I always had this mindset growing up that if you played an instrument, you wrote songs. Probably because I was surrounded by so many songwriters in high school. But as I grew up, I learned that many talented musicians struggled to write songs. How could this be? I wondered.

Countless obstacles, from internal struggles to external pressures, hold musicians back from expressing themselves through their own songwriting. Blocks like self-doubt, failure to commit to a single project, fear of judgement, unsure of where to begin, lack of time, overthinking, or perfectionism keep musicians from sharing their soul with the world.

This discovery upset me because there are too many talented musicians out there who I know can write amazing songs. Musicians like yourself! So I put together a list of tips to help your songwriting process and to guide you toward songwriting success.

Why do you want to write songs? And what are you trying to get out of it? Are you trying to make money? Grow an audience? Be heard? Record an album? An EP? Or simply just writing for yourself? The goals are endless, and it’s important to establish yours right from the beginning. Because goals give you clarity, focus, motivation, commitment, measurable progress, and personal growth. Write your goals down, start your day by reading them, and take little steps forward to achieving them every day.

Whether it’s a single line of lyrics or a catchy riff, pick a project and commit to finishing it. No matter how bad, or how good, it turns out. Just finish it. This will help you build the confidence and skills to write and finish full songs. You will write great songs, and you will write terrible songs. That’s normal. The GREAT songs will be born from all the bad songs you stayed committed to.

The doors are closed. No one is watching. Write whatever comes to mind, whatever your heart is trying to scream out. Create a first draft. It’s going to be terrible. But no one is ever going to see this first draft. Take a step away. Come back. Read it. And develop it more. Trust your musical instincts on where the words and music need to go. This instinct becomes stronger as you write more and more songs. But it all starts with that first draft and writing without judgement.

Everyone is influenced by someone else. Learn the songs that will inspire you to write the music you want to create. Learning these songs will teach you valuable songwriting skills like song structure, what chords and notes to use, and musical execution. Because if you can’t play these songs, how do you expect to write them?

Reading lyrics is a great way to escape your writer’s block. The more lyrics you read, the easier it will get to match words that rhyme, fit words to music, and figure out what to write about. Don’t just read lyrics in your own genre of music. Expand to other genres. Study the choice in words, the rhymes, the flow, and how the words make you feel. The more you read and write, the easier the songwriting process will become.

Every song you write will come with its own obstacles. It’s your job to figure out the right approach of developing the song. You can try a lyric-first approach and see if that works for you. If not, maybe try a melody-first approach. You can also try improvising, chords, collaboration, beat-driven, storytelling, etc. There are so many possibilities. Try them all and see which works best for you.

I read somewhere that a songwriter is like a paleontologist who digs up dinosaur bones. The bones already exist under the ground, and it’s your job to uncover them. These songs already exist. And it’s your job to discover them.

How do you expect to write anything if your brain feels like mush? If you find yourself stressing over your current project, stop what you’re doing and walk away. You’re not giving up. You just need to rest. Go for a walk. Exercise. Treat yourself. You’ll be surprised on how many great ideas come to you just by having the courage to know when to walk away and relax.

This is my personal favorite! Learn the acoustic versions of your favorite songs, even rap songs. I usually search for acoustic covers on YouTube. This exercise will help you see that that intense reggaetón song is actually just four chords repeated over and over again. It will teach you more chords and different ways to use those chords. I see most songwriters start with a guitar or a piano, play some chords, and write words to those chords. Start raw and add the goodies later on.

You don’t want to miss out on that perfect riff or melody or words that you magically stumbled across while songwriting and have it disappear forever. Make sure to press that record button and capture your songwriting session. This will allow you to listen back to hear what sounded good and what was just garbage. You can listen to your recording throughout the day while you’re walking, cooking, doing the laundry. Songwriting doesn’t just stop after you put your instrument down. Part of the songwriting game is just familiarizing yourself with your song over and over again.

I just started implementing this one into my own songwriting routine. This journaling exercise teaches you more about your own songwriting process. Reading how you wrote a song can show you the struggles you faced, the methods you used, and the hours you spent to create a three minute song that’s now like a child to you. Record the date and write a little synopsis of what you went through to write it. And when you feel lost in a future project, return to these writings for ideas, inspiration, and a reminder that you can do it.

Like every songwriter, you’ll need to start from the bottom and work your way to the top. It takes time, practice, and commitment. Practicing a little each day is better than three hours once a week. Add these tips to your songwriting routine and watch the process become easier and enjoyable. And when you’re finished with a song, please share it with the world! You got this!

Have you been thinking about writing a book (or song) and don’t know where to start? Or maybe you’re an experienced writer who has felt stuck and overwhelmed with a writing project? I’d be happy to talk it out with you over a FREE Discovery Call.