Writing a Ballad Ballads tell of an event. They were often used to spread the news, provide entertainment, or create a "bigger than real life" story.

Ballad Writing Tips  often have verses of four lines  usually have a rhyming pattern: either abac or aabb or acbc (usually the easiest to rhyme)  repetition often found in ballads  entire stanzas can be repeated like a song's chorus  lines can be repeated but each time a certain word is changed  a question and answer format can be built into a ballad: one stanza asks a questions and the next stanza answers the question  Ballads contain a lot of dialogue.  Ballads contain a lot of dialogue.  Action is often described in the first person  Two characters in the ballad can speak to each other on alternating lines  Sequences of "threes" often occur: three kisses, three tasks, three events, for example

 On Top of Spaghetti  On top of spaghetti, All covered with cheese, I lost my poor meatball, When somebody sneezed.  It rolled off the table, And on to the floor, And then my poor meatball, Rolled out of the door.  It rolled in the garden, And under a bush, And then my poor meatball, Was nothing but mush. The mush was as tasty As tasty could be, And then the next summer, It grew into a tree. The tree was all covered, All covered with moss, And on it grew meatballs, And tomato sauce. So if you eat spaghetti, All covered with cheese, Hold on to your meatball, Whenever you sneeze.

How do I start writing a ballad?  Start with a key phrase... ...that pops into your head, ...or strikes you when somebody says it, ...and is connected with something you feel strongly about. ...and is connected with something you feel strongly about.  It may be a line of melody or words, or both.  Grab a tape recorder (or your computer mike)  and save this rough fragment immediately.  Build on this phrase.  Images related to the phrase  Similar phrases  Rhyming words  A tune that fits the phrase  Ask yourself questions.  Who is saying this phrase? ...Why?...Where?...To whom?  What is the reply?  How did they get into this situation?  Consequences

More Helpful Hints on Writing Ballads  Keep going over the song: with repeated singing, natural phrases will come...  Keep going over the song: with repeated singing, natural phrases will come...  What rhymes with the key phrase?  Do these rhyming phrases trigger more images?  Do these rhyming phrases trigger more images?  Construct verses.  Most usual is 4 lines, with the 2nd line rhyming with the last.  Arrange the verses into sequence.  Arrange the verses into sequence.  Cobble together more verses to make a story.  The initial fill-in verses may be Yuk! but they give your imagination a framework.  Sing them over and over until later when better words come to you.  Sing them over and over until later when better words come to you.  Keep going over the song.  Evolve the tune by chanting the verses.  Rewrite the cobbled phrases; with repeated singing, natural phrases will come.  Rewrite the cobbled phrases; with repeated singing, natural phrases will come.  Do some editing.  Throw out unnecessary verses.  Add a chorus. ...or a refrain, or instrumental break.  Or turn the verse with that initial key phrase into a chorus.  The chorus gives the audience time to absorb the storyline... ...and lets them release all the emotions you have aroused in their souls.

Writing an Epic An epic poem is a long narrative centering around a single hero, presenting his or her adventures within a suitably heroic framework. An epic hero is usually a person of great strength, wit or skill