Songwriting Inspiration For You !!

Last week, I was working on the songwriting page for my NEW coaching website (should be up soon!) and it brought me some great insights on the songwriting process. You know me, I’m a little bit of nerd, always trying to go as deep as I can and figure out things out.   Throughout this article I’ve interspersed advice and quotes from some of the greats.  Because that’s a key to learning – observe the people you admire and let them teach you.
 

“If you like someone’s work, the important thing is to be exposed to everything that person has been exposed to. Anyone who wants to be a songwriter should listen to as much folk music as they can, study the form and structure of stuff that has been around for 100 years.”  Bob Dylan 

Listen to their work and figure out what it is in that song that makes you feel emotions.  That’s the heart of the matter, you want to express your emotions in a way that other people feel something too.
 

“Poetry is a solitary process. One does not write poetry for the masses. Poetry is a self-involved, lofty pursuit. Songs are for the people. When I’m writing a song, I imagine performing it. I imagine giving it. It’s a different aspect of communication.
It’s for the people.”  Patti Smith

 

 Songwriters are a different breed and I don’t think different is a bad thing! Somehow, we have a burning passion to share our emotions thru words and/or music.  I can’t answer the question Why.  All I can say is that there’s a disruptive gene somewhere in our DNA…;) If we could choose something else, we probably would, but we can’t.  This little gene (or crazy genie) runs wild in our blood, and it creates an addiction to the beauty of creating & expressing ourselves in this art form.
(Important side note here, you, the listeners, who don’t possess this insane gene are the wizards who help bring our songs to life.  Thank You :)

 

"I love getting on a big writing binge and staying up a couple days working on song and knowing at the end of those two or three days that I’ve created something that was never in the world before. It’s like a feeling of creating, not that the same stories ain’t been told before, but it ain’t been told through my point of view." Dolly Parton

OK, so how do we turn out thoughts and emotions into song? Part of that is understanding how YOU create and what inspires you to do your best work.  Writing is individual process & It’s truly important to connect with YOUR process.  As for the age old question of what comes first – music or lyrics?  Ask 10 writers and you will get 10 different answers.  Honor your uniqueness and that’s what’s gonna make your voice stand out. So…. Where to begin?
 

“One of the hardest things of all is to start. Just sitting down and getting over your own intimidations. Every professional songwriter I know — people who do it 100% for their living — is terrified every time they sit down to write. You’re always convinced that your next song is going to be your last, or that it’s going to be your worst, or that you’ll never be able to write anything as good as your hit. It’s a constant terror. I think all artists live in a constant state of terror.
And part of our job is to know our own chaos well enough to be able to make sense of it when you can.” Janis Ian

Another big piece is showing up & honing your skills as a writer.   It’s what we call here in Nashville, the Craft of Songwriting. Basic things like rhyme & structure, are in place oftentimes because they are the easily recognizable tools of communication – like sentence structure or punctuation when we write books, notes or emails. Beyond that, I believe there are no rules, there are just tools, that help us when we’re blocked and make our songs shine brighter. And if you wanna change the ‘basic’ rules? Well there are no rules that say you can’t ;)
 

“The classic, quote/unquote, craft of songwriting still works; it is relevant.”
Ryan Tedder

But some advice you can ignore?  That inner critique person.  As Pat Pattison said last weekend in his workshop...

“Give the critique a cup of tea and send him/ her into the other room while you are creating.  Invite him/her back while you edit.”

I know all to well, when I try to write with the critique editor in the room?  I start to feel paralyzed & my poor muse withers.

Thomas Edison said that Genius is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration. Yeah, I know he’s not a songwriter, but I think the idea applies to writing. It’s not about waiting for the muse to show up, it’s about showing up so that the muse knows where to find you.  (See the list in the graphic above!)
 

“Inspiration is a word used by people who aren’t really doing anything. I go into my office every day that I’m in Brighton and work. Whether I feel like it or not is irrelevant.”  Nick Cave

Last week I had the treat of speaking with Graham Nash at a book signing here in Nashville.  While shaking in my boots, I asked him for some songwriting inspiration and he said 2 things to me

“Write from the heart and Write every day”  

I think that insight is awesome advice!!
There is more to share, for me the discussion and fascination with this topic could go on forever and I hope it does….  Drop a line back with your thoughts!! Would love to share them with you!
For now?
Nuff Said in prose!  I’m off to write a song ;)
May the muse be with you always and may you find the peace to listen.

Love and Light
Meredith