What is a Metaphor? A Creative Guide for Fiction Writers

Metaphors aren’t just clever little flourishes for writers, or a way to be artful—they change the way readers experience a story world. Metaphors create feeling for the reader.

At their simplest, metaphors are figures of speech that compare two unlike things. But they can transform into so much more than that. In the hands of a true storyteller, a metaphor becomes something almost palpable—atmosphere, character, mood, theme, and feeling, all working quietly but cleverly beneath the surface.

In this article, writing coach Ella McLeod answers the question what is a metaphor? and explores why they matter so deeply to storytellers. You’ll find clear explanations and memorable examples of different types of metaphors in fiction, along with practical guidance on how to use well-crafted metaphors in your creative writing to heighten emotion, deepen character, and make your story truly unforgettable.

A metaphor’s meaning in literary terms

A metaphor is a literary or rhetorical device that compares two different things in order to enhance a reader’s understanding of an emotion or unfamiliar moment. They might add color and texture to imagery (quite literally in the art sphere, where visual metaphors can be commonplace), or they can ground the text in something solid and relatable.

Commonly found in poetry and drama as well as prose, metaphors can elevate your writing. Not only can they forge a connection between your story and your readers, but an aptly chosen and well-crafted metaphor can emphasize the themes of your novel, highlight an idea, or even foreshadow what is yet to come.

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There is something truly sublime about reading a beautifully crafted metaphor, one that hits you in the gut with a sucker punch of emotion. When a metaphor describes something true, honest, and raw in a way the literal can’t quite manage? Chef’s kiss.

Perhaps you’re reading this because you get easily tangled up in mixed metaphors, or maybe you struggle to differentiate your explicit comparisons from your abstract concepts. It’s okay! I am here to help you become a total pro at this, with the help of some of my favorite metaphor examples and a selection of related writing prompts.

Metaphors: figurative language in everyday speech

Trust me, I get it. I’ve not sat down with a list of literary devices and their definitions since I was in school, either. (Though if this kind of granular literature classwork gets you going, do check out my blog on symbolism—you’ll find some overlap here, as symbolism and metaphor are close cousins.)

There’s probably even an argument to be made that a metaphor is a type of symbolism—or that symbolism is a type of metaphor. But where symbolism uses, well... symbols to represent ideas, metaphor tells us that one thing is another.

For example, in Roald Dahl’s Matilda, Miss Honey’s name symbolizes her sweetness, and Miss Honey herself is a symbol for the power of education to transform lives.

Here’s an example:

The parents looked upon Matilda in particular as nothing more than a scab. A scab is something you have to put up with until the time comes when you can pick it off and flick it away.
—Roald Dahl, Matilda

The scab is a metaphor for Matilda. Matilda is the scab. Poor Matilda!

Direct metaphor vs simile and analogy

And then we have our metaphor cousins—relatives, or siblings, perhaps—analogy and simile.

Example of a metaphor and a simile

While a metaphor is a direct comparison between two unrelated things, stating that one is the other, it does not use like or as. A simile, by contrast, does. It’s more explicit than a metaphor and is often used for clarity. For example:

Her anger was like a fire, hot and raging.

This simile likens the heat of her emotion to fire, but it keeps the two concepts separate.

Compare this to the metaphor:

Her anger was a fire, hot and raging.

I think the latter is more dramatic. The temper of the character, so conflated with the consumptive and destructive nature of fire, seems all the more dangerous.

While there are no hard and fast rules with writing, I would argue that the former (our simile) creates some distance between the reader and the characters—distance that can be effective, particularly when using an omniscient narrative voice.

I would probably use our second example (the metaphor) when writing in first or close third person (or indeed, close second person—yes, it’s a thing, check out my books Rapunzella, Or, Don’t Touch My Hair  and The Map That Led To You if you don’t believe me!). It gives a sense of immediacy, of proximity to the emotions being depicted.

Example of a metaphor and an analogy

Then there’s analogy, which tends to be more explanatory by using direct comparison, normally for clarification purposes. These are closer in nature to similes, often using as or like, but an analogy can be used to strengthen an argument or make a broader point. For example:

Metaphor: Ella is a princess.

Simile: Ella is like a princess.

Analogy: Ella is so high maintenance that she’s like a princess who has been cosseted and spoiled.

See? They’re all similar and do similar things (and are probably all true: know thyself, etc.), but you would use them slightly differently depending on the story you’re telling, the character/narrative voice you’re using, and the impression you’d like to leave your reader with.

Each device enhances communication in different ways: metaphors deepen meaning, similes aid description, and analogies clarify ideas.

Metaphors deepen meaning, similes aid description, and analogies clarify ideas.
—Ella McLeod

Metaphor and metonymy

As we’ve established, a metaphor pulls two disparate ideas together. In doing so, it highlights the similarities between the two and draws the reader’s attention to an idea, image, or theme for the purposes of explanation or emotional resonance.

When William Shakespeare says, ‘All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players...’ (one of my favorite monologues ever), what he means is: life is like a performance. Everyone has their roles; each life has different phases or ‘acts’; we have our exits and our entrances, and so on.

