With all the imbalance going on in our lives today, it’s a good time to think about controlling—balancing—what we can. And if you are writing in verse for young readers balance is an essential element. It needs to be right up there with consideration of characterization, setting, plot, meter and rhyme.
As readers, we ofttimes can sense imbalance even if we can’t put our finger on exactly why something feels clunky. For example, the magical number in most western literature is three. Tasks, bad luck, good luck, etc. (Unless you come from a Native American background, then four is usually the special number.) If this is violated, somewhere down deep we readers feel a bit uneasy. Things are not quite what they should be.
The Lay of the Land
First things first—most picture books are thirty-two pages in length. Some are forty, or twenty-four; all are a number of pages that can be divided by 8. Working with thirty-two pages, a writer of picture books has to be able to envision action for approximately thirteen double spreads (26 pages), and two single pages (first right-hand page and final left-hand page). The remaining four pages are front and back matter. One of the jobs for the verse writer of picture books is realizing how the stanzas, with or without a chorus, play across these pages in a way that steadies the reader and facilitates flow.
A Case in Point
Early in my career I wrote a book from which my editor wanted me to remove one stanza so we could get it into a twenty-four-page format. Which one? This manuscript also contained a chorus at precise points. In my mind it was designed like one might a beaded necklace. There was an opening, three beads (stanzas) of a certain rhyme pattern and rhythm, a chorus bead with a different rhyme and rhythm, three more of the basic beads, another chorus, three more of the basic, and then a closing. So, the pattern was: opening, 3 stanzas, chorus, 3 stanzas, chorus, 3 stanzas, closing. Nice, neat, and perfectly balanced.
How could I remove just one and keep the whole thing working in a balanced way? Well . . . obviously, I had to remove a stanza from the central section. Now my pattern was Open, 3, C., 2, C., 3, Close. Sill balanced. It would not have remained balanced had I removed a stanza from another section or one of the chorus stanzas.
Keeping the Reader in Mind
Now, you might think that I am being too fussy. But am I? Certainly, most readers are not aware of all the work a writer does behind the scenes to make a story flow as though it were effortless. But we must keep those readers in mind. If we jarred the reader at a point in the flow it would be felt, even though he/she might not be sure why it felt unpolished.
Titles, Too
Titles, too, aren’t exempt from the idea of flow. Look closely at this title from a book by Hope Vestergaard: Digger, Dozer, Dumper. This is a beautiful book of large machines for little readers. And the title is perfect. Why is that? First, we have descriptive words that tell exactly what each machine does. Second, we have the wonderful alliteration so beloved in children’s books that helps the title just roll off our tongues. But there is more . . . a third thing. This is something an author would think about and deliberately design, something that just feels right. Can you guess what it is?
Now, Repeat After Me
Say the title out loud . . . Notice the vowels? Each one progresses down in tone and where it is said in the mouth. The “i” is higher, said using the tongue up near the roof of the mouth. The “o” is said in the round chamber of the mouth, while the “u” is said more in the lower back of the mouth near the throat. It feels good in our mouths as the sounds progress from front to back. Say it again! It’s memorable, it’s musical. It’s perfect.
Not Easy, But Worth It
Now you know a little about why I fume when someone comments, “Oh, it must be so easy to write books for kids. They’re so short.” When this happens, I grit my teeth and remark that often the things we love most in the world are short, but they are not easily written. Think of Robert Frost’s poem “Stopping by Woods,” Lincoln’s “Gettysburg Address,” or the 23rd Psalm. The best writing is precise and balanced perfectly.
Maryann Lawrence
Love it, Shutta. This is exactly what I needed today. I just pulled up a story idea I have had in my head for a few years that has been getting dusty determining whether it should be poetry or prose. Thanks so much for good timing and introducing me to the site.
Lynn Moore
Enjoyed your post. Your comments on the title Digger, Dozer, Dumper are noteworthy.
David stricklen
Thank you Shutta! ???????????????? Awesome!
Niki Kantzios
This was really good even for those of us who don’t write children’s books. It’s all in the ear!
Carrie A Pearson
Shutta, again with generous sharing of hard-won knowledge! Thank you.
Elizabeth McBride
Shutta, your wonderful explanation brings the concepts of balance and a reader’s expectations into a tangible reality that becomes so useful for your reader! Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge and insight!
Mary Rudzinski
Thank you for a wonderful post! Great food for thought as I revise some verse!
Shutta K Crum
Thank you, all! Always glad to help. Please do share the link around to help others.
Shutta
Fatma
It is always great to read your articles, Thank you Shutta