Message. Melody. Music.

Songwriting Heart/Craft Guide:
Honing Your Lyrics, Melody, Structure & Music

Great songs . . . meaningful songs, are built with strong craft.
The Heart pillar helps you shape lyrics, melodies, your music
and song structure so your ideas connect deeply with listeners.

SongChops 5-Pillar Roadmap graphic with Heart/Craft highlighted, showing how lyrics, melody, and structure shape powerful songs.
The 5 SONGWRITER pillars

Why Heart (Craft)
Is the Core of Songwriting

Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life? – Mary Oliver

The quote may seem an odd way to start a conversation about songwriting craft. But, not only was Mary Oliver one of the greatest poets of our time who understood language, but she was someone who lived a life filled with imagery, metaphor, and meaning.

Someone who was able to take the simple things she saw, and through learned craft, turn those into something that expressed what was in her heart – and what she had learned about herself and the world. In other words, her “wild and precious life.”

Inspiration gets you started, but craft turns those sparks into poems or in this case, songs. Knowing the tools at your disposal gives you the ability to express anything in a way that connects to others.

It’s not just about the saying, or the words, it’s about finding the best way to get across an idea so it touches someone else’s heart.

Sure – learning song craft can feel highly structured and, let’s be honest, sound like a bunch of rules you’re supposed to follow. But learning songwriting craft is so much more than that.

No matter how structured a song is, there’s always a message someone is trying to get across. So what’s yours? What’s the best way to tell it? That’s the secret sauce you’re trying to learn.

So let’s do that – let’s do something spectacular “with your one wild and precious life.”

Writing a poem …
is a kind of possible love
affair between something like
the heart (that courageous
but also shy factory of emotion)
and the learned skills
of the conscious mind.

mary oliver
creativity builder

Try 4 Things To Help Write Lyrics That Connect

Write a Profile Of The Speaker

Every song has a main speaker , whether that’s someone have a conversation with themselves, someone else, or the world.

To make a connection, knowing who the speaker is, their back story and what motivates them can be helpful in getting to the heart of the message.

Try Every Point Of View

 Sometimes the song sounds disconnected from everyone, including the speaker. It only takes a few minutes to see if a different point of view (POV) will work.

Use your first verse. Select a POV you did not use, and “rewrite” the verse in your head . You’ll know immediately if it works.

Put Yourself In The Song

 I know – it’s scary. But, often times, the more of a personal connection you have to a song, the more it becomes universal in the hearing of it.

Sure, there’s a line between personal and private, where you’re making the listener feel uncomfortable. But, most songwriters find it hard to get to personal.

Use Imagery To Explain Moments

Vivid pictures help audience get into a song. Think about it . . . when I say little red corvette, you see a picture.

You know exactly what it feels like to ride in one, you know what it symbolizes. Or, you might have a memory of one that now comes into the meaning of the song for you. That’s the power of imagery, or using pictures to bring emotional connection to your songs.

Melody & Prosody

Prosody means making sure your lyrics and music feel like they belong together. When words and melody reinforce each other, your songs sound natural and powerful.

  • Lift at your chorus (go higher vocally) to signal delivery of a big message.
  • Falling notes or minor chords for sadness or finality.
  • Stress key words on strong downbeats.
  • Breaking the rules example: “Pumped Up Kicks”
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Popular Song Structures That Work

Use the below as a song craft exercise list of sorts. Write a song using each of the structures. Or, rewrite a song you are currently struggling with or think could be better using one of the song structures.

This is one of the simplest to write and puts a huge focus on your chorus. If you’ve got a big message, this puts emphasis on the message (chorus) versus the story (verses). Alternates verses with a repeating chorus, often with a bridge before the last chorus. The modern pop blueprint.

Why use it?

  • Big chorus hook makes it memorable.
  • Easy for audiences to latch onto quickly.
  • Flexible with bridge, pre-chorus, outros.

Examples

  • “Birds of a Feather” – Billie Eilish (Billie Eilish, Finneas O’Connell)
  • “Someone Like You” – Adele (Adele Adkins, Dan Wilson)

Adding a pre-chorus to the mix creates a build up to your big message in the chorus. It works well for up-tempo songs that are anthemic and have a big-messaged chorus you want to highlight. The trick to writing a pre-chorus is your chord progression and how you’re building up – sometimes you can use chords that step up and no words, or use a melody that rises up to meet the start of the chorus. Have fun here!

Why use it?

  • Pre-chorus gives momentum and anticipation.
  • Extra setup makes chorus hit harder.
  • Very modern — the backbone of current pop and country.

Examples

  • ““Shake It Off” – Taylor Swift (Taylor Swift, Max Martin, Shellback)
  • “Taste” – Sabrina Carpenter (Sabrina Carpenter, Julia Michaels, Amy Allen, John Ryan, Ian Kirkpatrick)

Each verse ends with a repeated line (the refrain). That line often carries the title and hook, instead of a full chorus.

