And now for all you picture book authors out there, or aspiring PB authors, we have author Tiffany Strelitz to give you some tips on how to write in rhyme.

Writing in Rhyme

500 words of cynicism, optimism and the cold, hard facts.

The rhyme debate (aka: should I write in rhyme?) typically separates people into two camps.  There are    those that eat, drink, sleep, live and breathe rhyme….and there are those who feel like writing in rhyme will  be an easier way to get published.

If you have found yourself in group two, I hate to break it to you (well, not really- so here goes:)

you’re as wrong as socks with sandals.

So, should you write a picture book in rhyme??

My own personal answer to that question is twofold.  I believe you should write what you love, and the rest will follow.  That being said, bad rhyme is like me singing show tunes.  No one wants to listen.  So if you are going to travel down the road of rhyme, do it because you truly love the sound of rhyming words;  because you honestly feel compelled to tell stories in verse, and because you are ready, willing and able to torture yourself on a daily, no, hourly basis which will include the peaceful sanctuary you once referred to as sleep.

And now for some tips!

1. Check your story. Does the last word of every rhyming sentence have only one syllable?  This may be a red flag that your rhymes are too basic.  The effect will be a snoozefest.

2.  Consistent Meter. I can not stress this enough, but the topic requires it’s own personal article, so cliffs notes version:  google “anapestic tetrameter” It’s the meter Dr. Suess wrote most of his stories in, and a great place to start to understand what consistent meter really entails.

3. Focus on surprising word choice. Predictability is not your friend.  Read your story out loud to someone.  See if he or she can guess how each sentence is going to end.   If they can, it probably means you are relying on obvious rhyme choices.  Challenge yourself.  Push the envelope and come up with exciting new word pairings that will surprise and delight the reader.   Remember, often times parents will be reading these books TO their children.  Parents want to be entertained too!   And as for the children, it’s important to expose them to new and different words.  Relying on he/free, sky/high throughout your story, limits your ability to create a truly unique experience for the reader.

4. Internal rhyme is a winner every time. Feeling pretty good about your rhyming abilities?  Try peppering your manuscript with some internal rhymes.

Example: Ollie and Claire were a tightly knit pair,

like hot buttered biscuits and jam.

Claire and Pair rhyme, and so you have the lovely effect of a rhyme WITHIN the sentence, as opposed to just at the end of a line.

Ok, I am beyond out of time here.  If you have any questions at all about rhyme, or getting a rhyming story published, or if you are interested in a brutally honest, yet constructive critique, please check out my website….www.itsrhymetime.com.

XOXO

Tiffany Strelitz Haber was born in NJ, raised in NYC, has traveled extensively and lives for adventures. Her obsession with rhyme began at the age of 3, when a nursery school admissions scout asked her, “What is a flower that rhymes with nose?”, and she proudly shouted: “Rose!”. Twenty-five years later (give or take), now married with two sons and coming off of a twelve year career in finance, she has reconnected with her love of words and rhyme as a writer.  Tiffany has two debut picture books forthcoming: The Onster (Holt / Spring 2012) and Ollie and Claire (Penguin / Spring 2013).