Steven James wrote a terrific essay about writing flaws; what resonated with me was the caution, when writing fiction, not to use literary devices.
What?
I love me some alliteration but in a key sentence, Steven stopped me short:
“Believe it or not, you don’t want readers to admire your writing: You want them to be so engaged in the story itself that they don’t notice the way you use words to shape it.â€
His advice is a compelling version of the old writing adage,  “kill your darlings.” Is he right? If so, the latest version of my story is in for a serious overhaul.