1. What is a Ballad?

2. Writing a Ballad
Ballads tell of an event. They were often used to spread the news, provide entertainment, or create a "bigger than real life" story.

3. Ballad Writing Tips often have verses of four lines
usually have a rhyming pattern: either  abac   or aabb or  acbc (usually the easiest to rhyme)
repetition often found in ballads
entire stanzas can be repeated like a song's chorus
lines can be repeated but each time a certain word is changed
a question and answer format can be built into a ballad: one stanza asks a questions and the next stanza answers the question

4. Ballad Writing Tips Ballads contain a lot of dialogue.
Action is often described in the first person
Two characters in the ballad can speak to each other on alternating lines
Sequences of "threes" often occur: three kisses, three tasks, three events, for example

5. On Top of Spaghetti
On top of spaghetti, All covered with cheese, I lost my poor meatball, When somebody sneezed.
It rolled off the table, And on to the floor, And then my poor meatball, Rolled out of the door.
It rolled in the garden, And under a bush, And then my poor meatball, Was nothing but mush.
The mush was as tasty As tasty could be, And then the next summer, It grew into a tree.
The tree was all covered, All covered with moss, And on it grew meatballs, And tomato sauce.
So if you eat spaghetti, All covered with cheese, Hold on to your meatball, Whenever you sneeze.

6. Ballad Example
Coleridge’s “Rime of the Ancient Mariner," the tale of a cursed sailor aboard a storm-tossed ship.
It is an ancient mariner And he stoppeth one of three. —“By thy long grey beard and glittering eye, Now wherefore stoppest thou me? The bridegroom’s doors are opened wide, And I am next of kin; The guests are met, the feast is set: Mayst hear the merry din.” He holds him with his skinny hand, “There was a ship," quoth he. “Hold off! unhand me, grey-beard loon!” Eftsoons his hand dropped he. He holds him with his glittering eye— The wedding-guest stood still, And listens like a three-years’ child: The mariner hath his will.

7. How do I start writing a ballad?
Start with a key phrase...
...that pops into your head,
...or strikes you when somebody says it,
...and is connected with something you feel strongly about.  
It may be a line of melody or words, or both.
Build on this phrase.
Images related to the phrase
Similar phrases
Rhyming words
A tune that fits the phrase
Ask yourself questions.
Who is saying this phrase?
...Why? ...Where? ...To whom?
What is the reply?
How did they get into this situation?
Consequences

8. Class Ballad Just look at him, there he stands,
Edward with his scissor hands.
So sad that his creator died
Before his hands had been applied.
Alone at night he’d look down
From his mansion o’er the town.
Yet what a tale there was to tell
When the Avon Lady rang the bell

9. More Helpful Hints on Writing Ballads
Keep going over the song: with repeated singing, natural phrases will come...  
What rhymes with the key phrase?
Do these rhyming phrases trigger more images?  
Construct verses.
Most usual is 4 lines, with the 2nd line rhyming with the last.
Arrange the verses into sequence.  
Cobble together more verses to make a story.
The initial fill-in verses may be Yuk! but they give your imagination a framework.
Sing them over and over until later when better words come to you.  
Keep going over the song.
Evolve the tune by chanting the verses.
Rewrite the cobbled phrases; with repeated singing, natural phrases will come.  
Do some editing.
Throw out unnecessary verses.
Add a chorus.
...or a refrain, or instrumental break.
Or turn the verse with that initial key phrase into a chorus.
The chorus gives the audience time to absorb the storyline...
...and lets them release all the emotions you have aroused in their souls.