Neha's Notebook

Sensory layering is a writing device that engages the reader on a multi-sensory level (touch, sight, sound, smell, taste) by painting a picture that illustrates multiple details without taking up too much of their narrative time.   In copywriting, for instance, sensory layering looks like product descriptions or visuals that appeal to multiple senses of the customer, allowing them to “experience” what you are selling before they even touch it. Sensory layering allows the writer/creator to create something that will build a strong mental picture in the mind of the customer as well as a deeper connection with their emotional center, beyond just a logical decision making or emotional triggers.   Take the example of a high-end coffee, both while selling it through only written word, and through written word plus visuals.   Instead of just “Our coffee tastes good,” a sensory-layered description of this coffee would read something like this:   “Wake up to t...

“Echoes through time” is a storytelling concept that revolves around a present-day character, object, idea, or experience that reverberates a long-forgotten event from history. This concept is used to add mystery to a story or a piece of writing that the reader unravels by piecing together these “echoes” and uncovering the full, poetic truth of the past. “Echoes through time” is an insightful tool that also makes the reader realize that the past isn’t truly gone. Rather, it is subtly imprinted on the fabric of the present and it reveals itself little by little through clues that lurk in the depths of the present moment.   Anushree works in an art renovation company called RenoKaro, based in New Delhi. Her boss sent her to an old, dilapidated library located in Delhi’s Khapchi Gali for a renovation project. As she stepped inside the library, the bag of tools slung from her shoulders, she coughed. The library was shrouded in a thick veil of dust and sprinkled with gossamer cobweb...

Freytag’s Pyramid is a writing technique, crafted by the German novelist Gustav Freytag. The technique involves five key processes that writers can use to write everything from short stories to articles.   The first step is “Exposition.” Exposition refers to the introduction of the subject, the setting up of the scene, and a comprehensive description and explanation of an idea or theory. The second step is “Rising Action” Rising Action refers to “The development of the central conflict, problem, or interesting aspect.” This is where the tension builds, complexities are revealed, and the "plot" of the story/article unfolds through scenes, characters, research material, and anecdotes. The third step is “climax” Climax is the turning point or the most significant moment of revelation, insight, or development within the article's scope. It's often where the core question posed in the exposition is addressed, or a major challenge is confronted. The 4 th st...

 What is “In Media Res”? "In Media Res" (Latin for "in the midst of things") is a powerful storytelling technique where the narrative plunges the audience directly into a critical, exciting, or significant moment of the story, skipping over the initial exposition and setup. Instead of beginning with a traditional "once upon a time," the reader/viewer is immediately immersed in the action or a pivotal scene. It jolts the reader directly into the “heart of the action.” The preceding events, character backstories, and the "how we got here" are then revealed gradually through flashbacks, dialogue, or indirect exposition as the story progresses. This method is designed to grab attention immediately, create suspense, and cultivate a sense of mystery, compelling the audience to understand what led to the current situation.   Let’s take the example of this story opening paragraph to understand the concept of “In Media Res”   The Case of the Mis...

Nalini was journeying through a forest alongside a cook, a servant, an elf, and a minister from her mother’s palace. Her goal was to find the magical blue gemstone that lay hidden in some corner of the forest. With the help of various compasses and maps, they finally discovered the blue gemstone. The gemstone lay amidst a dense clump of tall grasses. As she bent down to pick up the gem, someone pointed a pistol on her back and demanded that the gem be given to him. When she turned around to take a look, it was the minister. Her mother had entrusted the minister thinking that he would help Nalini find the gemstone. But he turned out to be a betrayer and a “snake in the grass.” The idiom “Snake in the grass” refers to “A treacherous person. A person who cannot be trusted. A secretly faithless friend.” Read more stories related to  Vocabulary !

Let’s take the example of a fictional novel called “Simi’s Memory Journal.” Here are some excerpts from “Simi’s memory journal” a diary in which this character records her memories, feelings, details of everyday experiences, dreams, fantasies, obsessions, ideas, notes, observations, and just about everything.   October 17 th – A recurring dream "The old house again. That creaking floorboard in the attic. Always the same grey light filtering through the dusty window. The hum of the old radio, even though I know it's been broken for years. The same old crow and its same old caw-caw." November 5 th – An observation “A woman in the bus caught my attention today. Her amethyst-colored scarf reminded me of my mother. For a split second, I almost reached out to her to ask who gave her this scarf.” December 12 th – A cryptic note about the memory of a past event “He said the words, but I heard something else entirely. The way the fierce winds whipped and the way ...