Happy Friday!
Are you officially registered for RhyPiBoMo?
Registration ends tonight at Midnight CST!
If not, click here and register so you will be eligible for daily prizes and can join one of our rhyming critique groups. These will be organized next week. Registration ends at Midnight tonight CST.
If you’re not sure whether you registered or not, click here for the Master Registration List. These are the folks who are officially registered for RhyPiBoMo 2016.
Today’s guest blogger is someone I met personally at the RPB Revolution Conference last December and now we are friends. I was thrilled to connect in person because I love her website! I suggest that my students study her site! Now I’m suggesting that you study her website too. The topic of rhyme pales in comparison to the topic of meter and word stress when it comes to writing rhyming picture books. If you don’t understand what a stressed syllable is, then you MUST learn more about it.
Rhymeweaver.com is the best place to begin!
I’m pleased to introduce
Author Lane Fredrickson
Author Lane Fredrickson
and her amazing website RhymeWeaver!
RhymeWeaver.com: For Writing
Better Rhyme and Meter
Some people can touch their tongue to their nose.
Some people can’t. And these are mutually exclusive categories (meaning you must be EITHER a nose-tongue-toucher or a NON-nose-tongue-toucher, you cannot be both). So, where am I going with this? Rhyme.
We’re talking about rhyme.
Stay with me.
The presence of this ability is called Gorlin’s sign and no matter how hard you try, if you don’t have it, you simply cannot touch your tongue to your nose (short of self-mutilation, that is).
And here’s my point: some people think the ability to rhyme is like the Gorlin Sign- you either have it, or you don’t.
But here’s the good news: This is a myth. Just like yodeling or ice-skating, making great rhymes is an art, and it CAN be learned. Even naturally good rhymers can become better rhymers.
But there’s some bad news.
Because it’s hard. It takes a lot of effort to really understand rhyme and meter and consistently write it well. This genre is not for the slacker. For me, the hardest thing about understanding rhyme and meter was that I always had to work backwards. I had to look at a finished poem that was revered for its excellence and superior craftsmanship and figure out why it was amazing. Then I had to look at a few hundred more of these masterworks and see what was common among them, etc., etc. I can assure you that this method, while ultimately effective, is really, really boring and tedious and aggravating and potentially suicide-inducing.
I don’t recommend it.
That is where RhymeWeaver.com comes in. The beauty of RhymeWeaver.com (a.k.a. WritingRhymeAndMeter.com) is that you don’t have to start from the final result and work backwards. Every teacher knows that people learn best when they study concepts from the bottom up. No one learns long division before addition. It’s a math law.
There should be a RhyPiBoMo law that says: Thou shalt master stressed syllables before thou shalt tackle hypercatalyctic anapestic tetrameter.
RhymeWeaver.com starts from the most basic concepts and progresses to the really complex using graphics and examples to illustrate points. And it’s broken down into small segments so you can do a few a day. You can skip sections you already understand and you can go back to sections you found difficult. You can learn to be a master rhymer (even if you can’t touch your tongue to your nose), but mastery takes time. RhymeWeaver.com will save you time. A lot of it.
Bio:
Lane Fredrickson was born in Montana, an awfully cold place. Now she lives in Florida, a very warm place. While it may seem like this was a plan, it was really more of an adventure. Becoming a children’s book author was not a plan, either. And it is always an adventure. Lane’s first degree was in experimental psychology, but she got a second degree in English out of sheer boredom, when her two kids went to school. Again, not a plan. After dabbling at writing picture books for many years, she became fascinated with medieval and renaissance literature in college. The intricacies of rhyme and meter became rules and deviations instead of pure unadulterated mysteries. This unraveling of the rhyme and meter conundrum lead to the publications of Watch Your Tongue, Cecily Beasley in 2012, and Monster Trouble! in 2015.
Lane’s website, Rhymeweaver.com was born more as a challenge in writing a website than creating a resource for writers, but it was definitely a plan. There was so much planning in writing Rhymeweaver.com that Lane almost lost her “fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants-kinda-gal” nature. This is probably a good thing, however, as Lane Fredrickson is, after all, a grownup.
Watch Your Tongue Cecily Beasley
Monster Trouble
Website
Thank You Lane!
PLEASE like our guest bloggers on Facebook, follow them on Twitter, go to their websites and express your appreciation for their time and wisdom! Many have generously donated multiple prizes and this event would not be successful without their support, so please support them! Oh…and buy their books too!!
