Why use a rule of three? This technique can be used as a language technique (looking at three words or ideas), or in a structural sense. For example, in Frankenstein there are three separate narrators. As readers, we learn directly about Robert Walton's expedition in his own words. He then meets Victor Frankenstein and his narrative is told to us through the letters which Robert Walton is writing to his sister. Finally, we hear the Monster's account of his development, but this is conveyed to us by Victor, which is in turn told to Walton who is telling it both to his sister and to us as readers.

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Why use a direct address? Direct address helps involve and engage the reader in what you are speaking about. It can also be used to empower and encourage the reader to act on your advice. For example, you might say, "It is your responsibility to participate in local elections". By stating this in a straightforward manner, the reader understands what is expected of them and they may feel compelled to follow your advice. 

Why use dialogue? Dialogue should only be used to establish the tone and atmosphere of a scene, reveal more information about your characters, or advance your storyline/plot. If your dialogue does not address one of these things, you should ask yourself if it is really necessary. If it isn't, get rid of it. Just because that it what people would say in that situation, doesn't mean that readers want to read all of it. 

Why use description? As it implies, using description can help build character or set the scene. It is best when it utilises a lot of language devices and sensory language to help paint vivid imagery. Many times, description slows down the pace and makes the reader linger in that moment to really help immerse themselves in that setting and moment. Here is an example from Frankenstein, "I continued to wind among the paths of the wood, until I came to its boundary, which was skirted by a deep and rapid river, into which many of the trees bent their branches, now budding with the fresh spring. Here I paused, not exactly knowing what path to pursue, when I heard the sound of voices, that induced me to conceal myself under the shade of a cypress. I was scarcely hid when a young girl came running towards the spot where I was concealed, laughing, as if she ran from someone in sport. She continued her course along the precipitous sides of the river, when suddenly her foot slipped, and she fell into the rapid stream."

Why use a variety of sentence structures? The more variety you have to your sentences, the more engaging the work becomes. Short, simple sentences speed up the pace and have impact on the reader. Longer, complex sentences slow it down and allow the reader to really think about what you are writing about. Here is an example from The Sign of The Four:
“I am sure of it,” said I. “We shall be up with her in a very few minutes.”
At that moment, however, as our evil fate would have it, a tug with three barges in tow blundered in between us. It was only by putting our helm hard down that we avoided a collision, and before we could round them and recover our way the Aurora had gained a good two hundred yards. She was still, however, well in view, and the murky uncertain twilight was setting into a clear starlit night. Our boilers were strained to their utmost, and the frail shell vibrated and creaked with the fierce energy which was driving us along.

What is the purpose of tense? Tense is indicative of when events happen and allows the reader to better understand the order of events around them. Tense can shift depending on who the narrator is and where they are in relation to what they are talking about. Frankenstein is written in past tense, as all the characters recount what has happened to them in the past. 

Which should I use in my writing? I always recommend that students write in past tense in their narratives. Why? Well, when you use dialogue, we typically speak about things happening in the moment (the present), so the tense changes. By writing your primary story in past and using dialogue, you show you can effectively and consistently use more than one tense - double the marks for no extra effort!

How is it different from perspective? Point of view typically refers to the use of pronouns and the narrator. Perspective might also encompass the ideas that a character or author has. For example, in The Sign of the Four, Watson comments that, "Never have I seen features so deeply marked with all bestiality and cruelty". This is written in 1st person point of view, but his perspective is that Tonga is vicious creature and an almost supernatural being. 

Which should I use in my writing? Like with tense, I recommend to students that they write in 3rd person in their narratives (non-fiction writing is usually in 1st person). This is again because we speak in 1st person, so by using dialogue in your story, you can effectively show that you can consistently use two different points of view and get more marks. 

Why does punctuation matter? Punctuation is a great way to add subtle interest to your writing. Question marks indicate where the speech would change to show a question is being asked, semicolons help add more detail, and dashes can be used to break speech. Look for ways to show you can use all of them accurately. 

•  For this purpose I will preserve my life; to execute this dear revenge will I again behold the sun and tread the green herbage of earth, which otherwise should vanish from my eyes for ever.

• ‘Hideous monster! Let me go. My papa is a syndic—he is M. Frankenstein—he will punish you.

• The poignant misery of dawn begins to grow . . .

• Pause over half-known faces. 

•  The date of the watch is nearly fifty years back, and the initials are as old as the watch: so it was made for the last generation.

