Guide: How to Write A Song

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.

1. 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!

2. 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

3. 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.

4. 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

5. 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!

6. 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).

7. 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?

8. 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