Boost Your Writing With These Must-Know Literary Devices

Discover how imagery, metaphors, and other essential techniques bring your words to life.

“I could never write like that.”
“I’m just not a literary writer.”

If I had a dollar for every time a friend, student, or fellow writer said something like this… well, I’d at least be able to buy myself a new notebook. This belief that some mystical group of word-sorcerers were simply born with an encyclopedic knowledge of literary devices is wild to me. There are no child prodigy metaphor writers. No baby ever looked up from the crib and cried, “Mother, behold, I speak in alliteration.”

We learned. We tried. We scribbled messy sentences in elementary school. We wrote melodramatic poetry in high school. (Please say it wasn’t just me.) And some of us tucked writing away because someone somewhere implied you weren’t good enough.

But you are. And if you’ve been wanting to sharpen your writing or reconnect with your inner storyteller, understanding a few key literary devices is one of the easiest, most empowering ways to begin. They’re tools. Tools you already have the capacity to use.

So if you’re feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or convinced you’re “not creative enough,” let’s take a breath and walk through a handful of essential literary devices every writer should know. We’re keeping this simple, practical, and dare I say… fun.

Imagery

You know that feeling when you read a sentence so vivid you can taste it?
That’s imagery.

And the beautiful thing? You’re already wired for it. As kids, we noticed everything: the color of our crayons, the crunch of leaves under our boots, the smell of the school cafeteria pizza that probably should not have been legally called pizza. Somewhere along the way, we stopped paying attention.

Imagery is just paying attention again.

Want to describe a setting? Ask yourself what you see, hear, smell, feel, even taste. Jot it down. Don’t overthink it. The more sensory details you use, the more alive your writing becomes.

Metaphor

Metaphors are the magic trick of writing; they compare two unrelated things without using “like” or “as,” and somehow everything suddenly makes sense.

“The night was a velvet curtain.”
“Her anger was a storm rising.”
“The city is a heartbeat.”

Guess what? You don’t need to be some poetic genius to write these. You just need to look at something and ask: What does this feel like? What does this remind me of? Your brain is already creative. It’s constantly making connections. Let it play. The super power with metaphors is to drop the was/is completely and used it as a verb.

“The tree branches latticed over head, casting a web of shadows.”

Not a “was” to be found, and yet, look at the comparison made. It’s my absolute favorite thing.

Simile

Similes are metaphors’ slightly more obvious cousin. They still compare two things, but use “like” or “as.”

“His laugh cracked like ice.”
“She was as brave as a wildfire.”

If metaphors feel intimidating, start with similes. They’re easy, flexible, and incredibly effective. And honestly? Some of the most powerful lines in literature are just beautifully crafted similes.

Alliteration

Alliteration is that repetition of sound that makes sentences sing.

“Silver snow spilled softly.”
“Wild winds whipped the water.”

It’s playful, rhythmic, and once you start noticing it, you’ll see it everywhere. Don’t force it or use it excessively. Just use it when you want to add musicality or emphasis. It’s one of those devices that instantly elevates your writing without a ton of effort.

Flashback

Flashbacks are memories woven into the present of your story. They help us understand a character’s past, why they are the way they are, what shaped them, what they fear or long for. In the biz, we call it interiority.

We all have flashbacks in our own lives, right? You smell a certain perfume and suddenly you’re twelve again. You hear a song and you’re instantly back in your first car, windows down, feeling invincible.

Writing flashbacks is simply translating that emotional rewind onto the page.

Foreshadowing

Foreshadowing is like leaving breadcrumbs for your reader: clues, hints, shadows of what’s to come. It builds tension. It builds curiosity. It builds tension. It keeps pages turning. Did I mention it builds tension?

And despite what the internet might tell you, foreshadowing doesn’t have to be complicated. It can be a small detail, a tossed-off line, a shift in tone. Just a whisper that something is coming.

So… where do you begin?

Anywhere. Truly.

Pick one device. Play with it in a paragraph or two. Write a scene that’s drenched in imagery. Rewrite a dull sentence using metaphor. Add a sprinkle of alliteration just because it sounds pretty.

You don’t need to master all the things all at once. You just need to start.

And if you want help getting started with your writing?
Grab my FREE eBook: The Writing Process—it’ll walk you through the steps, the mindset, and the magic of building a writing life.

Grab my FREE eBook!

I’ve been thinking a lot about writing craft lately, especially as I’ve shifted between writing and painting these past few months. Creativity shows up in so many forms, and learning new tools—whether watercolor techniques or literary devices—always sparks more ideas.

What about you?
What are you working on right now, and how are you weaving creativity into your days?
Comment below—I’d love to hear all about it.