Songwriting Process
Inspiration Is Optional: The Real Work of Songwriting
When talking about his writing process, author, Tom Wolfe once said: “I always have a clock in front of me. Sometimes, if things are going badly, I will force myself to write a page in a half an hour. I find that can be done. I find that what I write when I force myself […]
No Muse, No Problem: Practical Ways to Restart a Songwriting Day
Every songwriter knows this feeling. You sit down with your instrument, the notebook is open and the DAW is armed and waiting. And… nothing. No spark. No pull. No inner voice whispering lyrics into your ear. Just that dull, grey sense of blah. These are the days when the mythical “muse” feels like it’s packed […]
Finish More Songs With 30-Minute Songwriting Blocks
One of the most common frustrations songwriters face is not a lack of ideas, talent, or inspiration. It is the growing pile of half-finished songs that never quite make it across the line. I’ve got them, you’ve got them. You know what I mean. A great article published on EPICOMPOSER titled Finish More Music With […]
Always Remember… Don’t Take Your Songwriting Habit For Granted
Most songwriters don’t stop writing because they’ve lost their love for music. They stop because life quietly gets in the way. One week turns into two. Two weeks turns into a month. Nothing dramatic happens. No big decision is made. You just look up one day and realise you haven’t written a song, a verse, […]
10 Songwriting Goals Worth Keeping in 2026
The start of a new year has a habit of turning songwriting into some sort of to-do list. And as we all know about setting songwriting targets, goals or resolutions in the past, by February, most of that energy has burned off, leaving behind unfinished songs and a quiet sense of falling short. Maybe 2026 […]
Is There Such A Thing As “Too Much Revision” In Songwriting?
Revision is one of the most respected parts of songwriting. We’re told to rewrite, refine, and polish. To cut the weak lines, strengthen the chorus, and keep working until the song “gets there.” All of that advice is sound. Revision matters. But there’s a quieter question most songwriters eventually run into and rarely talk about. […]
Why Your Best Songs Start Before You Sit Down to Write
Most songwriting advice focuses on technique. Chord choices. Rhyme schemes. Song structures. Productivity hacks. All useful, all necessary, and all slightly incomplete. Because long before a song takes shape on a page or in a Digital Audio Workstation (DAW), something else is already at work. Songwriting often happens before you sit down to write. Lines […]
The Order of Responsibility in Songwriting: Why the Audience Should Come Last, Not First
One of the quiet traps songwriters fall into is thinking about the audience too early in the songwriting process. These questions feel responsible, even professional. But when asked too soon, they can quietly derail a song before it has a chance to become what it needs to be. In an interview, Rick Rubin once said […]
What John Steinbeck Can Teach Us About Songwriting Flow
John Steinbeck wasn’t a songwriter, but he knew something about creativity that every songwriter eventually bumps into: the moment you start editing too early, the whole thing can fall apart. He once wrote… “Write freely and as rapidly as possible and throw the whole thing on paper. Never correct or rewrite until the whole thing […]
How Do You Find Your Own Voice as a Songwriter?
If you’ve ever asked yourself, “How do I find my own voice as a songwriter?” you’re not alone. It’s one of the most common and important questions in songwriting, and the answer isn’t something you stumble upon overnight. Finding your voice isn’t about waiting for inspiration to strike. It’s about doing the work until something […]