Rhyming Picture Books: a Technical Guide with Matthew Turner
Do you struggle to write in rhyme?
Is your rhythm always slightly off or are your rhyming pairs half-baked?
Do you find yourself forcing the rhymes rather than just telling the story you actually want to tell?
If so, experienced writer and poetry specialist, Matthew Turner, can help you to hone your poetic skills in this rhyming picture books basics course.
During two consecutive 60-minute sessions, he'll give you the low-down on rhyming structure, covering all the fundamentals for a successful rhyming story. The workshops will focus specifically on the technique of writing in rhyme and not the more broader aspects of the picture book format.
These workshops are free of charge to emerging Black-British writers aged 18+.
To secure your place on both sessions, book now as places are limited and will be issued on a first come, first served basis.
About the workshops
Location: Zoom (online)
Duration: two 60-minute online sessions (webinar presentation, hands-on exercises and Q&A)
Time: 7:00-8:00pm
Dates: Wednesday 31 July and 7 August 2024
What to expect: The course will be a mix of webinar style and practical hands-on exercises, with lots of time for exploration and questions
Who is it for?
All new, unpublished/self-published Black-British Writers aged 18 and over (essential)
Beginning, emerging and intermediate picture book authors and author-illustrators interested in rhyming picture books (and poetry enthusiasts)
Jericho Prize alumni
What you’ll learn
You'll be able to identify basic poetic metres and practise using them effectively in your writing
You'll be able to identify and use a variety of basic rhyming patterns confidently
You'll pick out bad false rhymes and make them better with successful rhyming pairs
You will understand that good storytelling is more important than writing in rhyme
You'll grow in confidence talking about poetic structures using technical language
Course programme
Session 1:
Why does metre matter?
Rhythm: metre and scansion
Choosing the right rhyme
Don’t force it: avoiding half-rhymes
Reading aloud to diagnose problems
Session 2:
Is rhyming text right for your book?
Making the poetry serve the story
Different rhyming patterns
How different metres and rhyming patterns create different effects
Pitching to the right age level