Tippity-Do-Dahs

This post will be a little different from the rest, but hey! Variety is good, right?

            Ever since I started this blog, I’ve had a lot of people ask for my song-writing tips. After answering a few people, I decided to pick out my five favorite tips into one spot. Now these are some things that work for me, and since people are different, they may not work for you, but they might help you find your way to what does work for you. So without further ado, my songwriting tips…

1.      Figure out where to go or what to do to get inspiration. Easy to say, hard to do. I know that, but this is a vital step!

Where do I find my inspiration? Pretty much everywhere, but I have to take a step back from my normal routine to really notice it. Sometimes, hanging out in the woods in my backyard or climbing up the maple tree in my front yard to relax provide me with the perfect lyrics. Other times, sitting in front of a blazing fire, taking care of my lizard, playing piano, or just sitting with my family provide the remedy to my “songwriting block”. I find, however, that after going on a run and then standing on the porch to cool off, the lyrics just pop into my mind.

2.      Write about your life. This is self-explanatory, and, like everything else, it ties into where you get your inspiration from. Some of my most recent songs have been written on the days that I just need to pray or be reminded of God’s goodness, so I sit down and just write what I’m thinking. It’s okay to not have a rhyme scheme or something like that at first (or at all!). A lot of my songs have been born by writing thousands of words that explain my situations and emotions. Later on, those words were rhymed and put into understandable lyrics.

3.      Take your time. Songwriting generally isn’t a contest of who can write something faster. When you sit down and try to write something quickly, chances are the creation will not be your finest work. In fact, most things accomplished quickly are generally not done very well. Because of that, it’s worth it to take a breather sometimes and find some inspiration. Think about what emotions or events you’re trying to convey. Besides, when you put in the time and work for a song, the resulting work will truly please you and push you to go through that process again for the joy of completing another piece.

4.      Have fun! Let’s be honest: when things aren’t fun and enjoyable, we tend not to do them as well as we could. Even if you have to write a song for school and you’re really not “into it,” try to find the little things that make the experience a happy one. That extra effort will show up in your work.

Hey! Why not also go the extra step and find joy in all your life as well, the trials and the easy times? It’s a challenge, yes, but the results are worth it!

5.      Write for God. Oftentimes, we tend to go through life desiring human praise and that alters our personal style because we want to make our work appealing to the world. Don’t worry about that! Write from the heart, write for Him. That makes your inspiration and joy increase, makes you want to spend time on your song, and allows you truly write in your way. Write for Him, friends, and everything in this experience will follow.

Hope y’all enjoyed this “twist of the ordinary” post. If you have any other tips, feel free to write them in the comments section below! I’m sure all of us songwriters would love to hear your input. :)