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Writing dystopian fiction can be a lot of fun. When the world feels bleak and hopeless, what better way to channel your frustration and anger than into a story where the world has changed completely — unrecognisably and for the worse.

But in order to create a dystopian world, first you need new and fresh ideas — which is where our writing prompts come in.

In this article, I will be sharing what dystopian literature is, and then taking a look at some fun ideas based on various dystopian genre categories.

So whether you are writing a dystopian novel, script, or short story, take a look at our 43 dystopian writing prompts and 17 ways to find inspiration, and see where these seeds of an idea take you!

What Is Dystopian Literature?

The Oxford dictionary describes the word 'dystopia' as: "An imagined state or society in which there is great suffering or injustice, typically one that is totalitarian or post-apocalyptic."

In literary terms, dystopian fiction is simply stories set in a future where our world has been drastically changed in some way.

Whichever dystopian genre you choose to write, whether fantastical or totally plausible, remember that the story must derive from a kernel of truth, and the main character needs to be suffering as a result of that change.

Examples Of Dystopian Novels

How is the future going to look in your next novel?

There are many different ways to show a changed dystopian society. In some dystopian novels, the change is small...

Perhaps it's an intimidating government regime, such as Orwell's novel, 1984, or climate change concerns, found in Atwood's Oryx And Crake.

Whereas in other dystopian novels the story may be set against a post-apocalyptic backdrop where zombies roam the streets, such as in M J Carey's The Girl With All The Gifts, or science and technology have taken over from civilisation, as found in Huxley's Brave New World.

The popular YA books series and movie franchise, The Hunger Games, explores the concept of young people saving our world and communities being split into factions, having to come together to overthrow a corrupt government.

Alternatively, you may choose to explore the idea of the human population diminishing and what that would mean for human life, such as in Bethany Clift's Last One at the Party and Christina Sweeney-Baird's The End of Men.

Regardless of how far-fetched or unbelievable your ideas are, you can still make a comment about the world we live in today through your dystopian stories.

43 Dystopian Writing Prompts

The joy of writing dystopian stories is that the ideas and possibilities are endless. You can be didactic and political, or you can send your readers on a magical, crazy adventure.

As long as your story is set in the future, in a world that is suffering or post-apocalyptic, you have yourself a dystopian novel.

Ready for some ideas to kick-start your imagination? Here we go!

How To Use Our Dystopian Writing Prompts

Because dystopia is such a broad genre, and the story possibilities are endless, I have put together 43 writing prompts categorised into 8 sub-genres.

Feel free to mix and match my ideas, add lots of your own details, or even take the line and put it into your story. However you choose to use these prompts, the important thing when writing dystopia is that you keep it fresh, exciting, and relevant to the market today.

Speculative Fiction

Speculative dystopian fiction adds a touch of magic and the impossible to a dystopian world.

• In the not-too-distant future, scientists have created a pill that allows humans to fly. The only problem is that they have sold it to the wrong people.
• Imagine a dystopian future where our dreams literally come true — including all our nightmares.
• The government decides to eradicate money and go back to a bartering system, but some people have MAGIC to barter with.
• The world has always been full of invisible people... but now everyone can see them.

World War

Every country changes after a war. What will happen in your dystopian version?

• The adult human race has been wiped out because of war, only children are left. Will they survive?
• A future where every country is at a nuclear standstill... which one will crack first?
• Two countries at war fighting over the rightful heir to their throne discover she is actually a powerful witch.
• Tim wants to avoid fighting in the Third World War, so creates a robot to take his place.

Post-Apocalyptic World

The world has ended... as we know it. What does it look like now?

• Life expectancy has gone up and people are living for twice as long. But it's backfired!
• 1,000 years into the future and the new world looks completely different. In fact, humans have now evolved into... (?)
• The world has ended and the only remaining humans are those who were cryogenically frozen. What are they about to wake up to?
• Sammy has spent her whole life in just one village. It's not until she realises she's the only one left on Earth that she decides to see the world!
• The only people who have survived the end of the world are the inhabitants of two small islands. Unfortunately, they hate one another.
• The whole of America has been destroyed except New York City. Those left are completely unaware the rest of the country no longer exists until one person manages to escape the city walls.
• The world has been divided into 4 regions - North, South, East and West - two are poor and two are rich. Every year every human on the planet has to enter the ultimate challenge to be allowed to stay alive!

Monsters & Zombie Apocalypse

It's finally happened - humans have become zombies and we have new monsters to fear. How will your story give a new twist to this fun genre?

• On the first anniversary of the war that nearly ended the world, a small town pays respect to its fallen heroes... but then they all return home. Undead.
• Science creates a GM meat substitute that eventually leads to people developing a hunger for human flesh.
• Jeff is the only man who has survived the end of the world after a huge nuclear explosion — he and all the cockroaches that have now mutated to 100 times their size.
• Thanks to a giant radiation leak every domesticated animal has become a feral predator. Ever seen how fast a cow can run when it's hungry?
• Zombies have taken over the world, except... they're actually nicer than humans.
• It's Halloween and the sweets are laced with a dangerous drug. The monsters in the street are no longer people dressed up.
• A pandemic sweeps through an island forcing people to flee before the indigenous animals turn into monsters... including all sea creatures.

Natural Disasters

We've destroyed our planet and now it's fighting back. How does the world look now?

• Global warming causes all the ice caps to melt and humans are forced to literally sink or swim in order to survive!
• A meteor strike strikes the Sahara desert, uncovering a giant spaceship that has been hidden for hundreds of years.
• Climate change has made the entire planet too hot to live on; only the Arctic is a safe place to live. The battle to claim the only inhabitable land has commenced.
• Thanks to climate change and limited resources, humans have to choose between cannibalism or death.
• The sea level is rising and the only water left on Earth is seawater.
• Fires sweep through Europe, forcing everyone to flee to islands such as the UK and Ireland. The locals are torn between making room and protecting their own.

Alternate Universe

Maybe we don't know everything we thought we did about our planet and its place in the universe.

• Scientists discover our world is not the only habitable planet in the universe. Russia, China and America battle it out to see who will be the first to claim this new planet as their own.
• Sally discovers a portal where she is thrown into a world exactly like our own... except neither world war happened, the concept of money has been abolished, and Elvis never died.
• Thanks to a new drug, a detective learns to solve crimes by going back to the past and watching the crime scenes unfold.
• A woman in a coma is really happy in life until she wakes up and discovers the real world no longer exists, and she had imagined a whole life that never happened.

Corrupt Government

The world has changed and those in power are about to do something absolutely terrifying... or perhaps they already have.

• The government has been secretly adding subliminal messages to TikTok to brainwash kids into joining a secret army.
• Earth is about to be destroyed by a giant tsunami in five days... but the government is calling it Fake News. Can a team of kids convince the world to take cover before it's too late?
• A corrupt government has come into power and convinced everyone that weekends should be abolished as it will make them more money. One union rises up and creates a civil war.
• The new law states that a woman's place is in the home and that everyone with a womb must have two children before the age of 30 or they will face the death penalty. 10 years later, a group of women fight back.
• A dangerous UK government comes into power, forcing every person in the UK to return to the country in which their maternal grandfathers were born, and forcing British people who live abroad to return to the UK.

Technology

Humans are obsolete and science and technology have taken over. Now what?

• Humans are slowly being replaced by identical robots and no one will believe Tom as he warns the remaining humans about it.
• Artificial intelligence has taken over the art world - paintings, books and music have been created by machines for centuries - then one woman picks up a pen.
• A scientist has discovered he can control the human mind - and starts by experimenting on his family.
• Human body parts can now be harvested... one scientist decides to create the perfect human being.
• In a quest to save the rainforest, a scientist discovers a plant that can communicate with humans and learns something that will change the world.
• A man invents the perfect female robot whom he falls in love with... but the robot becomes sentient and tells him all the things that are wrong with him.

17 Ways To Find Inspiration

1. Watch the news. Take the latest shocking headline, think of the worst-case scenario, and develop the story around that little seed of an idea.
2. Look at old photographs of strange things.
3. Combine two or more dystopian novels and set them against a new background.
4. Create a modern-day version of an old classic.
5. Read up on world leaders from the past and imagine what would have happened if history had been different.
6. Create a fantastical version of things that have already happened.
7. Learn about the environment and how we can help the planet.
8. Ask friends what their worst fears are.
9. Base your characters on dark real-life figures from the past.
10. Read up on the lives of interesting historical figures.
11. Learn about space and predictions for the future.
12. Ask yourself 'what if...' and see where it takes you.
13. Look at the struggles minorities in our world have and think about what would happen if all of humanity suffered in that way.
14. Make Pinterest boards.
15. Read conspiracy theories.
16. Talk to people who fight for the rights of others.
17. Don't be afraid to push boundaries and ask difficult questions.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Are Examples Of Dystopian Stories?

There are many incredible dystopian stories. Examples include 1984 by George Orwell, The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood, Brave New World by Aldous Huxley, Last One at the Party by Bethany Clift, and Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel.

What Are 3 Common Themes In A Dystopian Story?

Three of the most common themes in dystopian stories are the concept of control (exerted by the government, technology, religion etc), survival, and environmental destruction.

Step Into A New World Of Ideas

I hope you enjoyed these writing prompts and that they've inspired you to create a new and terrifying future world for your next novel.

And remember, whatever is happening in the world right now... it could always be worse!

Fundamentally, narrative writing connects events in our stories using character, conflict, plot, setting and theme to create a narrative writing arc. 

Throughout this article, I will highlight different types of narrative writing. I will also explain the six key elements that make up narrative writing and why they are crucial.  

I will also offer some tips on how to use narrative structure in your own writing effectively.  

What Is Narrative Writing?

Narrative writing is, quite literally, exactly what it says on the tin. Narrative writing is a structure of storytelling told in a narrative manner. Only, nothing is really that simple when it comes to the world of writing, is it?  

There is so much more to learn about how the rules of narrative writing could help elevate your own work in progress.  

It doesn’t matter if you are writing fiction, non-fiction, short stories, descriptive essays or full-length novels, narrative writing utilises the six key elements of writing to convey a story to a reader, often using the age-old technique of writing a ‘beginning, middle and end’ (linear) structure. But not always… narrative writing can also be non-linear! 

