Haiku captures the “essence” of the scene, chapter or book.įor example, the following haiku from The Red Kimono summarizes my entire historical fiction:.There’s no shorter elevator pitch than a haiku.Here are a couple of other ideas on how to use haiku with your writing:ĭo you find it a challenge to write your elevator pitches or synopses? Try a different twist: You may find it easier to summarize your book as a haiku first, then from that haiku, develop your pitch or synopsis.

The above points are followed by examples of haiku, however, these guidelines can also be used as tools to strengthen your non-haiku writing.

it gives the reader a sense of sudden enlightenment and illumination.

Haiku is able to pack a punch in so few words because: Verbosity is not necessary for powerful writing, as can be seen in the following haiku: As with almost anything in life, haiku’s brevity leaves me wanting more. I enjoy writing haiku because it has taught me to use words sparingly. It touches me, even if there are “shiny objects” waiting to distract me: It’s a “story” I can read in a few seconds. I enjoy reading haiku because it evokes a powerful image in only seventeen syllables. (Note: Not all haiku have seventeen syllables in the 5-7-5 structure. That’s one reason I love haiku, not only as a reader, but as a writer, too.

Are you sometimes distracted by “shiny objects” around you? I am, and in today’s world, so are a lot of readers.

The Red Kimono by Jan Morrill