The Wise And Twisted Games Writers Play — It’s What We Do
I was asked the other day what writers do for fun. That’s a good question. So many posts focus on writing for work and work/home balance, very few pieces focus on the fun areas of the writing mind. While I can come up with an extensive list, I thought it would be fun to provide you with a list of cool places writers can have fun with the English language.
Here’s a list of some fun places for writers to hang out:
1. One Million Monkeys Typing is a writing site of a different sort. When you arrive on the page, you have several stories presented to you. You read the story, and as soon as it takes a turn you dislike, or if you have a better idea, stop, write the section you would like to write, and publish your version of events. The makers of this beta site have created a community there for writers and readers to hang out.
2. Free Rice uses a writer’s quest for knowledge for the benefit of those in need of food. On the game side of things, you will see a word and have to define it. When you give correct answers, you earn grains of rice, which are used to feed those in starving countries. This site builds your vocabulary while helping a charity. The way I see it, everyone wins.
3. Etymologic states it holds the title of the ‘Toughest Word Game On The Web.’ Well, the basic concept seems easy enough. They present you with a word and offer you a set of choices. You have to decide which country the word came from. Not as easy as you think It’s actually kind of addictive-aggravating.
4. Super Text Twist is available online, as a download, and through facebook. This game gives you a set of letters, and you need to make as many words out of the given letters as possible. It’s actually one of my favorite games to play. However, I play a slightly different version on the next site.
5. Filled with addictive games, Pogo has the best collection of word games I’ve seen in a long time. Honey Bees, Word Jong, and Word Craft are some I find myself playing on a regular basis. They do have a paid option, which is a must for me. I may or may not have guest passes for those interested 
6. FunTrivia has a section designed specifically for creative writing fanatics. Their quiz section on contemporary literature and fiction is great. You can choose from a whole host of authors there, or you can head to other sections, which include mystery and science fiction. Just pick your favorite genre and away you go.
7. Language is a Virus contains another list of games designed for writers and lovers of the English language. One called Magnetic Poetry takes famous poems and breaks them into chunks. You need to put them back together. This site also contains all kinds of helpful tools for everything from title generators to programs that help you name characters in your stories.
Fellow writers, feel free to enjoy the addiction!
January 23, 2009 at 7:57 pm | For the Writer | 6 comments
What a great list. Thanks for feeding the word monkey on my back. Heh!
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[...] Are you a writer? Angie over at Freedom Freelance has a cool post with links to sites where writers can go and have fun with words. [...]
Oh wow! I hadn’t heard of these – I was JUST thinking about buying a game called Bookwork for my Blackberry that sounds a lot like Super Text Twist – we are such Word Nerds – love it!!
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Pogo is my favorite. I have even managed to get hubby into those ones, although I seem to do a majority of the spelling lol. In all honesty, it has helped him a lot. Very addicting
I found you on twitter.. you’re in Maple Creek.. nice to see another twitterer, and internet person from Saskatchewan !! I’m in Regina
Cheers
RT @angie1234p: “The Wise and Twisted Games Writers Play” http://is.gd/h1MZ Great list, angie!