I told you it wasn’t as simple as you may have first thought.  

Think back to your school days. We were taught the basics of storytelling from a young age, and we were taught at first to write in a narrative format. We were being taught how ‘tell a story’.  

Over the years we develop ways to make those stories more compelling, more complex, and sometimes more emotional, but at the heart of it, we were learning narrative structure.  

Linear Narrative Writing Vs Non-Linear Narrative Writing 

Before we talk about the key elements that all narrative writing relies on, it’s important to know the difference between linear and non-linear narrative writing. Overall, there are five different styles of narrative writing, but understanding the difference between linear and non-linear is crucial, as each of the others can be written in either of these sub-styles.  

Linear Narrative

What Is A Linear Narrative? 

Linear narrative describes a structure of narrative writing that follows a traditional pattern. It's a narration that tells a story of events in the order in which they occur, in sequence.  

Linear narrative is the most common form of writing and is the most basic of structures, following a story in a continuous fashion from beginning to end, describing events as they happen. 

A writer will still use all six key elements of narrative writing to complete the structure, but they'll stick to a flow that unfolds in a chronological manner.  

What Is The Benefit Of Writing In A Linear Narrative Style? 

When writing in a linear style, character arcs and causation are easily identifiable on the page. As humans, we lead linear lives, so to see this replicated on the page can often create an instant sense of understanding with a reader.  

What Is An Example Of A Linear Narrative In Fiction? 

An obvious example of a linear narrative can be found in Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe. The entire novel is written in a linear fashion. Although Crusoe often remarks about memories of the past, we are propelled through the novel in chronological order. 

Non-Linear Narrative

What Is A Non-Linear Narrative? 

Non-linear narrative is the direct opposite of linear narrative. This structure of narrative writing presents a story with events unfolding out of order.  

The events in the narrative/story are not told chronologically and will often make use of devices such as flashbacks to transport the reader back (or indeed forward) in time. 

What Are The Benefits Of Writing In A Non-Linear Style? 

Non-linear writing can be trickier to pull off and the writer must be careful not to use ‘flashbacks’ to info-dump on the reader. However, if successfully used, a non-linear structure allows a writer to tell a story, slowly releasing information from the past to highlight issues in the present, or even hint at possible issues in the future.  

Non-linear writing can help to represent changes in your character's emotional state, or even highlight reasons why your character is acting a certain way. For example, if past traumas resurface, highlighting these will give your characters depth and help create a strong character arc.  

Non-linear writing can also be used to create and build suspense. For example, Donna Tartt opens The Secret History by telling us about a murder, but then takes us back to events before the murder, making us wait for the story to unfold to find out what events lead up to the killing. 

What Is An Example Of A Non-Linear Narrative In Fiction? 

There are many examples I could use as fabulous examples of non-linear writing in contemporary novels, but one such novel that sticks out for me is The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern. In this novel, although the two magicians are battling a jealous rivalry, they move between different points in time to highlight the rivalry over the decades. A clever non-linear structure can move through weeks, months, years and sometimes even decades if done well.  

Key Elements Of Narrative Writing

Now that we understand the two main areas of narrative writing style, it is time to look into the elements of story writing that can be utilised to ensure you carry out this style of writing effectively.  

Irrespective of whether you are writing a linear or non-linear narrative structure, six key elements are used to create this style of writing. These same six elements remain the same, in both fiction and non-fiction writing.  

The six key narrative elements:  

• Character 
• Plot 
• Setting 
• Conflict 
• Theme 
• Narrative Arc 

Using these six elements accurately will help create both linear and non-linear narratives.  

It is important to know what each of these are and how they work together.  

Let’s take one of our previous examples and break them down. We'll use the example of Donna Tartt's A Secret History.

Character

Characters are the people in the story that propel it forward using the plot.  One of the most important aspects of narrative fiction is character development.  

In A Secret History – Richard Papen is the narrator and protagonist (main character).   

In this novel, we see Richard as a young graduate student in California. Over the course of the novel, we follow his story and character development as he pursues his ambitions.  

Although we are using an example of fiction here, character development through narrative writing in non-fiction is just as important. If you want your reader to follow your story, you have to create a reason for them to be invested. A strong sense of character does just that.  

It doesn’t matter if it’s fiction or non-fiction, the main point of narrative writing is to create an interesting story, and you can’t create a story without character.  

By the end of your narrative writing piece, your character should have been on a journey, told in story form, with the development of this character being the driving force for the narrative.  

Plot

The plot is the thread of events that create the story you are telling.  

Let’s go back to The Secret History. It is, at its heart, an inverted detective story narrated by Richard Papen, one of the six students involved in the murder of their friend Edmund ‘Bunny’ Corcoran. 

Whether you are writing a space opera fiction novel, or a biography on King Henry IIIV, narrative writing is at its core a ‘story’. To have a functioning story, be it in a linear or non-linear form, your characters need to have a plot to follow.  

Make sure you ask yourself ‘why is this story important?’ and ‘why am I using these characters to tell this story?’  

Setting

Setting is crucial in any written work. If you are writing historical non-fiction, making sure you describe the settings is crucial in narrative writing. After all, if all your readers want is ‘facts’, they can get them in an academic text. They are reading narrative non-fiction to feel more of a connection to the story.  

Let’s go back to Donna Tartt and The Secret of History again. Set against the backdrop of a liberal arts college in New England in the 1980’s, the setting of this novel reveals just as much about the characters themselves as the plot of the novel.  

Conflict

Conflict is the problem at the heart of your work that needs to be resolved.  

The conflict in The Secret History is clear, and centres around the death of ‘Bunny’.  

The conflict in your narrative writing will help clarify your themes.  

If you are hoping to create a sense of tension within your narrative writing, conflict is crucial. You can choose to create conflict between characters, or even use setting to show conflict between worlds, but making sure the conflict at the centre of your plot is strong will be what your narrative fiction lives or dies on. 

Theme 

Theme is arguably the most important of all narrative elements. You are telling a story, that much we know, but what is the moral of that story?  

What do you as a writer want the reader to be asking?  

In A Secret History, there are a few main themes working together. Tartt wants the reader to understand and examine the consequences of secrets, the superficiality of appearances, the dangers of isolation and reality versus illusion. Tartt uses character, plot and conflict to ensure these themes are strong on the page.  

Themes are essential in all styles of writing. It doesn’t matter if you are writing in a linear or non-linear fashion, your themes will be vital to telling the story. Remember, you are telling a story, ask yourself, what lessons do you hope to share?  

Narrative Arc

Narrative arc is how we describe the story structure.  

In almost all works of fiction, a narrative arc is a fundamental building block for what makes a good novel. To create a narrative arc, you need to consider who your character is, what it is they want in the story you are creating, what conflict they will encounter, how they will resolve that conflict and how those lessons will culminate in a satisfying ending. Essentially, you take all of the other elements of narrative writing to create an arc that leaves your reader satisfied.  

Types Of Narrative Writing

Although we have already discussed the difference between linear and non-linear narrative writing, there are three other main areas of narrative writing.  

• Historical narrative writing 
• Viewpoint narrative writing 
• Quest narrative writing 

Historical Narrative Writing

Historical narrative writing is how we describe the writing of historical events in a story-based format. 

Historical narrative writing is most commonly found in biographical and autobiographical historical writings, but can also be seen as fiction such as historical romance, and historical fiction novels. 

Historical narratives can often include ‘primary source material’ which will present first-hand accounts and knowledge, often in the form of diary entries, letters or personal memories in an autobiographical, biographical or memoir style. 

Historical writing is used to help tell a story about a past event, which can be told through the eyes of a fictional character, or through the eyes of an important historical figure.  

Historical narrative fiction is an interesting topic because despite many believing that historical events are factual, the way we view history can be clouded by our own perceptions, and opinions, and coloured by our own experiences.  

One aspect that most historical narratives have in common is the use of the structure to show a chain reaction of events that happen over a long and extended period of time. Many historical narrative writings will skip large chunks of time between events and refer to time periods often. 

Historical narrative fiction and historical non-fiction require a lot of research but can be some of the most interesting forms of writing. Only through the past can we learn about the future, so shaping these events on the page for readers can truly be rewarding.  

Viewpoint Narrative Writing

The main point of viewpoint narrative in writing, is to show and understand multiple view points of the same story. Each of the separate points of view will show each individual's own opinions and can be written in a linear or non-linear fashion.  

This style of narrative is incredibly strong and is used often in fiction writing. With multiple POVs, we are able to experience the same issues and conflicts from multiple angles. 

Limiting the point of view in a scene to one character can make a reader feel closer to the action, but you can choose how much information you are giving your reader by limiting or expanding the points of view in your work.  

Similarly, if you are writing from one point of view only, you can create real empathy within your reader; a true and strong connection. But what if you want to create doubt within your reader, or include an unreliable character? Multiple viewpoints will allow you to explore more emotions in a much wider way.  

Viewpoint narrative can be incredibly effective, withholding information, creating suspense and even creating desire within your reader can all be achieved just by playing with a viewpoint narrative. 

Quest Narrative Writing

Quest narrative writing is a structure that follows a protagonist as they work towards achieving a goal. In many cases, this narrative will showcase characters tackling multiple obstacles that are placed in their way as they continue towards the end of their journey.  

More often than not, a quest narrative will see characters travel geographical distances while battling issues that threaten to throw them off course.  

A very obvious example of a quest narrative would be that of Bilbo Baggins in the popular novel The Hobbit by J R R Tolkien. We read along as Bilbo travels, in a fairly linear fashion, with his companions to reclaim lost gold. The quest takes them across vast expanses of land and across territories, facing many conflicts and crises along the way before they are able to complete their journey.   

In order for a quest narrative to be successful, the protagonist must have a place to go, a reason to go there, challenges they will face along the way and a realisation at the end of the story as to what the real reason for their quest was.  

How To Craft A Strong Narrative

A strong narrative writing piece, no matter which style you chose, needs to capture the imagination and attention of your reader. After that, you need to consider that if your readers are searching out and reading narrative work, they are asking to be told a story. Don’t forget that. Always refer back to the good ole days, sat round a campfire telling stories with friends.

