Similes and metaphors that are not clichés

A simile compares using “like” or “as”: the moon was like a coin. A metaphor says one thing is another: the moon was a coin. Both are powerful, but only when they are fresh.

Retire the clichés

As cold as ice. As busy as a bee. Eyes like diamonds. These were once clever, but readers have seen them thousands of times, so they slide past without creating an image.

Compare to something your character would know

A footballer might see the full moon “like a ball waiting on the penalty spot”. A baker might see it “pale as uncooked dough”. The comparison shows us the character as well as the object.

Make sure the comparison fits the mood

In a frightening scene, “the trees were like fingers” works. “The trees were like candyfloss” does not, unless you want to surprise the reader.

One good comparison beats five

Too many similes in a row make writing feel overdone. Use them where they matter most.

Try it: write three fresh similes for rain: one for a sad scene, one for a happy scene, and one from the point of view of a cat.