How to Incorporate Creative Writing Into Non-Fiction
Similes, metaphors, and epistrophes aren’t just for poetry
Somewhere in the vast sea of informational writing, we have lost the beauty of creative writing. Perhaps this is because of our need to know and need to do world, one with no desire for the lyrical and sensual writing we find so intoxicating in fiction.
I myself have a hard time composing articles that are absent of these creative elements because I know that often it is the pure sound and language of the writing that pulls readers in, not the topic itself.
And yes, there will be editors who tell you to weed poetic devices out of an article, but I truly believe that in many cases, these elements can elevate your writing if you learn how to use them effectively.
This is definitely not to say that you should use them all at one time, though I believe you can use most of them in a relatively lengthy piece of non-fiction. But to leave them out of your writer’s repertoire is to lack that special something whose effect is often unable to be put into words.
I’m going to present two different examples. The first example will be writing that uses no poetic devices. The second example will be one that incorporates six poetic elements: simile, metaphor, personification, hyperbole, anaphora, and epistrophe.
The last two of these devices, anaphora and epistrophe, also fall into the category of rhetoric, a side category of creative writing defined as “the art of effective or persuasive speaking or writing, especially the use of figures of speech and other compositional techniques.”
At the bottom of this article, just in case you are unfamiliar with some of these poetic terms, I will provide a list of all six devices and the corresponding examples I incorporated into my second piece of writing.
Since you’re most likely a writer reading this, I’ll use the topic of writing to show you what I mean.
Example 1: No Poetic Devices
There are five components to good writing. Two of the most important elements are focus and organization. Focus is the act of determining a controlling idea and following through on that idea without including irrelevant details that obscure your main point. Then, there is organization. This is the skill of having a plan for how you will present your controlling idea in a way that effectively leads from one point to the next so that the reader can understand.
Added to these first two components are clarity, style, and correct grammatical usage. Clarity demands that your writing is easily followed by the reader. This means that your wording and sentences are not confusing to the reader or awkwardly stated or written. Style is also important. It means being adept at the use of varied vocabulary, differing sentence structures, and a voice that is unique and consistent. The last element is grammar. No one will accept the claims you make or the truths laid out in your essay if it is riddled with misspellings, punctuation errors, and other mistakes such as subject-verb agreement and the like.
Example 2: Poetic Devices
Writing is like a finely woven braid, each element seamlessly woven to create a coherent and compelling product, with each stray hair that peeks out marring your final product.
Focus is one important element. Your controlling idea is an itinerary for the reader. It tells them the destination of your writing. And readers want this journey to be straight, one with no change in directions or side stops that keep them from getting the information you have promised. Readers also demand you have a plan on how to get to your destination. This is why organization is important.
Other important elements are clarity, style, and grammar. Clarity means your writing is easily followed by readers. Lack of clarity means chaos. It means unclear wording. It means awkward sentences, and it means confusing ideas. In short, it means readers must fight to understand your points, a task you definitely don’t want them for them. Style is also necessary. Your vocabulary must be engaging. The way you structure your sentences must be engaging. Most importantly, you must be engaging. This is why creating an authentic voice is imperative. Finally, grammar is extremely important. There is nothing worse than essays full of errors in spellings, punctuation, and subject-verb agreement that take away your credibility.
Note the word count for these different examples is only 25 words. This means that using these devices does not necessarily mean your paragraph is full of extraneous words that act as fluff in your attempts to be creative.
Let me also note that in order to quickly show you the difference between the two styles, I may have packed too many of these devices into my two paragraphs. This was simply to allow you to see the difference using as similar a word count as possible. In truth, you would probably want to spread these techniques less aggressively into your writing, using less than the six I used or using all of them throughout a lengthier article where they are not so forcefully jammed into the same paragraph.
Definitions of Six Poetic Devices
1. Simile
Definition: the act of comparing two things using the words “like” or “as”
My example: “Writing is like a finely woven braid, each element seamlessly woven to create a coherent and compelling product, with each stray hair that peeks out marring your final product.”
2. Metaphor
Definition: the act of comparing one thing to another without the use of “like” or “as.” Many times this involves saying one thing is another thing.
My example: “Your controlling idea is an itinerary for the reader.”
3. Personification
Definition: the act of giving non-human things human qualities
My example: “with each stray hair that peeks out marring your final product”
4. Hyperbole
Definition: the act of exaggeration in writing used to emphasize an important idea
My example: “There is nothing worse than essays full of errors in spellings, punctuation, and subject-verb agreement that take away your credibility.”
5. Anaphora
Definition: the repeated use of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive phrases or sentences
My example: “It means unclear wording. It means awkward sentences, and it means confusing ideas. It means readers must fight to understand your points, a task you definitely don’t want them for them.”
6. Epistrophe
Definition: the repeated use of a word or phrase at the end of successive phrases or sentences
My example: “Your vocabulary must be engaging. The way you structure your sentences must be engaging. Most importantly, you must be engaging.”
The Bottom Line
Leonardo da Vinci said that “painting is poetry that is seen rather than felt, and poetry is painting that is felt rather than seen.”
Writing that strategically uses poetic devices allows the reader to feel more than writing devoid of these components. Readers feel the rhythm of language and the movement of words interact to form a compelling melody that is magically seductive. And the bottom line is if your writing doesn’t seduce a reader, someone else’s will.
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