The stories you tell must be compelling and memorable and, most of all, they must be complete. You must have a beginning, a middle and an end– even if they don’t necessarily come in that order. A strong and well-written piece of narrative writing should profoundly impact your reader in some memorable way.  

Before you set to work on your narrative writing piece, consider these points. 

• First, decide what the story is that you are telling. If you can’t nail that in a few sentences (at the very most) you won’t be able to convey that story to your reader. 
• Decide which structure is going to work best for your work. Linear vs non-linear.  
• Walk through the six elements of narrative fiction and make sure you are clear on each point.  
• Identify the audience you hope to reach and make sure you are using the tone, mood and setting to create a piece of work that will grab the attention of your chosen audience. 
• Determine the ‘arc’ of your narrative writing piece. Remember:
  • Exposition (the reader's introduction to your story) 
  • Rising action (when the conflict will arise and show itself) 
  • Climax 
  • Falling action 
  • Resolution 

Remember, to create a sense of satisfaction in your reader, a completed arc is important. Fiction, or non-fiction, narrative writing always has a story at its heart – so make sure you can resolve the story. 

Narrative Writing Tips

I was given some amazing narrative writing tips by a fabulous creative writing teacher when I was younger, and I have never forgotten them. They apply to all kinds of narrative writing, whether you're writing a novel, short story, or narrative essay. Today, I pass them on to you! 

• Be mindful of your themes, always. Make sure they are clear in your mind throughout the entire writing process and reinforce them often. You can use setting, tone, language and imagery to do this, but always have your themes at the forefront of your mind .
• Set the tone of your work at the beginning, and use keywords along the way to reinforce this. For example, narrative writing can be humorous but make sure that humour is peppered throughout. If your narrative work is dark and mournful, make sure you create areas of shade to let your reader breathe and take in the moments of darkness. 
• Play with language. Always. As humans, we constantly look for different ways to explain the world around us. Imagine you are narrating the story yourself, don’t use the same words over and over again, and explore language in the same way we do in life. It will ensure your work feels more authentic.  
• Always keep your eye on the prize. You know the ending before you even start the novel. You are narrating a full story, so keep the ending in mind as you write and create milestones along the way so your reader feels they are enjoying the journey with you.  
• Write often, even if it’s only a little. And read even more than that.  
• Talk to yourself– I am serious!  Talk to yourself. Embody one of your characters and spend a day narrating your life through their eyes. Hearing how you narrate your own life will help you find a flow in which to narrate the story in your head.  
• Read your work out loud. Often. Narrative writing is meant to be narrated. So, narrate it. If it doesn’t feel or sound right to you, re-think things a little. Imagine what it would sound like if it was read back to you around a campfire.  

Frequently Asked Questions

What Is The Main Purpose Of Narrative Writing?

At its heart, the main purpose of narrative writing is to tell a story. It really is that simple. A beginning, a middle and an end – but not necessarily always in that order.  

What Makes Good Narrative Writing?

Narrative writing is most successful when writers utilise the 6 key elements of writing to tell a story that will affect the reader and leave a lasting impression. The very best works of narrative writing are deeply descriptive, include visual imagery, strong characters with believable arcs, and a plot and theme that evoke an emotional response in the reader.  

What Are The Six Elements Of Narrative Fiction?

The six key narrative elements are:

• Character 
• Plot 
• Setting 
• Conflict 
• Theme 
• Narrative Arc 

If a writer uses all six key elements together in the correct manner, they can create both linear and non-linear narratives. 

What Is The Difference Between Linear And Non-Linear Narrative Writing? 

A linear narrative describes a structure of narrative writing that tells a story of events in the order in which they occur, in sequence. A non-linear narrative is the direct opposite of a linear narrative. This structure of narrative fiction presents a story with events unfolding out of order. 

What Are The Five Main Types Of Narrative Writing? 

Narrative writing can be broken down into five key main areas:

• Linear narrative writing 
• Non-linear narrative writing 
• Historical narrative writing 
• Viewpoint narrative writing 
• Quest narrative writing 

Writing Narratives

Narrative writing and narrative storytelling have been around for as long as time. It’s how we communicate as a species. It’s how we relate to the world outside and understand those living around us. To write narrative writing is to pass on the skills of our ancestors. That's why teaching narrative writing and sharing its various techniques is so important.

If done properly, narrative writing will allow you to pass your own stories on to others, so they will live in history and be passed on. Narrative writing, in my opinion, is the purest form of storytelling we have at our disposal. Learning how to harness these skills will not only allow you to pass on your own stories, but those stories will, in turn, help the writers of future generations to follow in your footsteps.  

I’m sure many of you remember learning about adjectives at school. But can you remember what they are, as well as why we use them and when?

And what is a descriptive adjective? Why is it important that we, as writers, use them?

In the following guide, we’ll tell you exactly what descriptive adjectives are, the different types of descriptive adjectives, and how to use them effectively in your work. We’ll even provide you with a descriptive adjectives list to give you plenty of ideas for making your writing stronger.

What Is A Descriptive Adjective?

A descriptive adjective is one that modifies a noun by describing it. Let’s look at a couple of examples:

• The house was huge.
• Peter loved chewy sweets.

The descriptive adjectives in these two sentences are huge and chewy. From the word huge, we now have an idea in our minds about the size of the house. We also know the type of sweets Peter likes from the word chewy. 

Perhaps it’s all coming back to you now, and you’re remembering that adjectives are describing words. There are many different types of adjectives, but descriptive adjectives form the most comprehensive group.

Here are a few examples of non-descriptive adjectives:

Demonstrative Adjectives

Where did you find this book?

How much is that ring?

These photos are clear.

Distributive Adjectives

Either tool will work.

Neither tool was successful.

Every shop is open.

Quantitative Adjectives

The sun was shining throughout the whole day.

We need more resources.  

I’ve eaten enough chips.  

Possessive Adjective

Those are your dogs.

I want to eat my dinner.

I like our car.

Interrogative Adjectives

Whose socks are those?

What magazine are you buying?

Which chair is broken?

These examples differ to descriptive adjectives because no information is given about the noun that’s being modified. Taking the last example, we don’t know what colour the chair is, what material it’s made out of, if it’s a dining chair or one used for another purpose.   

Types Of Descriptive Adjectives

Various references highlight that there are thirteen different types of adjectives. Examples of some of them have been detailed above, but here’s the entire list:

• Attributive adjectives
• Comparative adjectives
• Compound adjectives
• Demonstrative adjectives
• Descriptive adjectives
• Distributive adjectives
• Interrogative adjectives
• Limiting adjectives
• Participial adjectives
• Predicate adjectives
• Possessive adjectives
• Proper adjectives
• Superlative adjectives

In this article we’re going to focus on descriptive adjectives, and how they provide additional information about the associated noun by describing its characteristics or by altering it. This is especially useful in writing when we’re trying to create a picture in the reader’s mind.

For example, if you’re writing a ghost story that takes place in a house, and you want the reader to feel goosebumps, you might describe the house as eerie:

• Sarah looked up at the eerie house.

Or if you want to describe another type of house to create a contrasting feeling, you can use a different descriptive adjective. For example:

• Sarah saw the beautiful house.

Both descriptive adjectives portray very different houses.

Perhaps your story has a scene that takes place by the sea. See how these two descriptive adjectives once more bring contrasting images of the same noun to mind, just by using different descriptive adjectives:

• Peter walked into the freezing sea.
• Peter walked into the balmy sea.

As you can see, descriptive adjectives can help to bring your writing to life.

Descriptive adjectives can be placed into sub-categories, as follows.

Comparative Descriptive Adjectives

This type of descriptive adjective is used to compare one noun with another. They have comparative versions. For example:

• Calm and calmer
• Big and bigger
• Strong and stronger
• Dim and dimmer
• Tall and taller
• Pretty and prettier
• Thin and thinner
• Quicker and quicker
• Soft and softer
• Happy and happier
• Silly and sillier

Some comparative descriptive adjectives use two syllables, generally the words ‘more’ or ‘less’, to form the comparative term. For example:

• More beautiful (or less beautiful)
• Less interesting (or more interesting)
• Less tired (or more tired)
• More clever (or less clever)

Here are some examples of how to use comparative descriptive adjectives in a sentence:

• The new car is bigger than the old one
• The latest model is more expensive than similar models
• My new towels are softer than my other towels.
• This swimming pool is deeper than other swimming pools
• His phone was cheaper than his previous one.
• Some athletes can run faster than other athletes.
• This book is lighter than that book
• Her new television is heavier than her last one
• The old curtains were thicker than the new ones
• Their holiday was less expensive than similar holidays
• The table over there is stronger than this table
• The new boy is more difficult than the other boys

Superlative Descriptive Adjectives

Superlative descriptive adjectives are similar to comparative descriptive adjectives, but they relate to the highest/lowest level of comparison. For example:

• Coldest
• Quietest
• Shiniest
• Longest
• Curliest
• Brightest

Let’s look at how these can be used in a sentence:

• The new car is the biggest I’ve ever owned.
• The latest model is the most expensive ever built.
• His cauliflower was the smallest in the produce show.
• This holiday is the cheapest I’ve ever had.
• She was the least famous person in the room.
• That tree is the tallest in the world.
• The horse was the slowest in the race.
• Her shopping bill was the least expensive one she’d ever had.
• The cake was the creamiest one in the shop.
• She was the oldest teacher in the school.
• He was the cleverest chess player in the club.
• She was the youngest entrant in the competition.
• It was the most wonderful experience he’d ever had.
• The test was the easiest one he’d ever taken.
• The coffee they sold was the strongest in the city. 

Positive Descriptive Adjectives

Positive descriptive adjectives describe a person, place, thing, idea, or
experience in a good, positive way.

