Your Brain's Stuck on Repeat? Let's Throw a Defamiliarization Rave!
Your Brain's Stuck on Repeat? Let's Throw a Defamiliarization Rave!
(By The "Wait, Did You Just Describe My Toaster?" Guru)
Ever feel like your daily commute is less a journey and more a glitch in the Matrix? You know, where the same cracked sidewalk, the same "Lost Parrot" billboard (still stubbornly clinging on), and the same existential dread blend into a beige tapestry of "meh"? Yeah, me too.
In the world of writing, we often fall into the trap of "auto-pilot prose." We describe things the way we think readers expect, like a robot reciting a grocery list. But what if we could jolt our readers (and ourselves) awake with a literary defibrillator? Enter: defamiliarization, the art of turning the mundane into a mind-bending carnival ride.
What in the Shklovsky Is Defamiliarization?
Think of it as giving your readers a pair of "WTF?" goggles. Originally, some Russian dudes with impressive beards (like Viktor Shklovsky) realized that presenting the ordinary in an extraordinary way makes people actually see things. It's like taking a song you've heard a million times and remixing it with bagpipes and a kazoo.
Example Time (Hold onto Your Hats)
Instead of: "She looked at the ocean and felt peaceful," try: "She stared at the ocean, each wave a salty, frothy sigh, until her brain stopped its frantic hamster wheel and joined the ocean's rhythmic karaoke session." See? Suddenly, it's not just water; it's a full-on aquatic therapy session.
My Accidental Defamiliarization Comedy Show
I stumbled upon this gem of a technique during a dinner gone delightfully wrong. My husband and I went to our usual cozy restaurant, the one that smells like warm bread and good life choices. But then, they arrived: the human equivalent of a brass band in a library.
They laughed like hyenas at a stand-up show, clinked glasses like they were summoning a genie, and serenaded each other with off-key renditions of Broadway hits. My inner critic was preparing a strongly worded letter to the manager.
But then, I decided to play "mental redecorating." I imagined them as a traveling troupe of enthusiastic, slightly tone-deaf performers. Suddenly, their laughter became a contagious virus of joy, and their clinking glasses were a symphony of celebratory chaos. I still wanted earplugs, but I was also kind of impressed by their sheer audacity.
That's the magic of defamiliarization: it turns "ugh" into "huh?" and "boring" into "wait, tell me more!"
Why Your Non-Fiction Needs a Dash of Weird
"But Diane," you say, "I write about spreadsheets and tax codes. Can I really compare a balance sheet to a squirrel hoarding nuts?" Absolutely! After all, with just facts and lists, your article might be a bit dry.
- Wake Up the Snoozing Reader: Tired of reading about "personal finance"? What if you describe your budget as a tightrope walker balancing a stack of pancakes while juggling flaming torches?
- Data That Doesn't Make You Yawn: "30% habitat loss" becomes "One in three birds is now homeless, probably looking for a decent birdhouse on Zillow."
- Emotional Punch: Non-fiction shouldn’t be a robot monologue. Defamiliarization lets you inject feelings. "My commute was like navigating a clown car through a hurricane."
- Clarity Through Chaos: Explain blockchain with a metaphor about a thousand cats trying to agree on who gets the last can of tuna.
- Curiosity = Hooked Readers: If you twist the ordinary, people will lean in like they're watching a magician pull a rabbit out of a hat.
How to Defamiliarize Like a Pro (Or a Slightly Confused Alien)
- Pick Something Boring: Your morning coffee, a meeting, your sock drawer.
- Ask "What Else Could This Be?": Is your coffee a potion? Is your meeting a gladiatorial combat?
- Sensory Overload: Don't just describe what it looks like; what does it sound like? Does it smell like victory or burnt toast?
- Metaphors That Make You Go "Huh?": "Her inbox was a digital black hole, sucking in emails like a cosmic vacuum cleaner with a serious case of the munchies."
Practice Your Weirdness
- "Weird Observations" Notebook: Write down one odd thing you notice every day.
- Read the Weird Ones: Find writers who twist reality. Steal their moves (ethically, of course).
- Free-Write into Absurdity: Describe something for five minutes without using common words.
Humor: A Delicate Dance
Yes, defamiliarization can be hilarious. But don't turn your article into a stand-up routine. A dash of weirdness is seasoning; too much is a culinary disaster.
Final Thoughts (and a Plea for More Weirdness)
Defamiliarization isn't just for novelists; it's for anyone who wants to make their writing pop. So, go forth and describe your next meeting as a "gathering of penguins in a sauna." Your readers (and your brain) will thank you.
May your writing be delightfully strange, and may your readers forever see the world through a slightly warped, wonderfully entertaining lens.
**Check back tomorrow for another helpful article!
Recent Comments
4
Hi Diane
I love your posts for the insight, wit and wisdom they bring and I always try to apply this to my own writing every time I read your articles.
OR...
As she read the words which sat lazily on the screen, she felt a tingling in her heart which spread rapidly through her body like a dot of paint on a tissue. A great sense of recognition accompanied her changing perspective as a new truth hit her. The words, which had previously lain stubbornly on the page, now seemed to drift up, whirl around in the space before her and transmit into inner wisdom directly, seeping into her brain like a download from heaven.
Thank you! :)
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Wow this is cool to learn from!
Glad you found it educational! The learning never ends!