What Is A Simile

What is a simile in songwriting? Similes metaphors are tools in songwriting. Heres how to learn to use similes and metaphors to improve your songs.

This creative tool uses a comparison and always has the words "like" or "as" in it. These types of comparisons are used everywhere in normal speech.

The problem that you can run into is that as time goes by there are more and more examples of writers using comparisons. Using up one you might come up with. So you need to understand what is a simile and how to use one to your advantage.

Your job is to come up with new and fresh comparisons that will stand out in the mind of your listener. This means staying away from those tired or common examples in speech.

Songwriting is way to communicate your thoughts to the listener. You share how you feel about something and it gives the listener new meaning as a result the comparison you are make. The listener gets a better understanding of what you are talking about.

This is especially true if the listener is familiar with the first object of you comparison. This understanding is then used to understand the new object. Some comparisons can be simple while others may be quite complex.

When making the comparison, try coming up with new combinations that no one has heard before. Using a thesaurus is an excellent way to do this. Make your listener's ears take notice of the pictures you're painting. Unique images will lift your writing.

An advantage of the simile over the metaphor is it is not as direct. You say something is like something else. It doesn't have to include all the parts of the comparison.

This allows you freedom as the songwriter. You get to include the good but not the bad as a metaphor does. The image isn't as strong but maybe thats what you want.

Here are some examples to look at.