What is Hyperbole?
An exaggerated statement used to emphasize a point.
Going Overboard: A Guide to Hyperbole in Creative Writing
Hyperbole is a device as old as language itself, and it remains a reliable tool in the arsenal of every creative writer. It's really quite simple: you exaggerate a statement to emphasize a point, usually by making it seem more important or more impressive than it actually is. The key here is to make sure that your hyperbole is more effective than it is laughable - because when used poorly, hyperbole can turn your writing into a joke.
It's best practice to use hyperbole sparingly, and in situations where it will be most effective. Use it to emphasize the grandeur of a setting or the intensity of a character's emotions, or to emphasize an important plot point. But be sure to keep your tone in check: don't go overboard with your overstatements, or your writing will quickly devolve into parody.
Hyperbole is a literary device that has been used to great effect throughout the centuries.
'As I Lay Dying' is rife with examples of hyperbole, but perhaps the most memorable is when Darl describes the family's journey across the river as 'a mile wide and twice as long.'
Homer uses hyperbole to create vivid images throughout 'The Odyssey,' such as when he describes the cyclops Polyphemus as having a voice 'like the sound of a forge that the smith god Hephaistos had in his workshop.'