Ballads are poems or songs that tell a story. This work has plot, character, and narrative arc. You may have to write ballads as an interesting writing assignment or challenge. Start by looking for ideas. After that, draft a ballad with a strong plot, and rhyme and repetition. You can polish ballads and match them to music so you can share your work with others.
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Part 1 of 3: Looking for Ideas
Step 1. Think of a memorable event or story
Ballads can also be “exaggerated” or fictionalized depictions of memorable events that you have experienced. Maybe you have a funny story or experience as a teenager, or a family story that you want to tell from your point of view.
For example, you could write a ballad about a ghost haunting a family member, or when you secretly ran away from home to meet someone as a teenager
Step 2. Observe current events
Some ballads focus on major events in the news or media. Read news on the internet or search for headlines in local newspapers. Look for events or events that seem interesting or “unique”, and use them as source material for ballads.
For example, you might find a story about a young woman who is on trial for murdering her father as a form of self-defense. You may also find stories about refugees in refugee camps trying to build a better life
Step 3. Read the sample ballads
You can read ballads in the form of poems and songs. Search the internet for sample ballads or visit a library to find ballad texts. You can also search for ballads in the form of recorded songs from the internet or your nearest music store. Here are examples of ballads you can read:
- The Evicted Woman by W. S. Rendra
- Jante Arkidam by Ajip Rosidi
- The fairy tale Marsinah by Sapardi Djoko Damono
- Fleur's blush! (song)
- The Ballad of Cendrawasih by Geronimo Eight (song)
- Stories from South Jakarta by White Shoes & The Couples Company (song)
Part 2 of 3: Drafting a Ballad
Step 1. Follow the structure of the ballad
Most ballads are made up of four stanzas with four lines. The first two lines will rhyme, while the third line will not, forming an AABC rhyme pattern. You can also try to rhyme the second line with the fourth line, and free the third line to form an ABXB rhyme pattern.
You can also write an eight-line stanza if you want and want to create your own ballad rhyme pattern. Typically, modern ballads have longer stanzas and freer rhyming patterns
Step 2. Introduce the main character to the readers
The first line of the ballad is an important element because it can draw the reader's attention to the story. Introduce the main character on the first line.
- For example, in Titiek Puspa's song Bimbi, the first line of the ballad introduces the main character in the story: "Bimbi is a girl's name."
- In the song Song of the Wind (Kaze no Uta) which is the ending theme for the anime Hunter X Hunter, the main character in the story (“you”) is introduced through the question: “Do you hear/The sound of the wind blowing/On the face of the earth”.
Step 3. Limit the number of minor characters in the story
Use one or (maximum) two main characters, and one or two minor characters if necessary. Ballads should focus on key details of a story with a small “set” of characters, not multiple main characters and plots in one work.
- For example, in the song Berita to Kawan by Ebiet G. Ade, there are two main characters, namely "I" and "You". Minor characters such as the little shepherd and his parents are also mentioned in the lyrics.
- In Abdul's song Joss, there are two main characters mentioned, namely "I" and "Josephina" or "Joss".
Step 4. Use a memorable line as a chorus
In typical ballads, the chorus is the third or fourth line in a stanza that is repeated throughout the work. The chorus must be relevant to all elements of the ballad and contain a strong image so that it sticks in the memory or mind of the reader/listener.
- For example, in the song Elegi Esok Pagi, the chorus uses a variation of the line “Izinilah ….”.
- In Isyana Sarasvati's song Stay in the Soul, the chorus appears (or begins) at the end of each stanza and is several lines long: "Black and white passes/Promise we wait/But we 'cannot…"
Step 5. Include rhymes and repetitions
Follow the rhyming pattern in each stanza. Repeat a few words or phrases multiple times in a ballad. Use simple descriptive diction to build a sense of rhythm in the poem.
For example, in Ajip Rosidi's poem Jante Arkidam, the narrator repeats words such as “jante” and “roji iron”: “The night airs the tuba/Jante reigns over the darkness/The iron bars of the pavilion are uncovered.”
Step 6. Use dialogue in the works
Make the characters in the ballad speak and enclose them in quotation marks. Use short and concise dialogue. Mention only the most important details regarding the thoughts of the characters in the dialogue.
For example, in the poem Girlfriend Senja by Joko Pinurbo, the character “pacar twilight” expresses his frustration at the fleeting twilight in several stanzas: “Why did you leave me before I had time to make up for it?/ How quickly kisses become scars./ How cheating misses. "Watch out, I'll hug you out tomorrow."
Step 7. Build a climax or realization
Like any compelling story, ballads must have a beginning, middle, and end, with a "great" climax or realization in the last half of the poem. The climax is the most dramatic event experienced by the narrator or the main character. This part can also be the moment the main character realizes the reality of the situation he is facing.
For example, in WS Rendra's 'Woman Who Is Displaced', the climax occurs in the seventh stanza when the narrator makes the character “you” realize that he is a constrained person: “Dreams and efforts/Like make-up that wears off from the rain/Smears on your face/You don't merdeka/You are a victim of sorcery of circumstances/Justice lies across a dangerous highway/that you cannot cross.”
Step 8. Add a meaningful and memorable final stanza
The final stanza in the ballad should summarize the main theme or picture of the work. This section must be able to leave a strong image in the reader's mind or summarize the series of events in the storyline. The final stanza can also contain a surprise or change of situation that makes the reader guess what actually happened.
For example, in Kunto Aji's song Too Long Alone, the ballad ends with the narrator expressing his true feelings, despite his "relaxed" attitude towards loneliness: "Deep down/I don't want to be alone."
Part 3 of 3: Brushing up on the Draft Ballad
Step 1. Read the written ballad aloud
After completing the draft of the ballad, read your work. Listen to rhymes, repetitions, and rhythms in ballads. Make sure your work tells the story clearly and concisely. Watch for lines that sound weird or are too long. Adjust the lines so that the story in the work is easy to follow and understand.
You will also need to read the ballad aloud to detect spelling, grammatical, or punctuation errors
Step 2. Show your work to others
Ask friends or family members to read your work. Ask if they are interested in your work and can follow along easily. Also find out if your ballad sounds rhythmic and lyrical.
Be open to receiving constructive feedback from others as it can improve your work
Step 3. Match your ballad to the music
Usually, ballads are read or sung to the music. You can match your work with instrumental music that has already been recorded and has a rhythm that matches the ballad. You can also play an acoustic guitar while reading a ballad or trying to sing it.
