Incorporating Voice Make Your Writing Come Alive with Personification

Personification is a common technique used by writers. Attaching human traits, emotions, or behaviors to something that isn't human is basic personification.

Giving human characteristics to animals, objects or places is the essence of personification. Using this technique can enhance your writing by making your pencil dance along the willing page. And with that example, this introduction is more alive already!

Use personification to stretch metaphors like a yoga pose. Metaphors and similes have an opportunity to linger with the use of personification.

Craft imagery with your personification. Let the your words paint the picture for your readers. A description of an over-loved teddy bear can become, "The bear seemed to appreciate the lengthy squeezes despite himself."

Give a unique perspective by using personification. Tolstoy changes perspective at a point in Anna Karenina, and the reader follows the dog, Laska, as he chases scent and follows orders. Through Laska, the reader sees, for a brief moment, the blindness of the characters that wouldn't be apparent without the dog's point of view. It also provides the reader an opportunity to step outof all the drama and chuckle at the foolish characters for a moment with Laska.

Help your readers understand the mood of your story through personification. A butterfly "twirling like a child in her first tutu" is quite different from a butterfly that "spun and fought with the air as if drowning in the rip tide." Depending on the personification you choose, the reader will feel certain emotional responses.

Keep track of your personification, especially gender. If you likened your office fridge to a man with a penchant for sweating garlic, it is best to continue the masculinity of that office fridge in future memos. Switches in personification when it comes to tone or gender can damage the overall impact of your piece.

Know your audience. Any writer can use personification, even in such mundane tasks as drafting office memos or technical manuals. For example, you might offer this: "When the computer begins beeping angrily, it's a good time to reboot."

PersonificationPersonify the following sentences. Change the words in parentheses to words that would describe a human's actions:

Change the words in parentheses to words that would describe a human's actions:The puppy (barked) when I left for school.The puppy reminded me that I was the worlds worst owner when I abandoned it and left for school.

Change the words in parentheses to words that would describe a human's actions:The pantry door (opened). The pantry door tells me to step away from the snacks as I peer inside.

Change the words in parentheses to words that would describe a human's actions:The leaf (fell) fromthe tree. The leaf dances in the wind as it breaks free from the tree.

Change the words in parentheses to words that would describe a human's actions:The flashlight guides me through the darkness.The flashlight (went on).

Change the words in parentheses to words that would describe a human's actions: The Ipod screamed in protest as the classical music was downloaded. The Ipod (made a noise).

Change the words in parentheses to words that would describe a human's actions: The net shivers in joy when the basketball goes through.The net (moves) when the basketball goes through.

Change the words in parentheses to words that would describe a human's actions:The player piano keys (moved up and down). The player piano keys bounce up and down with reckless abandon.

Embedded PowerPoint Video The space shuttle looks toward the future as it leaves the Earth.

The space shuttle (took off).Opportunity may knock, but it seldom nags.

Change the words in parentheses to words that would describe a human's actions:The computer (monitors) the searches I do. The computer watches my searches.

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