Why use it?

  • Perfect for storytelling — verses move the story forward while the refrain grounds the listener.
  • Keeps the song flowing without breaking into a big chorus.
  • A hallmark of folk/Americana songwriting — blends narrative with hook.

Examples

  • “Something in the Orange” – Zach Bryan (Zach Bryan)
  • “The Story” – Brandi Carlile (Phil Hanseroth)
  • “Birches” – Bill Morrissey (Bill Morrissey)
  • “Dark Side of Town” – Eliza Gilkyson (Eliza Gilkyson)
  • “The Long Road” – Cliff Eberhardt (Cliff Eberhardt)
  • “I Saw a Stranger with Your Hair” – John Gorka (John Gorka)
  • “Your Pink Dress” – Shibes (Linda Schaible)

Adds intro and outro around the core verse–chorus, often with a bridge for extra contrast. Feels like a complete journey.

Why use it?

  • Lets you shape a strong emotional arc.
  • Space for instrumental moments and dynamic shifts.
  • Works across genres from pop ballads to country anthems.

Examples

  • “Let It Be” – The Beatles (John Lennon, Paul McCartney)
  • “Good Luck, Babe!” – Chappell Roan (Chappell Roan, Justin Tranter, Dan Nigro)
  • “All-American Bitch” – Olivia Rodrigo (Olivia Rodrigo, Dan Nigro)

No sections repeat; each part introduces something new. Works like a musical journey.

Why use it?

  • Always feels fresh and evolving.
  • Powerful for emotional storytelling or dramatic builds.
  • Keeps the listener curious about what comes next.

Examples

  • “Bohemian Rhapsody” – Queen (Freddie Mercury)
  • “Born Again” – Lisa ft. Doja Cat & Raye (Raye, Andrew Wells, Doja Cat, Anthony Rossomando)

Built on a repeating 12-bar chord progression (I–IV–V). The DNA of rock, blues, and R&B.

Why use it?

  • Great for groove and improvisation.
  • Universal structure — instantly familiar to players and listeners.
  • Works as a foundation for lyrical or instrumental variation.

Examples

  • “Pride and Joy” – Stevie Ray Vaughn (Stevie Ray Vaughn)
  • It Hurt So Bad” – Susan Tedeschi (Susan Tedeschi)
creating momentum

Craft Mistakes Songwriters Make

If you’re just starting out, here are some simple things to avoid:

  • Using clichés instead of fresh images.
    • Example: Writing “my heart is broken” instead of describing an image symbolizing that someone left.
    • Example: Saying “I miss you so much” instead of using an image like “I still leave you a place at the kitchen table – hoping you’ll come back.”
  • Writing melodies that fight against lyric rhythm.
    • Example: Placing emphasis on the wrong syllable, like singing to-GETH-er instead of TO-gether.
    • Example: Stretching a single-syllable, brisk word like “not” across too many notes, making it awkward to sing. Whereas “love” because of the vowel sound might work.
  • Using a song structure that doesn’t match the story arc, making it feel unfinished
    • Example: Using Verse–Chorus–Verse–Chorus just because it’s common, even when your story needs a bridge or twist.
    • Example: Writing an AAA ballad but repeating verses without adding new tension or emotional depth.

Once Your Song Is Complete, Protect It

After shaping your song, make sure you secure your rights and royalties. Learn how in the Ownership Guide.

Explore Ownership Guide
Download the free SongChops Lyric Editing Checklist to find issues with lyrics, song structure and idea articulation.

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Free SongChops Songwriting Glossary featuring songwriting terms, definitions, and music business vocabulary for songwriters.

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Free SongChops Songwriting Outline Worksheet to organize lyric ideas into song structures.

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From The Blog

Song Craft FAQs for Songwriters

Strong lyrics come from concrete images and clear emotions. Instead of vague ideas, use details people can see or feel — a broken glass, a slammed door, a whispered goodbye. Draft freely, then revise by cutting weak lines and strengthening verbs. Better verbs can be one of your secret weapons. Rewriting sharpens meaning and impact.

Original lyrics come from personal perspective and detail. Avoid clichés by grounding lines in your own life, observations, and imagery. For example, instead of saying “I’m lost without you,” describe the silence in your car after a goodbye. Specificity and personally-connected moments makes songs unique and memorable.

This is called prosody — making words and music feel natural together. Place stressed syllables on strong beats, and let melodies rise with excitement or hope, and fall with sadness or finality. Good prosody ensures listeners feel the emotion of your lyrics through the shape of your melody.

There’s no single right answer — some songwriters begin with a lyric phrase or hook, others with a melody or chord progression. What matters most is momentum. Start where inspiration strikes, then shape the other element to match. Over time, practice both approaches so you can write from either direction.

Strong Craft Makes Songs Last

Once you capture inspiration, start shaping your song through lyrics and melodies to deliver your message

Explore Ownership back to start here
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