Happy Friday!
I hope you have time to stop by the Rhyming Party tonight at 8:00 CST in our Facebook group! We will be there having fun with trivia about this week’s blog posts
while typing ONLY in rhyme!
I had the good fortune of meeting today’s guest blogger at the LA SCBWI Conference last summer. It is such a thrill to meet our Facebook author friends because we have so much in common and it feels like we’ve known each other for years. He has been a busy guy because he has 3 picture books coming out this year!
Today he will share examples of 5 poetic techniques that will spice up your writing. And…he wrote these in rhyme! We have such talented guest bloggers!
These tips will improve your rhyme and prose!
I’m pleased to introduce
Author Henry Herz
Author Henry Herz
Spice Up Your Rhyme With Poetic Techniques!
By Henry Herz
It’s a labor of love to write a compelling story in rhyme. But authors seeking even greater challenge can leverage poetic techniques to spice up their writing and demonstrate mastery of their craft. Let’s take a look at five such devices to up your rhyming game. My meter isn’t perfect, but you’ll get the idea. Letters that demonstrate the technique are capitalized.
Assonance is technique number one.
ThOse who use it have bOatlOads of fun.
REpEating vowels (or dipthongs) Is how It Is done.
RObert FrOst’s Snowy Evening used this a ton.
“He gIves hIs harnEss bElls a shake
To ask If there Is some mistake.
The onlY other sound’s the swEEp
Of easY wind and downY flake.
The woods are lovelY, dar and dEEp.
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to gO befOre I sleep.”
Consonance offers technique number two,
A helpful approach you shouldn’t eschew.
By using Consonants in Close suCcession,
Shel’s The Acrobats makes a strong impression.
I’LL swing by my ankles.
She’LL cling to your knees.
As you Hang by your nose,
From a High-up traPeZe.
But just one THing, Please,
As we float THrough the breeZe,
Don’t sneeZe.
Alliteration is technique number three.
You’ll use it without trouble, I can foresee.
It’s consonance on syllable number one.
Mother Goose below shows how rhymes can be spun.
“Betty Botter Bought some Butter.
But, she said, the Butter’s Bitter.
If I put it in my Batter it will make my Batter Bitter,
But a Bit of Better Butter will make my Batter Better.”
Repetition is technique number four.
Write words twice; more if you’re hardcore.
It’s very straightforward; you simply repeat,
This adds some emphasis in one easy feat.
“Here we go round the mulberry bush,
The mulberry bush,
The mulberry bush.
Here we go round the mulberry bush,
So early in the morning.”
Onomatopoeia is technique five.
It’s the buzz of bees surrounding their hive.
It is words that seem to spell out a sound,
Like a cow’s moo, or the bark of a hound.
“It went zip when it moved and bop when it stopped,
And whirr when it stood still.
I never knew just what it was, and I guess I never will.”
Now, get your assonance in gear, and write some spicy rhyme!
Bio:
Henry Herz writes fantasy and science fiction for children. He has five picture books published or under contract: Monster Goose Nursery Rhymes (Pelican, 2015), When You Give an Imp a Penny (Pelican, 2016), Little Red Cuttlefish (Pelican, 2016), Mabel and the Queen of Dreams (Schiffer, 2016), and Dinosaur Pirates (Sterling, 2017).
Henry and his sons have also indie-published four children’s books, including Nimpentoad (early chapter book), which reached #1 in Kindle Best Sellers large print sci-fi & fantasy, and was featured in Young Entrepreneur, Wired GeekDad, and CNN; and Beyond the Pale (young adult anthology), with short stories by award-winning and New York Times bestselling authors Saladin Ahmed, Peter S. Beagle, Heather Brewer, Jim Butcher, Rachel Caine, Kami Garcia, Nancy Holder & Jane Yolen.
Henry is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators (SCBWI), and the Society of Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America. He writes articles about children’s literature for TheWriteLife.com, and maintains a popular blog on KidLit, fantasy, and science fiction at www.henryherz.com. At the 2015 San Diego Comic-Con, he moderated a speculative fiction author panel of Brandon Sanderson, Maggie Stiefvater, Kami Garcia, Heather (Zac) Brewer, and Jonathan Maberry. At the 2016 WonderCon, he moderated a KidLit author panel of Dan Santat, Jon Klassen, Laura Numeroff, Bruce Hale and Antoinette Portis. Henry created KidLit Creature Week (www.birchtreepub.com/kcw), an annual online gallery of monsters, creatures, and other imaginary beasts from children’s books. Henry reviews children’s books for the San Francisco Book Review and San Diego Book Review.
MONSTER GOOSE NURSERY RHYMES
WHEN YOU GIVE AN IMP A PENNY
Twitter: @Nimpentoad
Thank You Henry!
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.
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The drawings will be done daily and announced on Monday of each week.
Angie Karcher 
Loved the examples of these essential techniques
Thanks. I always find examples to be the best way to learn.
jane still up after 1am saw this spicy blog for assonance,alliteration and other methods we catry out but not hog. Thanks for the spice henry. I will reread many times I am sure!
Sent from ontario where we love spicy curry!
