Posted in Author Friends, Book Marketing, Editors, Fiction, Juvenile Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Writers Conferences, Writing, Writing Nonfiction, Writing Poetry, Writing Tips, Writing Tips of Any Kind, tagged A Horse to Love, Don Catlett, Gayle Roper, Jeff Gerke, juvenile fiction, Karen Whiting, Kathy Ide, Keystone Stables Series, Marsha Hubler, Marti Pieper, Montrose Christian Writers Conference, Susan Baganz, writers conferences in July on July 25, 2016| 4 Comments »
MONTROSE CHRISTIAN WRITERS CONFERENCE MEMORIES
Look for more MCWC photos in Facebook!
I look forward to seeing many of you again next year!
Keep on writing!
Marsha
http://www.horsefactsbymarshahubler.wordpress.com
(More shameless promotion)
WHOLESOME, SAFE BOOKS FOR TWEENS
THE KEYSTONE STABLES SERIES
8 exciting adventures about Skye Nicholson and her show horse, Champ
Book One
A HORSE TO LOVE
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002U80FZK/ref=series_rw_dp_sw
Posted in Poetry, Writers Conferences, Writing Poetry, Writing Tips, Writing Tips of Any Kind, tagged Montrose Christian WritersConference, Rhyming verse, Snow Phantom Stallion of the Poconos, writing, Writing Poetry on July 18, 2016| Leave a Comment »
On Writing: Rhyming Verse
Have you ever wondered how hard it is to write rhyming verse?
Probably the most common and most loved type of poetry, Rhyming Verse consists of identical (“hard-rhyme”) or similar (“soft-rhyme”) sounds placed at the ends of lines or at predictable locations within the various lines. A rhyme is a repetition of similar sounds in two or more words and is most often used in poetry and songs. The word “rhyme” may also refer to a short poem, such as a rhyming couplet or other brief rhyming poem such as nursery rhymes.
How many of you still remember “Hickory Dickory Dock” or “Jack and Jill?” Do you know why they’ve stayed with you all these years? It’s because, for some reason, our feeble brains can memorize words, scripture verses, poetry, and songs when a rhyming pattern formulates the crux of the work.
Can you remember the words to a popular song or even a hymn that you might not have heard for years and years, but when you hear it, all the words AND the tune come bubbling out of your mind and mouth? Isn’t that amazing? Well, the rhyming pattern has made it quite easy to remember the literary piece.
Now, we could take the time to discuss alliteration, assonance, and forms of poetry like sonnet, tanka, and ode (and many others), but neither time nor space permit such a study. If you are truly a poet at heart, then start to discover all the fascinating facets of rhyming poetry with this site: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poetry#Rhyme.2C_alliteration.2C_assonance.
But for the time being, here at this blog, we’ll just discuss meter and rhythm in rhyming poetry.
Rhythm has everything to do with timing and the syllable structure of each word and line in a poem’s stanza. Take a while to learn what these following patterns are in relation to “stressed” (accented) and “unstressed” (unaccented) syllables:
iamb – one unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable (e.g. describe, Include, retract)
trochee – one stressed syllable followed by an unstressed syllable (e.g. picture, flower)
dactyl – one stressed syllable followed by two unstressed syllables (e.g. annotate, anecdote)
anapest – two unstressed syllables followed by one stressed syllable (e.g. comprehend, understand)
spondee – two stressed syllables together (e.g. e-nough)
When anyone tackles writing a rhyming poem, the most important detail to remember is that a good rhyming poem could be set to music. Every word, line, and stanza would fit perfectly to the tune for which it was written.
When I’m at writers’ conferences and have the privilege to critique any rhyming works by budding authors and I detect a real problem with their “rhythm and meter,” I always direct them to a source that might surprise you: the church hymnal.
If you want to study perfect rhythm and meter poetry, look at the old hymns of the faith. They are so easy to read, to recite, to sing. Why? They are absolutely flawless in the number of syllables, accented and unaccented, in each line of the poem. Let’s take a look at one or two stanzas from some famous hymn lyrics:
America the Beautiful Hymn Lyrics
(Note the perfect eight syllable/six syllable pattern in every stanza, including the refrain. Wow!)
O beautiful for spacious skies,
For amber waves of grain,
For purple mountain majesties
Above the fruited plain!
O beautiful for pilgrim feet
Whose stern impassion’d stress
A thorough fare for freedom beat
Across the wilderness.
O beautiful for heroes prov’d
In liberating strife,
Who more than self their country loved,
And mercy more than life.
O beautiful for patriot dream
That sees beyond the years
Thine alabaster cities gleam
Undimmed by human tears.
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee,
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea.
Rock Of Ages Hymn Lyrics
(In this hymn, the meter is a perfect seven/seven in each line. Double wow!)
Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in Thee;
Let the water and the blood,
From Thy wounded side which flowed,
Be of sin the double cure;
Save from wrath and make me pure.
Not the labor of my hands
Can fulfill Thy law’s demands;
Could my zeal no respite know,
Could my tears forever flow,
All for sin could not atone;
Thou must save, and Thou alone.
