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Hot Topic (More than 10 Replies) On Writing Well (Read 5159 times)
Librarian
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On Writing Well
Apr 17th, 2011 at 3:38pm
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These articles concerning the overuse of metaphors and similies were brought to our attention. (Note that some of these critics are not writers or editors but teachers who may, in fact, exemplify the adage 'Those that can, do. Those that can't, teach.")
http://blog.nathanbransford.com/2008/02/your-similes-are-like-giant-flood.html
http://www.thepickygirl.com/?p=566
http://thebusinessofwriting.wordpress.com/2010/03/18/similes-and-metaphors-in-fi...
http://simonking1.blogspot.com/2009/06/overuse-of-overblown-metaphors-similes.ht...

And these are on how write well - including properly using metaphors and similes:
http://www.netplaces.com/improve-your-writing/
http://fictionwriting.about.com/od/writingexercises/qt/metaphorex.htm
http://grammar.about.com/od/words/a/similemetaphor1.htm
http://grammar.about.com/od/words/a/similemetaphor2.htm
  

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Write Rat
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Straker and his coffee.

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Re: On Writing Well
Reply #1 - Apr 17th, 2011 at 4:45pm
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(uses his teacher voice )  You take a man, students, have him walk into a room.
The man propelled himself into the room like a rocket, giving the illusion that his shabbily patched jeans were on fire.
The man trotted into the room, swept his eyes over the crowd like a beam from a lighthouse, and drank in the admiration as if it was no less than what he was due.
The man crept with resentment into the room, blending instantly with the disintegrating, flocked wallpaper.
The man bounced into the room, his facial expressions changing as fast as last year's fad.
The man swung into the room, and instantly held their attention, his gaze pinning everyone there to him like a doomed butterfly.
The man glided into the room, his spine as straight as a bullet, his blue eyes flashing a warning like a biological siren.
(I may use that one) Grin.


So what do the metaphors and similes tell you? Who are these men? Where do they come from? Why have they come? What are they up to? Which do you trust? Why?
Metaphors and similes WORK. Sure, if you just throw them in haphazardly, they won't matter. But if you're trying to say something about the characters, trying to create a mood, even using them as foreshadowing, then use them.

Amelia was informed she was gifted, but told she still had to learn the basics. After that she was told, throw everything out. Find your own voice.
I developed my love for metaphor from the master. Raymond Chandler. He turned mysteries into literature. When Amelia bought Bishop's audio tapes of the Philip Marlowe books, I purchased the books,  preferring print and began my love affair.
  Chandler's real life was really screwed up. He was an alcoholic. His wife lied to him about how old she was.
But when he sat at the typewriter, magic happened.
If there's anything I can teach anyone here, it's never let anyone discourage you by saying your style sucks. Don't assume anyone is an expert on anything. Even me. Because something can irk one person, doesn't mean it's a finite rule to be followed. Explore. Hold their feet to the fire. See if they practice what they preach. You may be surprised to find out they DON'T. You may find that they bend the road to make you reach their destination. That'll only get you lost.
That's a metaphor.

Class dismissed. 

ED
  
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Neesierie
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Re: On Writing Well
Reply #2 - Apr 17th, 2011 at 4:57pm
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Well said, Ed!

  

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Matt
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Re: On Writing Well
Reply #3 - Apr 17th, 2011 at 5:04pm
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I agree! Writing is an exploration of reality, dreams, and possibilities. And if we remain true to ourselves, no one person will have the power to steal those dreams! Wink

Good class, apple for the teacher! Smiley
  

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Librarian
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Re: On Writing Well
Reply #4 - Apr 17th, 2011 at 6:39pm
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The trick in using similes and metaphors is to make sure they say exactly what you mean and evoke exactly the picture you want (and not an overused or obvious cliche like 'her lips were like a rosebud' unless you're going to add ' a rosebud blackened by frost' or 'a rosebud blighted by mildew' - now you've taken the cliche and turned it on its head.)

Also make sure they make sense. Is a bullet straight? Or would laser or some other word make more logical sense? A marksman's bullet, for instance.

And then - who is making these rules? People keep stating you mustn't split an infinitive - that 'to boldly go' is gramatically wrong. But the rule came out of observing languages where you CAN'T split an infinitive. English is one of the few languages where it's even possible to split an infinitive.  Shocked

Same with 'no double negatives'. That's a mathematical construct some language pundit decided should apply to English - but no other natural language has that as a rule. So if you have a character whose natural speech pattern includes 'not going nowhere' so be itWink
« Last Edit: Apr 17th, 2011 at 8:53pm by Librarian »  

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Neesierie
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Re: On Writing Well
Reply #5 - Apr 17th, 2011 at 11:21pm
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We think in images, so our natural speech patterns will always be full of metaphor.  How else would we communicate?  Our stories and poems (if written well) should also reflect that by using an abundance of metaphor.  The trick is to use metaphors that aren't already cliches.  Be creative instead of lazy.  Make your own.  Say it your way.  Be unique.  Cool
  

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Neesierie
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Re: On Writing Well
Reply #6 - Apr 17th, 2011 at 11:25pm
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Of course, if I really wanted to be facetious, I'd discuss the various kinds of metaphor, such as: simile, metonymy, synecdoche, symbolism, allegory, personification, and anthropomorphism.  But I won't.  Wink
  

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Librarian
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Re: On Writing Well
Reply #7 - Apr 17th, 2011 at 11:42pm
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All kidding aside - that sounds interesting.  Wink

Of course, one of the indications of a new writer, or one for whom English is not their first language, is that they may not always recognize the cliches as such. Shocked



  

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Re: On Writing Well
Reply #8 - Apr 17th, 2011 at 11:44pm
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Could you imagine having to deal with a language based solely on the metaphoric. Like TNG: Darmok? Shocked
  

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Librarian
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Re: On Writing Well
Reply #9 - Apr 17th, 2011 at 11:57pm
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I never did figure out how they passed on things like math and engineering.
  

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Matt
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Re: On Writing Well
Reply #10 - Apr 18th, 2011 at 12:03am
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Yeah, I know. Could you imagine how hard it would be to explain special relativity in metaphorical terms? It's hard enough to explain in plain English. Shocked

Let's see hydrogen atom = one moon circles?
Binary star system = eyes in the dark?
I know, different episode, same idea.
  

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Neesierie
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Re: On Writing Well
Reply #11 - Apr 18th, 2011 at 12:05am
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Librarian wrote on Apr 17th, 2011 at 11:42pm:
All kidding aside - that sounds interesting.  Wink


I did mention that I was a poetry editor for 7 years.  According to Robert Frost, "metaphor is the very essence of poetry."  Cool  Actually, people routinely use 90% of these types of metaphor every day.  They just don't know that there's a name for what they're saying.  Grin
  

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Neesierie
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Re: On Writing Well
Reply #12 - Apr 18th, 2011 at 12:07am
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Hey, Matt!  "Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra."  (Remember what it means?)
  

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Matt
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Re: On Writing Well
Reply #13 - Apr 18th, 2011 at 12:08am
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You're so right, songwriting as well, as it is an offshoot of poetry. Smiley

"Dust in the wind, everything is dust in the wind."
  

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Neesierie
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Re: On Writing Well
Reply #14 - Apr 18th, 2011 at 12:17am
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Matt wrote on Apr 18th, 2011 at 12:08am:
"Dust in the wind, everything is dust in the wind."


*sigh*  I still can't believe our HS senior class chose that as our theme song!  Cheesy
  

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