Post date: Jan 11, 2016 3:43:19 AM
Tonight while I was writing, I came to a point in the story that I wanted to show how ridiculous the situation was. It was conversation between a human and a purple slug-like alien with cybernetic enhancements:
The [bucket] was full of little purple gummies that might have resembled a Gastrocellian were they a small tasty earth candy instead of a giant robotic space slug.Though this line will likely be polished further as I revise the story, it brings up one of the more fun writing techniques I sometimes employ. While we often use analogy to present ideas, this usually works best with items that exhibit similar emotional reactions. Pillows are fluffy like clouds. If a situation is happy, the light in the room is as bright as the summer sun, otherwise, it is as harsh as the desert sun.
Sometimes, though, it is fun to make analogies that show the reader the humor of a situation.
Consider the following line, with a more usual analogy:
After a long night, and a little too much alcohol, the detective's head was throbbing. He climbed in to bed, and found his pillow to be as soft as the clouds.
Now, let's try something a little different.
After a long night, and a little too much alcohol, the detective's head was throbbing. As he lay down to sleep, the soft pillow was as effective as a sledgehammer to the noggin. And he would know.
Each imparts a different feel, and changes the way the reader views the situation.