07 December 2012

Life Metaphors - An Exercise


Here's a writing exercise I read about in The Five-Minute Writer by Margret Geraghty, which I absolutely loved! I can't tell you enough how much this exercise will get your creative minds turning out some really great ideas for metaphors. You’ll have to try it out yourself.

Step 1 - Ms. Geraghty asks that you make a list of five concrete nouns. Mine are: tire, snake, shoe, dinner plate, and penis (just for giggles).

Just so you know, I chose my nouns prior to reading step two.

Step 2 - Ms. Geraghty asks that you make your metaphors starting out with the following three words:

Life is like...

Here are my creative metaphors. I hope you try the exercise for yourself.

Life is like a tire: It is resilient, made to bounce back from rugged terrain. It comes full circle and guides us along a path of ups and downs, all the way to our final destination.

Life is like a snake: Left alone in its own path, it is graceful and self-sufficient. But if you mess with it, the unexpected viciousness with which it may strike back could leave behind dire consequences.

Life is like a shoe: There are many different kinds, but in the end, they all wind up in the same place.

Life is like a dinner plate: It presents to you opportunities at regular intervals, but be careful what you accept and be wary of the chef.

Life is like a penis: It grows and stretches the limits of existence until it reaches a peak, then it slowly declines until we're left with a wrinkled, old vessel.

Feel free to share yours in the comments! I’d love to read what you’ve come up with.

20 comments:

  1. You are incredible Diane. I love the way your mind works. You should write poetry too. BTW, love the cover of your newest story! Congrats.

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    1. Aw, thank you, Eve! I was so incredibly please with how the penis one came out. It was freakishly unexpected. LOL

      :D

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  2. Replies
    1. It is kind of gross, too, but funny! :)

      Thanks for stopping by!

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  3. These are amazing. That last one was hilarious. Made my day.

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  4. What an awesome exercise! Love it--and your answers :)

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    1. Thanks randi! Glad you liked them. Where's yours? :)

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  5. This is an interesting exercise! Thanks for sharing. I'll try one.

    Life is like a river: it continues flowing whether you are aware or not.

    Life is like rocky road ice cream: it is sweet and delicious with occasional bumps along the way.

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    1. Lena, does Rocky Road ice cream have nuts in it too? I run into an occassional bump but a lot if nuts!! :D

      Thanks for sharing your own fun metaphors!

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  6. I love your writing! I have a terrible habit of talking in cliches and so need help to be original when I'm writing. This is a great technique to create new ways of looking at things. I'm going to have to try it out!

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  7. Life is like a pot hole - you're driving along enjoying the scenery and BAM your front end alignment is shot!

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  8. Really wondered where you would go with the last one.

    Life is like Life. Even Mikey likes it.

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    1. No, no! It was, "Give it to Mikey, he'll eat anything!"

      :O

      Haha, I'm such an instigator!

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  9. Ha, I love it! I'm bookmarking this page for later. :)

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  10. I'm falling about laughing at the last one....

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