To be eligible for today’s prize drawing by Random.org you must comment at the bottom of the page where it says “Leave A Reply” AND add your FIRST and LAST name in the comment. If I don’t have your name or how to contact you via email, you can’t win.
You must be a member of the RhyPiBoMo Facebook Group and if you haven’t officially registered, you are not eligible to win.
Please follow the pledge rules daily to get the most out of this challenge!
The drawings will be done daily and announced on Saturday of each week.
Angie Karcher 
Rhymeweaver is a wonderful resource. It was fun to learn more about its origins, and the path to Lane’s picture book career! The teacher in me adored the way meter was presented in such a concrete way, when it can be such an elusive little devil!
Thank you! I really appreciate the endorsement of teachers.
Best, Lane
Jill Giesbrecht – I came across RhymeWeaver the other day and LOVED it! It is really well done. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks, Jill. I’m so glad RhymeWeaver was helpful.
Best, Lane
Lane,
I am very familiar with your website and many thanks for having all this information available. Cannot tell you how many times it has been a reference. Great post and great inspiration to continually work on perfecting this very tedious way to tell a story!
Thank you Linda.
I’m so glad the site is useful.
Good luck with all your stories.
Best,
Lane
Lane, it was a pleasure meeting you at RPB Revolution! Thanks for the fantastic post.
FYI, I am one of those who can touch my tongue to my nose. 😉 I call it being a cow/ cow gene.
HI Zainab!!
How are you? I really enjoyed meeting you too. Can cows really do that? Hilarious. I wish I had known that; I would have posted a cow photo. I am going to find you on fb.
Maybe we will hang at next conf. I really hope Angie does another.
Best, Lane
Lane, What a special treat and inspiration. Thank you for sharing your rhyming magic. – Judy Rubin
Hi Judy,
Wow, thanks for calling it magic. I feel so cool.
(But you can probably tell that I’m a total nerd so thanks for making my day.)
Best,
lane
Judy Sobanski
Lane- Thanks for the great post! I cannot touch my nose with my tongue but thanks to your website, Rhymeweaver.com, I hope to improve my rhyming skills.
Hi Judy,
Me either! But like a dork, whenever I see someone do it, I feel like I might have been wrong so I try it again.
Never works.
Best,
Lane
I love rhymeweaver! It’s a treasure chest full of gold!
Hi kdveiten,
Thank you!! So happy it is useful. For a long time I thought it was a dumb idea so I appreciate knowing it is useful.
Best,
Lane
Lane — Thank you for all the work you do on your site! I enjoyed reading this post. I love rhyme and meter (I wrote Shakespearean sonnets in high school for fun) but am just getting started writing with rhyme for children. Your passion is inspiring. – Ellen Berry
HI!
I’m cracking up that someone else wrote sonnets for fun. (Umm, we are nerds). But I feel like it’s just another kind of puzzle but with words. Some people do candy crush, some people play tetris, we write sonnets. Good brain food.
Rhymeweaver sounds like a great resource. Can’t wait to check it out!
Thank you, Lane! I cannot wait to check out your website! (Cannot access it at the moment. Maybe this has something to do with me living in Europe, but I’ll be back to check it out for sure). I’m also really excited about getting your books. They look fabulously fun!
Hi Katelyn,
Not sure why you can’t access. I checked my analytics and everything seems ok. I get hits from all over the world so it should be a temp glitch. Thanks for getting the books. I appreciate the support.
Best,
lane
Stephanie Salkin
Lane, you are an inspiration!
HAHAHA,
My kids would laugh themselves to death if they heard that. I’m really just a nerd.
Good luck,
Lane
Deborah Allmand
Lane,
Such wonderful inspiration and great accomplishments. Thank you for the post! #RhyPiBoMo
Hahaha
Still laughing that someone called me an inspiration. Thank you so much, you both made my day.
Linda Schueler: Cool! I’ll check this website out.
What a great website, Lane. I also love your bio. 🙂
Thank you Linda,
I hope it’s helpful.
Good luck with your PB.
Lane
Melinda Kinsman – Thank you SO much for your brilliant website, Lane.
When someone first told me about meter, I started trying to read a book about poetry for adults, and just got completely confused. (There seemed to be rules, but just about every rule seemed to have the option of breaking it when writing for adults, so I was left scratching my head!)
