Accent Your Writing With Alliteration

I recently returned from a family vacation, and on the drive home my son watched  Mulan on his portable DVD player.  He sat in the back seat, so I only heard the movie.  At one point, the diminutive dragon, Mushu, sneaks away to help Mulan, and prove to the family ancestors that he is worthy of being a guardian.  As he introduces himself (with typical Eddie Murphy flair), he shouts, "Your serpentine salvation is at hand." That phrase stuck with me, and reminded me of a literary element I love to use:  alliteration.



Often taught in poetry, alliteration occurs when words with the same beginning sound are used together, as in serpentine salvation. An extreme example is, She sells sea shells down by the sea shore.  This tongue-twister combines both the "s" and the "sh" sounds.  I wouldn't recommend using this element with this much enthusiasm in your writing.  But using alliteration occasionally, even in prose, can be rewarding.  It makes that particular piece more memorable.  Below are two examples of alliteration in literature.



"So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past."
The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald




"... his appearance: something displeasing, something down-right detestable. I never saw a man I so disliked and yet I scarce know why. He must be deformed somewhere ..."
The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Robert Louis Stevenson




When you are pondering the precise word to use, consider if your choices might begin with the same sound.  If so, try using alliteration.  It will spice up your story!




Here are some other worthwhile sites on alliteration:

http://www.dowlingcentral.com/MrsD/area/literature/Terms/alliteration.html

http://www.helium.com/items/1426241-alliteration-in-literature




Happy writing,




Karina Harris

www.karinaharrisauthor.com





Lonely Hearts ~ a sweet Christian Romance
The Price of Trust ~ Christian Romantic Suspense
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