Lesson No.

3
Language in
Creative Writing
 Language in
Creative Writing
A. Imagery
B. Figures of Speech
C. Diction
Imagery
 What is Imagery?
Imagery is language used by
poets, novelists and other writers
to create images in the mind of
the reader.
 What is Imagery?
Imagery includes figurative
and metaphorical language to
improve the reader’s experience
through their senses.
 Visual Imagery
It describes what we see:
comic book images, paintings, or
images directly experienced
through the narrator’s eyes.
Visual imagery may include:

Color - burnt red, bright orange, dull

yellow, verdant green.

Shapes - square, circular, rectangular,

and conical.
 Size - miniscule, tiny, small,
medium-sized, large, and
gigantic.

Pattern - polka-dotted, striped,

zig-zagged, jagged, and
straight.
 Imagery Using Visual

“The night was black as ever, but

bright stars lit up the sky in beautiful
and varied constellations which
were sprinkled across the
astronomical landscape.”
 Auditory Imagery

Auditory imagery describes

what we hear, from music to noise
to pure silence.
Auditory imagery may include:

 Enjoyable sounds - beautiful

music, birdsong, and the voices of a
chorus.

Silence - describing a peaceful

and calm.
Auditory imagery may include:

Noises - the bang of a gun, the

sound of a broom moving across the
floor, and the sound of broken glass
shattering on the hard floor.
Imagery Using Auditory
 Silence was broken by the
peal of piano keys as Shannon
began practicing her concerto.
 The music coursed through us,
shaking our bodies as if it came
from within us.
 Olfactory Imagery
Olfactory imagery describes
what we smell.
Imagery Using Olfactory
She smelled the scent of
sweet flowers wafting through the
air, its tropical smell a reminder
that she was on vacation in a
beautiful place.
 Tactile Imagery
It describes what we feel or touch.
Tactile Imagery includes:

Temperature, such as bitter cold,

humidity, mildness, and stifling heat.

Texture, such as rough, ragged,

seamless, and smooth.
 Touch, such as hand-holding, one’s
in the grass, or the feeling of starched
fabric on one’s skin.

Movement, such as burning

muscles from exertion, swimming in
cold water, or kicking a soccer ball.
Imagery Using Tactile
After the long run, he collapsed
in the grass with tired and burning
muscles. The grass tickled his skin
and sweat cooled on his brow.
Gustatory Imagery
It describes what we taste.
Gustatory imagery can
include:
 Sweetness - candies, cookies,
and desserts.
Sourness - lemons and limes.
Saltiness - French fries, and
pepperonis.
Spiciness - salsas and curries.
Savoriness - steak dinner or thick
soup.
Imagery using Gustatory

The candy melted in her

mouth and swirls of bittersweet
chocolate and slightly sweet but
salty caramel blended together on
her tongue.
 The Importance of
Using Imagery

Because we experience life

through our senses, a strong
composition should appeal to
them through the use of imagery.
Imagery commonly helps build
compelling poetry, convincing
narratives, vivid plays, well-
designed film sets, and
descriptive songs.
Descriptive imagery launches
the reader into the experience
of a warm spring day, scorching
hot summer, crisp fall, or harsh
winter.
It allows readers to directly
sympathize with characters
and narrators as they imagine
having the same sense
experiences.