#similies

Metaphors, similes, and analogies are three literary devices used in speech and writing to make comparisons. Each is used in a different way.

Identifying the three can get a little tricky sometimes: for example,

when it comes to simile vs. metaphor, a simile is actually a subcategory of metaphor, which means all similes are metaphors, but not all metaphors are similes.

While these figures of speech are used to compare different things, here are some clear rules to help you distinguish between metaphor, simile, and analogy:

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1. A simile is saying something is like something else.

2. A metaphor is often poetically saying something is something else.

3. An analogy is saying something is like something else to make some sort of an explanatory point.

4. You can use metaphors and similes when creating an analogy.

5. A simile is a type of metaphor. All similes are metaphors, but not all metaphors are similes.

But with this whole new world I fell into a wonderful exploration of the love of brown and dark eyes. But my original love of Blue was so ingrained that I found myself simply combining them. My rant thing below, not very long, but my addition to the eye color thing. Cause I love both and think they can co-exist, at the very least in my head :]

a certain je ne sais quoi that’s impossible to describe—

i know i couldn’t do it, cause believe me, i’ve tried—

beyond the reach of those who aren’t familiar with the blurbs

of notes written by what some would consider a madman, others a genius;

but there also comes a certain bliss with being unencumbered

by the weight of the responsibility that can at times outnumber

the wonder and joy that comes with being this:

some simple kind of artist, prose and poetry alike,

metaphors and similes keeping me company at night,

when all i really want is your loving hand to hold;

Person: I just don’t understand, if you’re [e.g., asexual], why not just say that... why [e.g., grey asexual panromantic]?

Response: If you, an Australian, were in Germany and someone asked you where you were from, what would you say?

Person: Australia

Response: And if they asked where in Australia?

Person: New South Wales

Response: Oh in Sydney?

Person: No... Byron Bay (etc.)

Okay so this is pretty much a stylistic thing, so I’m going to give some pros and cons, but note that this is more heavily my opinion than straight fact. Also note that I tend to favor metaphors, so there’s a bit of bias there.

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First a quick refresher:

A simile is a direct comparison. Something is like something else, or shares the same qualitiy as something else. If there is the word “like” or “as” in the phrase, it’s a simile.

A metaphor is an indirect comparison, usually characterized by describing something in a way that’s not technically possible. For example, a common metaphor is “they’re a ray of sunshine.” Technically they’re not, but the indirect comparison is that a ray of sunshine is usually associated with comfort and warmth, as is this person.

Similies:

pros:

clearer and more direct - harder to misunderstand

they’re easier to use, as you can compare almost anything

more effective at incorporating worldbuilding it’s easier to compare things that the readers aren’t going to be as intimately familiar with

you can emphasize exactly what aspect you’re comparing

cons:

can come across as heavy-handed if you’re not careful - many readers can draw what comparison you’re making even if you don’t directly make it

often uses a lot of words - annoying if you’re trying to lower your wordcount

really easy to draw on cliches - avoid this.

fewer sentence structures to pick from - more rigid