Joy Main – Thank you Henry for the excellent examples and your fine rhyme!
Jill Giesbrecht – Thanks, Henry! I’ll be sure to get my assonance in gear.
Thank you for sharing your poetic techniques and examples. – Judy Rubin
Great examples – really helped to understand the different types of techniques
Natalie McNee – more amazing info to add to the artillery. Thanks Henry!
Rhyming artillery! Love it! 🙂
Great techniques and examples! Thanks, Henry, and Happy Birthday! — Rebecca Colby
Maritza M. Mejía
Thank you for the explanation a great suggestions.
Mona Pease
Thanks, Henry. I think I finally get it with your simple explanation and examples. Thank you for this much needed post!
Cathy Lentes
Good examples of great techniques. Thanks.
Kirstine Call
I can’t wait to read your books, Henry! They look very fun!
We appreciate the support, Kirstine! 🙂
Good Morning Henry!
Your post was perfect timing. I was going to refresh on these techniques this weekend. Looking forward to getting your books – tripping to the book store this weekend!
Have a good weekend and many thanks for the tips and examples (which are always welcome).
Glad you found the refresher helpful. We hope you enjoy the books!
Henry, thanks for your fun approach and great examples. I’m going to revisit one ms with my notes in hand.
Deirdre Englehart
(Katelyn Aronson) Wonderful recap of poetic devices, Henry! I love using all of them, even when I’m not writing in rhyme ;)!
What a fun way to show us how to spice up our rhyme. I hadn’t thought much about how the consonants can contribute… Now to get my assonance in gear.
Thanks Henry! I appreciate that the examples can be applied to a rhyming ms or non-rhyming.
Thanks, Henry! Repeated reminders of poetic rhyme create a pleasing rhythm in my writing.
MaryLee Flannigan – Thank you Henry for your great Blog today! I wanted to be creative and write in rhyme, but it’s way to early and there’s no time. 😀
I see what you did there, MaryLee. 🙂
Wonderful, Henry! Great devices to make our writing better. Thank you. Pat Haapaniemi
Wow! This rhyming business isn’t easy, is it? I have a lot to learn, but after your excellent post I have a much better idea what all those techniques are about. Thanks!
No, rhyming is not for the timid and meek. You must hone your skills every week! 🙂
Jen Garthe — Thank you for the tips, Henry! I found the examples quite helpful.
Great examples, Henry! Henry’s website is worth a visit if you haven’t seen it. Lots of good information there. SherryHoward
Joana Pastro
Forgot to add my name before 🙂
What a way to wake up this morning! Spicy tips to get everything in gear.
Thanks, Henry, for your wonderful post that’s full of helpful examples!
Rosemary Basham
Will be looking for your books!
Thanks, Rosemary. They should be in B&N. They are definitely on Amazon and B&N websites. 🙂
Arin Wensley
Thank you for this great post and wonderful examples!
Kathy Mazurowski
Thank you for the quick guide, or checklist.
Melissa Stoller —
Hi Henry – this is incredible! Thank you!
“My work here is done.”
“Who WAS that masked man…?”
Ann Kelley A very clever post! Thank you!
David McMullin. Thank you, thank you, thank you, Henry! (Just trying out some repetition)
I see what you did there, David. Well played, sir. Well played.
What a fun post for a Friday. My assonance is in gear! Thank you!
Wendi Silvano
What skill to write that in rhyme!
You’re too kind. My meter is off, but my focus was on getting the ideas across.
Great techniques for writers of both poetry and prose to use! Thanks, Henry!
Enjoyable, funny read first thing in the morning! A great little guide to keep by my side! Thanks!
I saw what you did there, Debbie. 🙂
“Get your assonance in gear.” Too funny! Maybe using puns is technique number six?
Linda: Excellent! I especially appreciate all the examples you included.
Sara Gentry
Thank you for this post. I appreciated the examples to highlight the technique. Congratulations on the upcoming releases!
Kristen Foote
Wonderful, informative post!!!! Thank you!
Debbie Smart
Thank you, Henry, for a fun and informative post! I’m going to apply these techniques so my manuscripts won’t be toast! 😀
Thank you again!
Fun post! Thanks, Henry 🙂
There are so many layers to rhyming picture books. Thanks for these poetic technique specifics.
Laura Renauld
susan schade
Thank you, Henry, for your technique breakdown. It gives me a lot to think about!
Jena Benton
These are some of my favorite tools but I forget to use them. Thanks for the reminder!
Sue Morris
Love the post. I need to remember them all, not just alliteration. This post was good timing for me. Thank you, Henry.
Julie Schuh
Sage advice from one who knows
Whether you write in rhyme or prose
Check your work for all these things
See what kind of luck it brings
Thank you, Henry! Now to explore your website!
Charlotte Dixon-Getting my assonance in gear to write the story that sings. Thank you, Henry, for the great tips and examples!
Thanks Henry! I aPPreciate the helPful technique to try and make Picture book rhyming less an ominous feat.
Cannot wait to scope out your books. Congrats 🙂
Aimee Haburjak
Anne Bielby — Good review, so thanks to you!
Janet Smart. Great examples. I love using alliteration and Onomatopoeia.