The 40 Literary Terms that ALL Writers Must Know
Do you like to write? Or do you understand how to write? Being a writer is more than just throwing words, sentences, and paragraphs onto the page. There are a certain set of ingredients that writers cook with to spice up their work and really give their stories the punch and flavor that readers are looking for. And these ingredients are known as literary terms (sometimes called literary devices).
A little alliteration can go a long way. But too many Zeugmas could break the sentence and your reader’s interest.
If you are a beginner writer, you will want to know each and every one of these terms AND when to take them out of your spice rack. If you are an experienced writer, you can always use a quick refresher, right?… So here are 40 literary terms that all writers should know.
And stick around, because I’ll also show you the literary terms that most writers confuse with one another.
Alright let’s do this:
The Top 40 Literary Terms
Allegory
A story or poem that has a hidden meaning often used to teach a moral lesson, such as George Orwell's Animal Farm.
Alliteration
The repetition of initial consonant sounds, such as "Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers."
Allusion
A reference to a well-known person, place, or event, such as "I'm no Romeo" (referring to the famous lover in Shakespeare's play).
Analogy
A comparison between two things that are often different in some respects but share similarities in others… "Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you're gonna get"
Anaphora
The repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses or sentences, such as "I have a dream" in Martin Luther King Jr.'s famous speech.
Assonance
The repetition of vowel sounds in words that are close together, such as "fleet feet sweep by sleeping geese."
Climax
The point of highest tension or drama in a story.
Consonance
The repetition of consonant sounds in words that are close together, such as "pitter-patter, pitter-patter."
And right here. This is where many writers find confusion: Between Alliteration, assonance, and consonance.
Assonance is for vowel sounds.
Alliteration is for initial consonant sounds.
And Consonance is for consonant songs that are close together.
Dialogue
A conversation between two or more characters in a story or play.
Euphemism
A mild or indirect word or expression used in place of one considered to be too harsh or blunt, such as "passed away" instead of "died."
Flashback
A scene in a story or movie that takes place before the present time, often used to provide background information.
Foil
A character who contrasts with another character in order to highlight their differences.
Foreshadowing
Oh, this is an important one… But we’ll get to this one soooon, okay?
Hyperbole
This is the most important literary term so far! It’s an exaggeration used to emphasize a point, such as "I'm starving to death!"
Foreshadowing
A hint or clue about what will happen later in a story (See, I told you it would be soon)
Imagery
Descriptive language that creates a mental image in the reader's mind.
Irony
The use of words to convey a meaning that is opposite of its literal meaning, such as "Oh great, another Monday!" (Because many people don’t like Mondays).
Juxtaposition
The placement of two or more ideas, characters, or places side by side for comparison or contrast.
Litotes
Using a double negative to express a positive. Example: "I'm not unhappy with the example."
Metaphor
A comparison of two unrelated things without using the words "like" or "as," such as “You need to bite the bullet and get that script written…”
This one often gets mixed up with another term which will get to soon.
Metonymy
Using a word or phrase to represent something closely related. "The White House announced a new policy." - Instead of saying the president or their administration.
Mood
The emotional atmosphere created by a piece of writing, such as "The fog clung to the sky blanketing the city with a sense of unease."
Onomatopoeia
Words that imitate the sounds they describe, such as "buzz" or "hiss."
Oxymoron
A combination of two contradictory words, such as "jumbo shrimp," "bittersweet" or “the living dead.”
Paradox
A statement that seems contradictory or absurd but is actually true, such as "Less is more."
Or “there is an exception to every rule, this is a rule, and there is no exception to this rule. Which proves that there is an exception to every rule.” Noodle on that one… 😉
Personification
Giving human qualities to non-human things. Example: "The wind whispered through the trees."
Plot
The sequence of events in a story or play.
Point of view
The perspective from which a story is told, such as first person, second person, or third person.
Protagonist
The main character in a story, often the hero or heroine.
Repetition
The use of the same word or phrase multiple times, often used to emphasize a point.
Rhyme
The repetition of sounds at the end of words, such as "cat" and "hat."
Satire
Using humor or irony to criticize society or individuals.
Simile
A comparison between two things using “like” or “as.” Example:
"She was as brave as a lion."
“Quick like a cheetah."
“Rude as a house cat.”
And this is the literary device that writers usually confuse with Metaphors. But just remember, similes use like or as, and Metaphors don’t.
Symbolism
The use of symbols to represent abstract ideas or concepts.
Synecdoche
Using a part to represent the whole. Example: "All hands on deck!" Hands represent the sailors.
Theme
The underlying message or meaning in a story.
Tone
The writer's attitude or point of view towards the subject matter.
Understatement
A figure of speech that intentionally downplays the importance of something.
Verbal irony
Saying the opposite of what is meant.
Zeugma
Using one verb to describe two different objects in a sentence. For example, "She broke his car and his heart."
And there you have it: The top 40 literary terms!
Armed with this knowledge, you, the protagonist of your own journey, can now analyze any story, impress your English teacher, startle a stranger, or even write the masterpiece you’ve always dreamed of reading.
