Bang! Crash! Splat! Is That Really Writing?

There you are, immersed in your world, writing out an action sequence when —

Bang!

And you stop.

What’s that you wrote?

It’s onomatopoeia.

Onomatopoeia are those delightful little words that mimic the sounds they represent. Examples of onomatopoeic words include "buzz," "sizzle," "hiss," "clang," and "roar" — words that evoke the sound of actions, objects, or phenomena they describe to enhance sensory imagery.

Yeah, it’s a weird-looking word. "Onomatopoeia" derives from the Greek roots:

• "onoma" (ὄνομα), “name."

• "poiein" (ποιεῖν), "to make" or "to compose."

"Onomatopoiía" (ὀνοματοποιία) means "name-making" or "word-making."

Onomatopoeia can do wonders, whether the ominous creak of a haunted house door or the cheerful pop of champagne at a celebration. Aside from comic books, it’s often found in poetry, children’s books, and fiction, so it’s no wonder where new authors picked it up from: they’ve been exposed to it their whole lives.

But too much of a good thing can turn even the best writing into a caricature of itself. Overusing it can cheapen your prose, making it feel more like a Saturday morning cartoon than the compelling narrative you’re striving for.

Abusing Onomatopoeia

Excessive onomatopoeia can feel gimmicky or juvenile. “Serious” literary works prize subtlety, and the use of onomatopoeia may clash with a refined, introspective tone. If the sound effects overpower the narrative, weaken the tone and style, and may be received as amateurish. Critics may even perceive it as a cheap trick if it doesn’t integrate smoothly with the text.

The Problem of Onomatopoeia Overload

1. Onomatopoeia Distracts from the Story: Whenever you toss in a "Bam!" or a "Whoosh!", you’re asking your reader to focus on the sound, not the setting or the action; you’re short-cutting describing the scene. Example:
   
   The villain entered the room and ducked — Boom! Pow! His metal footsteps clanked across the floor.
   
   It might sound exciting, but it doesn’t give readers any real sense of what’s happening. Did he discharge a weapon? Was he shot at? By whom? Is the villain stomping? Sauntering? Running? What’s going on here? As authors, we paint pictures with words, not just sounds or images, like comic books might. We write in detail so the reader can better understand what’s happening.
   

2. Onomatopoeia Feels Lazy: Overuse of onomatopoeia can signal to readers that you’re cutting corners. Onomatopoeia provides a quick sensory shortcut, prioritizing immediacy over craft. Instead of describing the squeal of rubber tires on wet pavement, you write:
   
   Screech!
   
   Sure, it conveys the action and sound, but it doesn’t give the reader the context or emotional depth of the moment. Critics might even argue that onomatopoeia missed opportunities for deeper engagement. For instance, instead of writing:
   
   The door creaked open.
   

   First, recognize a cliché when you read it — an over-used phrase that lacks originality. Yawn. It’s dull, boring, trite. Onomatopoeia often leans on universal sounds that are inherently understood, such as “buzz” for bees, “boom” for explosions, or “creak” for doors. While this universality can effectively convey a thought quickly, it may also feel unoriginal. Writers who rely on these stock sounds might be perceived as missing an opportunity to write more fresh, vivid imagery.
   
   So, why write that when you could explore the action with a more thorough, thoughtful description:
   
   Straining, the door protested as I pushed it open. Its rusted iron hinges groaned under the weight of its years.
   

   The latter example uses personification and metaphor, inviting the reader to feel the age and wear of the setting. A tone is set; an emotion is pulled from the experience as the protagonist struggles to enter the room. We’re experiencing a dramatic moment on a broader scale, not just hearing the sound of a door.
   

3. Onomatopoeia Breaks Immersion Overloading your prose with sound words can pull your readers out of the narrative. If your intense action scene reads like: "Bang! Boom! Wham! He fired again," it risks sounding like a comic book rather than a riveting novel. It’s made worse when authors intentionally write onomatopoeia in all-caps like BANG!, BOOM!, and WHAM!, further distracting from the read. It’s even more glaring in short forms (nano, micro, and flash fiction), where its overuse can quickly become a distraction and — in the least — are wasted words.

Finding Balance

This doesn’t mean you should abandon onomatopoeia altogether. Used sparingly and with intention, it can add layers to your storytelling. Here are a few ideas.

• Pair Sound with Description: Instead of just "Clang!", try "The clang of steel against stone echoed through the cavern, sending shivers down her spine."
  

• Choose Moments Wisely: Save onomatopoeia for scenes where it enhances the reader’s experience — a dramatic crash in the climax or the subtle drip of water in a tense moment.
  

• Use It In Dialogue: Onomatopoeia can shine in dialogue. "Did you hear that thud?" feels more natural than a narrator inserting it.

Tips for the Road

• Think of onomatopoeia like seasoning. A pinch of "Boom!" or "Clink!" can elevate a sentence, but overuse will leave readers rolling their eyes and flipping pages.
  

• Think about how its use complements a scene rather than shortcuts a scene.
  

• Think about how onomatopoeia can disrupt the reader’s flow.
  

• Consider if you’re using a trite expression that doesn’t complement the scene's intention, perhaps diminishing the tone or atmosphere you’re trying to create.
  

• Is its use appropriate for the work? Are you writing “serious literature” for a snooty audience or a comedy to be consumed by an everyday Joe?

In Closing

Mastering onomatopoeia is about knowing when to hold back or when to avoid using it at all. Trust your storytelling skills to carry the weight. Get it done — without a single "Kaboom!"

R