02 Dec 09 Writing and Power of Metaphor

Metaphor is a powerful tool used by wise orator, astute politicians, seasoned writer, professional bloggers, etc., to persuade audience to a certain way of thinking. If you want to be successful in persuasive copy and/or content writing then you have to master the art of using proper metaphor.

Metaphor as described by Merriam Webster dictionary is:

A figure of speech in which a word or phrase literally denoting one kind of object or idea is used in place of another to suggest a likeness or analogy between them.

Read the following two sentences and tell me which one sounds more compelling to you:

“He was silent, very silent, and completely motionless.”

“He was as silent and stationary as the dead.”

Of course, the latter one. The former sentence didn’t have the punch required to make us realize how much the person was silent and how much immobile he was, but once we supply the metaphor of dead, everything becomes clear, as we know how silent and motionless a dead person can be.

Metaphor helps us inject emotion in the written words. It helps us make the passage of texts relatable for the reader. The metaphor makes the read feel what has been written. A proper use of metaphor transforms the text making it meaningful for the readers.

Caution

Metaphor is a cultural thing. A wrongly used metaphor will push the audience far, far away. Hence, you should be careful in using it in your writing, and understand the cultural background of the users before infusing a metaphor in your writing.

A metaphor that works well in India may or may not produce the same result in Brazil. Culture plays an important role in it. If you are in doubt, use neutral metaphor. Like the one I have used in above example. No matter where you go, what cultural background you have the dead will be silent and stationary. Similarly, sky in the moonless night will be dark, stuff out of refrigerator will be cold, mid summer’s afternoon will be unbearably hot, etc.

Do not walk the cultural line while using metaphor if you are not sure.

Tags: Analogy, Audience, Brazil Culture, Caution, Dead Person, Doubt, Emotion, Figure Of Speech, Likeness, Merriam Webster, Metaphor, Mid Summer, Moonless Night, Orator, Persuasive Copy, Politicians, Punch, Refrigerator, Sentences, Webster Dictionary

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24 Nov 09 5 Still More Reasons Why You Should Join Twitter

Twitter gives you an insight into what people are doing online. This is a kind of action directory made by average users. Every vote, every inclusion counts on twitter. That is why I have showed you 10 benefits of joining twitter through two posts so far (5 Reasons to Join Twitter, and 5 More Reasons to Join Twitter). This is the third and last post that will try again to convince the non-twitteres to join the big league.

Reason 1: To follow your favorite celebrity

We all strive to know more about our favorite movie star, favorite sports star, politicians, etc., and our need to know more about them is fulfilled by magazines, news papers, televisions, and grapevine. None of the mediums are reliable. They feed us lie, but twitter does not because on twitter we can directly here from what celebrities has to say about themselves and their colleagues. Follow the celebrity that got batch of authentication from twitter.

Reason 2: To follow online celebrities

Celebrities are not made in Hollywood and sports alone. There are many online celebs that are worth following, in other words, following these celebrities is worth more than following some Hollywood guys or girls. Online celebs are people who have made it big on the Internet.

Reason 3: To follow your favorite website or blog

Twitter has become a regular in any marketing plan, which means the website or blog you read must be on twitter. Following them will give you information about updates on each one of them directly in your twitter.

Reason 4: Follow events and conferences

As I said, most of them who matter are on twitter. Hence, following twitter will also keep you in the know about development on any event. It will also tell you who has said or saying what in the conference, and if you are the organizer of any event or conference, you will get to know what attendees think about it.

Reason 5: To learn something new

I read something on the Internet, got excited by it, and decided to share, so I twitted it. This is how many people are using twitter, which has turned twitter into a big referral system. From here, you can learn about whatever you want. Twitter has become a gigantic learning center.

Tags: Action Directory, Attendees, Authentication, Celebrities, Celebs, Colleagues, Conferences, Favorite Sports, Grapevine, Inclusion, Insight, Magazines News, Marketing Plan, Mediums, Movie Star, News Papers, Politicians, Sports Star, Televisions, Twitter

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02 Dec 09 Writing and Power of Metaphor

Caution

24 Nov 09 5 Still More Reasons Why You Should Join Twitter

Reason 1: To follow your favorite celebrity

Reason 2: To follow online celebrities

Reason 3: To follow your favorite website or blog

Reason 4: Follow events and conferences

Reason 5: To learn something new

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