5 Things to Do As A Beginner Songwriter

Starting out as a beginner songwriter can be intimidating. When I started writing songs I wanted to be a good writer right away but I wasn't quite sure how to get there. Now, thirteen years and a songwriting degree after writing my first song, I'm writing this to give you all the advice I'd go back and give myself when I first started writing songs.

1. Write bad songs.

When you first start writing songs, you're bound to write some bad ones. I'm going to tell you a secret: all songwriters write bad songs, no matter how experienced they are. Sometimes a song just doesn't work. Sometimes you're not writing a song to make it sound good, you're writing it to process something or just to express yourself.

The first song you write is probably not going to be a hit. Neither is the second or the third. And that's okay! That's how you learn and get better. Don't focus on writing a great song out of the gate. Focus on learning from everything you write, whether you finish the song or not.

Don't like how your verse sounds because every line is a perfect rhyme? Change it, and/or don't write a verse like that again. Write a verse that goes on too long? Shorten it, and/or pay more attention next time you write.

Every song you write is a learning experience. It doesn't have to be good to be valuable.

2. Write out the lyrics to your favorite songs and analyze them.

This is a surprisingly effective way to improve as a beginner songwriter. Writing out the lyrics to your favorite songs by hand forces you to pay more attention to the words. Notice how the lines and sections are constructed and what you like about how it's written.

Is there clever wordplay? Do you like the rhyme scheme? Do you like that the lyrics are syncopated (off the beat)? How does the song flow? How does the story unfold? Take note of these things and keep them in mind as you write. You can even try to write something with one of the qualities you liked, which leads us to the next tip.

3. Practice writing with intention.

You don't have to write a full song every time you sit down to write. Taking the time to practice songwriting with intention can help you hone your skills so when you're writing in the future you don't have to think as much about things like rhyming or phrasing.

There are tons of skills you can practice to improve as a beginner songwriter. Write a song section that focuses on one kind of rhyme or write a bunch of verses with the same rhyme scheme.

Try writing a song section focused on the phrasing; what syllable are you stressing and is it the right one? What words stick out to you? Are they the important words-- if not, can you rewrite the line so the emphasized words are the ones you want to be highlighted?

You might also practice highlighting a title line, the transition between a verse and chorus (or any other song section), writing a verse refrain that feels complete, writing across the bar, and other techniques.

4. Learn from the best.

Who better to learn from as a beginning songwriter than the writers who inspired you? Most songwriters have talked about their craft in interviews. Think about your favorite artists and read/watch interviews when they've discussed their process. Do they have any advice you could try? Do they do things differently than you?

You can also learn by reading books about songwriting. I recommend Writing Better Lyrics by Pat Pattison to anyone who writes songs. I studied with him at Berklee, so I'm a little biased, but this book is absolutely a must-read. It'll help you improve your writing and teach you the terminology/skills you need to elevate your craft.

5. Write down every idea you have, no matter how small, whether or not you think it's good.

It's easy to write when inspired and the ideas are flowing. But we can't be inspired all the time. I'm lucky enough to get this advice as a beginning songwriter: start a note on your phone or in a notebook and write down every idea you have. Don't worry about whether the idea is good or bad or if it's not enough to write a song about. If something sparks something for you, write it down (or if it's a musical idea, record it in your phone's voice note app!).

Next time you want to write but don't have an idea, you can look at your list of ideas and pick one that inspires you. Some of these ideas might not end up in a song, but they might lead to you writing the best line you've ever written.

A note: write down these ideas right when you have them. You'll tell yourself that you'll remember, but I'm warning you that you might lose your best idea if you try to rely on your memory.

Happy writing!