In contrast, metonymy is based on association or proximity. It substitutes the name of one thing with something closely related to it. Metonymy refers to a figure of speech in which the word for one thing is used to refer to something related to that thing. For example:

The crown will decide.

Here, ‘crown’ stands for the monarch or ruling power. The crown isn’t like the ruler—it is associated with them.

Or one might say:

I heard the White House is concerned.

Obviously, a crown can’t make a decision and a house can’t actually be concerned, but metonymy relies on cultural and contextual knowledge, often to create vivid imagery, improve brevity, or, in this instance, to further emphasize the source of an institution’s power.

A metaphor pulls two disparate ideas together. In doing so, it highlights the similarities between the two and draws the reader’s attention to an idea, image, or theme for the purposes of explanation or emotional resonance.
—Ella McLeod

Is this the same as synecdoche?

Metonymy is very similar to synecdoche, as I discuss in my blog on symbolism. However, where metonymy uses a related word as a stand-in for something larger, synecdoche involves using a part of something to represent the whole.

For instance, the expression ‘lend me a hand’ illustrates synecdoche, since ‘hand’ refers to one part of the body but is used to represent the whole person. Alternatively, ‘I love your wheels’ could be used to compliment a car, not just its wheels.

More metaphor examples to explore

Sustained (or extended) metaphors

A sustained metaphor is a metaphor that extends throughout a passage, poem, or even an entire work. Rather than a single, isolated comparison, the metaphor is woven into multiple lines or ideas, reinforcing the imagery and deepening meaning. Writers often use extended metaphors to unify a text and guide the reader’s interpretation.

Over time, a sustained metaphor can evolve into a motif—a recurring symbolic element that reinforces a theme. In The Song of Achilles, for example, readers perhaps started with an expectation of how the story would end: with Achilles being fatally wounded by an arrow to his famously vulnerable heel. Miller has given many reasons why this is not the ending she wrote—the heel is a late addition to the myth; her students always asked why Achilles’s mother, Thetis, when dipping him into the Styx to bless him with invulnerability, didn’t simply switch hands and dip both heels; a wound to the heel is rarely fatal, etc.

The heel does make an appearance, though. Patroclus, our narrator, fixates on Achilles’s swift, fine-boned heels. They’re one of the first things he notices about his future lover, and so the heels become a motif, reinforcing Patroclus’s love and desire for Achilles.

It’s clever because, ultimately, the actual ‘Achilles’s heel’ is Patroclus. Their love, their relationship. In place of the literal heel being Achilles’s weakness, Miller uses the motif of the heel as a metaphor for their love, which is Achilles’s weakness.

This also works on two levels. Achilles is praised for his feet, his speed, and his heels. They’re seen as one of the best things about him. And so is his relationship with Patroclus.

See how much meaning we can read from one artfully used, carefully extended metaphor? 

See how much I bloody LOVE this book?!

A sustained metaphor is a metaphor that extends throughout a passage, poem, or even an entire work. Rather than a single, isolated comparison, the metaphor is woven into multiple lines or ideas, reinforcing the imagery and deepening meaning.
—Ella McLeod

Parables and allegories

Parables and allegories take this one step further as narrative forms of metaphor. Both use storytelling to communicate abstract ideas, morals, or truths through symbolic representation. The difference lies mainly in scope and complexity.

A parable is typically a short, simple story that illustrates a moral or spiritual lesson—think of the Parable of the Good Samaritan or Aesop’s fables. In these, the story’s surface is straightforward, but each character or event represents a deeper lesson. They rely on metaphor by presenting one situation to reflect another. The hare is arrogant and rushes ahead, but the tortoise is ‘slow and steady.’ He wins the race.

In literary terms, an allegory is broader and more complex. Every element—character, setting, and action—can correspond to a specific idea. George Orwell’s Animal Farm, for instance, is an allegory where the sustained metaphor of a farm represents Soviet communism.

Both parables and allegories are extended metaphors that use narrative instead of direct comparison. They’re especially powerful for teaching, criticism, and philosophical reflection, because they allow abstract or controversial ideas to be explored in a relatable and less didactic way.

Love is a battlefield: dead metaphors

Dead metaphors are expressions that originally involved vivid imagery but have become so commonly used that their metaphorical roots are no longer consciously recognized. These phrases now often function as fixed idioms within everyday language.

For example, saying someone has had ’a rough patch’ originally suggested a literal bumpy road, but now simply means someone is going through a difficult time.

Other dead metaphors include:

• ‍Foot of the bed: no one pictures a foot, but the meaning is clear.‍
• Time is running out: we rarely think of time with legs, but the phrase communicates urgency.‍
• Go belly up: I’m a big Finding Nemo fan, so I do still think of fish when I hear this, but I reckon most people think of a significant failure before they imagine a sweet little clown fish shrieking, ‘Don’t let me go belly up!’ while trapped in a plastic bag.

While these metaphors have ‘died’ in terms of imagery, they still serve an essential function in communication. They allow for quick understanding and emotional shorthand.