• She wrote, “They made there [sic] beds.” (sic is used here to indicate that there is a purposeful misspelling, this is only used in non-fiction)

Why use short sentences or paragraphs? Short sentences and paragraphs are used to speed up the pace and are often used for dialogue and action. They don't take long to read and so as a result the reader can digest them much quicker. They are also used in juxtaposition to longer sentences and paragraphs for impact. They might emphasise a particular word or point. Sentences can be as short as one word, paragraphs can be as short as one sentence, which means your shortest paragraph might only be a one-word sentence. Here is an example from The Sign of the Four, which shows this. "No" is used as an impact here, to emphasises that someone was able to get up several stories of a building with no help of a ladder, adding to the mystery of the case. 

“No sign of a ladder?”
“No.”
“Confound the fellow! It’s a most break-neck place. I ought to be able to come down where he could climb up. The water-pipe feels pretty firm. Here goes, anyhow.”

Why use long sentences or paragraphs? Long sentences and paragraphs therefore do the opposite. They slow down the pace and are often used for description. Readers are faced with a lot more text, so it takes time for them to go through it. Why is this an advantage? Well, it allows them to really absorb the topic in discussion or the scene/character being described. The author wants you to really mull over what they have written because it is important. For Sherlock, this might be the crime scene, in which readers are going to want to slowly and carefully review the clues they are given. 

He held down the lamp to the floor, and as he did so I saw for the second time that night a startled, surprised look come over his face. For myself, as I followed his gaze my skin was cold under my clothes. The floor was covered thickly with the prints of a naked foot,—clear, well defined, perfectly formed, but scarce half the size of those of an ordinary man.

Why use a motif? A motif can highlight something about a character, to help us understand them better, or it can help to establish the mood of the story. Often, motifs reinforce the themes of the story. The phone or the act of "calling" is a motif used in An Inspector Calls. The Inspector, of course, “calls” on the family, and he does so in person, allowing the story of Eva’s death to unfold over many hours. As a bookend to the Inspector’s call, Arthur receives a phone call at the close of the play, informing him that a girl really has committed suicide, and that an Inspector will be coming to the house to ask questions. The audience does not know who this Inspector will be, and whether this girl is Eva/Daisy, thus making this last call the play’s most troubling.

Arthur uses the phone, for his part, to verify information. He calls the police precinct in Act Three, to find out if there really is an Inspector named Goole on the force. There is not. He also calls the hospital to learn if a girl was brought in recently, as a suicide. The hospital has no record of it. Thus, when Arthur makes a phone call, the information he receives tends to verify what he hopes to be true. But when Arthur and the Birlings receive calls and phone calls, the lessons they learn are neither easy nor pleasant.

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Why shift the focus in a story? There is only so much that can be said about one topic before it gets redundant - even the most impressive and exciting topic in the world. If writers never shifted this topic, we would end up with some pretty boring things to read. For example, if you read an entire essay on how tall the Eiffel Tower was, you would be bored to tears! Instead, we shift the focus to other aspects of the subject: How was it constructed? Why was it built? What is it made out of? How many tourists are there in a year? All of these ideas relate to the main subject of the essay, but the focus shifts to something else relating to the topic. Every paragraph indicates that the focus of the story has shifted - to what and why is up to you to figure out! Some of your texts don't always have paragraphs, but the focus still shifts. Take the Prologue of Romeo and Juliet:

Two households, both alike in dignity,
In fair Verona, where we lay our scene,
From ancient grudge break to new mutiny,
Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean.
From forth the fatal loins of these two foes
A pair of star-cross'd lovers take their life;
Whose misadventured piteous overthrows
Do with their death bury their parents' strife.
The fearful passage of their death-mark'd love,
And the continuance of their parents' rage,
Which, but their children's end, nought could remove,
Is now the two hours' traffic of our stage;
The which if you with patient ears attend,
What here shall miss, our toil shall strive to mend.

Here, the focus begins on the setting: Italy with two prominent families. The focus then shifts to the grudge that the two have held. Next, it shifts to the two young lovers who are fated to be together and die to end the grudge. Finally, it ends with the focus on the audience and asking them to watch and enjoy the play. 

Why use chronological order? This is the easiest order for both readers and writers, as ideas are sequenced in the order they would typically happen. Most stories follow this order, though some choose to deviate. Romeo and Juliet largely follows chronological order, except for the foreshadow that is told to us in the prologue. An Inspector Calls is chronological in the order in which the Inspector spoke to the Birlings, but is not a chronological representation of Eva's life, as she met Eric before Mrs Birling. This is done for a dramatic reveal. 