This type of adjective isn’t used for comparison. Here are a few examples of positive descriptive adjectives:

• Amazing
• Ambitious
• Amusing
• Becoming
• Blissful
• Bold
• Carefree
• Caring
• Charismatic
• Dazzled
• Deluxe
• Dynamic
• Enchanting
• Energetic
• Excited
• Fabulous
• Fearless
• Fun
• Glowing
• Graceful
• Generous
• Happy
• Heavenly
• Helpful
• Illustrious
• Inspirational
• Inspired
• Jolly
• Jovial
• Jubilant
• Keen
• Kind
• Knowingly
• Lavish
• Loyal
• Lucky
• Magical
• Memorable
• Miracle
• Neat
• Nice
• Noticeable
• Original
• Outgoing
• Outstanding
• Perfect
• Polite
• Positive
• Quaint
• Quick-witted
• Quiet
• Radiant
• Reliable
• Rich
• Safe
• Serene
• Super
• Tasty
• Thankful
• Trusting
• Ultimate
• Unique
• Uplifted
• Valiant
• Valuable
• Vibrant
• Warm
• Wise
• Worthy
• Xenial (hospitable)
• Xenodochial (friendly)
• Young
• Youthful
• Yummy
• Zany
• Zestful
• Zing

Let’s put a few of these into practice:

• The boy was happy.
• Her test score was perfect.
• His room is neat.
• The town is quaint.
• Their pudding tastes heavenly.
• The holiday was magical.
• The nurse was kind.
• The coat is zany.
• The old man’s book was valuable.
• Her steak was tasty.
• The woman’s face is glowing.

Examples Of Descriptive Adjectives

We’re now going to give you a list of descriptive adjectives to use in your writing:

• Adorable
• Adventurous
• Agreeable
• Alive
• Aloof
• Amused
• Angry
• Annoying
• Anxious
• Arrogant
• Ashamed
• Attractive
• Auspicious
• Awful
• Bad
• Beautiful
• Beige
• Black
• Blue
• Blushing
• Bored
• Brave
• Bright
• Brown
• Bumpy
• Busy
• Calm
• Careful
• Cautious
• Charming
• Cheerful
• Clean
• Clear
• Comical
• Congenial
• Cordial
• Crazy
• Crooked
• Decayed
• Delicious
• Determined
• Dilapidated
• Distraught
• Dim
• Dizzy
• Drab
• Dreadful
• Droll
• Dull
• Elated
• Elderly
• Emaciated
• Embarrassed
• Enormous
• Enthusiastic
• Envious
• Exultant
• Fancy
• Fantastic
• Filthy
• Flat
• Fresh
• Friendly
• Fuzzy
• Ghastly
• Gigantic
• Glamorous
• Gleaming
• Greasy
• Green
• Glorious
• Gorgeous
• Grubby
• Grumpy
• Handsome
• Helpless
• High
• Hollow
• Homely
• Horrific
• Hot
• Icy
• Ideal
• Immense
• Irate
• Irritable
• Itchy
• Jealous
• Jittery
• Jocular
• Juicy
• Jumbo
• Jumpy
• Kind
• Knotty
• Knowledgeable
• Large
• Lazy
• Lethal
• Little
• Lively
• Lonely
• Low
• Ludicrous
• Magnificent
• Mammoth
• Massive
• Miniature
• Miniscule
• Minute
• Misty
• Modern
• Moody
• Muddy
• Mysterious
• Narrow
• Nasty
• Naughty
• Nervous
• Nonsensical
• Nutritious
• Obedient
• Oblivious
• Obnoxious
• Octagonal
• Odd
• Opulent
• Orange
• Outrageous
• Petite
• Plain
• Pleasant
• Poised
• Pompous
• Precious
• Proud
• Pungent
• Purple
• Quick
• Quiet
• Quizzical
• Rainy
• Rectangular
• Red
• Relieved
• Repulsive
• Ripe
• Robust
• Rotten
• Rough
• Round
• Salty
• Sarcastic
• Selfish
• Shaky
• Sharp
• Short
• Silky
• Silly
• Skinny
• Slimy
• Slippery
• Small
• Smarmy
• Smiling
• Smooth
• Smug
• Sparkling
• Stale
• Steep
• Sticky
• Strange
• Stunning
• Tan
• Tart
• Teak
• Tender
• Tense
• Terrible
• Thick
• Thoughtful
• Thoughtless
• Triangular
• Thrilled
• Tight
• Ugly
• Unbelievable
• Upset
• Unimaginable
• Unsightly
• Unusual
• Uptight
• Vast
• Vexed
• Victorious
• Vital
• Vivacious
• Vivid
• Wacky
• Wealthy
• Weary
• Wet
• Whopping
• Witty
• Wonderful
• Wobbly
• Wooden
• Worried
• Wretched
• Xenial
• Yellow
• Young
• Yummy
• Zany
• Zippy

Compound Descriptive Adjectives

Compound descriptive adjectives are where two words are used to
form the description. The following are some examples of compound terms:

• All-inclusive
• Baby-faced
• Bad-tempered
• Brightly-lit
• Broken-hearted
• Bullet-proof
• Cold-blooded
• Cross-country
• Deeply-rooted
• Densely-populated
• English-speaking
• Fast-paced
• Four-sided
• Full-length
• Green-eyed
• Heavy-handed
• High-heeled
• High-spirited
• Ice-cold
• Kind-hearted
• Life-giving
• Long-lasting
• Long-winded
• Middle-aged
• Mouth-watering
• Narrow-minded
• Never-ending
• Next-door
• Old-fashioned
• Open-minded
• Part-time
• Red-blooded
• Self-centred
• Short-haired
• Short-tempered
• Sure-footed
• Ten-minute
• Thick-skinned
• Thought-provoking
• Tight-fisted
• Well-behaved
• Well-educated
• Well-known
• World-famous
• Yellow-striped
• Young-hearted

Descriptive Adjective Rules And Best Practices

We’ve given you lots of different examples of descriptive adjectives, but there are some rules to follow regarding their use.

When you’re writing a sentence, it’s important that descriptive adjectives are used in the correct adjective order. Descriptive adjectives come after limiting adjectives (which define the noun rather than describing it. ‘Articles’ are examples of these - ‘a’, ‘an’ and ‘the’). For example, we would write Sally ate a delicious cake. If we wrote Sally ate delicious a cake, it wouldn’t make sense. Here are some more examples:

• She wrote three long books (good)
• She wrote long three books (not good)

• Keith ordered some new furniture (good)
• Keith ordered new some furniture (not good)

• The cat jumped up a tall tree (good)
• The cat jumped up tall a tree (not good)

From these examples, we can see how important correct adjective order is. If it isn’t written correctly, it’s confusing. It becomes even more difficult to understand when more than one descriptive adjective is used to describe the noun.

Let’s look at a few examples:

• The English angry little man was hungry (not good)
• The little English angry man was hungry (still not good)
• The angry little Englishman was hungry (better)

• Steven was eating a sugary huge cream cake (not good)
• Steven was eating a cream huge sugary cake (still not good)
• Steven was eating a huge sugary cream cake (better)

• She was reading the non-fiction old, battered book (not good)
• She was reading the battered non-fiction old book (still not good)
• She was reading the old, battered non-fiction book (better).  

Descriptive adjectives enhance our writing, but it’s very easy to overuse them. So think carefully about which descriptive adjectives to use to be the most effective. Using lots of descriptive adjectives to describe one noun isn’t always better.

For example:

• The boy has a brilliant bright wide infectious smile.

If you use too many descriptive adjectives, the word being described can become lost. Two descriptive adjectives in this instance would be enough:

• The boy has a wide infectious smile.

In some cases, using one strong descriptive adjective can paint a picture in the reader’s mind more vividly than using two or three. We’ll look at a couple of examples:

• The girl opened her mouth and out came a loud high-pitched scream.  

We can imagine what the scream would sound like, but using just one, more powerful descriptive adjective can make us almost hear it for ourselves:

• The girl opened her mouth and out came a piercing scream.

Example two:

• The miserable cross teacher moaned at us.

From this description, we know the teacher isn’t very happy. But we can swap one word for the two descriptive adjectives to create a more vivid image of the teacher and how they are feeling:

• The grouchy teacher moaned at us.

Descriptive Adjectives In Literature

Descriptive adjectives play a big part in our writing, but it’s important to understand them and their use – and understand how they can bring your work to life. Here are some examples of quotes by famous writers, who – by simply adding a few adjectives – fill our minds with vivid imagery!

“...his voice was like the cracking of ice on a winter lake, and the words were mocking”
― George R.R. Martin, A Game of Thrones

“Kylpaitryc's eyes streamed tears as he coughed explosively on harsh, sinus-raping smoke.”
― David Weber, At the Sign of Triumph

“Even in its first faint traces, love could alter a landscape. It wrote unimagined stories and made the most beautiful, forbidding places.” —Anna-Marie McLemore, Wild Beauty

“My sister, Mrs. Joe, with black hair and eyes, had such a prevailing redness of skin that I sometimes used to wonder whether it was possible she washed herself with a nutmeg-grater instead of soap. She was tall and bony, and almost always wore a coarse apron, fastened over her figure behind two loops, and having a square impregnable bib in front, that was stuck full of pins and needles.”
—Charles Dickens, Great Expectations

Conclusion

We hope you have found this article useful, and now, whenever you’re looking for descriptive words to bring your writing to life, you have the perfect reference guide to turn to.

Hopefully our descriptive adjectives examples will have inspired you and ignited your creative juices!

What does ‘symbology in fiction’ mean? And how can you utilize literary symbols in your work and strengthen your storytelling? 

If you’re ever lucky enough to travel to Bergen in Norway, (which, by the way, I would highly recommend) you’ll likely find yourself amongst brightly-coloured buildings packed tightly together as if bracing themselves against the wind and rain (the weather can get fairly atrocious). This is the UNESCO World Heritage site of Bryggen Hanseatic Wharf (Tyskebryggen).  

The buildings are restaurants, studios, workshops, and boutique shops, but once they were merchant houses, many of which still have distinct symbols on them. Why symbols, you might ask? Because these buildings date back as far as the 14^th century, to a time when many people couldn’t read, and the symbols made it easier to find which house or place of trade they were looking for.  

Symbols have been used, one way or another, since the beginning of time - and that still remains when it comes to writing. 

In this blog post I’ll further explore the use of symbols and symbolism in literature, as well as looking at how their uses benefit both readers and writers. 

Symbology vs Symbolism

The use of symbols in the example above is a fairly obvious one, for an equally obvious reason. But even today, supermarket chains, for example, have distinct branding or logos. These are used to distinguish themselves from competitors and are often in bright colours, sometimes even with a little picture.  

