One of the shortest stories included in my upcoming anthology was written for an Edgar Allan Poe competition in 2021, in which my work came Runner-Up, and is titled The Clockmaker . Edgar Allan Poe is most famous for his works of Gothic Horror, but it is easy to forget that he also dabbled in Science Fiction, as did many of his Gothic contemporaries. Indeed, a quick Google search has informed me that there are anthologies which solely contain his Science Fiction. The Clockmaker was designed to marry these Horror and SciFi elements to create the sort of story which Poe himself might have written. I won’t deny it: I was pleased with the outcome. At only 500 words, it tells the story of a man who pays a visit to an old schoolfriend (you will realise, if you read much of my Gothic Horror, that old school/university friends play vital roles!) who is an inventor, and spends some time admiring a clock which he has made. I won’t spoil by telling you the ending, but I will say that he does...
Writing Personifications
Most of us talk to people not inanimate objects, or else (in
the case of people like me) we talk to both.
But sometimes inanimate objects are central to a story’s plot. For example, if you’re writing a mystery or
crime novel, your characters want to maintain a certain air of unknown. They will probably become known for the coat
they wear, or the car they drive. As
authors we can throw our readers a hint by personifying these inanimate objects.
When I think of the power behind a good use of
personification, I always think of the parable of the blind men and the
elephant. It’s our human approach which
makes us see things in a certain way – within the confines of our own
understanding.
Metaphors are central to writing this way. Don’t say:
the car had wing mirrors like ears, ready to hear its master’s voice
Instead go for:
the car’s wing mirrors were ears, ready to hear its master’s voice
the car had wing mirrors like ears, ready to hear its master’s voice
Instead go for:
the car’s wing mirrors were ears, ready to hear its master’s voice
Here are a few things about personification:
- That reminds me... Most things remind us of someone, even if it’s a totally obscure link. This is when our minds start to imagine seeing people in things.
- But... personifications don’t have to be linked to real people or characters. Often when we see a face in something, or imagine an object having a mood, it’s not a link to a real person so much as a characteristic.
- The ultimate Red Herring! Your character’s preconceived ideas based on these personifications can throw readers way off the scent. They’re a great tool in thrillers, mysteries and crime novels.
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