I bet you do this and perhaps don’t know it has an official name, or many names . . . Words that create new words when spelled backward are called: heteropalindromes, semordnilaps, semi-palindromes, half-palindromes, reversgrams, mynoretehs, reversible anagrams, word reversals, or anadromes. The term “semordnilap” is a playful invention. Though the term is relatively modern, the concept has been used for centuries. Lewis Carroll is known for creating “Semordnilap” (the reverse of Palindrome). Examples of semordnilaps are found in the works of James Joyce, particularly “Finnegans Wake” (1939). Joyce was known for his experimental use of language, and “Finnegans Wake” is filled with complex puns, wordplay, and linguistic tricks. Although the book primarily focuses on palindromes and complex word formations, it also features instances where words and phrases take on new meanings when reversed or rearranged. Joyce’s innovative approach to language helped cement semordnilaps as a legitimate and intriguing form…
Tag: Writing freely. Just write. Writing Prompts. The Write Spot Blog.
A Break-up Letter
Memorable writing that sparks imagination. Lean in. Hear the writer’s voice on the page. A Break-up Letter By CM Riddle Dear Time, Forget You! I am tired of the way you sneak up on me. Stealing moments and making plans that take forever to prepare, then the event flies by. I long for the days of following the sun and the moon and using its rhythm to play my own tune. You cause great stress upon me, as others in my life have depended on you so much that they expect me to follow you, too. Timecards, appointments, luncheons, and for God’s sake, Christmas! Give me a break, would you please? I mean, the way you slip through my fingers! And as if the ticking tocks you whisper in my ear are not enough, you decided to line my face and give me grey my hair. I need to get down and up…
Past Ten
Kali White VanBaale – Editor-at-Large of Past Ten: Where were you on this day ten years ago? So often we’re told to “be present” and “live in the now,” but in reality we have to look to the past in order to understand and make sense of the present. What I love about Past-Ten is that it embraces this duality—that reflection of one’s past doesn’t have to be an act of regretful self-flagellation, but can instead be an act of self-discovery and hard-earned wisdom others can learn from. Perhaps “living in the now” isn’t a real thing, because now is inextricably tied to was, and both must be lived, and contemplated, simultaneously. Past-Ten aims to explore the beautiful and complex knots of personal histories. Past Ten Guidelines (from their Submissions Page): The Basics: Tell us a story about where you were ten years ago on a specific date. For your…
Contranyms . . . Prompt #826
A contranym is a word with two opposite meanings. Or: Two meanings that contradict one another. Use contranyms in your writing. Bill: payment or an invoice Bolt: leave quickly or fix/immobilize Bound: confined/tied or going Buckle: connect or break or collapse Cleave: cling or split apart Clip: attach or cut off Dust: clean something or dust with powdered sugar Fast: move rapidly or fixed in place Finished: completed or destroyed Hold up: support or impede Left: gone or remaining Original: authentic/traditional or novel never done before Overlook: supervise or failing to oversee Peer: person of nobility or an equal Presently: now or soon Put out: extinguish or generate Sanction: approve or penalize Table: discuss a topic or postpone discussion #justwrite #iamawriter #iamwriting
Palindromes . . . Prompt #825
A palindrome is a word that reads the same backwards as forwards. Use these palindromes in your writing. civic deed deified kayak level madam mom noon peep pop racecar radar refer repaper rotator rotor wow And, thanks to the amazing writers I work with: Taco cat Yreka Bakery #justwrite #iamwriting #iamawriter
Advice From a Dog
Memorable writing that sparks imagination. Lean in. Hear the writer’s voice on the page. Advice From a Dog By DSBriggs Find yourself a good owner. In addition to catering to your every whim a good owner should incorporate these other qualities, I explain below. Get someone with good knees because they will need to get up and down when you want to go in and out. Also someone with an opposable thumb so they can operate a can opener to serve you wet food. Which, of course, you should refuse to eat at first. Gradually your owner will succumb to your training. This is good when selecting snack treats. Note your owner’s preference (usually the cheapest) as the one treat you refuse. Get someone who knows that there is a difference between walks: fast, get down to business or mosey which should be called nosey. Serious nose work cannot be rushed. Train your owner…
Ebbs and Flows . . . Prompt #824
Writing Prompt: Ebbs and Flows Just Write! #justwrite #iamawriter #iamwriting
Something happened . . . Prompt #823
Write about something that happened to you that you wonder if you should tell people. Would it help them to know? Would it help you to write about it? Just Write! #justwrite #amwriting #iamawriter
Song Lyrics: Defying Gravity . . . Prompt #822
Song lyrics can offer inspiration to write, like “Defying Gravity” in the production of “Wicked.” Specific lines to use in your writing from “Defying Gravity.” Something has changed within me Something is not the same I’m through with playing by The rules of someone else’s game It’s time to trust my instincts I think I’ll try defying gravityAnd you can’t pull me down
A Prayer for the World
A Prayer For The World Let the rain come and wash away the ancient grudges, the bitter hatreds held and nurtured over generations. Let the rain wash away the memory of the hurt, the neglect. Then let the sun come out and fill the sky with rainbows. Let the warmth of the sun heal us wherever we are broken. Let it burn away the fog so that we can see each other clearly. So that we can see beyond labels, beyond accents, gender or skin color. Let the warmth and brightness of the sun melt our selfishness. So that we can share the joys and feel the sorrows of our neighbors. Let the earth, nourished by rain, bring forth flowers to surround us with beauty. And let the mountains teach our hearts to reach upward to heaven. —Rabbi Harold Kushner