Monday, August 22, 2011

Like a Pumpkin Seed Caught Between Your Eyelashes

One of my favorite, favorite, FAVORITE things about writing fiction - and particularly romantic comedies - is that I get to make up all kinds of new analogies.

Anytime I'm sitting down to write, whether it's a blog or novel, I try my absolute hardest to not say analogies that have already been said once or three million times. A word of warning - you can over-do unique analogies, but a few perfectly placed sayings can take your book to a whole new level. And new levels are great for catching editor's eyes.

Here's a few common cliches for example:

I love him like I've never loved anyone else.

It itched like ants in the pants.

I stuck out like a sore thumb.

He looked healthier than a horse.

Instead, why don't you try something else a little more...unique?

I love him more than a midget loves to limbo.

It itched like a dandruff-stricken measles patient.

I stuck out like a pink, inflatable elephant at a wedding reception.

He looked about as healthy as the tomatoes in my Gran's fridge. And Gran always kept the best-looking tomatoes in her fridge.


Now it's your turn! Here's a few common cliches - how could you rewrite them to sound more eye-catching?

1. Don't be such a stick in the mud!

2. We feel like we're meant to be.

3. He was going to be toast.

4. There are lots of fish in the sea.

Have fun!

7 comments:

  1. Stop twirling your big toe in the muck.

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  2. Cute, Ladonna! lol Love your elephant, Erynn :)


    Plenty of fish in the sea =
    There was more than one cookie in my lunchbox.

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  3. A pumpkin seed in your eyelashes would be really annoying! Lol

    He was going to be toast:
    He was popped like popcorn

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  4. You could keep a notebook of these!

    Tangled like hair in a brush curler

    Like waiting for the last drop of ranch to drip from the bottle

    I thought it was funny when Paula Deen said "sweating like a fat girl writing her first love letter"

    And sometimes when my dad is going to say something a person won't like he says "I'm gonna call the baby ugly"

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  5. Those are SO great!!

    Tonya, I am DYING over Paula Deen's saying! I totally want to grow up to be her. And your dad is hilarious too!

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