Tips on Songwriting for Those of You With Writers Block

I bet a lot of you are struggling with what I am now struggling with: writers block. All day yesterday I had no idea what I wanted to write about, not a clue. Then I realized my latest songs I have written have no lyrics to them. Again, writers block. Thankfully a friend once gave me a collection of essays by Aldous Huxley on the art of writing that I leafed through for inspiration; it helped and now I have an article for you.

What Huxley suggests for his stories will work well for lyrics too. After all our songs are stories so why not do what he does. He writes down a series of  nouns an creates stories about these nouns, by free writing until a character shows up and one the character shows up, he or she will take the story from there.

Sounds kind of silly eh? Well consider the subjects of some of the best songs out there: Cars. How many great songs were written with the car as the central theme? Red Barchetta by Rush is a lyrical masterpiece built around a mechanical device, here is a snippet to inspire:

“I strip away the old debris 
That hides a shining car. 
A brilliant red Barchetta 
From a better, vanished time. 
I fire up the willing engine, 
Responding with a roar. 
Tires spitting gravel, 
I commit my weekly crime... “

There is a great song by a band called Nickel Creek called lighthouse, where the entire song is written in first person from the point of view of the lighthouse:

“I am a lighthouse worn by the weather and the waves
I keep my lamp lit to warn the sailors on their way
I'll tell a story, paint you a picture from my past
I was so happy but joy in this life seldom lasts”

There are many more examples I will not bother you with, you have many examples in your CD collection I’m sure, Hotel California, Big Ten Inch Record, Malted Milk, Yellow Submarine, I could go on and on.

Also, consider creating a character outside of your experience and tell someone else’s tale. This can give you the freedom to write about anything you want because suddenly, it not about you so you can write it about any circumstance

Now that you have the subject matter, it’s time to decide who is doing the talking and to whom they are talking to. Are you talking to the subject? Is the subject telling a story? Or is there a back and forth conversation going on? What situation are you in? How does that relate to the object of the song?

It helps for these to be clearly outlined in the song so we know what is going on otherwise the lyrics can get confusing and lead to confusion as to what the song is about.

I have been struggling with this myself with a song I have just written the melody to. It’s a slow waltz in D minor. Up until now I have been struggling with the subject matter and I think I have it now:

 An old room in a Victorian style house and in it, a girl tied to a chair or confined somehow, the victim of a mad mans unrequited love. Yes, it’s dark I know, but as I wrote this article the imagery was pretty vivid in my mind and for some reason, I’ve been getting into murder ballads lately.

I will update this blog throughout the day with my lyrics and you can see me put this process into action and maybe even get an idea for your next song. Feel free to drop a comment on the lyrics.



11-6-12

Here is the rough draft, incomplete as it is. I typically don't spit out lyrics and make a terrific song right off the bat. This will get re worded a little as i sing it over and over and it will take on a new form, but you can see, my initial idea is intact. Welcome to my process.

CARELESS

Once you were careless and free

Dangling the whole world on a string

And now you’re stuck here with me

Don’t you like fancy things?

I’ve got them all baubles and fine golden rings

Don’t you like being with me?

I’ll give you everything all that you need

I’ll give all if you never leave

Look at your clothe aren’t they fine

Look at your new home isn’t it so divine

Just bide your time

And if you leave consider this

I won’t let you go I won’t let go of my bliss

Something’s amiss

I’ll give you everything all that you need

I’ll give all if you never leave