I know I risk sounding like an English teacher when I use the words “figurative language.” The phrase may sound frightening but figurative language will make your writing more interesting evocative and memorable. And who doesn’t want that –even in non-fiction? Here are some examples of figurative language:
• allusion
• hyperbole
• metaphor
• oxymoron
• personification
• paradox
• simile
I read widely and follow many forms of media, keeping my eyes and ears attuned to figurative language so I can share a piece of it with you each week.
Reading time: Just over 1 minute I like to share interesting pieces of figurative language I encounter in my reading. Today’s comes from Dr. Steven Zeitels. Every week I read the New Yorker. It is, by far, my favourite magazine and I enjoy both the writing and the subjects it covers, […]
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Reading time: Less than 1 minute I like to share interesting pieces of figurative language I encounter in my reading. Today’s comes from New Yorker movie reviewer Anthony Lane. I have never seen a single James Bond film, or any of the Die Hard franchise. (By the way, I’m not
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Reading time: Just over 1 minute I like to share interesting pieces of figurative language I encounter in my reading. Today’s comes from novelist Michael Chabon. The first Michael Chabon book I failed to read was The Amazing Adventures of Cavalier and Clay. It was a book club assignment. But
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Reading time: Less than 1 minute I like to share interesting pieces of figurative language I encounter in my reading. Today’s comes from Ransom Riggs. I don’t normally read fantasy. It’s not a genre that appeals to me and I try to focus my cherished reading time on material that
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Reading time: About 1 minute I like to share interesting pieces of figurative language I encounter in my reading. Today’s comes from Cheryl Strayed, author of the memoir, Wild. I’d heard nothing but rave reviews about Wild by Cheryl Strayed. “I couldn’t put it down,” said one friend. “How I
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Reading time: About 1 minute I like to share interesting pieces of figurative language I encounter in my reading. Today’s comes from Emily Nussbaum, via the New Yorker. My son and I spent many happy hours watching The West Wing. I loved that talky, realistic, dramatic show, about one of
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Reading time: About 1 minute I like to share interesting pieces of figurative language I encounter in my reading. Today’s comes from John Medina, author of Brain Rules. I’m the kind of person who aced English and Social Studies classes while in high school — and passed Science and Math
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Reading time: Just over 1 minute I read widely, watch movies and listen to the radio. In today’s post you’ll see an interesting piece of figurative language by John McPhee that I encountered recently. Many years ago I mentored a young student. He took off to journalism school in New
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Reading time: Just over 1 minute I read widely, watch movies and listen to the radio. In today’s post you’ll see an interesting piece of figurative language by Adam Green I’ve encountered recently. I have a weakness for sleight-of-hand. As nothing more than a clumsy writer myself, I admire people
The figurative language of Apollo Robbins… Read More »
Reading time: Less than 1 minute I read widely, watch movies and listen to the radio. In today’s post you’ll see an interesting piece of figurative language I’ve encountered recently from writer John Seabrook. I lost touch with popular music in about, oh, 1982. Yes, I have become my parents.
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