I recently stumbled across an article over at Speed Songwriting that really struck a chord with me, one that vibrates somewhere between the analytical and the emotional, the structured and the spontaneous.
It’s titled “Creative Science: The Songwriting Process”, and it dives into something many of us feel instinctively but don’t always articulate clearly: that songwriting is both a science and an art, and the two are far from mutually exclusive.
The Core Message: Process Isn’t the Enemy of Inspiration
At its heart, the article makes a compelling case for treating songwriting not as a mystical event that happens to us, but as a repeatable process that we can shape, nurture, and rely on.
Author Simon Hawkins breaks songwriting down into a clear, step-by-step model, showing how creativity doesn’t have to be chaotic or elusive to be real. Instead, creativity thrives when it’s given a form to flow through.
The idea isn’t to sterilize inspiration with structure, but rather to catch it when it visits. Hawkins uses the metaphor of science to describe how songwriters can experiment with their process, test different elements, observe what works, and refine their craft accordingly.
Just as a scientist approaches their work with curiosity, precision, and patience, so too can we approach songwriting.
His model includes distinct phases: Inspiration, Development, and Finishing, and each one has its own rhythm, its own tools, and its own mindset. It’s not about rigid rules, but rather intentional movement through the creative journey.
Creativity Thrives in Containers
This article reminds me of something I’ve believed for a long time but sometimes forget in the messy middle of writing songs: creativity needs a container.
Think of water, it’s powerful, but without a glass, a bowl, a riverbank it just spills everywhere. That’s what structure does for creativity. It gives it shape.
As songwriters, we often mythologize inspiration. We wait for it like weather. But Hawkins reminds us that songwriting can be proactive, not just reactive.
We can start without waiting to feel “ready.” We can build momentum with small steps. We can finish songs not by chasing some elusive muse but by following a process that gets us there more reliably.
This doesn’t mean your songs lose their soul. On the contrary, it means you give them a better shot at being born in the first place.
Why This Matters for You and Me
If you’ve ever struggled with starting a song, or finishing one, or you’re stuck in that frustrating middle space, this article might be the reminder you didn’t know you needed. It takes the pressure off the idea that “real” songwriting only happens when lightning strikes.
It invites us to build habits, systems, and processes that invite the lightning in.
In a world obsessed with speed and perfection, this approach brings it back to craft. Back to doing the work. Back to the joy of making something from nothing, not just once, but again and again.
Final Thoughts (and Your Next Step)
I highly recommend checking out the full article over at Speed Songwriting: Creative Science: The Songwriting Process. Whether you’re a seasoned writer or just starting out, it’s a worthwhile read — thoughtful, practical, and quietly inspiring.
And after you read it, maybe ask yourself this: What’s one small change I can make in my songwriting process this week? Not to control creativity, but to give it a better home.
Let me know what you think after you read it. I’d love to hear how you approach your own process, or what new insight this sparked for you.
