Episode 289 - Crafting Poetic Prose with Ran Walker
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Ran Walker discusses CRAFTING POETIC PROSE, including the nuanced art of using poetic devices in fiction to bring language to life, venturing into various literary techniques, including metaphor and simile, personification, symbolism, homonyms, homophones, and homographs, and onomatopoeia, and exploring how these elements can enrich narratives and engage readers in more profound ways.
Ran Walker is an award-winning author of 38 books. He is an associate professor of creative writing at Hampton University and teaches with Writer's Digest University. He lives in Virginia with his wife, daughter, and puppy.
Episode Links
Episode 098 - Redefining Indy Success through Short Fiction with Ran Walker
Summary
In this episode of The Indy Author Podcast, Matty Dalrymple talks with Ran Walker about the nuanced art of using poetic devices in fiction to bring language to life, venturing into various literary techniques, including metaphor and simile, personification, symbolism, homonyms, homophones, and homographs, and onomatopoeia, and exploring how these elements can enrich narratives and engage readers in more profound ways.
The conversation kicks off with a discussion about metaphors and similes, starting with their basic definitions and distinctions. Ran explains that while both compare two things, a metaphor is a stronger assertion of similarity ('He was a beast'), while a simile relies on 'like' or 'as' ('He was like a beast'), which suggests a weaker or partial resemblance. He advises fiction writers to consider how strongly they want their comparisons to resonate and choose accordingly.
Matty then inquires about ensuring the metaphors and similes chosen serve the story rather than distract from it. Ran advises that if a metaphor or simile takes readers out of the narrative, it might be too much. For humorous contexts, however, a bolder metaphor might work when it's intended to pause the narrative momentarily for comedic relief.
Conversation transitions into the poetic devices of personification and its variant, anthropomorphism. Ran describes personification as a way to make inanimate settings more vibrant, painting scenes where "the rocking chair moaned" or "the light from the lamp leaped up the wall." It's a strategy to maintain reader interest during scene descriptions. To find these opportunities, Ran suggests writers draft scenes naturally and, during edits, pinpoint subjects in sentences that could use an imaginative touch of personification.
On symbolism, Ran reflects on how writers often unintentionally create repeating symbols and motifs, such as rings in a narrative to denote never-ending cycles. Once identified, authors can weave these symbols more deliberately into their stories, adding layers of meaning without overtly drawing attention to them.
They also delve into the use of homophones, homonyms, and homographs, where the similarity or identicality in words’ sounds, spellings, or meanings (like 'bear' the animal and 'bear' as in tolerate) can open avenues for linguistic playfulness. Ran shares how these can enrich a text when used sparingly and effectively, enhancing the work's texture by creating intentional echoes or exploring double meanings in context.
The discussion naturally extends to one of Matty's favorites — the concept of onomatopoeia — where words imitate natural sounds within narrative descriptions. Ran warns against excessive use, as seen in comics, but acknowledges that the right application can indeed evoke strong reader reactions.
Throughout, both Matty and Ran emphasize subtlety and intention behind employing literary devices. They remind authors that while different styles can make writing unique, clarity and enhancement of the story should always remain at their core. It's about enriching narrative language in ways that are thoughtful and deliberate, allowing readers enough room to draw meanings deeper than what’s presented on the surface.
Concluding with takeaways, Matty and Ran stress the importance of experimenting with these techniques to elevate writing, recommending that authors engage readers' senses and imagination without detracting from the storytelling.
This podcast episode serves as a valuable resource for writers seeking to enhance their craft through poetic devices. It underlines the power of language choices in narrative construction, the depth symbolic threads can contribute, and the pleasure found in the playful interaction between language and meaning. Through their conversation, aspiring authors gain insightful guidance on striking an effective balance between creativity and coherence in storytelling.