The Dreaded Deadline: A Songwriter’s Friend Or Foe?
Ask any songwriter how they feel about deadlines and you’ll probably see a wince. There’s something about putting a clock on creativity that feels backward. How can you force inspiration to show up on a Tuesday at 2 PM? And yet, many of the songs we love wouldn’t exist without the push of a looming […]
The Songwriting Pipeline: How to Finish More Songs (Without Burning Out)
One of the biggest struggles for songwriters isn’t starting a song, it’s finishing it. We’ve all got half-written verses, nameless chord progressions, and a graveyard of voice memos. And while those fragments might still hold magic, without a clear path to completion, they often just sit there. That’s where the Songwriting Pipeline comes in. It’s […]
Build Your Songwriting Ideas Bank (And Never Start From Scratch Again)
As songwriters, we know that inspiration isn’t always on tap. Some days, the words and melodies pour out effortlessly. Other days? Nothing but tumbleweeds and frustration. That’s where your Ideas Bank comes in. Think of it like a creative savings account, a personal stash of lyric snippets, song titles, melody lines, themes, and random thoughts […]
The 5 Essential Elements Of A Good Song, According To Tony Conniff
Every now and then, I come across an article that feels like someone’s taken the swirling thoughts in my head about songwriting and pinned them neatly to a cork-board. Tony Conniff’s The 5 Essential Elements Of A Good Song is one of those pieces. If you haven’t read it yet, I highly recommend you do, […]
How to Stay Consistent in Your Songwriting Process (Even When You’re Not Inspired)
One of the biggest struggles songwriters face (especially those juggling day jobs, families, or other creative outlets) is staying consistent. You might get a flash of inspiration, write a song you’re proud of, and then… nothing for weeks. So how do you make songwriting a regular habit instead of an occasional burst of creativity? The […]
Just Keep Going: Why Progress in Songwriting Doesn’t Have to Be Fast to Be Real
There’s a truth that most seasoned songwriters quietly understand. And that is: The real key to writing songs isn’t talent or inspiration. It’s persistence. It’s easy to romanticise the process, waiting for the muse to strike, expecting songs to arrive fully formed in the middle of the night. And sure, once in a while, that […]
The Power of Routines in Songwriting
If you’ve ever found yourself staring at a blank page, guitar in hand, brain full of static, you’re not alone. I’ve been there more times than I can count, flicking through chord progressions like they’re TV channels, waiting for the muse to show up like it’s fashionably late to the session again. That’s why I […]
Should Songwriters Have Eclectic Taste or a Signature Sound?
Once you’ve made the decision to really listen to music as a songwriter, the next question usually pops up pretty quickly: “What should I be listening to?” Should you go deep into the genre you write in? Or should you open the floodgates and take in everything from Mongolian throat singing to glitchy lo-fi hip […]
The Art of Listening: Why Songwriters Must Be Music Fans First
When people ask me how to get better at songwriting, one of the first things I say is: “Are you listening to enough music?” Not just having it on in the background, but actually listening. It sounds simple, almost too simple in fact, but listening to music with intention is one of the most underrated […]
The Originality of the Song Comes From the Songwriter, Not the Song
As songwriters, we often find ourselves chasing originality like it’s some rare, mystical treasure buried beneath layers of chords and lyrics. We tinker with song structures, search for that one chord nobody’s ever used (good luck), or try to find the “newest” way to say something. But here’s something I’ve come to believe after years […]