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Opportunity may knock, but it seldom nags.
Incorporating Personification

Incorporating VoiceMake Your Writing Come Alive
with Personification
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What exactly is Personification??
Incorporating Personification

Personification is a common technique used by
writers. Attaching human traits, emotions, or
behaviors to something that isn't human is basic
personification.
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What exactly is Personification??
Incorporating 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!
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How to use Personification in your writing
Incorporating Personification

Use personification to stretch metaphors like a
yoga pose. Metaphors and similes have an
opportunity to linger with the use of
personification.
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How to use Personification in your writing
Incorporating 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."
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How to use Personification in your writing
Incorporating Personification

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 out of all the drama and
chuckle at the foolish characters for a moment
with Laska.
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How to use Personification in your writing
Incorporating Personification

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.
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How to use Personification in your writing
Incorporating Personification
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.
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How to use Personification in your writing
Incorporating Personification
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."
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Opportunity may knock, but it seldom nags.
Incorporating Personification
Personification

Personify the following sentences. Change the
words in parentheses to words that would describe
a human'sactions
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Opportunity may knock, but it seldom nags.
Incorporating Personification
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.
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Opportunity may knock, but it seldom nags.
Incorporating Personification
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.
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Opportunity may knock, but it seldom nags.
Incorporating Personification
Change the words in parentheses to words that
would describe a human's actions
The leaf (fell) from the tree.
The leaf dances in the wind as it breaks free
from the tree.
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Opportunity may knock, but it seldom nags.
Incorporating Personification
Change the words in parentheses to words that
would describe a human's actions
The flashlight (went on).
The flashlight guides me through the darkness.
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Opportunity may knock, but it seldom nags.
Incorporating Personification
Change the words in parentheses to words that
would describe a human's actions
The Ipod (made a noise).
The Ipod screamed in protest as the classical
music was downloaded.
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Opportunity may knock, but it seldom nags.
Incorporating Personification
Change the words in parentheses to words that
would describe a human's actions
The net (moves) when the basketball goes through.
The net shivers in joy when the basketball goes
through.
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Opportunity may knock, but it seldom nags.
Incorporating Personification
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.
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Embedded PowerPoint Video
The space shuttle (took off).

• The space shuttle looks toward the future as
  it leaves the Earth.

Opportunity may knock, but it seldom nags.
Incorporating Personification
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Opportunity may knock, but it seldom nags.
Incorporating Personification
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.