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Metaphor Trees

David Gane
David Gane
1 min read

Recently, I discovered metaphor trees. I explained them as such: When you are constructing a novel, you should keep all your metaphors connected within the same field.

So for example, space is related to rocks and astronauts, but its different from birds, flowers, and air.

Metaphor trees
Metaphor trees

Or as one Twitter user described to me:

It’s when you start with a big solid metaphor for a trunk...and then you follow a branch down a twig to the delicious apple at the end but discover skin and flesh and deep inside, the hidden seeds of a whole new tree?
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Co-writer of the Shepherd and Wolfe young adult mysteries, the internationally award-winning series, and teacher of storytelling and screenwriting.

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