When I was in Grade 10, my English teacher introduced a metaphor that’s stuck with me ever since: imagine every word as a Rolodex of synonyms. Spin the card and “happy” becomes “joyful,” “sad” becomes “despondent.” It was a playful way to think about language—a reminder that writing isn’t just about following rules, but about experimenting and discovering new possibilities.
That sense of play is what gives sentences their spark. When you treat writing as a game of form and structure, you’re free to defy expectations and land on fresher words, sharper turns of phrase, and more memorable meaning.
Recently, I rediscovered this spirit of play through Gizmo, an app that lets you build, remix, and share word tools in minutes. Inspired by its vibe coding and TikTok-style feed, I decided to make my Word Rolodex idea a reality. What might have taken hours was finished before my morning coffee—reading level, word count, save/share, and a few fun themes, all baked in.
Play isn’t just for writers. It’s how we find new solutions in tech, product, and design—and create experiences that feel genuinely human.
If you want to try the Word Rolodex, check out the app (link below). And let me know: How do you keep play alive in your own creative work?
