A Guide: How To Write A Song
Sometimes explaining how to write a song is made a little too hard. What do I mean by that? Well, there are a bunch of rules and things you have to know. You get stuck in what you’re supposed to be doing versus what you’re trying to say.
So what if the approach where different? What if you could start writing your first song, or start creating songs that really put your message out into the world the way you want it to. Not the way that fits standard genres or what “a real song” sounds like?
Well – authenticity through strong songwriting not only connects you to your audience, but it also creates a catalogue of assets you can monetize over time.
And, the best thing about songwriting is that one of the hardest things to do is to start!
Yep, not the rules. Starting.
Now, there are also a few different ways to define “starting.”
First, starting from zero and getting to a full song doesn’t have to be as daunting as it sounds. Let’s go through the steps of how to write a song with no experience. Last, we’ll walk through how to write your first song that delivers the message you’re focused on delivering. Even if you have been writing for awhile.
How To Write Your First Song – With No Experience
Time needed: 1 hour and 30 minutes
One of the best ways to create your first song is to not worry about writing a song. I know, it sounds strange, but most people get tripped up by trying to write something in the same vein as what they enjoy listening to.
They try and understand everything about taking an idea and applying it to a structure . . . instead of focusing on what they’re trying to say – first.
I think you’ll be surprised at how fast the Get It Out First! songwriting steps will help you get started on your first song.
- Forget You’re Writing a Song
When folks try and write a song, they end up getting focused on applying song craft instead of getting a strong idea onto the page. Great news – you don’t need to know anything about rhyming, song structure or anything else right now!
- Get It Out First
In the top left corner of your page, write (type) the message you want to convey. Specifically, one sentence. That’s it. In brief, state something simple that describes what you’re trying to get at. Now draw a line under it. Below that line, start writing. No – not a song.
Start writing how you feel. Describe what happened that got you to the point of doing something like creating a song. Add some visuals that may tie to a memory or a moment.
Do not do these things:
– Think about what you’re writing
– Decide how it can sound like a song
– Edit what you’re writing
– Ask others what they think of what you’re writing - Create a Structure
Great news, you don’t actually have to know all of the song forms before you start putting what you wrote into a structure. I know. Sounds a bit nuts, but it’s true.
Let’s go through it:
– Title (we’ll hold on that for now)
– Verses: pick out the key parts of what you’ve written that tell the story
Now, you don’t have to tell a time-based story. A story is anything that has a beginning (where you start the process of changing from angry about a situation) middle (where you discover a different feeling about a situation) and an end (how you are now seeing the situation differently). Importantly, all of your verses could be how you feel about things vs. a “once upon a time” sequence, which is fine. Specifically, you just have to see the steps in the “story.”
– Chorus: pick out one or two lines in your copy that have a big message. Then ask, do they put a big spotlight on the idea that’s up in the left corner of your page. - Start Labeling & Get Down the Page
We’re going to use some highlighters and start labeling your parts. We’re still not writing, we’re just identifying. To begin with, go through and mark everything that could be in your verse with a pink highlighter. Finally, use a green highlighter for your chorus.
Now, copy everything you highlighted as is, and put it in the following groupings in story order:
Verse
Chorus
Verse
Chorus
Verse
Chorus - Put It Away
Yep – no more writing. It’s time to put this one aside for at minimum 1 -2 days. Why? Because it will improve your objectivity and willingness to cut/edit. A 1 – 2 week delay will give you a full perspective reset, which will help with your next step.
If you’re still feeling creative and want to keep working on a song idea . . . then start another! - Edit & Try It
Now let’s start to put it into “lines.” We’ll keep it simple. Four lines for a verse and four lines for the chorus. Nothing fancy. You’ll rhyme the first two lines of a verse, and then you’re rhyme lines 3 and 4. The cool thing about doing this is you’ve got a thought in your first two lines of the verse, and then the second part of the thought in the next two lines. Simple.