The first RhyPiBoMo thankfully came shortly after this, and as I continued to ask a tonne of questions about meter, someone kindly pointed me towards your website. I still regard myself as a rhyming beginner, and I continue to try to improve each day, but your website gave me a road map out of complete confusion. ❤️❤️
Hi Melinda,
Thanks so much for the great feedback. I really wasn’t sure if it was going to ever be read, so I am really happy when people tell me that it helped them.
I remember that period of my life when there seemed to be sooooooo much confusing information I thought I’d break my eyeballs reading it.
Good luck,
Lane
Thanks, Lane. RhymeWeaver, here I come!!!
Hi Mona,
Good luck!
Lane
Kirsti Call
I can’t wait to check out Rymeweaver. I just finished The Lyrical Language Lab, so this comes at a perfect time!
Hi Kirsti,
Thanks for visiting. Hope it’s helpful.
Best,
lane
Natalie McNee
I was referred to your website two months ago from another Facebook group and it has tonnes of info, so thank you for all of the hard work you’ve put into it to help us writers become future rhyming authors!
Wow, I’m so glad you heard about RW in your group. If you get a chance thank the person who referred it to you for me. I really appreciate the camaraderie of other writers. I’ve been very lucky.
Good luck,
Lane
Arin Wensley
Lane, thank you for the great post! I plan to check the website first thing this afternoon. Thank you!
MaryLee Flannigan- thank you Lane. I have read other great comments about your website RhymeWeaver, and now I will check it out!
Jen Garthe — Thank you, Lane! What a great resource. I have visited your site before and have gone through some of the lessons, but it’s time I return. And I adore Monster Trouble!
Thank you, Jen!
The MT illustrator is so talented (I kind of adore it, too).
Best, lane
Chris M. Regier
I love Rhymeweaver! It’s a great site. Thank you Lane.
And my granddaughter and I really enjoyed “Monster Trouble.” After reading it we took turns being the monster and the kisser. Great fun.
Awww, I love stories like that. Better to kiss your monsters than growl back is my theory.
Hugs to your little monster.
Lane
hypercatalyctic anapestic tetrameter? And here I thought iambic antipasto was the way to fly… Great post, Lane. Thanks for sharing your website so I can help all those stressed syllables learn relaxation techniques. And me, too.
Hahaha,
I know right? It’s such a pretentious phrase (14 syllables) and it makes you sound really smart, but it’s just an egghead way to say “add a syllable.”
Good luck,
Lane
Rhymeweaver sounds fantastic. Can’t wait to check it out.
Hey, you’re a Zax! A Seuss character that heads either east or west, right?
Good Luck,
Lane
Debbie Smart – Thanks, Lane! What a great post! I’m planning to check out your site as soon as possible! Thanks for the encouragement that anyone can learn to write great rhyme!
Thanks Debbie,
You can do it!
Best,
lane
I really appreciate RhymeWeaver.com – Thank you! I learned about your website by taking Angie’s online class.
I’m so glad it was helpful. Best of luck on your writing.
Lane
Amy Murrell. I started off by spending time on RhymeWeaver.Com, so thank you for that and for this post.
HI Amy,
Thanks for visiting RhymeWeaver, it likes company.
Best,
Lane
Rosemary Basham
I also met you at the RPB Revolution. It was so nice to be able to put a face to the name of a great supporter of writers!
HI Rosemary! How are you, you mad gamer? I’m cracking up that your username is supermario6!!! That must be great inspiration for PBs. I loved Wreckit Ralph. Hope all is well
Best,
Lane
Can’t wait to check out your site! Thanks for the post!!
Kristen Foote
Thank you, Lane, for your incredible website and I love Cecily.
Thanks for reading Cecily! And for the word incredible. I love getting that adjective, even if it is for my website.
Best,
Lane
Can’t wait to check out your site! Thanks for the post!!
Kristen Foote
Kathy Mazurowski, I have to practice, practice, practice. Thank you
I hear you, sister. Working on an MS now I can’t love yet, just too flawed.
Good luck and have fun,
Lane
I literally laughed out loud when I read “hypercatalyctic anapestic tetrameter” as I thought Lane had made it up as an over the top type of meter. A quick search on Google took me to RhymeWeaver.com and taught me that I have a whole lot more to learn about meter. Great article Lane, thanks! Though I have to tell you, as an adult, I refuse to try to touch my nose with my tongue. (I may be lying!) Also, I can’t wait to dig into RhymeWeaver.com (Not lying!) – Tim Canny
HAHAHA! I know, right? How can there be so many complicated terms you need to know in life? Who invents this stuff?? Those lucky grunting cave dwellers had it easy.
