Running Loose makes good use of several literary techniques. Louie Banks, the first-person narrator, is a very believable character, endearing but not perfect. His voice is honest. He does not always like himself and what he does. He worries about what people will think, but not enough to change his behavior. He is unsure of himself, but cocky too. He does not take himself too seriously. These attributes make his character both sympathetic and likable.

Humor is a major element of the novel. One example is verbal irony— when what is said is not what is meant.

When Louie is so angry over what happened to the black quarterback on the other team, he kicks the pep club girls off his truck, spilling their popcorn and soda. He describes this as "a move that I'm sure got me nominated for Mr. Congeniality of Evergreen County...