Over the last couple of weeks we have covered writing breaks and how to get back into the swing of things. We also covered a new editing technique for self-editing.
This week, we will look at another continuing trend, anthropomorphization. Essentially, giving human characteristics to non-human things.
You see this a lot in stories. Everything from science fiction to drama has some elements of the phenomenon. Talking animals, walking plants, integrated artificial intelligence and much more.
Anytime you take an animal, plant or inanimate object and give it the ability to talk, feel, have emotions, or even walk, you anthropomorphize.
The most common use is giving animals the ability to talk, like humans. Though any human features or abilities given to an item or object that doesn’t have them naturally, fits the definition.
How will we use that power today? Let’s take a look.
June 14
Write a small scene where an inanimate object is in a room with your MC. Then let the object begin to talk to your MC.
This ability can come as a shock to your character, making them scared or startled. However, if you are writing a high fantasy, it may be the norm, and completely expected.
This part, I leave up to you. Play around with it. Think about the benefits or drawbacks to this ability for inanimate objects to talk. What implications will have? What can it mean for your story?
While writing your scene, think about the pitfalls (if it talks, it must be able to hear, and if it can do that, it must have a brain…). But also, think about the connections and abilities. How can this be used for good, or for evil?
Suddenly, by taking a simple thing, like a talking trash can, you can enter a whole new world of story telling.
Give it a go!