Nothing in my hand I bring,
Simply to the cross I cling;
Naked, come to Thee for dress;
Helpless look to Thee for grace;
Foul, I to the fountain fly;
Wash me, Savior, or I die.
While I draw this fleeting breath,
When mine eyes shall close in death,
When I soar to worlds unknown,
See Thee on Thy judgment throne,
Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in Thee.
So, you see, if you want to become skilled at writing rhyming poetry, study the masters, study hymn lyrics, use your dictionary to find accented and unaccented syllables in words, and try your hand at this most popular and most common poetic verse.
Marsha
http://www.horsefactsbymarshahubler.wordpress.com
(More shameless promotion)
WHOLESOME, SAFE BOOKS FOR TWEENS
SNOW, PHANTOM STALLION OF THE POCONOS
Dallis Parker copes with bullying at school by dreaming about owning Snow, a wild Mustang, who most folks believe doesn’t even exist. Then she actually touches the horse, and her life is changed forever.
Posted in Author Friends, Book Marketing, Editors, Fiction, Juvenile Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Writers Conferences, Writing, Writing Nonfiction, Writing Poetry, Writing Tips, Writing Tips of Any Kind, tagged editors, fiction, Keystone Stables books, Montrose Christian Writers Conference, On the Victory Trail, poetry, writers conferences, writing books on July 11, 2016| Leave a Comment »
TEN REASONS WHY YOU MIGHT MISS
THE 2016 MONTROSE CHRISTIAN WRITERS CONFERENCE
God told you to write your book, and it’s fine the way it is.
You don’t have the time. You have to clean the refrigerator and watch the grass grow.
You don’t have the money. Your Bowser says he’s out of bacon bites and sausage treats.
You don’t know how to get to Montrose. All the airports are closed, your GPS is on vacation, and MapQuest is being updated.
You can’t find your manuscript on your computer: (no further explanation needed).
You feel the faculty members have nothing to help you because you know everything there is to know about writing.
You don’t knead anyone to edit yore wirk because your reel good with grammer and speling. You got a C+ in high school Englsih, and that’s good enuff.
Your Aunt Izzy read your book, and she thinks it’s the most wonderful thing she’s ever read. She’s going to give you the money to self publish it.
You’ve revised your manuscript twice, and you don’t need any smart alec editor telling you to change it AGAIN!
You haven’t been published yet, so you’ve decided to quit writing. After all, you’ve been doing it three months already, for gravy’s sake!
BUT WAIT! THERE’S STILL TIME TO REGISTER FOR THIS YEAR’S MONTROSE CHRISTIAN WRITERS CONFERENCE AND FIND OUT HOW TO GET YOUR WORK READY FOR PUBLICATION!
Access to the registration form is at the bottom.
CHECK IT OUT AT http://www.montrosebible.org/OurEvents/tabid/113/page_550/1/eventid_550/58/Default.aspx
I’d love to see you there next week!
Marsha
Best-selling Author of the Keystone Stables books
(Web) www.marshahubler.com
(Horse Facts Blog)
www.horsefactsbymarshahubler.wordpress.com
(More shameless promotion)
ON THE VICTORY TRAIL
BOOK 2 in THE KEYSTONE STABLES SERIES
Foster kid Skye faces the toughest trial of her life when her best friend, Sooze,
develops a brain tumor.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002U8KW7G/ref=series_rw_dp_sw
Posted in Author Friends, Book Marketing, Editors, Fiction, Juvenile Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Writers Conferences, Writing, Writing Nonfiction, Writing Poetry, Writing Tips, Writing Tips of Any Kind, tagged help to get published, how to write, Montrose Christian Writers Conference, publishing your book, writers conferences on July 5, 2016| Leave a Comment »
July 5, 2016
I’m a Writer Who Knows Everything! Forget the Writers’ Conferences!
Me Know EVERYTHING!
Really? You know everything you need to know about writing?
How about:
This list is just a small sampling of the questions a seasoned writer can answer. I probably could have listed 40 or 50 more questions that will be addressed at this year’s Montrose Christian Writers Conference. Come and learn the trade! We’d love to see you there July 17th to the 22nd OR just come for a day or two if that’s all your schedule allows. I promise you won’t be sorry. (Partial scholarships are available.)
************************************
SO…IT’S NOT TOO LATE TO REGISTER FOR THE
MONTROSE CHRISTIAN WRITERS CONFERENCE!
July 17th-22nd
http://www.montrosebible.org/OurEvents/tabid/113/page_550/1/eventid_550/58/Default.aspx
Four Major Morning Continuing Classes
40 Afternoon Workshops
Fellowship with Other Authors, Agents, and Editors
YOU’LL BE AMAZED AT WHAT YOU DIDN’T KNOW!
Foster kid Skye hates everyone until she meets Champ.
A different Amish/Mennonite fiction series. Available on Amazon or signed copies from Marsha.
Marsha Hubler: Author of THE KEYSTONE STABLES BOOKS 
