Two useful writing methods to spice up your writing and make it more fun is to use a metaphor or comparison to illustrate a point in your writing.
METAPHORA WINGS SIMILAR DEFINED
Both metaphor and comparison are statements of comparison between two different items that share one aspect or feature in common. Unlike analogies that use five or six points of comparison, a metaphor or comparison uses only one and lets the reader lengthen the thought by itself.
Metaphor uses the wording, “X is Y”. For example, “Life is a banquet.” The reader thinks of a banquet, depicting all the food, people, fun, and activities and then relates those images to life, with the reader seeing the similarities. The point (s) of comparison is understated but rarely explained.
A comparison uses the wording, “X is like Y” or “X is like Y”, with the comparison explicit, so with more explanation. For example, one of the famous lines of Forrest Gump is “Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’ll get.” That comparison actually gives an explanation in addition to the comparison itself, in case we don’t realize that a box of chocolates usually has different flavors or types in it.
By choosing the right metaphor or comparison, make sure that the point you are aiming for with that speech figure matches exactly with the tone and theme of your writing. A misconception will either sound weird or become unintentionally funny, none of which would be a good reaction.
These comparisons are harder to come up with than, for example, examples, but they can add spicy and interesting content to your writing when you justify them.
WHEN TO USE METAPHORS AND THE LIKE
Use them when you have found one that is really suitable for the writing situation. Do not overuse them, as their use should be slightly added spice. Too much and the spice becomes overwhelming.
That said, if you’re aiming for humor, an excessive number of metaphors and thumbnails might work in your favor, but again make sure you justify them.
TWO EXAMPLES
Here is another metaphor: “Life is a bouquet of flowers, varied and beautiful.”
Here’s another comparison: “Life is like a picnic: it’s best shared.”
QUESTIONS TO DETERMINE USE OF METAPHORS OR SIMILAR SIMILAR
1. Do you have an intention that could really benefit from one of these?
2. Do you have a metaphor or comparison that you would like to use in writing? Find the right place to put it, making sure it fits properly.
3. Do you need to give credit to an author for giving the metaphor or comparison or is it considered common knowledge? Check this out and give credit where credit is due.
4. If you feel you need to put a metaphor or comparison somewhere in your work, but can’t find one that someone else said, then come up with one of your own. Focus on the point you want to make with the speech figure, and then think. If one does not think, think of something else, and let it come to you inadvertently.
Using metaphors and comparisons can add spice and fun to your writing, but only if well and sparingly.
