“A chorus of our differences,” Newark, NJ Mayor Cory Booker said in a recent interview.
Do you ever wonder why metaphors work? Or more important, how to write a powerful metaphor?
Let’s start with what a metaphor is:
A well-written metaphor forms a bridge connecting two apparently unrelated things, providing logical balance to both sides. A poorly written metaphor distracts the reader.
When they efficiently create an image in the reader’s mind, metaphors also help develop the theme.
Consider how Barbara Kingsolver masters this technique in ANIMAL DREAMS:
“The man had a compass needle in his cerebral cortex. And for all that, he’d still in the long run declined to be the guiding star I needed.”
Try this exercise to build your metaphor-writing skills:
1. Make a list of totally dissimilar things.
2. Choose two things from your list that are the least similar.
3. Identify any relationships between these two things. List any similarities.
4. Create a list (or a poem) that shows the relationship between your two subjects.
5. Check that details work logically on each side of the metaphor.
6. Have someone you trust read or listen to your metaphor and give you feedback.
7. Revise your work until you’ve created a clear bridge between to apparently dissimilar subjects.
By working to enhance metaphor writing skills, you can develop a tool that will give you true writing mastery.