Original Writing: Techniques and Craft

Producing a high-quality piece of original writing requires more than having a good idea. It requires craft — the deliberate, purposeful manipulation of language to create specific effects. This lesson covers the key techniques you should consider for both creative and transactional writing, with a focus on how linguistic choices at the level of words, sentences, and structure work together to produce effective writing. The techniques discussed here are the ones you will need to explain and justify in your commentary, so understanding them deeply is doubly important.

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Narrative Techniques (Creative Writing)

If you are writing a piece of creative prose — a short story, novel opening, memoir extract, or dramatic monologue — narrative technique is fundamental to your success.

Voice and Perspective

The narrative voice you choose determines the entire texture of your writing. It shapes what the reader knows, how they feel, and how close they are to the characters.