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Here’s Tip 2 for helping your class get poetry-writing: ban rulers.
What’s wrong with rulers?
Like rubbing out (see previous tip), drawing lines with a ruler will interrupt the flow of ideas and detract from the all-important sense of free, fun, linguistic adventure. After ruling lines, children feel they have to keep to them, and that their work needs to be tidy and ordered from the word go, whereas in fact the most expressive poems are often born out of a labour of language love, with several re-drafts as ideas develop and words are swapped in or rearranged for better effect.
Ready-provided lines can be helpful
That said, I often supply starter templates with lines provided ready for younger children, saving them the tricky and time-consuming task of drawing them in, but I ensure ample space around the lines for additional or alternative input, and always stress that they’re just for guidance, as wanted. Extra or alternative words and lines can be popped in above or below, or written up and down the sides, or even inside an illustration! I also invite confident and independent young writers to turn over and start from scratch their own way if they prefer, and usually one or two will do.
If your class do rule their own lines, encourage them to keep them short, especially if aiming for rhyme or rhythm. Long lines are more for prose.
Let rulers rule in final version (up to a point)
When it comes to writing out their poems in neat, let them use rulers if they wish, particularly for titles or stressed words, or provide lined paper at this stage, if you judge this will make the task more pleasurable or rewarding.
Lots more tips and ideas to come, and more in my archived posts (on right-hand-side).
Kate
By the way, have you pre-ROARdered my SQUEAK! SQUAWK! ROAR! Amazing Animal Poems yet? Details on Amazon but you can order from anywhere – £8.99 from bookstores or just £7.99 from me + free post + personalised signing if required – just email me @ katewilliamspoetry.com .
Book release date: 9th January with Otter-Barry Books, so sending out signed copies from that date.
Kate Williams 
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