Why use a cyclical structure? This is a very creative structure to a narrative or idea, because it returns the reader to a significant point to emphaises how important it is. For example, A Christmas Carol is written in a cyclical structure, where Scrooge returns to his room just at the start of Christmas. By doing this, the author gives Scrooge an opportunity for a "redo" or to try again. Some of the poems also feature a cyclical structure, such as 'Exposure', which features the line, "But nothing happens" at the end of the first and last stanza. Here, it is to emphasise how nothing ever seems to change in war - people keep dying. 

Why use a flashback or flash forward? This shift in time interrupts the narrative in order to show something meaningful in the past or in the future. The key word here is that it is meaningful, so it should be an essential component to the plot or character. For example. the second stave (chapter) of A Chrismas Carol is a flashback to show how Scrooge became the man he is today. The final chapter of The Sign of the Four is also a massive flashback, as Johnathan Small recounts how the Sign of Four came to be. 

Why use Freytag's Pyramid? It is a traditional starting point to structure a narrative, but do not be deceived into thinking that you must choose this format instead of other structural devices such as cyclical or hero's journey. Both of these can work in tandem with Freytag's. Romeo and Juliet follows this structure very well: 

Prologue and Act 1: Exposition
Like a modern day movie trailer, the prologue for The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet gives the audience a preview of events to come, and give us insight into the characters, setting, and background.

Act 2: Rising Action
The two lovers meet but cannot be together because of their families' long feud.

Act 3: Climax
After crashing the Capulet party, Tybalt goes after the Montague crew and kills Mercutio. To avenge his friend, Romeo duels with and kills Tybalt - Juliet's cousin. ​ Romeo is banished, but before he goes he gives Juliet a proper wedding night!​

Act 4: Falling Action
Juliet's father requests that she marries Count Paris. However, to escape a second wedding she and Friar Lawrence concoct a plan to make it appear as if she dies. By taking a sleeping potion!

Act 5: Denouement
The conclusion of The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet culminates with the Friar's version of the lovers' story. Friar Lawrence and the Nurse expound the truth to the Prince, the Capulets, and to the Montagues. In the resolution, the sad tone and moral of the story is evident as the two families agree to reconcile and erect monuments in the lovers' honor.

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Why use foreshadowing? This is a great technique to increase tension or suspense. Giving the reader a hint at what might happen later is a great way to keep them invested to see when that moment is going to come to fruition. In An Inspector Calls, Mr Birling says, "If we were all responsible for everything that happened to everybody we'd had anything to do with, it would be very awkward, wouldn't it?" This foreshadows the uncomfortable moment when the Birlings are forced to confront their wrongdoings and have to start thinking about how their choices impact others. 

Why use in media res? When done well, the technique can create high-stakes tension and a powerful sense of immersion and curiosity, while also giving an author time and to provide slower exposition. Readers will be more willing to wait out the slower start if they know something better might be coming. It can also create a sense of confusion and curiosity as it immediately puts the reader on the back foot and they have to work to catch up to what is happening. This is best showcased in the poem, 'Bayonet Charge', which opens with the line, "Suddenly he awoke and was running – raw". This use of in media res immediately leaves the reader wondering why he's running and from what. What danger is he potentially in? This makes the readers feel as disoriented as the speaker is. 

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Why use tone? Tone helps to get the reader feeling as they were intended to by the author. Using words that have a strong tone help instill the correct emotion in the reader and gets them invested. Changing this tone can help show how reactions and emotions can change and shift over time. Students would do well to think of "The Extract from The Prelude" when thinking of shift in tone. The poem begins with a positive and whimsical tone that makes the reader feel comfortable and content, but is shifted at the line, "The horizon's bound, a huge peak, black and huge". Suddenly confronted with something frightening, the tone suddenly shifts to a negative and emphasises how the speaker is forever changed. 

Why withhold information? Witholding information is a great technique to build curiosity in your reader and can be achieved in a variety of ways. You might have a naive narrator who doesn't know the answers themself, or you might just avoid the topic as an author all together. Sherlock can clearly solve the case in a matter of seconds, but Doyle places us in the hands of Watson, who clearly has as much awareness about the case as we do. As a result, readers are almost challenged to solve the clues before our narrator. In An Inspector Calls, the Inspector doesn't outright tell us what has happened and how they are all involved, he holds back until he's had the full confession from each of the characters. This also builds our curiosity as we have to guess what the next character has done to lead her closer to her death. 