My three-year-old pointed out to me the other day that the four yellow dashes above the bright green letter ‘A’ in ASDA look like the sun rising above a field. I must have seen that logo a hundred, maybe even a thousand times, and never noticed. Now I do. Is he right? Maybe. Does it matter? Not at all. What matters is that it’s a symbol we recognise and can distinguish from others.  

More recently, the rainbow, a symbol of hope and promise, has become synonymous with the UK’s NHS and the nation’s support of all the hard work that is being done by healthcare workers during the pandemic. It’s also synonymous with the LBTQ+ community. Everybody knows that rainbows are positive and happy symbols. 

A red rose symbolises love and romance; a four-leaf clover is supposed to bring us good luck; green means go, and red means stop. These are all examples of symbols that have become ingrained in our everyday existence.  

But what does all of that have to do with writing? And what is the difference between symbology and symbolism?  

To put it simply, here's our definitions of symbology and literary symbolism: 

Symbology is the study and use of symbols, whereas symbolism is the representation of a concept through symbols.

Let’s look at birds as an example. Doves, usually white in colour, are used to represent peace or love; artists make use of owls to symbolise wisdom, and ravens – with their black plumage, croaking call, and diet of carrion – are often associated with death, loss, ill omens and lost souls.  

Types of Symbolism

There are many different types of symbolism that we writers use in our work. Let’s look at a few of the most common ones.

Simile

As brave as a lion, as strong as an ox, as big as an elephant; these are all examples of similes, which is a figure of speech involving the comparison of one thing with another thing of a different kind, used to make a description more emphatic or vivid. A lion is renowned for being brave and courageous, so making this direct comparison is a way in which to show meaning through a well-known symbol.

Metaphor

Whereas a simile compares two separate things, a metaphor is a figure of speech in which a word or phrase literally denotes one kind of object or idea and is used in place of another to suggest a likeness or analogy between them. For example, in Shakespeare’s ‘Romeo and Juliet’, Romeo says:

“What light through yonder window breaks? It is the East, and Juliet, the sun!”  

'Romeo and Juliet’ by Shakespeare

Juliet is not literally the sun and Romeo knows that Juliet is not literally the sun, but this demonstrates he compares her to the sun, thinks her what the sun symbolises: beauty, strength, awe, a life-giving force.

Allegory

The word allegory has a long history. The first evidence of its use in the English language is in the late 14^th century and comes from the Latin word allegoria, which in turn is the latinisation of the Greek word ἀλληγορία (allegoría), meaning veiled language or figurative. That word comes from both ἄλλος (allos), meaning another, different and ἀγορεύω (agoreuo), which is to harangue, to speak in the assembly, which originates from ἀγορά (agora): assembly.  

A modern definition is: a story, poem, or picture that can be interpreted to reveal a hidden meaning, typically a moral or political one.  

George Orwell’s Animal Farm, where each animal is a representation of a different political faction, is an example of an allegory. Another is The Faerie Queene by Edmund Spenser (which symbolises the moral and spiritual journey of an individual through innumerable temptations of sins towards the ultimate attainment of glory and truth), or Aesop’s Fables (such as the tale of The Tortoise and the Hare, where the tortoise wins because he’s slow and steady).

Archetype

In its most basic definition, an archetype is a typical example of a person or thing. In literature, there are four main archetype options, each with many examples. I’ve listed a few below, but there are many more.  

Character archetypes:

• The hero – the main character who often has a task/journey to complete. 
• The Outcast – someone living on the outskirts of society, sometimes, but not always, for something that isn’t his/her fault.  
• Star-Crossed Lovers – lovers who are destined not to be together.  

Situational archetypes:

• The Battle of Good and Evil – a battle in which good triumphs over evil.  
• The Hero’s Journey – the journey, physical or emotional, that the main character must complete.  
• Rags to Riches or vice versa – a character rises from a lower position in society to a better one, or vice versa.  

Setting archetypes:

• The Garden – symbolises love and fertility. 
• The River – water symbolises life and a river can show life’s journey or boundaries. 
• The Small Town – a place where everyone knows everyone and generally depicts intolerance.  

Symbolic Archetypes:

• Hourglass – the passing of time.  
• Heart – love. 
• Square – stability. 

Hyperbole

Exaggeration can be used to reflect how someone feels. These are not statements or claims that are meant literally, but instead used to symbolise meaning. An examples of this could be ‘I’ve told that story a thousand times’ or ‘There’s enough food to feed an army’. The speaker hasn’t literally told the story a thousand times, but maybe feels she has. In the second example, whether it be a good thing or not, there’s a lot of food to be eaten.  

There are many more types of symbolism in literature, such as allegory, archetype, personification and irony.

Symbolism in Fiction

Many writers make use of symbolism in their fiction to paint a brighter picture, or add depth or tension.  

In The Scarlet Letter by Daniel Hawthorne, Hester Prynne, a young woman in 17^th Century Puritan Boston, Massachusetts, is punished for giving birth to a daughter as a result of adultery. She is made to stand on a scaffold for three hours, subjected to public humiliation, and made to wear the letter A for the rest of her life. 

“They averred that the symbol was not mere scarlet cloth tinged in an earthly dyepot, but was red-hot with infernal fire, and could be seen glowing all alight whenever Hester Prynne walked abroad in the nighttime. And we must needs say it seared Hester’s bosom so deeply, that perhaps there was more truth in the rumor than our modern incredulity may be inclined to admit.” 

The Scarlet Letter by Daniel Hawthorne

The letter ‘A’ initially means adultery and penance, but as the novel progresses it takes on different meanings for different people. For some, ultimately, after Hester spends a lot of time as a visitor in homes of pain and sorrow, the ‘A’ means Angel.

Grief is the Thing with Feathers, by Max Porter, makes strong use of symbolism    

“BOYS 

There’s a feather on my pillow.  

Pillows are made of feathers, go to sleep. 

It’s a big, black feather. 

Come and sleep in my bed.  

There’s a feather on your pillow too.  

Let’s leave the feathers where they are and sleep on the floor.”

Grief is the Thing with Feathers by Max Porter

Many cultures believe feathers are a symbol of a connection to the spirit world. The black feathers that appear on the boys’ pillows signal the arrival of something ominous, in this case grief at the loss of their mother. The Crow, who leaves the feathers, is in fact a character within the story, helping both the boys and their dad through those initial dark days. Feathers are also said to represent strength and growth, and as they learn to manage their grief, the Crow moves on.  

Nature plays a strong role in Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, signifying a sense of freedom.

“‘Is this a hint to me, Lizzy,’ said her father, ‘to send for the horses?’ 

‘No, indeed. I do not wish to avoid the walk. The distance is nothing, when one has a motive; only three miles.’” 

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

The outdoors also plays a role in the relationship between Elizabeth Bennett and Mr Darcy as it is predominantly in these settings that they are able to move their relationship forward. Outdoor settings become a symbol of openness and understanding.  

Other examples are the green light in The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald (1925) symbolising the protagonist’s quest for Daisy and the American Dream; the conch in The Lord of the Flies by William Golding is a symbol of power; and the lake in Housekeeping, by Marilynn Robinson, is synonymous with loss and it is not until the main character, Ruth, crosses the lake on a bridge that she is able to start putting the depth of her loss behind her.  

Why Use Symbolism?

So, why do authors use symbolism in literature?  

Whether it be a conscious or unconscious decision, the main impact of using symbolism in literature is to strengthen its meaning and make a bigger impact on the reader. For example, in To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, using symbolism adds emotional resonance to the story. The mockingbird, which “don’t do one thing but . . . sing their hearts out for us”, as Miss Maudie explains to Scout, symbolises the innocent characters in the narrative and to kill them, like to kill the bird, would be a sin.   

Another way in which symbolism works is providing a visual aid for the reader. In Captain Jesus, by Collette Snowdon, three brothers find a dead magpie in the garden. They hang it on the washing line and when it blows in the gentle breeze. 

“‘[i]t’s like we brought it back to life,’ Gabe says.”  

The conversation continues with John-Joe saying, “‘we’re not miracle workers, we can’t do a proper resurrection.” The scene, along with the dialogue, alerts the reader to the impending death knowing that no matter how harder they may wish it, they will not be able to bring the deceased back to life.   

Using symbolism can help an author portray a complex concept. In the Booker-longlisted novel, An Island, Karen Jennings’ main character, seventy-year-old Samuel, lives in self-imposed exile on a tiny island off the coast of an unknown African country. The only people he sees are those who bring his supplies once a fortnight. One day a stranger washes up on the shore; a symbol of hope, redemption and reparation for Samuel.

Looking Out for Symbolism in the Everyday

Many readers, I’m sure, don’t pay much attention to the symbols or symbolism in literature. Not consciously, that is (more so if studying a text for school or discussing it in a book club). However, so much is ingrained in our everyday life, in our society and common beliefs, it’s hard not to take them in at all. And there will always be people looking for the hidden meanings between the words on the pages – whether you intended them to be there or not! 

As writers, inserting symbols and considering symbolism in our writing is definitely something to pay close attention to. Like Hansel and Gretel dropping breadcrumbs to find their way home, making use of this literary device is providing images and objects, words and concepts, to help deepen our readers’ experience of our writing.  

And once those words are printed on the page, carefully chosen words creating a million vibrant images for your readers, unlike in Grimm’s fairytales nothing can come along and gobble them up!

Adding sensory language to your writing is a lot easier than you may think, and it makes a huge difference to your work – be it a novel, poetry, or essays. But where do you start? 

Think back to a recent personal experience that you remember well. As you bring it to mind, notice the sensory details you recall: the things you see and hear; maybe the physical feelings, for some people even tastes and smells.  

Most of us are able to recreate our previous experiences in our mind’s eye and it’s these sensory memories that help us bring the event back to life. In just the same way, when we use sensory words in our fiction it helps our readers experience the world we’ve created by evoking their own senses. 

In this guide I will explain what sensory language is, how to use it effectively in your storytelling, and provide some useful sensory language examples to get you started.

What Is Sensory Language?

Sensory language in literature refers to words and descriptions that relate to the five senses. A writer uses these descriptors to help the reader:

• See what is happening in their mind’s eye
• Imagine the way speech is delivered and the background sounds
• Understand the physical sensations of texture, touch and movement
• Evoke tastes and smells

In short, sensory language helps our readers experience scenes, events, descriptions or settings in a richer way – to live through the senses. A story with sensory language evokes feelings in our readers and takes them on an emotional journey. 

