A
Antagonist The leading character or situation that stops the protagonist from having a happy ending.
B
Blank Verse unrhymed line of iambic pentameter, which is the standard verse of Shakespeare’s plays
C
Climax The point of the story when all previous consequences came to a point
Crisis the point when things change for the main character from which there is no going back
Canon A rule by which something is judged. I.e literary classics.
D
Dialogue spoken exchanges between characters in a b=novel/play
Drama a literary performance by actors, usually screen, radio or stage.
Dramatic Arc structure of the play, film or novel. It starts with a Crisis increases to the Climax and then heads to the resolution.
E
Empathy Ability of a reader to understand and share the emotions of character
Epilogue short text/chapter at the end of a written work. Usually to conclude a novel or set up a new one.
F
First person narrator a narrator that in the story. The narrative usually included ‘I’ and therefore allows the character/reader to include their own voice
Five-act structure Dividing the dramatic arc into 5 sections
Act 1: Set up, inciting Incident
Act 2: Increasing complications
Act 3: Midpoint, crisis, turning point
Act 4: Increasing complications, reversals
Act 5: Climax, Resolution
FreeWriting Creative writing technique, writing as much a possible in a set period of time.
G
Genre literary form within set parameters of understood norms
H
Heroic Journey a story structure seem in many Fantasy Novels
- Ordinary World
- Call to adventure
- Refusal of the call
- Meeting the mentor
- Crossing the threshold
- Tests, allies and enemies
- Approach to the inmost cave
- Ordeal
- Reward
- The road block
- Resurrection
- Return with the elixir
I
Iambic Pentameter The main verse used in Shakespeares plays. With the verse it contains stressed and unstressed syllables
Ideology a set of assumptions that may or may have any objective
Idiom distinctive form of expression
Inciting incident the event that prompts the character to action
M
Metaphor a term in which one thing is described as another
Midpoint the point within the story where there is a major turning point
N
Narrative persona the way in which the narrative voice has its own personality
Narrative structure the way in which the story is assembled
Narrator can be a character within the story or a separate character . Tells the story
Novella a work of prose fiction that is larger than the short story but smaller than a novel
P
Plot The pattern of events and situations of a dramatic work
Protagonist Leading character in a story
Pseudonym a fictitious name sometimes used by authors as an alias.
R
Realism piece of literature where the focus is on the complex facts of real life
Resolution conclusion of events in a novel.
Reversal A change in the fortunes of the protagonist .
S
Scene a sequence usually occurring in one place in one time
Set-up The early part of the story where there the story, world and characters are being established
Show, Don’t Tell creative writing concept that involves using dialogue, actions and descriptions to make a piece of writing vivid.
Significant Details carefully chosen details to construct a believable world.
Simile a metaphor that uses such words as ‘like’ and ‘as’
Soliloquy A speech made by a character alone on stage aimed at the audience.
T
Third-Person Character a narrator who uses ‘he’ ‘she’ or ‘they’. From a distance from the events.
Tragedy A serious peice of work where the main character receives calamity. The ending is not happy.
Turning Point a moment in a story of significant change
The Reading Lux 