I always advise using these sparingly and with serious consideration. Not every metaphor enhances your writing—some can actually weaken it, feeling a bit overused and cliché. Rather than relying on tired expressions, try to create a fresh, unique image. Alternatively, consider taking a familiar metaphor and giving it a new twist to make it feel original and engaging again.

Implied metaphors (as seen in everyday language)

An implied metaphor is a subtler form of metaphor in which the comparison between two things is suggested rather than stated directly. Unlike explicit metaphors, which clearly equate one thing to another, implied comparison metaphors require the reader to infer the connection. For example:

He barked orders at his team.

This sentence implies that the man is like a dog, without directly stating it. The verb ‘barked’ brings canine behavior to mind, suggesting aggression or dominance.

She sailed through the exam.

In this example, the word ‘sailed’ implies the solidity, ease, and grace of a ship, comparing her experience to moving smoothly over water, without saying it outright.

Implied metaphors are especially useful in narrative or poetic writing, where subtlety and suggestion can enhance tone, characterization, or emotion. Their indirectness also invites interpretation, allowing readers to engage more actively with the text. Because implied metaphors show rather than tell, they’re often seen as more sophisticated than direct metaphors and can make writing feel more natural and fluid. That being said, do make sure each implied metaphor is chosen with care and specificity to avoid misinterpretation and confusion.

Not every metaphor enhances your writing—some can actually weaken it, feeling a bit overused and cliché. Rather than relying on tired expressions, try to create a fresh, unique image.
—Ella McLeod

Mixed metaphors

Sometimes fusion can be fun. Sushi burritos, anyone? Korean BBQ tacos? Thanks to my Jamaican heritage and my fiancé’s Lebanese roots, I make a mean Jerk-Schwarma Roti.

But some things simply shouldn’t be mixed. Oil and water, bleach and ammonia, pineapple and pizza (sorry, I don’t care what you say, you’re wrong)—and metaphors.

A mixed metaphor is the pineapple pizza, the bad wine pairing of writing; it happens when a writer combines two different metaphors and they don’t work—they are totally incompatible. This incompatibility results in inconsistencies; while all metaphors are figurative, these mixed metaphors are particularly impossible to decipher:

• Beat around the bullet
• Burn that bridge when we come to it
• Flying by the skin of your teeth
• Crying over a dropped hat
• Barking up the bush

This is the kind of writing that has me clutching my hair, yelling: What are you trying to say, my guy?!

While the result is awkward and clunky, mixed metaphors can be humorous. Maybe you’ve a protagonist who’s a poor politician, or a younger character trying to sound mature. The illogical and contradictory imagery may be a stylistic misstep, but it could also be used to create irony or mock a character who speaks in a convoluted way.

Some favorite metaphors

I think you can tell a lot about a person if you know their favorite literary metaphors. In the interest of getting to know each other even better, here are a few of mine to leave you feeling inspired:

You know that to love is both to swim and to drown. You know to love is to be a whole, partial, a joint, a fracture, a heart, a bone. It is to bleed and heal. It is to be in the world, honest. It is to place someone next to your beating heart, in the absolute darkness of your inner, and trust they will hold you close. To love is to trust, to trust is to have faith. How else are you meant to love?
—Caleb Azumah Nelson, Open Water

There are no bargains between lions and men. I will kill you and eat you raw.
—Madeline Miller, The Song of Achilles

I think about my own mouth, imagine it filled with things that have no business being there – ghost groans of words that died before my tongue could shape them.
—Julia Armfield, Our Wives Under the Sea

A door slams at the bottom of the ocean.
—Charlotte Paradise, Overspill

You were
water to me
deep and bold and fathoming.
—Grace Nichols, ‘Praise Song For My Mother’

Metaphor prompts and ideas to get you writing

Here are some metaphors inspired by what we’ve explored in this blog. Use them as prompts to overcome writer’s block, experiment with some free writing, or as a way of coming up with your own metaphors! 

The city is a living creature.

• Describe a day in a city using this metaphor. What does it eat, breathe, or fear?

Time is a thief.

• Craft a story or reflection where time literally steals something from the protagonist.

The classroom was a battlefield.

• Use this metaphor to narrate a day in school, focusing on tension, strategy, and unexpected victories.

Love is a mirror.

• Reflect on how two characters see themselves—and each other—through this lens.

Dreams are paper boats.

• Write a short story where dreams set sail. What currents do they face?

And so...

Metaphors are powerful and versatile, capable of shaping the way we communicate, enriching our prose, and lending a real muscularity to our writing. From direct comparisons to more subtle implied metaphors, and from extended metaphors that evolve into motifs and allegories to those that become embedded in language as idioms or dead metaphors, the world of the metaphor offers endless possibilities for creative expression.

They are an instrument for the writer’s toolkit, a weapon for the literary arsenal—but remember to wield with care. While original and well-crafted metaphors can evoke emotion and reveal new perspectives, overused or clichéd metaphors may weaken impact or obscure meaning.

Hopefully, this blog will have gone some way in allowing you to understand the different types of metaphor and the roles they play, enabling you to make more deliberate and effective stylistic choices.

Next time you’re reading, why not make a note of some of your favorites?

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