Best,
Lane
Janet Smart –
I’ve been to your site a lot. I think rhyming is a gift – some are good at it and some not quite so good. But, you can learn to do it right, and visiting your site, is a must on the path to writing good rhyme.
Wow. I feel extremely humbled by that assessment. Thank you. I’m sure there are a lot of paths; I’m just glad a few people read it. And I’m glad to not support the idea that rhyme is only for the gifted few. Hard workers unite!
Best,
Lane
Lynne Marie (LiterallyLynneMarie@Gmail.com). Thank you so much for your fun post Lane and for sharing your website (Angie, too!). Glad to see a fellow Floridian here and looking forward to checking out your books!
Go Heat!!!
Thanks for the support. This isn’t Lynne as in Lynne Van Meter is it?
We should know each other if you are SCBWI. But if it is Lynne Van Meter, call me, you dork.
If not, sorry.
Wendi Silvano
Great website! Great post!
Thanks Wendi!
Best,
Lane
Looking forward to reading your books & checking out rhymeweaver–thanks, Lane!
Yep, I’ve recommended (and appreciated) RhymeWeaver, too. Thanks, Lane for your carefully planned help! 🙂
Thank you, Cathy. I’m really grateful for the support.
Best,
Lane
I can’t touch my nose with my tongue, but I am continuing to learn about good rhyme. Your website is wonderful! Thank you, Deirdre Englehart
Me either, but for some reason, I still keep trying.
Best,
Lane
Thanks for the information on Rhyme Weaver. I am looking forward to spending lots of time going through the nuggets on this website!
Hopefully, it won’t be nearly as much time as you’d take doing it the way I did.
Best of luck,
Lane
Joy Main – thank you Lane, I discovered Rhymeweaver a couple of months ago and love it! I’ve recommended it to my critique group as a really clear and helpful resource for rhymers.
Hi Joy,
Thank you for the endorsement. I really appreciate it.
Happy Writing to you and your group.
Lane
I have used Rhyme Weaver and think it is great. i love lane’s illustrations of stress and unstressed syllables. I go back to it to check on rhyme
It’s great that lane visited today
and this is what I want to say
Hooray for you, Hooray!
Jane in cold Ontario
Why thank you Jane!
I’m so glad you are finding the site useful. Also I am sorry its cold in Ontario. I just got back from Kansas City and I’m appreciating very sunny Florida. If you come south look me up.
Best,
Lane
Charlotte Dixon
LOL-I have Gorlin’s sign. I keep working at rhyme and maybe-just maybe-I will finish my rhyming PB 🙂 I’m so happy you have your website. I’ve been there many times. Thank you, Lane, for sharing your journey and inspiration today.
Haha. It sounds like some kind of foreboding oracle, right? Like you’re going to be the Dhali Lama or something. But no, it just means you can touch your tongue to your nose. And you will finish your Picture Book. You have all the tools if you stick with RhyPiBoMo.
Best,
Lane
Rhyme weaver is chock full of info -fabulous resource! Thanks !
Lane thanks for giving us a playful yet informative look at rhyme. I find your rhymeweaver.com website very helpful!
I discovered Rhymeweaver a while ago, and use it lot! Found it so helpful. Thank you, Lane!
Thank you for this post, and for your valuable website, Lane!
Thank you, Lane! I’m on my way to your website now… Ann Kelley
Thanks for the post – I had not seen Rhymeweaver before, it looks great. Also loved the illustration of the big boot and the slipper for the stressed and unstressed syllables.
Katie Gast
Hi Katie,
That little guy gets around. My daughter brought home a packet of worksheets from her english class last year, and to my great surprise that crazy boot and ballet slipper was plastered on the front page of the packet. My daughter didn’t even know it was from my site. She actually considered that I might know a few things that day. Needless to say, that wore off in a week or so.
Good luck,
lane
Thank you for your wonderful post, Lane, and your site is incredible! Such a great resource for people–whether beginner or expert–to learn more!
Thank you Anne,
I really appreciate the feedback.
Good luck with your writing.
Best,
lane