Should you write your picture book in rhyme? Take the following quiz to find out! 1. If you take the rhyme away, do you still have a good story? (With multidimensional characters, a structured plot, good pacing, and a satisfying resolution?) 2. Do your sentences follow normal sentence structure (and not sentence structure used by Old King Cole or Yoda?) 3. Have you avoided forced rhymes or near rhymes? 4. Have you avoided common, one-syllable, predictable rhyme schemes? (cat/hat/rat.) 5. Do you know the following terms: scansion, meter, stressed, unstressed, anapest, iamb, trochee, and dactyl? 6. Have you read and studied hundreds of rhyming picture books? 7. Can you identify the types of rhythms in picture books? 8. Are you in a critique group? Or have you had a professional critique from someone well versed in poetry? 9. Do you practice writing in rhyme consistently? 10. Have you taken a course in poetry/rhyming picture books that will help you answer yes to all of the above? If you can answer YES to all of the above, then go for it! You are ready to write your picture book in rhyme. If you answered NO to any of the following, then you may want to check out the resources below that will help get you on your way! Read, Read, Read! http://www.pinterest.com/mandycyates/rhyming-read-alouds/ http://www.amazon.com/BEST-Funny-Rhyming-Picture-Books/lm/2PSSOX34Z9W6U https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/rhyming-picture-books Online Tools: http://prosody.lib.virginia.edu/ http://www.rhymezone.com/ Helpful Articles, Blogs, Websites, and Posts: http://taralazar.com/2012/03/13/why-do-editors-say-not-to-write-in-rhyme/ http://hopevestergaard.com/writers/articles/rhymes-and-misdemeanors/ http://www.rhymeweaver.com/ http://www.themetermaids.blogspot.com/ http://www.dorichaconas.com/Icing%20the%20Cake%20page.htm http://kidlit.com/2009/09/05/rhyming-picturebooks-a-rhyme-with-reason/ http://www.thomastaylor-author.com/2011/03/18/how-to-write-a-rhyming-picture-book-and-get-it-published-part-1-a-writers-perspective/ http://picturebookden.blogspot.com/2012/03/how-not-to-write-rhyming-picture-book.html Craft Books: Writing Picture Books: A Hands-On Guide from Story Creation to Publication Paperback by Ann Whitford Paul http://www.amazon.com/Writing-Picture-Books-Hands-On-Publication/dp/1582975566/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1392602226&sr=8-1&keywords=writing+picture+books The Nuts and Bolts Guide to Writing Picture Books by Linda Ashman http://www.amazon.com/Bolts-Guide-Writing-Picture-Books-ebook/dp/B00FSOUF9Y/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1392602298&sr=8-1&keywords=nuts+and+bolts+to+writing+picture+books Poem Making: Ways to Begin Writing Poetry by Myra Cohn Livingston http://www.amazon.com/Poem-Making-Ways-Begin-Writing-Poetry/dp/0060240199/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1392602363&sr=8-2&keywords=myra+cohn+livingston A Poetry Handbook by Mary Oliver http://www.amazon.com/A-Poetry-Handbook-Mary-Oliver/dp/0156724006/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1392602426&sr=8-6&keywords=mary+oliver Rules for the Dance by Mary Oliver http://www.amazon.com/Rules-Dance-Handbook-Writing-Metrical/dp/039585086X/ref=pd_bxgy_b_img_z A Poet’s Ear: A Handbook of Meter and Form by Annie Finch http://www.amazon.com/Poets-Ear-Handbook-Meter-Form/dp/0472050664/ref=sr_1_5?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1392602578&sr=1-5&keywords=A+poets+handbook The Poet’s Handbook by Judson Jerome http://www.amazon.com/Poets-Handbook-Judson-Jerome/dp/1582971366/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1392602578&sr=1-1&keywords=A+poets+handbook The Poet’s Companion by Kim Addonizio http://www.amazon.com/Poets-Companion-Pleasures-Writing-Poetry/dp/0393316548/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1392602578&sr=1-3&keywords=A+poets+handbook In the Palm of Your Hand by Steve Kowit http://www.amazon.com/Palm-Your-Hand-Portable-Workshop/dp/0884481492/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1392602932&sr=1-1&keywords=In+the+palm+of+your+hand Ordinary Genius: A Guide for the Poet Within by Kim Addonizio http://www.amazon.com/Ordinary-Genius-Guide-Poet-Within/dp/0393334163/ref=pd_sim_b_8 Train Your Ear with Poetry Books: Douglas Florian: MAMMALABILIA MaryAnn Hoberman: SEVEN SILLY EATERS J. Patrick Lewis: THE LITTLE BUGGERS Alice Schertle: HOW NOW, BROWN COW? Linda Smith: WHEN MOON FELL DOWN Janet Wong: GRUMP Groups to Join: RhyPiBoMo (Rhyming Picture Book Month) https://www.facebook.com/groups/173920209485707/ "RhyPiBoMo is a combination of a learning experience and writing challenge...the challenge is to write better rhyme and poetry. I will offer daily lessons, the bloggers will offer daily inspiration and the participants will apply this to their Rhyming Picture Books! Hopefully, each writer will have one RPB ready for submission on May 1st. The Golden Quill Poetry Contest will be open to RhyPiBoMo participants during the event...more details coming soon! Also, Mira Reisberg and Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen are doing a webinar on April 30th about their upcoming course...Yay!" - Angie Karcher, Creator of RhyPiBoMo RhyPiBoMo Mission Statement: My goal is to guide those aspiring to write rhyme and poetry through the process of learning the craft and offering resources, short lessons, writing prompts and the wisdom of experienced folks in the business to improve the reputation and quality of rhyme and poetry for children. Courses: Children’s Book Academy with Mira Reisberg and Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen The Craft and Pleasure of Writing Poetry for Kids starting May 2014! http://www.childrensbookacademy.com/
10 Comments
2/16/2014 09:23:42 pm
Mandy, Thanks for sharing info about RhyPiBoMo and so many great resources about poetry and rhyme! I can't wait for April to get here! The RhyPiBoMo Facebook Group is 100 members strong and growing daily so join us there for rhyming fun, friendship and further details! See you in April!
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Aimee Norris-Haburjak
2/17/2014 12:07:41 am
Wow! Thanks Mandy for putting together such a thorough post on rhyme and resources. I am very enthusiastic about writing in rhyme and now I can better gage myself with the resources you have listed. I will definitely check out RhyPiBoMo!!! Any editors that you know of that offer specialty critique on rhyme (not sure if that even exists)? thanks
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2/17/2014 04:33:15 am
Great list of resources, Mandy! I will add some of these to Kidlit411's Poetry Page (http://www.kidlit411.com/2014/01/poetry-and-rhyme.html)
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2/17/2014 07:50:04 am
Where was this post when I needed it the most? :) Excellent list of resources!
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2/17/2014 08:30:56 am
What a great list, thanks Mandy! And like Sylvia mentioned, we'll add them to the KIDLIT411 site! I'd like to add another great poetry resource to your comprehensive list, www.nowaterriver.com, a fabulous site and recommended in the SCBWI's THE BOOK!
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Debra Bergerson
2/17/2014 09:11:18 am
Thanks Mandy,
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Lori Mozdzierz
2/17/2014 06:18:20 pm
Outstanding list! Thanks, Mandy :D
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2/18/2014 05:42:52 am
I'm holding on to this one for sure. GREAT questions. Great resources. Thanks so very, VERY much!
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Rhonda Mort
3/30/2014 06:31:50 pm
Great resources!
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