metaphor over simile

Seems like we should use "seems like" a little less. This is another one from Getting the Words Right. While qualification can make for slow non-fiction, it will down right kill fiction.

Cheney suggests every time you're about to write seem to, you should consider a metaphor instead, and gives the following example:

Sometimes at this time of the day the palm trees quiver and seem to hover in the air, rippling hotly.

If you can resist having to be completely accurate, he suggests you could use the much better:

Sometimes at this time of the day the palm trees quiver and hover in the hot, rippling air.