There’s a saying among seasoned songwriters that goes, “The more songs you write, the more good songs you write.” On the surface, it may sound simplistic, but beneath it lies one of the most profound truths about songwriting as a craft and a creative calling.
Whether you’re just starting out or deep in the trenches of your musical journey, embracing this idea can change not only how you write—but how you grow.
1. Quantity Breeds Quality
In any creative field, volume leads to evolution. Songwriting is no exception. The more songs you write, the more you:
- Refine your sense of melody, structure, and lyrical flow
- Develop your storytelling voice and emotional clarity
- Understand what works—and what doesn’t
Like a muscle, your songwriting skill strengthens through repetition. Each song is a workout. And over time, you build creative endurance and agility that can’t be learned by reading books or waiting for inspiration.
2. You Learn by Failing Forward
Not every song will be great—and that’s the point. The so-so ones, the throwaways, and the near-misses all serve a purpose.
- They teach you how to spot weak verses and flat choruses
- They show you what happens when a melody doesn’t quite land
- They reveal the pitfalls of cliché or vagueness in lyrics
Every “failure” becomes a teacher. And the more songs you write, the more skilled you become at turning failure into fuel.
3. Momentum Builds Creativity
Songwriting is momentum-based. When you write often, something powerful happens:
- Ideas come more quickly
- You stop overthinking and start trusting your instincts
- You approach each new song with less pressure and more curiosity
This momentum turns songwriting from an intimidating act into a natural part of your creative rhythm.
4. You Train Your Muse to Show Up
Waiting for inspiration is like waiting for lightning to strike. But when you sit down to write consistently, you’re sending a signal to your muse: “I’m here. Let’s work.”
The more regularly you write:
- The more frequently inspiration visits
- The more receptive you become to creative sparks in everyday life
- The more surprises your subconscious delivers
Inspiration rewards commitment.
5. You Improve Your Odds
Let’s do some quick math:
- Write 10 songs → maybe 1 or 2 are good
- Write 100 songs → now you’ve got 10 or 20 worth sharing
The more you write, the more gems you find—and over time, your hit rate improves. You’re not just writing more good songs; you’re writing them more often.
6. You Discover Your Voice
As you write song after song, patterns emerge:
- Themes you return to
- Melodic tendencies that feel like “you”
- Lyrical quirks that make your writing unique
Through this process, your artistic identity begins to take shape. And that identity becomes the foundation of your authenticity as a songwriter.
7. Practice = Freedom
When you’ve written hundreds of songs, you’re no longer guessing.
- You understand song form intuitively
- You know when to follow the rules and when to break them
- You’re confident in experimenting without losing your footing
This freedom leads to riskier, more inspired writing. Songs that surprise you—and your audience.
Final Thoughts: Embrace the Process
Great songs don’t come from overthinking. They come from showing up, over and over again. From embracing the process and letting the bad ones clear the way for the good ones.
The more songs you write, the more good songs you’ll write. Not because you force them—but because you earn them.
So write. And then write again.
Your next great song might be just one more draft away.