Sensory language is commonly used in creative writing - short fiction, poetry, plays and novels - to invoke mental images and engage readers. However, descriptors of the five senses are also commonly found in a range of texts: 

• Advertising and marketing copy – ‘Mouth-watering freshly baked cakes’ (rather than just ‘Cakes’)
• Newspaper/magazine articles and headlines – ‘Shock new probe as PM rips up plans’ (Rather than ‘Investigation as plans change’)
• Emails and business writing – ‘Hope you’re not rushed off your feet’ (vs ‘Hope you’re not too busy’) 
• ‘How to’ guides and course descriptions – ‘Wrestle those writing demons to the ground’ (vs ‘Be a more confident writer’)
• Blog posts titles – ‘Play to win and crush the opposition!’ (vs ‘Tips on how to be successful’) 

Examples of Sensory Words

To help develop a sensory vocabulary think about the different ways in which you experience the senses. Let’s take each sense in turn and look at contrasts to develop a list of sensory adjectives. Here are examples to get you started: 

• Visual – words relating to how we see things. They relate to things like colour, shape, size, angle, and appearance. How will you use them to paint a vivid picture?
  • Brightness: Light/bright/shiny/sparkly or dark/dim/dull/tarnished
  • Size: Large/enormous/immense/gigantic or tiny/small/miniature/little
  • Colour density: Vivid/day-glo/fluorescent or pale/washed-out/sepia 

• Auditory – words relating to sounds and how we hear them. You can use these to make your writing shout loudly or whisper a quiet hint.
  • Volume: Loud/deafening/booming or quiet/whispering/rustling
  • Pitch: Shrill/high-pitched/falsetto/piercing or deep/low-pitched/baritone/bass
  • Rhythm: Repetitive/metronome/regular or varying/intermittent/erratic

• Tactile – Words relating to how we experience touch or the feel of things through our skin. You might choose to soothe with a light touch or poke and cajole to action.
  • Texture: Downy/soft/feathery or abrasive/coarse/rough
  • Pressure: Light/gentle/delicate or heavy/harsh/dense
  • Temperature: Burning/scalding/itching or freezing/icy/soothing

• Gustatory – words relating to taste. You might like writing which is crisp and lean or spiced up with crunchy descriptions.
  • Sweet vs sour: sugary/saccharine/sickly or tart/unsweetened
  • Flavoursome vs bland: meaty/umami/spicy/herby vs mild/bland/tasteless
  • Texture: lean/crisp/crusty or oily/greasy/buttery

• Olfactory – words relating to how we experience smells. How about kicking up a stink or perfuming your text with sweet delicate imagery?
  • Scent: Floral/aromatic/fragrant or odourless/neutral/unscented
  • Strength: Stinky/pungent/over-powering or insipid/weak/airy
  • Freshness: Musty/stale/decayed or paint-fresh/clean/hygienic

There are two other types of sensory words we can use: 

• Kinaesthetic – words relating to how we move and our internal sensations. Maybe you’re edging into this or leaping in with both feet.
  • Still/balanced/steady or fidgeting/precarious/wobbly
  • Crawling/sliding/shuffling or jumping/running/rushing
  • Fluttering/buzzing/churning or grounded/centred/soothing or stabbing/aching/sharp/tingling

• Emotional – words relating to our mood and the way we feel. Hopefully you feel curious and energised to have a go, even if a little uncertain!
  • Confident/brave/assured or ill at ease/dubious/indecisive
  • Depressed/low/down or happy/upbeat/jolly or edgy/anxious/restless
  • Mellow/chilled/calm or agitated/energised/hyper

The choice of sensory words impacts the reader’s perspective. Consider the contrast in the following three examples: 

‘The young woman is both intelligent and kind.’  
This is a clear straightforward description but is lacking any colour as it doesn’t engage our senses. 

‘The woman is around twenty; her tongue cutting, her brain sharp, her heart hard.’  
Here we have more of a sense of the woman; the choice of words paint her in a negative light. 

‘She's an old soul with young eyes, a vintage heart, and a beautiful mind.’

Nicole Lyons

This quote from author and poet, Nicole Lyons, is a more poetic description. This time we have a positive impression of the woman. 

How to Use Sensory Words in Your Writing

Let’s take a simple scene and consider how we can enliven it with sensory language examples. Imagine a woman is about to enter a restaurant to meet a friend.  

• She’s outside the restaurant looking in through a glass panel in the door. What does she see? Tell us what type of establishment is it? What does the restaurant look like? How is it decorated? What fabrics, furnishing, wallpaper, colours? How many tables, diners and staff? 

• She steps forward into the room. Take us there so we experience what she hears. Is it noisy or quiet? Can she hear snatches of conversations, if so, what is said and how? What background noises can she hear? 

• She spots her friend across the room. What does she feel? What sensation does she feel inside and where does she feel it? What is her emotional reaction? How does she move as she walks across the room?  

• The two friends hug. Does she smell anything? Is her friend wearing perfume? What does the room smell of and does she like it or not? Can she smell the food served to other diners? 

• Seated at the table they eat their food. What does she taste? What are the flavours? What texture does the food have?  

If we strip out all the sensory language, we have something akin to stage directions:  

‘A woman is about to enter a restaurant to meet her friend. She’s outside the restaurant looking in through a glass panel in the door. She steps forward into the room. She spots her friend across the room. The two friends hug. Seated at the table they eat their food.’   

This would be described as ‘under written’: there is nothing to help us imagine the scene in our mind’s eye, all we have are a series of actions. 

However, if we include every minute detail in our sensory language the passage becomes clogged. It becomes too busy and we long for something to happen. This is referred to as ‘overwritten’. The key is to help the reader to use sensory language to notice and experience what the character(s) would see, hear, feel etc. 

This will depend on what you are trying to convey in the scene.  

If the woman is anxious about the meeting she may focus on different things to if she is excited about seeing her friend again. For example, she may notice what people are wearing and feel underdressed or overdressed, which would heighten her anxiety; you may want to describe how she loathes the type of food on the menu, how the smells make her feel sick, and the churning in her stomach when she can’t see her friend in the crowded room.  

However, if she is excited, her focus may only be on her friend. She may ignore the other people and the restaurant setting as she rushes across the room to join them.  

Play around with the same scene by using different sensory examples to convey the character’s state of mind in each writing example, then note how it changes the story each time. 

Examples of Sensory Writing

A great way to learn about sensory imagery is to examine sensory language examples from literature. These first two are from Victorian literature. 

‘I heard the rain still beating continuously on the staircase window, and the wind howling in the grove behind the hall; I grew by degrees cold as a stone, and then my courage sank.’ 

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte (1847)

Bronte’s use of sound (beating continuously, howling), and temperature (cold as a stone) help us to feel the character’s dark emotional mood.  

‘Facing the window, in the chair of dignity, sat a man about forty years of age; of heavy frame, large features and a commanding voice; his general build being rather coarse and compact… When he indulged in an occasional loud laugh at some remark among the guests his mouth parted so far back as to show the rays of the chandelier a full score or more of the two-and-thirty sound white teeth that he obviously still could boast of.’

The Mayor of Casterbridge by Thomas Hardy (1902) 

Hardy’s description paints a vivid picture of the man and his character. His confidence and presence are clearly conveyed (heavy, large, commanding, loud) so we can both hear and see him in our mind’s eye. 

Here are three modern examples of sensory writing which include simile and metaphor: 

‘…a helicopter bladed the sky in the hills outside Hebron. He had never seen a machine quite like it before. The soldiers, when they leapt out, looked to him like green insects, crouching and running up the hillside, fabulous with fear. His mother ran down from their home in the hillside caved, grabbed his sleeve, shooed him home along the rocky path.’ 

Apeirogon by Colum McCann (2020)

McCann conveys the awe of the child as he watches the way the soldiers move up the hillside (like green insects, crouching and running, fabulous with fear). Then his mother’s urgency conveyed by the way she runs down, grabs and shoos him. We are there, feeling the tension of the mother and soldiers and the wonder of the child watching.

‘I lift the corners of the first sheet; dust and the smell of camphor the papers have absorbed over the years swirl up and taunt my nose.’ 

The Garden of Evening Mists by Tan Twan Eng (2012)

Eng uses the word ‘taunt’ in an unusual way to highlight the unpleasantness of the dust and camphor smells. 

‘…in my dreams I see Dharsi’s beautiful face and some other unknown one next to it. A frog, not transforming into a prince but shape-shifting into something frightening. The metallic taste of these dreams tinges my mornings like a flavor stirred into my coffee.’ 

What Lies Between Us by Nayomi Munaweera

Munaweera gives her dreams a ‘metallic taste’ that lasts into the next day, the person lying next to Dharsi is seen as a shape-shifting frog. Her descriptions apply both sensory language and metaphor to rich effect. 

Make Sense of Your Writing

Look out for examples of good sensory language as you’re reading and consider where the author has focused the reader’s attention and how they’ve enriched their descriptions.   

What impact does this have on your engagement with the text? What helps draw you into the passage and when is the sensory description too much ‘clutter’?  

Notice the different styles in books you enjoy versus those you set aside. So settle down comfortably, wrap up warm, keep your eyes and ears open as you sniff out those examples and get a taste for what rings your bell, lights your fire, and gets your metaphorical taste buds tingling! 

Everyone has heard of metaphors, it’s something most people are taught at school, but are they still relevant to your writing? Yes. 

Undoubtedly, metaphors enhance your writing, whether you’re penning a novel, short story, poem, or an English assignment. But to use them effectively, it’s important to fully understand what metaphors are in terms of definition, how to not confuse them with similes, and understanding all the different ways they can strengthen your work with examples.

In this article I will guide you through everything you need to know about metaphors, so you too can feel confident using this literary device to enrich your writing. 

What Is A Metaphor?

A metaphor is a comparison between one thing and something else with similar qualities, providing the reader with a visual image that can be stronger in meaning than further description. 

