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Poetry Freebie

In celebration of National Poetry Month Ive created a freebie for you. Students will read an abridged version of Jack Prelutskys poem "Bugs! Bugs!". Then they will choose a subject they want to write about. They will need to use several adjectives to create their poem. Have them use the adjective graphic organizer to brainstorm some.
Finally, they will use the guide and template to write their poem. Click the pictures or {HERE} for your free copy. Enjoy!

Available link for download

Poetry Theres an Ointment for That

Ive been wondering: Ive written a picture book text in unrhymed verse, although the format is in verse, due to the rhythm. How to I query on this? And what would be the format of the text? In regular paragraph form? Or in verse form? Can you advise me on that?

I love poetry.  I browse the childrens poetry section at bookstores, and I read poetry in my spare time.

Im not the only one, either.  Plenty of editors enjoy good poetry.  And it is for this very reason that most editors HATE poetry in query letters.

Im not implying that your poetry isnt good.  I just want to bring across what youre up against.

The mild bludgeoning the English language gets in prose when in the hands of some writers becomes a cheerful disemboweling when the same people attempt poetry.  Every editor has seen a great quantity of this sort of thing.  Its terrible to watch the language we love be dressed up in quaint and merry bells and then flayed alive.

So seeing poetry or verse in a query letter, especially when whats being pitched to me is a picture book, not a poetry book (and thus not something that absolutely must be poetry), has, after much experience, come to give me the feeling of incipient hives. It is often the precursor of a manuscript that cares more about being poetry than about having a sales hook or any compelling content, and indeed often fails at all three.

In consideration of this justifiable prejudice among editors, and because your verse is not rhyming, I would strongly suggest that you not mention that your book is in verse when you query it.  If it works to format it in paragraph form, go ahead and do that, too.  And once youve taken the lyricism of your writing out of the query letters equation, if you cant think what makes your book good competition for the many other picture books out there, then thats when you know youve got a problem.

Good luck!

Available link for download

Poetry Corner

So if youre wondering where Ive been lately, its been mainly juggling projects. Projects such as new video series. New video series such as this one:
If you enjoyed my FTL poem and that one ZP I did yonks ago entirely in limericks, you should realise that writing within a rhyme and rhythm structure is something that seems to hold appeal for me. So I wanted to flex it a bit, and when the Escapist mentioned they were looking into starting some new video content, I ran the FTL video past them. Well, it turns out Jim Sterling (of Jimquisition) was thinking along similar lines, so now were doing a weekly poetry slam, on whatever video gaming topics come to mind.

The other thing that appeals to me about the concept is that it can be done a lot quicker than a Zero Punctuation, so I can be a bit more topical with the humour. Ho yes, Ill never be caught short by a news trend again. Last thing I need is something like Margaret Thatcher dying and me not noticing.

Available link for download