Are there any exercises to improve one's ability with metaphors?

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   Billie Kelpinposted 10 years ago

   Are there any exercises to improve one's ability with metaphors?
   
   I'm not a visual person, so my writing is not metaphorical.  I'd like to improve and I've tried, but my mind is not flexible in this area and it seems less flexible as I get older.  Do you have any tricks for improving this ability?  I know reading writers like Bill Meisner (HItting into the Wind, Road to Cosmos) etc. might help, but actually I have no time to read and I'm a very auditory learner.  Thanks for any input.
   
   

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   PhoenixVposted 10 years ago

   The rock band Rush uses lots of metaphors in their lyrics. Listening closely to music lyrics might help. I think in general they use more than average amounts of metaphors. I am thinking there might be a CD of metaphor examples or a metaphor dictionary on CD at a book store or Amazon.

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      Billie Kelpinposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Phoenix,. I'll try Rush. Didn't think of a metaphor dictionary. Thanks!  Lyrics DO help me: "You fill up my senses like a night in the forest, "(JD) "found my mind in paper bag.. I tore my mind on a jagged sky"  K Rogers lyrics sung by Willie Nelson

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   chef-de-jourposted 10 years ago

   Life is a bowl of cherries, time is a river, - these are metaphors, when you portray a person or thing to another thing even though it isn't actually something else. He is the black sheep of the family for example.
   
   As simile is when two things are compared and the word like or as is used. So your example in the song is a simile. ...like a night in a forest....not a metaphor.
   Metaphors and similes are often confused. Good luck.

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      Billie Kelpinposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Yeah, I know, CDJ.  I was in a hurry. I have a whole online college quiz I developed to help students know the difference.. I'm just looking for ways to have similes, metaphors, figurative language, etc. come more quickly to my calcified brain.

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   connorjposted 10 years ago

   
   
   I suspect indeed you are a visual learner; although, you may still have trouble pulling out metaphors not unlike wisdom teeth. After all, 99.5% of all bipeds are indeed visual learners since their primary sense is vision. Google in quotations, "Revelation Theory of Learning",..  I really think focusing on metaphor-rich books will be helpful although RUSH and another guy with Southern Ontario roots would be most helpful (Neil Young)...

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      Billie Kelpinposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Cj, Thanks for that.  I'll have to listen more closely to Neil Young.  I call myself an auditory learner because I take in the majority of all my information thorugh radio. I prefer learning through listening rather than reading.

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   jansharesposted 10 years ago

   This is an interesting a very good question, Billie. I don't know of any particular exercises but I will suggest something. I think it's similar to what actors do when trying to step outside of their boundaries.
   
   Imagine that you're an object and talk about yourself in first person. Use lots of feelings and adjectives. I'm thinking this will help you see objects differently and become familiar with how their attributes can be applied to other things and people you write about.
   For example, pretend you're a diamond. What do you do? You sparkle and shine, you're hard, you have many sides, and you're exquisite. Now you can use the attributes of the diamond to describe a character in you're poem because you've allowed yourself to be and get to know what it feels like to be a diamond. I hope this makes sense and is helpful in making you think outside the box.

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      Billie Kelpinposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Jan, excellent advice as usual. I'm going to try that. I remember attending a workshop for parents of gifted chldren once.They gave us exercises for flexibility of thinking.My friend was soo fast and I always wanted a way to improve my flexibility..

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