Mixed metaphors seem to be a recurring problem for some writers. While there is great value in using metaphors to add color to a piece, some people tend to rely on them too much. The result are sentences laden with multiple metaphors, some of which end up conflicting with each other.
If you’re not familiar with mixed metaphors, they’re essentially two or more metaphors used in the same breath, both of which refer to a single concept. The following is an example of a mixed metaphor:
“If we keep going down this road, we’ll end up closing the doors.”
In the above sentence, both “going down this road” and “closing the doors” are metaphors that obviously refer to something else. However, the use of two metaphors that paint individual images (as opposed to a single picture) just confuses the message.
While mixed metaphors can be acceptable, it is generally dissuaded as most of them end up reducing the writing’s overall clarity. One metaphor is usually enough to draw the reader in with a colorful reference, so why bother with the risk? Make sure to check for accidental uses during your editing phase, as even the best writing software find them difficult to catch.
Once readers chance upon a mixed metaphor, the instant reaction is almost always to pause. Even if it makes sense, the two images thrust upon them under the same utterance just requires additional thought that, for the most part, destroys the flow as they’re reading your piece.
