Wordplay

I love wordplay. It is the reason I write. It's the reason I do most of the things I do. I find it sad, though, that when people hear the word, they assume it is just puns. There is so much more to wordplay. Quite literally, it is playing with words.

I think it is interesting how two words can be very similar, yet very different, like "commendable" and "condemnable". I like to manipulate words, switching sounds and letters around and discovering new words because of it.

A game I play is trying to create new words by adding a single letter to a smaller word. An example:
or -> ore -> core -> score
ow -> cow -> cowl -> scowl
to -> tot -> tote -> stote

It's a simple game, though I find it quite enjoyable. I consider this to be a form of wordplay, just as much as puns or witty retorts. I also find it just as beneficial to a writer. It is an exercise in vocabulary. The bigger yours is, the better you do at it. It also can make you think of words you don't commonly use, which might spark thoughts or ideas, or even modify your style.

Wordplay is nothing but beneficial. I recommend it in all forms to all people, writers or not.