HOW TO WRITE A BALLAD
Write a story.Do you want to write a memorable ballad? While there are no real rules
for writing a ballad, Ballads usually tell a story.
1.
Think of a Plot or Theme. Try to think outside the box. Who says it has to be
realistic or ordinary? Why not write a ballad set in a fictional universe, with
mysterious and fantastical characters and plots?
2.
Find a starter phrase. Perhaps you want to write a ballad for a particular
occasion or to commemorate a certain event or person. If a phrase or verse just
pops into your head out of the blue, you can use that as your starter phrase. This
is what people often refer to as inspiration.
3.
Rhyming format is entirely up to you, Complete the verse or chorus that
contains your starter phrase. Ballads typically have four line verses, much like
poems, of which two or more rhyme. Common rhyme schemes include a,a,b,b,
a,b,a,b or a,b,c,b (where the a lines and b lines rhyme). 5
4.
There are cases where the rhythm, or the cadence, of the ballad is more
important than the words that rhyme. Use a consistent meter. Every line has
the same number of syllables and the same number of accented syllables; or
Lines that "go together" will have the same number of syllables and accented
Syllables.
Don't be a slave to that structure, though.( If you need to vary the length of a line
or even of a verse here and there, go ahead and do it, and if you want to deviate
from your rhyme pattern feel free to do so if it will make your poem better. )
5.
Complete the remaining choruses and verses using your template. Once
you have the first chorus or verse down, you just need to complete your story
following the same structural guidelines you used for the first verse that you
wrote.
6.
If you first wrote the chorus, you can repeat that over and over throughout
the song leaving it unchanged or changing it only slightly each time.
7.
If you first wrote a verse, you may find it easier to write the rest of the
verses before trying to write the chorus.
8.
Edit your ballad. Let a little time pass, and then come back to your ballad and
edit it with fresh eyes and ears. If you got stuck on a line or two earlier you
couldn't find the right rhyme, or there were just too many syllables come back
and see if you can fix them now. Cut out any unnecessary verses, leaving only
what the story needs.
9.
Once you have finished, read it over so that you are happy with it. If you are
not go through the steps again.
10.
Whatever you do, do not plagiarize.
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TIPS:
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It's OK to write a ballad without music. A ballad is a form of lyrical poetry, which
means simply that it can be sung. It doesn't have to be. This is how rap came to
be.
If you sing or hum as you go, sometimes the words will just flow. It's just the trick
of getting started.
Don't be afraid to be creative with your rhymes. If you try to force all your rhymes
to be perfect, your song's lyrics may end up sounding silly.
It's not necessary to use four-line verses and choruses. While this is the most
common ballad form, occasionally you'll find a ballad with, say, six lines, or one
with a varying number of lines per chorus. Perhaps yours will be one of these.
If you know the story you want to tell, but you're having trouble putting it into a
poetic structure, write out the story first. Don't worry about putting the story into
verse yet--just get it down. You may find it easier to organize once the story is
written.
No ballad is perfect.
Reading ballads by other writers can help a lot. You can learn what works and
what doesn't, or it can inspire you for a theme or idea.
Be flexible. Ballads don't all follow the same structure and rhyme scheme. Find
what works for you and the ballad, and experiment with variety.
Read old ballads, new ballads, and ballads written in other countries to get an
idea of how to write with a different flair to your rhyme.
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