Children’s magazines buy and print a lot of poetry. Now, most of it is fairly different from the deeply emotional abstract stuff that I see written by a lot of adults. So how can we tune our love of rhyme and rhythm and produce verse that will wow readers and editors alike for the children’s magazine market?

1. Editors are looking for action and sensory detail. Unless you are a teen, most of the poetry you write for the children’s market will be for preteen readers and younger. It will probably rhyme. It will definitely have a rhythm. But more important than both, it will be specific with concrete action and sensory detail. Kids are concrete people and much prefer poetry that is specific and concrete. Save the burning love in your soul for another market.

2. If you can twist it, you’ll win an editor’s heart. Kids love stories with a little surprise at the end. They love jokes and riddles for the same reason. So it’s not amazing that they love poetry that offers a little twist as well. Can you think of a way to surprise your reader with the very last line? If so, you definitely have an edge.

3. Short rules. Editors don’t usually have acres of space for poetry. For every long multi-stanza story in verse I’ve seen spread across several pages, I’ve seen literally hundreds of short snappy pieces that pop on the page. So if you can accomplish your poetry goal in ten lines or less, you’re going to sell a lot quicker than if you slide into your next epic poetry adventure.

4. Embrace Revision as Your Friend. Editors rarely buy poetry that is almost what they want. They reject a lot of very that is okay or pretty good. With the stiff competition for verse, it pays to polish your little gem until it shines. Don’t be reluctant to try tons of revisions and rewrites. Just be sure to keep all your drafts since you may find something you try doesn’t work and you’ll want to go back to an earlier draft.

5. Keep Your Reader Age in Mind. For very young children, the simpler the better. And editors don’t mind seeing a little learning in there. Do you have a lively poem with counting? Can you focus on some bright colors in a child’s active day? Don’t try to say something deep, just keep it warm and simple with language the sounds bright and clear when read aloud.

6. Keep Your Market in Mind. Guidelines are great but with poetry, nothing beats reading some sample issues. If you read a year’s worth of any magazine, you’ll know an amazing amount about what they like in poetry. Multi-cultural themes? Lively sounds? Super short? Tied to a season? The more you read and notice, the more sales you’ll make by marketing to the best magazines each time.

7. Read it Aloud. Most children’s poetry in magazines is chosen because it sounds good. Read yours aloud. Then have a friend read it. Then have a kid read it. Did it work equally well with every reader? Did you notice hard spots or places where other people just “read it wrong?” If one person stumbles, others will as well. Craft a poem that works as a read aloud for any reader.

8. Go Further Afield. If you decide to write a summer poem, try to go beyond the “traditional” topics of school vacation, summer trip, pool or beach. What else might say summer to a reader? Stretch and choose the road less travelled and your poem will stand out more when it crosses the editor’s desk.

9. If Meter Makes You Wobble, Pattern It. Don’t be afraid to copy the meter of a poem you read – that’s not considered the least bit naughty. Read the poem you like over and over until you can “hum” the meter. Then try coming up with your own words and own story – something on a totally different subject. Now, go back to the original and read until you can hum again, then read yours. Meter problems will be clearer and easier to fix. Meter matters, so if you’re set on writing verse – get the meter right. Also remember that it’s much easier to keep the meter right in a short poem than a long one.

10. Start a Poetry Journal with Each New Season. No matter how busy you are, there’s always time for super short verse. Use a little light verse as your morning warm up. You’ll feel better about keeping writing in your busy life schedule and chances are you’ll come up with several workable poems a month. As with anything, you improve by doing it. So do it.