How to Write Wonderful Descriptions

Similes and Metaphors

        Similes and metaphors can actually spice up your descriptions quite a bit. But if you're using similes, try to stay away from the cliche ones, such as "quiet as a mouse," "black as night," or "cute as a button." Instead, you can use more creative ones. Here are some examples:

        -black as the feathers of a crow
        -quiet as a winter morning
        -cute as a delicate flower
        -quick as a darting grasshopper
        -slow as trudging through mud

        You can even tweak the cliche similes, add to them to make them better, like these:

        -blue as the sky on a warm summer's day
        -white as a blanket of snow
        -wise as an ancient owl

        Now, metaphors, they're a bit trickier. Metaphors directly compare two totally different things without using the words "like" or "as." Here are some examples:

        -Her eyes were sapphires, deep blue gems embedded in her face.
        -The dog was a soldier, stiff and straight, following every direction.
        -The parrot was an old man - sarcastic, inappropriate, and hated everyone.
        -I hiked up the mountain, my feet boulders that weighed me down.