Why use allegory? Allegory is a literary device used to express large, complex ideas in an approachable manner. Allegory allows writers to create some distance between themselves and the issues they are discussing, especially when those issues are strong critiques of political or societal realities. Allegory, which encompasses such forms as fable, parable, and apologue, may have meaning on two or more levels that the reader can understand only through an interpretive process. Victor Frankenstein is allegory for the mythical figure, Prometheus. As the latter stole fire from the gods and was punished for it, so did the former discover the secret to creating life, and subsequently suffer for it.

Credit: MasterClass and Encyclopedia Britannica

Why use archetype? Many authors use archetypes to create an immediate sense of familiarity between the audience and a character. Readers are comfortable in knowing what to expect and are then ready to take risks and become vulnerable to the rest of the story. This can also be a great way to get the interest of a reader, who might look for stories that feature a similar character. For example, Romeo and Juliet features archetypal star-crossed lovers who are forbidden to be together. 

Why use a foil character? Literary foils exist to reveal information about characters and their motivations. Foils can also: Help readers get a deeper understanding of a character. The main purpose of a foil is to draw attention to and emphasize another character's strengths and weaknesses. Unlike an antagonist, however, foils are not a primary source of tension for the main character. This can best be seen in The Sign of the Four in which Watson and Holmes are foil characters. Both have very different views and motivations, but they both compliment each other and emphasise the unique traits of the other. Watson makes Sherlock seem like a brilliant but cold detective. Sherlock makes Watson seem like a compassionate but slightly thick sidekick. Likewise, we can see foil characters in Scrooge and Nephew Fred. Fred makes his uncle look even more miserly and greedy, whereas Scrooge makes his nephew seem like the epitome of Christian charity. 

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Why use a trope? It is a sense of familiarity with this technique, much like the use of archetypal elements. People know what to expect in the trope and that sense of comfort and understanding can help make it easier for readers to accept more hard-hitting content. For example, Romeo and Juliet is one of the first to establish the trope of forbidden love, which continues to be used today. 

Why use a framed story? This adds an element of intrigue and interest to the work. It's not a singular story, but rather two stories that are somehow related and help reveal more about the main plot. Frankenstein is perhaps the best example of this, as readers at one point are listening to the Creature tell his story to Victor, who in turn told the story to Walton, and who then tells us. Frankenstein uses a frame narrative to provide context and details. Victor's story is used as a cautionary tale, and the Creature's story is used as a testament to what happens when one is constantly rejected by society.

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Why use satire? Satire is a great way to invest the audience through humour. Readers typically like things that will make them smile and laugh, and they're more likely to agree with the criticism if it is phrased as a joke. Largely, satire is used in Horrible Histories to help teach about the difficult events in the past through entertainment. Regardless, the point of satire is to make the reader recognise and accept the problem exists. After this, solutions can then be offered. 

Why use a soliloquy? This type of monologue is typically used in plays, this is a great way to get a better insight to what the character is truly thinking and feeling. This cannot always be clearly expressed by an actor or by watching the play, so this is a way to inform all the audience about the character's emotional status. This is seen in Romeo and Juliet when Romeo gives a Soliloquy while secretly watching Juliet:

Romeo:
O, she doth teach the torches to burn bright!
It seems she hangs upon the cheek of night
Like a rich jewel in an Ethiope's ear;
Beauty too rich for use, for earth too dear!
So shows a snowy dove trooping with crows,
As yonder lady o'er her fellows shows.
The measure done, I'll watch her place of stand,
And, touching hers, make blessed my rude hand.
Did my heart love till now? forswear it, sight!
For I ne'er saw true beauty till this night.

Through Romeo’s speech you see his true feelings about his first glimpse of Juliet. She’s so beautiful he doesn’t even have the words to describe her. This is the first glimpse viewers get into Romeo’s love at first sight.

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Why use a monologue? Monologues serve a specific purpose in storytelling—to give the audience more details about a character or about the plot. Used carefully, they are a great way to share the internal thoughts or backstory of a character or to give more specific details about the plot. Take a look at this monologue from An Inspector Calls:

Birling:
Gerald, I’m going to tell you frankly, without any pretences, that your engagement to Sheila means a tremendous lot to me. She’ll make you happy, and I’m sure you’ll make her happy. You’re just the kind of son-in-law I always wanted. Your father and I have been friendly rivals in business for some time now - though Crofts Limited are both older and bigger than Birlong and Company - and now you’ve brought us together, and perhaps we may look forward to the time when Crofts and Birling are no longer competing but are working together - for lower costs and higher prices.

What does this tell us? That Birling is a stubborn, middle-class father who thinks he has all the answers. We also learn through this that the match has been arranged for a political advantage and not as the result of a loving and devoted relationship, which we would normally associate with marriage.