours that
wait for me…” (If You Forget Me, Pablo Neruda)
Personification Attribution of human qualities to “Because I could not stop for Death, He kindly
a thing. stopped me; The carriage held but just ourselves
and Immortality.” (Because I Could Not Stop For
Death, Emily Dickinson)
Hyperbole Exaggeration “Well now, one winter it was so cold that all the
geese flew back and all the fish moved south and
even the snow turned blue. Late at night, it got so
frigid that all spoken words froze solid afore they
could be heard. People had to wait until sunup to
find out what folks were talking about the night
before.” (Babe, the Blue Ox, retold by S.E. Schlosser)
Alliteration Repetition of the first consonant “Leap up, like that and land so lightly.” (Home
of neighboring words. Burial, Robert Frost)
Allusion Use of person, place or thing as “The morning wind forever blows; the poem of
reference, creation is uninterrupted but few are the ears that
hear it. Olympus is but the outside of the earth
everywhere.” (Walden, Henry David Thoreau)
 Onomatopoeia Use of words that mimic sounds. “Boy, I rang that doorbell fast when I got to old
Spencer’s house.” (The Catcher in The Rye, J.D.
Salinger)

3. Diction refers to language and word choice of the writer. It shows the level of formality of a text which helps
in shaping the perception and view of the readers. There are three levels of diction. These are formal, informal
and colloquial.
 Word choice of the author
 General character of the language used by the author
 Plays a very important role in creating tone and voice appropriate for your audience and writing objective
Levels Characteristic
Formal Diction  Academic/Scholarly Language
 Usually contains language that creates an
elevated tone
 It often contains polysyllabic words,
sophisticated syntax and elegant word choice
 Includes sermons, scholarly journals,
 Found in academic publications
Ex. Discerning the impracticable state of the poor
culprit’s mind, the elder clergyman who had
carefully prepared himself for the occasion,
addressed to the multitude a discourse on sin. In all
its branches but with continual reference to the
ignominious letter. (The Scarlet Letter)
Informal Diction  Conversational Language
 Used when addressing a familiar audience
 Includes personal letters, emails, and
documents with conversational or
entertaining purposes
Colloquial Diction  Slang Language; Captures regional dialect
 Language deficient in some form or manner
 Diction outside of conventional or standard
use
 Includes vulgarity/pedestrian, slang, dialect,
cliché, jargon
Ex. Emo, frenemy, bromance, greycation (slang)
Ex. Fuck-ass, pakshet, difotah (any swear words-
(vulgarity)
Ex. Anyhow, gotcha, gramps, stats, info, guys, kid
(colloquial)
Ex. Gigabyte, logic board, CPU, LCD (computer
jargon)
Ex. Philippine English – a nonstandard subgroup of
a language with its own vocabulary and grammatical
features (dialect)
Ex. Beauty is useless but character is the best (cliché
– figurative language used so often that it has lost its
freshness and originality)

How to Choose Your Level of Diction