 For Authors: September 17, 2008 Issue [#2615] |
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This week: Edited by: Cubby  
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Hello, everyone! Welcome to this edition of the For Authors newsletter.  This week's topic is focused on wordplay, but first off, I'd like to share a few quotes with you that are related to writing. Enjoy!
Quotes:
*
You can't use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have.
~ Maya Angelou
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Minds are like parachutes; they work best when open.
~ Thomas Dewar
*
Keep a diary and one day it'll keep you.
~ Mae West |
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~*~* ~ Wordplay: Cat Got Your Muse? ~*~*~
~*~* ~
Definitions [cited from Dictionary.com]
 wordplay - [noun]
1. clever or subtle repartee; verbal wit.
2. a play on words; pun.
Playing with words can be an excellent past time when your muse is on the loose, or just for fun. And you never know... You might come up with something to send to a greeting card publisher, or create a fill-in for a magazine. Wordplay is popular for the young, the elderly, and the in-between.
I love words, and I have no doubt if you are reading this, you do, too. I also love word challenges such as unscrambling letters to make words, decoding cryptograms, etc. And I've discovered I enjoy making them up myself. It's really quite fun, so if you find yourself stuck with a blank piece of paper (or screen), try creating a puzzle or two.
Recently, while skimming through Oxymoronica by Dr. Mardy Grothe, I discovered a section on Robert Louis Stevenson that intrigued me. In Across the Plains, written in 1892, Stevenson wrote about his experiences in America. Dr. Grothe uses the following example of Stevenson's beautiful play on words describing Nebraska:
We were at sea--
there is no other adequate expression--
on the plains of Nebraska.
The beauty of this simple play on words is absolutely astounding to me. You can easily imagine the endless wheat fields with a gentle breeze rippling through the vast acres of golden-yellow. Wordplay doesn't always need to be humorous or fun; it can also be serious.
I love oxymorons for some weird reason. Uninvited guest; dry lake; nondairy creamer; and bittersweet are just to name a few on https://www.oxymoronlist.com. It amazes me each and every time I read one. And I truly must admit... I enjoy pronouncing the word oxymoron, too. 
Have you ever wondered how the butterfly got its name? It certainly wasn't because it looked like butter flying around, right? What about hamburger? The hamburger I eat is not made out of ham. Words like these are yet another form of wordplay. There are so many words in the English language that don't make total sense, but wouldn't it be interesting to do some research on these words to find out exactly why or how their names were chosen? Sounds like an article-in-the-making to me!
Another fun past time would be to write your own definitions to words that make no sense. A few examples might be:
dragonfly - [noun] - A fire-breathing scaled bug that flies.
butterfly - [noun] - A flying bug made from butter.
hamburger - [noun] - A burger made from ground ham.
keyword - [noun] - Any word that includes the word key: monkey, donkey, etc.
pineapple - [noun] - A red or yellow, round edible fruit that grows from the branches of an evergreen, coniferous tree having needle-shaped leaves.
Experimenting with various forms of poetry is yet another creative way to play with words. For instance, creating an acrostic can be a definite challenge to the brain. Here is an example of a double acrostic which I wrote a few years ago for a contest. Each line begins and ends with the same letter, spelling Cubby as you read down.
"Writer's Block"
Cautiously, I proceed, but panic
undeniably takes over as you
break off the branches I had hoped to climb,
burying my thoughts within a tomb;
you have once again, caused me to lose my way.
One thing I find really cool, is the way words can be placed on the page in a nontraditional manner. Shel Silverstein and Jack Prelutsky are just a few poets I know of who have done this. It takes a bit of patience, at least on my part, but the end result is pretty fulfilling. One example might be a fish poem shaped like a fish. Another might be a Christmas poem in the shape of a pine tree. The possibilities are limitless.
And hey... let's not forget about Dr. Seuss! His made-up words were a definite hit with children and adults alike. He should not be excluded where giving credit to wordplay is involved.
Playing with words is not only fun, but can be useful. Many magazines and newsletters pay for fillers. Have you noticed how many puzzle books are out there? I see people working crosswords, cryptograms, scrambled words, logics, and other puzzles often enough to think there must be a demand for them. I buy them while on vacation. I see people with puzzle books in airports and on airplanes. My children get them for Christmas. I send them to my grandchildren. There is a market for wordplay!
Cryptogram Sample:
QCWS WSR Q SF YAX'WS WQ?
(Let me know if you figure this out. )
Wordplay is fun. It's not only a great way to stimulate your muse, but it's also good for your brain!
A few interesting books to consider checking out:
 The Best of An Almanac of Words at Play (Hardcover) by Willard R. Espy (Editor)
Oxymoronica by Dr. Mardy Grothe
The Dictionary of Wordplay (Paperback) by Dave Morice
WordPlay Cafe: Cool Codes, Priceless Punzles & Phantastic Phonetec Phun (Williamson Kids Can! Series) by Michael Kline
For additional online information, browse the following links:
Wordplay
http://www.charlieandhilary.com/quotes/wordplay.html
Shape Poems
http://allpoetry.com/list/10315
Crazy English
http://www.ojohaven.com/fun/crazy.html
The Chaos
http://www.unique.cc/ron/estuff.htm
Happy September and...
Keep on Writing!
Cubby ") |
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Added comment: I would appreciate your comments on this work from my store room of treasures of the English language. It is not mine, and it can be shared with others. Take care, Shalom Miriam |
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It's been an interesting shift for me.
Thank you, everyone, for all the wonderful feedback you send in!