For instance, I could write a description of someone with long hair by simply saying they have long hair. Or I could use a metaphor and say, ‘Her hair was a flowing golden river’. This second option invokes the image of long, blonde flowing hair tumbling over her shoulders the way water runs over rocks in a river. The reader is more likely to remember the character and perhaps imagine them as someone they know. 

Metaphors also reduce the need to include paragraphs of description or explanation. ‘The World is a stage,’ will have varying meanings for people. Generally, it creates the idea of performing as an actor in your own life. This says a lot (metaphorically speaking) in just a few words.  

When you’re trying to hook the reader and make them see the story the way you do, metaphors can draw the reader in while keeping the story flowing. Too much description detracts from the story and loses readers’ attention. You don’t want to take your reader out of the action. 

By using metaphors, you can capture an image, feeling, or experience in just a few words. When a reader already has pre-existing knowledge of the comparison, they will be able to fill in the blanks to get a fuller picture. 

When used sparingly, metaphors give readers something to think about. Once the words are on the page, we have no further control in how the reader will interpret the metaphor’s meaning, so something which is universally understood has more impact. 

Difference Between A Simile And A Metaphor 

Metaphors and similes both use comparisons to provide a clearer image for readers, in a more creative way than a straightforward description. Analogies can also be used to do this.  

Analogy vs Metaphor: An analogy is still a comparison, but uses a combination of simile and metaphor, and contains more information. One example would be, ‘Her hair whipped backwards and forwards in the wind like an out-of-control river’. It gives a fuller picture of the scene. 

So, what's the difference between a simile and a metaphor? A simile uses the word ‘like’ or ‘as’ to compare, so would be less direct than a metaphor, but shorter than an analogy. An example of this would be ‘Her hair was like a turbulent river’. A metaphor would shorten this with, ‘Her hair was a turbulent river’. If you ever need to stick to a strict word count, while saying the same thing, the shorter metaphor is one way to help reduce the word count, without losing any of the story. 

Although all similes are metaphors, not all metaphors are similes.  

If you find yourself asking ‘how are similes and metaphors different?’ Here’s a simple answer: 

An indirect comparison is used in a simile, while both make it clear the person or object is being compared to something else. 

• A metaphor – uses ‘is’ to compare. 

• A simile – uses ‘as’ or ‘like’. 

Another example of a metaphor is, ‘Their home was their prison’. A simile would be ‘Their home was like their prison’. If you’re wondering how an analogy would be used to say the same thing, here is an example. ‘After being trapped in their house for weeks, the rain continued to fall and their home became their prison.’  

It gives more information, but also uses more words. And, like with any good analogy, a writer may take their comparison further and add more metaphors to emphasize the point - ‘But there was no visiting hours, no one had come to call for days. They wondered when they would ever be able to escape their confines.’  
 
Very dramatic, and perhaps a bit overkill, but you get the point. 

What Is A Mixed Metaphor?

If you’ve used metaphors before, or researched it for your writing, you may have heard of a mixed metaphor. The simplest explanation is two metaphors used together, which you wouldn’t normally associate with each other. Generally, they don’t work in serious writing. However, if used in the right context, they can work well together despite the contrast. 

If you want to be creative and write some of these yourself, remember they are often humorous so use sparingly. They work less well in serious fiction or poetry.  
 
Here are some mixed metaphor examples. 

• Homework was a breeze, but the new teacher was a thorn in my side. 
• I’m talking to a brick wall here. Do you have a heart of stone? 
• He was a mighty lion, but now he’s a lame duck. 
• That’s music to my ears, let’s blow off some steam to celebrate. 

While these are unlikely to be suitable for literary fiction, they could suit a character who constantly talks in mixed metaphors (if that’s part of their personality and it fits with the story).  

What Is An Implied Metaphor?

There are several types of metaphors, and implied metaphors take the idea of comparison a little further, by comparing people or things in a subtle way. Unlike other metaphors, these imply a comparison without specifically mentioning one of the things being compared. These rely on using a well-known trait, so the reader guesses what is being implied. 

To help you understand, here are some examples:

• With his tail between his legs, he ran away. (Comparing a man to a scared dog without mentioning the dog, but the description is enough to inform the reader of the implied comparison.) 
• She slithered around my boyfriend all night. (A jealous girlfriend using a well-known trait of a snake, to describe her potential love-rival.) 
• The news crew circled the scene. (Comparing the news crew to a pack of vultures who typically circle their prey before swooping in.) 

By using these animals as comparisons, readers will automatically associate the animals’ characteristics in relation to the subject (i.e. the girl is hunting the other woman’s boyfriend like a snake, she’s deadly, she may be poisonous to their relationship, she’s silent, dangerous, and unlikeable). 

Once you understand what implied metaphors are, they are easy to use, and you can add them to your writing in a way the average reader will barely notice. In fact, now you’re aware of implied metaphors, you may notice their usage if you look out for them in the next book you read. 

How To Use Metaphors

By using metaphors, you can vary your descriptions and the visual images you’re trying to create. Some of the best metaphors can be those which people don’t notice, if they’re immersed in your written words. 

But why are metaphors used?  

Metaphors are used when the writer wants to bring their work to life in a fresh and creative way. Many readers say when they read a great book, they can see the characters and the actions playing out in their mind. This can be achieved by using metaphors here and there. 

Metaphors aren’t just used in writing novels and short stories, though. A lot of poets make use of metaphor to express a thought or feeling on a deeper level. If done right, poems can have two meanings. 

An example of this is one of my own poems, Winter Trees. This is about aging and missing the advantages of youth, while overlooking the things which weren’t so great about being young. 

This is expressed in the following lines: 

‘Decorated in baubles and winter soldiers. 

I used to be pretty too, think the winter trees.’ 

The first line above shows how the speaker views the younger people around her, and the second line shows how she misses that beauty in herself. The full poem is an implied metaphor, but on the surface can be interpreted as a poem about trees. 

If you’re looking for a guide on how to create a metaphor, check out this more well-known example of metaphors as poetry in ‘Metaphors’ by Sylvia Plath.

Metaphors: Do

• Switch between different kinds of metaphors in your writing. (This will vary your writing style and keep your writing from becoming repetitive.) 
• Use sparingly. (Nobody wants to read pages of metaphors.) 
• Go with the second or third metaphor you think of. (The first one is likely to be overused.) 
• Use a comparison in your metaphors which readers will understand. (You want your readers to have an immediate understanding of what you’re trying to say.) 
• Use a metaphor which fits with your writing. (Something which doesn’t fit will jolt the reader out of the fictional world you’ve created.) 
• To get used to metaphors, spend time comparing objects in your home, or people you know, to other things. (This will help you see common and not so common comparisons.) 
• Look for metaphors in poetry and stories you read. (This will show you how common they are, and judge what works or doesn’t work, so you can apply them to your own writing or avoid the same mistakes.) 

Metaphors: Don’t

• Don’t clutter the page with them. (They will lose their impact. Less is more when it comes to metaphor usage.)
• Don’t use them if you know they will weaken the description rather than add to it. (They should blend seamlessly into your writing. Use whatever works best for each description.) 
• Avoid mixed metaphors if writing something serious. (These can make your writing seem humorous or silly, and if you’re writing an emotional scene, this can make light of an otherwise serious issue.) 
• Don’t use cliches or overused metaphors. (Again, unless the aim is to be funny or silly, it can ruin the mood you’re trying to create.) 
• If a metaphor will detract from the story, don’t use it. (Everything about your writing should add something to the story.) 
• Don’t be afraid to experiment. (Even if you never use them, if you’re new to metaphors, the best way to improve is to practice.) 

Time To Practise Some Metaphors

I hope you have found this guide helpful when it comes to the effective use of metaphors. There are lots of different types to choose from in your writing, and each one has its uses. By choosing the right metaphor, you can create powerful and engaging writing.

To practise, go through a story you’ve already written (or write a new one) then change some of the description by using metaphors instead. Compare the two pieces and ask yourself which is more engaging. Time to take a giant leap off the metaphoric edge and spread those writing wings! 

You may have heard of Chekhov, and you may even have heard of his gun, but what does that have to do with storytelling and plotting a novel?

In this comprehensive article we will teach you everything you need to know about Chekhov’s Gun (with examples), and explore similar literary principles and devices.

What Does Chekhov’s Gun Mean?

The principle of Chekhov’s Gun (sometimes called Chekhov’s Law or Chekhov’s Gun Law) is not to introduce anything that won’t eventually be important to the plot. This principle not only helps writers cut down on extraneous and unnecessary details in their stories, but ensures readers will be satisfied by the end.

Drawing attention to something that doesn’t have any significance to the story can frustrate the reader and waste precious words in your novel. Essentially, the principle enables writers to generate clear plots by considering the significance of everything they mention in their story, and tackles the over-symbolism in literature. (The exception to the rule is a red herring – but we’ll look at that a little bit later on.)

So who was Chekhov and why is everyone so interested in his gun?

History of Chekhov’s Gun

Chekhov’s Gun is a dramatic principle that, unsurprisingly, comes from Anton Chekhov - a Russian playwright and short story-writer in the late 1800s. While Chekhov leaves behind a great literary and theatrical legacy, he is probably most well-known for this dramatic principle.

In a letter to Aleksandr Semenovich, Chekhov once said:

One must never place a loaded rifle on the stage if it isn't going to go off. It's wrong to make promises you don't mean to keep.

Similarly, he once wrote:

Remove everything that has no relevance to the story. If you say in the first chapter that there is a rifle hanging on the wall, in the second or third chapter it absolutely must go off. If it's not going to be fired, it shouldn't be hanging there.

Intended as advice for young playwrights, this principle is still widely cited and utilised today.

Chekhov used this principle in his play, The Seagull, where there is a literal gun that gets introduced at the start and then fired at the end (hence the name given to the principle). In Act One, Konstantin Treplyev uses a rifle to kill a seagull. In the final act, Konstantin uses that rifle to kill himself. Significance is placed on the rifle in the beginning which draws the audience’s attention to the item, and then the rifle has significant impact at the climax of the play. The audience is satisfied, there are no loose ends, and the principle has done its job.

Chekhov’s Gun vs Foreshadowing

If you get the concept of Chekhov’s Gun and foreshadowing confused then you aren’t alone. Though they have similarities, they do also have some big differences.

