There are a million reasons why writing songs can be complex. From a lack of motivation to the fact that nothing is original under the sun anymore, it can be hard to find unique lyrics that work for you. If you’re feeling writer’s block and want to get back to creating incredible music, here are the top ways for anyone to find motivation as a songwriter.
Listen To Music You Love
The best way to feel inspired is to listen to music that made you want to become a musician. Singers like Pamela Rose Rodriguez have lyrics that excite, or you could go for Marty Robbins, depending on your genre. If you’re worried you’ll suck in too much of their poetry, consider listening to a karaoke version of their songs and writing your lyrics for it. This practice will give you the chance to figure out what sounds you like to hear and how your lyrics can play against them. Who knows, you might come up with songs you love and want to invent your tune!
Keep An Ideas Journal On Hand
The best way to find motivation is to write down any fun or inspirational idea that comes to you in your daily life, and then flip through this collection of pictures when your well is running dry. Try to be mildly specific in your notes. Although ‘plants in a sink’ might make sense when you first write it down, it can look like a random collection of words without context.
When you flip through this later, look at what inspires you most and what you think could make a good song. Try to mix a couple of ideas if you can to use as much of that inspiration as possible.
Build Out Like A Snowflake
For many artists, writing a song can start from a tiny idea. For example, if you want to write a song about heartbreak, think about the last time you were affected by it. From the word heartbreak, think of imagery, sensations, and specific phrases that come to mind about it. It could be a simple mention of missing the lipstick stains used to ruin your mugs and finding the extra space in otherwise tight quarters overwhelming. From here, consider what your main point of the song is. Are you writing to get out emotion? Are you, instead, attempting to make the listener sad? Work from that.
Get Inspired By Movies and Television
It’s no secret that film and music are tightly linked. Songs like Marceline by Willow Smith, inspired by the cartoon Adventure Time, grow and move past their inspiration. Don’t word for word steal from a movie; that could come across as shady, but you can quote the film if it’s an homage. You could make a fun and twisted rock song out of a movie like Jennifer’s Body or something ethereal and beautiful inspired by the movie The Fall (2006). Think about what movies match what you’re trying to pull across, and use them for inspiration.
