Feral Heart

Next up: Cliches and Repetitiveness, why they kill.

First off, what is a simile and what is a metaphor? If you have been in school long enough, you should have an idea what they are, but just as a refresher...

A simile is a comparison between two things by using the words "like" or "as"
ex. Leon was as tall as a mountain. The words being compared? Leon and mountain.
ex. Like a frothing maelstrom, Kita's rage boiled over. The words being  compared? Rage and maelstrom.

A metaphor is a comparison between two things without using the words "like" or "as"
or a thing regarded as representative or symbolic of something else, especially something abstract. (also without "like" or "as")
ex. The sea of grass waved to and fro. The words being compared? Sea and grass.
ex. As the wolf quivered in fear, the black sky roared in anger before beating the earth with a barrage of heavy rain. Here, there is nothing being directly compared, but the sky has been given human qualities and can be imagined as a great, angry man.

As can be seen by their definitions, these two figures of speech are very similar, but have important and distinct differences in regards towards your use of them.

A simile is often a simple and easy way to describe something in a unique and vivid perspective. It is the quickest to make up and use. They are flexible and can easily be added on to with extra adjectives and adverbs. However, they can quickly become cliche, repetitive, and over-used.

A metaphor is a more abstract comparison that is not always obvious. In other forms of literature, it is often developed as a theme over a long period of time. Since it is implied and hidden, it is hard to use in our fast-paced roleplay. However, once mastered, you can use it to create some astonishing imagery that is not always available with similes. Please note that these can also fall into cliches.

As with all things, these two figures of speech will take time and practice in order to fully master them. My advice to you is to read more and practice as much as you can. Be creative in your comparisons as you write! If you want to give the impression that your character is tall and graceful, then compare them to a willow tree. Is your character's coat earth toned? Compare it to mud or sand! There are endless possibilities when coming up with ways to describe your character or the things going on around you. There is no direct way to teach you all of them, so trial and error is a must. However I do have some quick tips and links for you:

Sometimes simplicity is best. If you notice that you are getting too wordy, start toning it back. If you are running out of ideas or are looking cliche, stop. A good rule of thumb is that if you can state it better with a simple adjective or adverb, then do so.

Keep the comparisons relative to your character. If you character is small and timid, don't compare it to an earthquake. This should be common sense.

If you are the humorous type, (I know I am) you can use similes to get some great laughs. I find the most effective way is to describe something that is often undesirable in a pompous and overdone matter to emphasis just how ridiculous it is.

When roleplaying a wild animal, it is best to keep comparisons relative to your character's knowledge. For example, it would be ridiculous to compare someone to a ballerina because animals don't know what a ballerina is! A good rule of thumb is to stick to elements of nature. Things like wind, thunderstorms, and earthquakes are always good for comparison, especially in the case of animals.

Don't be afraid to be creative. It's wonderful if there is a particular image that you want to emphasis, but don't be afraid to think outside the box! Even if your comparison seems ridiculous or silly, use it to bring humor into the rp and lighten up your posts!

I know how you feel.  I was in an rp last night where one person was just repeatedly saying they were bored while not even trying to interact with the other members of the group.  And later another person went on a rage saying that "no one cared about them" and other stuff simply because we weren't interacting with him right at that second.  There was only a few people on at the time and they were all advertising for members, so of course they wouldn't be able to interact with him!  In those instances, there really was no reason to act that way.  If you fail to interact with the members of your group or you fail to realize that no one else is roleplaying, then that is your fault.  I believe that many people think that it's the group's job to interact with them, not the other way around.  In reality, it is the individual's job to keep a roleplay dynamic and interesting, and it is the individual's job to make sure that they are interacting with what is going on around them.

However, I do agree with Re and some of the others in saying that "I'm bored" once in a while isn't bad.  Especially if you are just sitting there waiting for new members to come or are waiting for people to start roleplaying.  However, even in those instances, there is no reason to become all butt-hurt and obnoxious.  It may be a sign that you want someone to interact with you, but you cannot always rely on other people to entertain you.  If you are one of those people who become rude and annoying simply because you are bored...  Well I'm sorry, but you need to learn some patience.  I know that you want to roleplay as soon as possible, but you need to be aware of other people's needs too.

All in all, I think that saying you are "bored" is ok as long as you don't disturb the people around you. 

>O ~some how feels like I should be offended~ I will have you know that I am from the deep south, and I do NOT have a southern accent! And NO we do not all sound like hicks! Most of us do, but that is besides my point! (lol I'm not really mad XP) But anyways, I see your point, but I feel like portraying an accent could too easily be mistaken for illiteracy. However, I think if done properly, one could understand that you are not being illiterate, and I guess... Manipulating words to create an accent is a form of literacy... BUT! I really don't have experience in this area. (Although.... I have read a book that was completely in a DEEP Southern dialect. No specific dialect (from what I can remember) just words that had most of their letters missing. XD They looked like this: 'K ma' sup' Mur' herpderplol It was an interesting book) But anyways, I think if you can convey your accent right, it will be a success. And if they just cannot understand your concept... Then just put something along the lines of ""Lalalalalalalalala," She said with her usual, odd British tilt." That should make it easier for them to understand that you are actually not illiterate. Also, that is really interesting, your whole concept, I kinda like the idea of characters with accents. It adds a little bit more depth and life to your character, so keep on doing what you are doing!