Finally, the chorus, you’ll rhyme all four lines the same. Again, simple.
Remember, the goal is to Get It Out First! then work on things like rhymes and structure. So, use a standard structure to start. Great news is – you can always change it later!
Now, sing your lines and record them. If you have an instrument, that’s great, but if you don’t, go ahead and sing it.
If you’re stuck, pick a song that you like, start with it’s melody and then make changes based on your lyric (check out this Ghost Song Songwriting Exercise to start). - Get Feedback
Find a peer group or community to get feedback. Does what you’ve gotten down on the page line back up to what you’ve written in the top left corner?
Don’t worry about the music or whether or not the production is great or it sounds like a song.
Ask the folks giving feedback to stick to what’s on the page and what’s in the upper left corner and ask some questions:
– Is the idea in the upper left clear from what’s on the page?
– What is working well? What isn’t?
– What should change to make it more clear?
– Is there another song you think has a similar message that might help me as a comparison on approach? - Move On To The Next
Don’t get stuck on the first one! Go to the next.
And come back to your songs if you still want to work on them after a month or so. Why? Because if you give yourself at least a month:
1. Your brain will do a full reset on the song so it’s easier to edit
2. You’ll have more skills after doing this for a few months and can apply them
I’ve added a few blog posts to help you with some of the downstream writing. But do not start with these. Follow the Get It Out First! exercise through step 5 before you read any of the below.
Rhyme Posts
Rhyme Patterns
Understanding rhyme patterns is one of the best ways to increase your songwriting ability. What Are Rhyme Patterns To me, rhyme is one of the fundamental building blocks, or can be one of the most destructive forces, in a song. How you arrange your rhymes is called the pattern. You’ll…
Rhyming Tools
A rhyming dictionary is important if you’re a songwriter. It’s a great tool to find new ways of saying things and get you away from predictable rhymes like: when it snows, I have to blow my nose. Here’s a little assistance to finding a good one. Online Tools For Rhyming…
Rhyme Families: Your Secret Weapon
Using rhyme families effectively can help you not only move through a song, but add nuances to the rhythm, melody and feel or tone imparted. The goal is to find rhymes that don’t sound awkward, like “with love I swing for the fences/when I see you it all commences;” or…
Transform Poems Into Captivating Songs
Transforming poems into songs sounds like something that’s pretty easy to do. After all, the words are there. The rhyme is there. The meter is there. All you have to do is add the music! But the challenge is in creating something accessible to a listener that comes at them…
5 Poems For Songwriters
I chose five poems for songwriters, because poems help you understand the magic of language. These poems highlight the power of language. I started writing songs out of a love of language, poetry and my family’s music history – at least I think that’s why. Some things you’re just drawn…
Object Writing: Quickest Path To Great Lyrics
Object writing is one of the best ways to learn how to write great lyrics full of imagery – quickly. It’s also a way to create ideas in your songwriting notebook for those days when inspiration is hard to come by. To help move things along, try challenging yourself with…
7 Must-Know Chord Progressions Every Songwriter Uses
A progression is basically the chord series or the chords you choose to use and their order. If you’re just starting out, using some common chord progressions as your starting point can help get you past the blank page. Here’s a trick to keep up your sleeve for when you start…
Storytelling: Tell Songs Like A Movie
Storytelling can get pretty messy pretty quick. And, in a song, you only have three to four minutes. So, how do you make sure you’re telling a great story in a compelling way, and capturing the hearts and minds of your listener? Story Streaming. Story Streaming is a way to…
Effective Similes In Songs
Creating effective similes in songs can take a ho-hum lyric and turn it into a “wow!” lyric. The magic of a simile is that it allows you to use a direct comparison between two things in order to describe the thing you are talking about. Not to sound like a business person,…
Get A Worksheet Bundle!
Get Monthly Tips
Sign up to get our monthly newsletter that’s chock full of tips. And, you’ll get cool techniques from top hits in addition to first-look worksheets!