| Songs just don't materialize out of thin air - most | | | | diamond over time - if you work at it hard and |
| of the time. For most great lyrics, someone has | | | | long enough. |
| spent considerable time writing, revising, gathering | | | | Step #1 - Feed Your Brain |
| feedback and rewriting to build their masterpiece. | | | | If you're having trouble coming up with a topic, |
| Writing is work, and it's not always easy. | | | | salvation from Writer's Block may be as near as |
| I'd like to say I work as diligently at all my songs | | | | your coffee table. Pick up the remote control and |
| as the great songwriters of our times. The sad | | | | turn on the tube, or pick up the paper and read. |
| fact is that I usually have trouble getting the initial | | | | The news can be a great source of material for |
| draft out of my head and onto the page. I've | | | | songwriters.Comedians often comment that the |
| fallen victim to the mythical Writers' Block more | | | | real life is funnier than anything they could have |
| times than I'd like to admit, and I typically end up | | | | come up with on their own. There is a certain |
| stuck without a draft, rationalizing my way out of | | | | universality to many things that happen around us |
| the work of writing. | | | | that makes for great lyrical content. Whether |
| All that being said, I have to say that I don't | | | | they affect the entire world, or just the people |
| believe in Writers' Block as an actual state or | | | | on your street, real-life events can be a great |
| condition. I've come to believe that in most cases, | | | | inspiration. |
| we have a series of lame excuses for not honing | | | | Step #2 - Write Down Your Reasons For Writing |
| our craft that we tend to BLAME on Writers' | | | | Knowing why you want to write something (this |
| Block. | | | | doesn't just apply to songs) can be very useful. It |
| Why can't we just come out and say the things | | | | can help you set an initial direction and begin to |
| we want to say? The following is just the starter | | | | gain momentum. Maybe you're writing to express |
| list of a series of lame excuses we use (ok, that | | | | the deep-seated love you have for fly-fishing. |
| I use) to avoid doing any actual work toward | | | | Maybe you're outraged at the local Sonic Drive-in |
| refining my song craft. | | | | for NEVER giving you enough napkins without |
| Lame Excuse # 1 - Laziness - | | | | your having to ask. Ask yourself where you want |
| For many of us not-quite-published songwriters, | | | | the song to go. If you're writing about something |
| Writers' Block is sometimes a code word for just | | | | personal that you don't care to share with the |
| plain laziness. So many times when I sit down to | | | | world, (maybe a purely therapeutic exercise to |
| write, I never get beyond step 1 because I'm just | | | | help you get over a lost love or pet), you don't |
| too lazy. Too lazy to think through exactly what I | | | | have to worry as much about building a universal |
| want to say. Too lazy to come up with a clear | | | | appeal. If you want to appeal to a specific |
| song vision, or jot down a simple melody or one | | | | audience, this could influence the direction your |
| of those (seemingly great) hook lines that pop | | | | writing takes as well. |
| into my head from time to time.This is perhaps | | | | Step #3 - Write Anything! |
| the easiest excuse to get past. All it requires is a | | | | The best way to get the creative juices flowing |
| commitment to taking a first step toward your | | | | for me is to simply begin writing about |
| final destination. | | | | ANYTHING. It doesn't have to be a focused |
| Lame Excuse # 2 - Anxiety - | | | | stream of beautiful melodies that get it all said in |
| More times than not, this one's a bigger culprit | | | | perfect form. As a matter of fact, it doesn't |
| than laziness, and is sometimes the root cause of | | | | even have to be a lyric. I typically pick a subject |
| my laziness, lurking just beneath the surface. | | | | and write down a 1/2 page stream of |
| Insecurities about exposing the fruit of our labor | | | | consciousness babble about everything that |
| into the marketplace are very real and | | | | comes into my head when I think about it. When |
| sometimes very intimidating.We become | | | | I'm done, I usually have a few good starting |
| vulnerable each time we put ourselves into our | | | | places for a song. A hook phrase might stand out |
| craft. What if someone doesn't like my ideas? | | | | from my random babblings. I might not use any |
| What if they do, and they act on them? What if | | | | of the content, but the rhythmic patterns of |
| the world thinks I'm just plain nuts? What if? | | | | certain word combinations might spark an idea for |
| All these things could happen, but we'll never | | | | a melody I can develop for a song about |
| know if we don't get beyond that initial draft. | | | | something totally different. |
| Unless we get beyond our initial drafts | | | | Step #4 - Brainstorm |
| consistently, we'll probably never get the | | | | If your writing tends to take an immediate |
| opportunity for the world to hate us at all! People | | | | direction when you write in complete thoughts |
| can't hear the music in our heads. If we don't put | | | | and sentences, you might come up with a larger |
| it out there, we also forfeit the opportunity to | | | | variety of content by brainstorming short words |
| share a really great song with the world. | | | | and phrases. Just like in the above exercise, pick a |
| Lame Excuse # 3 - I Got Nothin' to Say - | | | | subject. Set a timer for 10 or 15 minutes and |
| From time to time, I sit down to write, only to | | | | begin writing down words and short phrases that |
| discover that I have nothing to say. Nothing really | | | | have to do with your subject matter. Don't stop |
| grabs me enough to motivate me to write. This is | | | | writing until the timer goes off. Make a conscious |
| perhaps the most common, and quite possibly the | | | | effort to keep the pen moving as much as |
| lamest excuse for not writing. Unfortunately, | | | | possible during the exercise. |
| great writers don't become great writers by | | | | Step #5 - Develop a Clear Song Vision. |
| writing during a few brief moments of inspiration. | | | | By using the above techniques, you've probably |
| Songwriting is a craft. Developing these skills | | | | developed nice broad base of material that you |
| takes time and lots of practice. Writing itself - | | | | can use to start many songs. The next step to |
| about anything at all - can motivate us to write. | | | | take is to develop a clear Song Vision.A truly |
| We just need to lose the lame excuse and get | | | | great song says one thing and says it well. A song |
| started. | | | | vision is simply a brief statement that says what |
| The Cure - 5 Steps to Curing Writers' Block | | | | you want to say as concisely as possible. The |
| Here's where the rubber meets the road. I'm | | | | entire song should communicate your song vision. |
| about to share with you a few techniques for | | | | Anything that takes away from the vision makes |
| slaying the demon of Writers' Block. While I can't | | | | the song less powerful. Think about what you |
| guarantee you'll win a Grammy within the first | | | | want to say, and articulate it in a few sentences |
| year of practicing these techniques, these | | | | before trying to write all the lyrics. It's ok for |
| techniques can help you get closer to completing | | | | your song vision to change as you work out |
| an initial draft. You'll actually have SOMETHING to | | | | revisions. Just make sure that every piece of the |
| revise! SOMETHING to craft into a potential | | | | song communications the vision clearly. Keeping |
| masterpiece! | | | | your song vision in mind will help you maintain |
| Great songs are like diamonds. They can take | | | | direction and focus, or change the song's entire |
| quite a bit of time to develop. To create that rare | | | | direction as you discover something different you |
| gem, we have to continually press and polish all | | | | might want to say. |
| the coal we've got laying around in our heads, | | | | This is Just the Beginning. Once you've developed |
| discarding the rough edges and molding it into a | | | | your song vision, you've almost conquered the |
| fine gemstone. | | | | demon Writers' Block. You now have something |
| Hopefully these techniques will provide you with a | | | | to say. Now just get to work and say it! |
| large piece of coal that just might become a | | | | |