Study a list of definitions of major literary devices. Metaphor, simile, situational and dramatic irony, symbolism, hyperbole, oxymoron, paradox, allegory, onomatopoeia, alliteration, rhyme and meter are all common literary devices writers use across genres.
Practice creating examples for each literary device in your list. For example, since a metaphor is an unusual comparison, practice picking two disparate objects or ideas and compare them in one sentence, such as a layer of fresh snow and a blanket.
Print out lyrics to some of your favorite songs. Song writers commonly use literary devices, although listeners may not realize it. Highlight or underline any figurative language (language that is not mean to be read literally, such as metaphor or hyperbole). Paraphrase the literary device in your own words; that is, explain what the metaphor means.
Choose several different literary texts in which to locate literary devices. Good examples include a Shakespearean sonnet, poems by Elizabeth Barrett Browning or Emily Dickinson, and a novel, such as "Animal Farm" by George Orwell, or a short story by Edgar Allen Poe. Read through these texts carefully, copy down any literary devices you notice and explain how they function in the text. Describe their purpose in the text and their effects on the meaning of the text.