Chekhov’s Gun is the dramatic principle whereby the writers won’t make ‘false promises’. That you must only draw attention to something if its significance will be revealed later in the story.

Foreshadowing is the literary device where the writer drops hints that the reader will probably overlook until the end, or even until a second read through. This can be something fairly innocuous that hints at a bigger plot development later on.

Though Chekhov’s Gun is a form of foreshadowing, the ‘gun’ (item, person, etc) has a direct impact on the plot by the end of the story. While traditional foreshadowing merely hints at the outcome of the plot rather than having a direct influence.

Let’s look at an example:

In Othello there are examples of both Chekhov’s Gun and foreshadowing. Desdemona’s handkerchief acts as the ‘gun’ here. In Act III Desdemona drops her handkerchief. Iago later finds it and uses it to trick Othello into believing Desdemona has been unfaithful. This is an example of Chekhov’s Gun – Shakespeare draws significant attention to Desdemona’s dropped handkerchief, which then plays a crucial role at a critical moment of the plot.

Foreshadowing appears in the play when Desdemona sings a song to her maidservant about a lover who goes mad. This foreshadows the outcome of the play as Othello, Desdemona’s husband, descends into madness and kills her. This moment drops hints for the climax of the plot, but does not have any influence on the plot.

How is Chekhov’s Gun Used in Writing?

In order to achieve the principle of Chekhov’s Gun there are certain things you need to do as a writer.

1. You must first set up the ‘gun’. The ‘gun’ can be anything potentially impactful in your story, such as an object, a character, an event, or a place.

2. To set up the ‘gun’ you should draw attention to it early in your story, giving it significance and ensuring the reader notices it. You can draw attention to this item multiple times if you wish between the initial introduction and the conclusion of the story, but that’s up to author preference.

3. To round off this principle, the ‘gun’ must then ‘go off’. The item must return by the end of the book and have a significant impact to the conclusion of the story. The item must play a crucial role in order to truly achieve the principle of Chekhov’s Gun.

The exceptions to this rule are red herrings and MacGuffins.

Red Herring:

The exception to the rule of not introducing or emphasising anything that won’t be significant to the plot is the red herring. A red herring is something that distracts from the true plot, and makes the reader guess at the conclusion (it must still be plausible). Red herrings are often used in thrillers, crime stories, and whodunnits, when the author wants to highlight something which makes the reader think it’s significant to the plot, when in actuality it’s there to distract and trick the reader.

This literary device is most commonly used in novels where the reader is busy ‘sleuthing’ and purposely looking for clues. It should be noted that a red herring should still have some casual impact on the story, but not significant. The dead ends can’t be haphazardly placed with no tie-in with the overall plot.

Red herrings are very common within Agatha Christie novels, particularly And Then There Were None. Ten people are invited to an island under mysterious circumstances, and are killed one by one. There are several convincing red herrings throughout the novel that lead the reader to guess the killer, but each time the new prime suspect is killed.

Christie achieves the ultimate plot twist by having the actual murderer 'die' earlier on in the novel (a death he faked so convincingly that neither the characters nor readers doubt it), so when the reveal occurs it ends up being a twist that no one could have guessed.

MacGuffin:

MacGuffin is a plot device which many claim is the opposite of Chekhov’s Gun. It’s an object, event, or character that serves to set and keep the plot in motion but actually lacks significance to the outcome. This is usually a goal or object of desire for the protagonist, but whether or not it is achieved has no influence on the plot.

An excellent example of a MacGuffin is the briefcase in Pulp Fiction. It seems of vital importance to the characters but the object inside the briefcase is never revealed to the audience so the object is of little actual consequence to the plot.

How Chekhov’s Gun can be effective in a series:

Used effectively, Chekhov’s Gun creates a cyclical and satisfying conclusion to a story. If you were to follow the Save The Cat plotting beats, for example, Chekhov’s Gun would go off in the last 10% of the book and mirror the first 10% of the novel (either through setting, actions, theme, or dialogue – but with a twist).

This way the reader/audience is happy, there are no loose ends, and the plot makes sense. This principle has been used in books and on screen since its inception.

Not only can this literary principle be used in standalone novels and movies, but also as part of a series. If an item is mentioned in book one, then by book 3 you expect it to come into play again. The same principles that work within one story, can work across a number of novels in a series.

Let’s look at some examples of Chekhov’s Gun in books and on screen.

5 Book Examples of Chekhov’s Gun

Great Expectations

In Dickens’ Great Expectations, the ‘gun’ is the character Magwitch. He is introduced significantly at the start of the novel due to his interactions with Pip. Enough mystery surrounds him that the reader is interested in his story, but then many years pass and he isn’t mentioned again. When it’s finally revealed that Magwitch has been Pip’s financial supporter this is an unexpected but satisfying twist. The reader has forgotten about this character in the interim but the second he is revealed we instantly remember him again.

The use of Chekhov’s Gun here, the initial spotlight on Magwitch and then the big reveal, is both shocking but satisfying to the reader. The perfect plot twist.

Ready Player One

In Ready Player One, the ‘gun’ is a coin. Specifically, the 1981 Quarter Artefact that protagonist Wade Watts collects from a Pac-Man machine after playing a perfect game. He takes the coin and doesn’t think about it again.

There is enough emphasis placed on this moment that the reader remembers it, but not enough that they guess the climax of the book. The coin turns out to be an extra life which enables Watts’ avatar to survive an explosion and continue his quest. This brings about the conclusion of the story and ties up all loose ends in a satisfying way. All the elements of the story were relevant and essential to the plot.

The Hunger Games

In The Hunger Games, the ‘gun’ is Katniss’ knowledge of poisonous plants. This demonstrates how the ‘gun’ doesn’t have to be an object but can be a character trait. This knowledge is explained and emphasised multiple times throughout the novel, and its significance is revealed at the climax of the novel as she uses poisonous berries to trick the Capitol into releasing both her and Peeta.

A Gentleman in Moscow

In Amor Towles’ A Gentleman in Moscow, the ‘gun’ is a pair of duelling pistols. Count Rostov discovers a pair of duelling pistols hidden behind a wall in the hotel manager’s office. The significance of this discovery is revealed in the climax of the novel as Rostov uses one of the pistols to intimidate the Bishop into destroying secret files on the employees of the hotel, and locks him up in order to resume his plan to escape. The reader already knows about the pistols, and so it makes sense when Rostov later uses one in order to escape.

Harry Potter

The Harry Potter series contains multiple examples of Chekhov’s Gun, which Rowling utilises within individual books and across the series as a whole. Examples include the mention of bezoar in Harry’s first potions class which is later used in Book 6 to save Ron when he drinks poisoned mead. Also in Book 1 is the introduction of the Snitch caught in Harry’s first Quidditch match which becomes significant again in the final book as the hiding place for the resurrection stone.

These are just two of many Chekhov Gun examples occurring within the series. It’s satisfying to the reader when the solution to a problem involves something that we’ve seen before.

5 Screen Examples of Chekhov’s Gun

The Shawshank Redemption

There are multiple examples of a ‘gun’ within The Shawshank Redemption, namely a poster, rock hammer, and bible. These objects are highlighted when they’re introduced at the beginning of the movie but seem fairly innocuous at the time.

Andy requests a poster of Rita Hayworth, supposedly because he’s lonely, a rock hammer for his boredom as he likes rock carving, and a bible, which wouldn’t raise any eyebrows. These items actually have another use which we find out at the climax of the film. The rock hammer is used to dig a tunnel out of his cell (and he hides the hammer in the bible), with the escape tunnel covered by the poster.

The reveal is both shocking and satisfying to the audience. The items are only ever alluded to as for their false use, and none of the other characters even know their real use, so when the twist is revealed it has the required effect on the audience.

Breaking Bad

In the Breaking Bad episode “Box Cutter” the ‘gun’ is, surprise surprise, a box cutter. At the beginning of the episode we see the box cutter, which is then later used as a weapon by Gus to kill Victor. It’s an ordinary object that you wouldn’t be surprised to see in the setting, so the climax is shocking to the audience.

The Lost Boys

In The Lost Boys the ‘gun’ is the antlers and fence post in the protagonists’ Grandpa’s house. He has a taxidermy collection so the antlers on the wall are unsurprising, and he’s building a fence in the garden with wooden posts, which are appropriate to both the character and setting and, once again, appear completely innocuous. These items are focused on early in the movie, but disregarded by the audience because they simply appear to serve as character building.

Yet these items are key to the climax of the movie. Michael, the protagonist, defeats David, a vampire, by impaling him on the antlers, and the head vampire is killed by one of the fence posts as the Grandpa drives through the building and the post flies off the hood of his Jeep. The solution to their problem was highlighted right at the start of the movie, but no one would have guessed – least of all the audience!

Shaun of the Dead

In Shaun of the Dead, the ‘gun’ is an actual gun – the Winchester rifle. At the start of the film Shaun and Ed are arguing about whether the Winchester rifle mounted above the bar in the Winchester pub is real. Later on in the film Shaun uses the gun to hit the zombified pub owner and it goes off, proving not only that it is a real gun, but its significance is highlighted as it ends up playing a crucial role in Shaun defending himself.

Signs

In M Night Shyamalan’s Signs, the ‘gun’ is represented by glasses of water and Morgan’s asthma. Graham’s daughter Bo leaves glasses of water around the house (she believes the water is contaminated after being left so gets a new glass each time she wants a drink.) At the climax of the movie they discover that the invading aliens are vulnerable to water, and the significance of these glasses of water becomes immediately apparent in defeating the attacking aliens.

Similarly Morgan’s asthma, alluded to in many ordinary ways throughout the film, has a massive significance in saving his life at the climax of the film. His airways are closed due to an attack, meaning he is unable to inhale the toxic gas from the alien and survives the murder attempt. Both of these things (the glasses of water and the asthma) are innocuous and ordinary so it’s surprising to the audience when they end up having a big impact on the plot.

Conclusion

Having outlined the importance of Chekhov’s Gun in storytelling, we hope you are now confident to utilise this literary principle in your own writing. Go ahead and create an exciting and satisfying cyclical plot for your readers, and remember to cut out extraneous and unnecessary detail in your story.

Remember – if you shine a spotlight on something at the beginning of your story, make sure it helps save the day at the end!