Our brain turns metaphors into literal states and that is where they get their power. An appalling act will generate a bad taste in our mouth and a sick feeling in our stomach.
That queasy feeling has enormous power – for better or worse.
Simply put: a metaphor is a figure of speech in which a word or phrase is used to describe an object or idea to which it is not literally applicable.
Metaphors increase the clarity and impact of your speech.
The ability to think and write metaphorically allows the reader to appreciate it in a new light.
Verbal surprises delight the mind, stick in the memory and help close the gap between the author and the reader.
By using a simple turn of phrase or a simple metaphor, suddenly the reader’s mind is opened to a whole new world of perception, understanding and experience.
Main points to remember about metaphors:
- construct an idea that is different from the problem – but matches its pattern
- match the metaphor if at all possible to the interests of the person involved
- let the metaphor remain unexplained so the unconscious mind can work on it
- make sure the metaphor provides a solution to the problem – therefore hope
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“Linda has published sixteen books. She blogs about the publishing world, posts useful tips on the challenges a writer faces, including marketing and promoting your work, how to build your online platform, how to get reviews and how to self-publish.”