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: Less than 1 minute I like to share interesting pieces of figurative language I encounter in my reading. I write today about a series of similes from Jennifer Egan… My husband knows how much I enjoy the writing of Jennifer Egan. So, one of his recent gifts for …
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Reading time: Less than 2 minutes I like to share interesting pieces of figurative language I encounter in my reading. I write today about a series of metaphors, similes and personification from Gail Honeyman…. When I heard the book title, Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman (pictured above), I …
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Reading time: Less than 1 minute I like to share interesting pieces of figurative language I encounter in my reading. I write today about a metaphor from New Yorker scribe Andrew Marantz…. I like political satire as much as the next person, but American politics is so coo-coo right now that …
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Reading time: Just over 1 minute I like to share interesting pieces of figurative language I encounter in my reading. I write today about a series of similes from J. Courtney Sullivan… I had never heard of the American author J. Courtney Sullivan (pictured above) until I read her novel Saints …
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Reading time: Less than 1 minute I like to share interesting pieces of figurative language I encounter in my reading. I write today about a series of similes and metaphors from Pamela Paul…. When I heard about Pamela Paul’s “BOB” — an acronym meaning Book of Books — I knew …
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Reading time: Less than 1 minute I write today about some figurative language from noted Canadian writer, and two-time winner of the Stephen Leacock Medal for Humour, Terry Fallis…. I discovered writer Terry Fallis (pictured above) in 2009, shortly after he had won his first Stephen Leacock Medal for Humour …
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Reading time: Less than 1 minute I like to share interesting pieces of figurative language I encounter in my reading. I write today about a series of similes from Celeste Ng…. I was gobsmacked by the first novel, Everything I Never Told You written by Celeste Ng. The story of …
More figurative language from Celeste Ng…. Read More »
Reading time: Less than 1 minute I like to share interesting pieces of figurative language I encounter in my reading. I write today about some similes and metaphors from John Green…. I first heard about John Green (pictured above) about eight years ago, when my kids were still teenagers. He …
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Reading time: Less than 1 minute I like to share interesting pieces of figurative language I encounter in my reading. I write today about a series of similes from novelist Claire Messud…. American novelist and creative writing professor Claire Messud (pictured above) is best known for her novels The Emperor’s Children (2006) and The …
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Reading time: Just over 1 minute Jesse Green writes for the New York Times. Today, I discuss his great facility with figurative language… I stopped paying attention to contemporary music in 1979 when I graduated from university. I didn’t stop listening but I stopped caring about the names of the songs …
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