Book Metaphors: Six Ideas and Counting

What is a book to you, metaphorically speaking?

Others have weighed in on the subject, as evidenced by the following six quotes:

1. "Books are the compasses and telescopes and sextants and charts which other men have prepared to help us navigate the dangerous seas of human life." --Jesse Lee Bennett

2. "Books are lighthouses erected in the great sea of time." --E.P. Whipple

3. "A book is a garden, an orchard, a storehouse, a party, a company by the way, a counselor, a multitude of  counselors." --Henry Ward Beecher

4. "Books are the bees which carry the quickening pollen from one to another mind."--James Russell Lowell

5. "Books are the quietest and most constant of friends; they are the most accessible and wisest of counselors, and the most patient of teachers." --Charles W. Eliot

6. "Books are a uniquely portable magic." --Stephen King

Six quotes turn into fifteen metaphors: compass, telescope, sextant, chart, lighthouse, garden, orchard, storehouse, party, company, counselor, bee, friend, teacher, magic.

But we don't have to stop there. We're writers--how about making up a few of our own?

Photos courtesy of sxc.hu

My contribution: "a book is a ticket." A ticket to worlds and stories, places and things, ideas, insights, and imagination. A ticket to colors and wonder, images and emotions, mystery, heart tugs and promise. A ticket to the tapestries and threads of history and humanity--and to hope.

Would love to hear your ideas. How would you describe a book, metaphorically speaking?

Zebra Stripes and Writing Skills

They say no two zebras have the same stripe pattern. This should not come as a surprise, since other prime examples of uniqueness abound--like stars, snowflakes, and fingerprints. Why not individual designs in zebra coats?

I take a quick scroll through Wikipedia and read opinions about why zebras have varied stripes. It's been suggested that the patterns serve either as identification, camouflage, or even--strangely--as a means to confuse the pesky tsetse fly.

Any one of these ideas could spark discussion about how unique each zebra's story is. But this photo from last week's circus suggests another story. Look closely. In the midst of differences, there is a similarity. Note how the stripes on their rumps draw together in a common pattern--as if the stripes were ribbon threads about to be gathered into a ponytail. Ever notice that before? I sure didn't!

Ha. I play an association game. Just like no two zebras are alike, neither are writers. Styles are different, experiences are different, messages are different--for sure voices are different. But we carry with us one thing in common--the need to build a good foundation in the craft of writing. You know the drill--good grammar, showing not telling, action words not passive, sensory details, things like that.

We writers need to tie up our different stories with the same craft threads. And just like performing zebras need to practice their drills, so do we need to practice our writing drills.

Zebras and writing--a stretch? Maybe so. But somehow I just knew I had to use this picture!