A lot of people get stuck in a rut when it comes to song writing. They have their favorite songs that they repeat over and over, but never truly add anything new to what has already been said.

Many musicians start off as casual writers before investing time into learning how to write lyrics or music properly.

If you’re one of these artists, don’t worry! You are not alone.

It can feel like an uphill battle at times, which is why there are so many ways to make song-making easier.

Here are our 10 tips for becoming a better writer.

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Work on your craft

As mentioned before, songwriters are really creative people who create songs and stories through writing lyrics and music. If you want to improve your songwriting skills, then you have to learn how to write lyrics or music independently of each other.

This is typically referred to as composing. You can start by picking an area of life that you’re struggling with and trying to compose a short piece about it. For example, if you’ve been feeling stressed out and overwhelmed with work, try choosing a topic such as “My Best Friend Is My Office Couch” or something similar.

Then, brainstorm different words and melodies for these lyrics until you get some interesting ideas. Once you have enough ideas, take those that sound good together and see what kind of rhythm and melody they form.

You can also use a tool like Google or YouTube to look up examples of compositions and inspiration for this article.

Practice singing

A song is just a collection of sounds and words, so practicing your voice is an integral part of writing songs. You can do this in many ways—from listening to music or podcasts to learn how lyrics are structured, to learning some basic vocals or even taking vocal lessons.

Practicing singing will not only improve your own song-making skills but also boost your self-confidence as you hone your talent. When you feel relaxed and comfortable with your voice, it will show in your music making!

Sing along to your favorite songs and listen for parts where the singer seems to enjoy speaking their own piece. If you can identify what makes them happy, then you could use those same notes or phrases in your own songs.

You may also want to consider recording yourself singing into the microphone and studying that voice.

Record and edit your songs

Many songwriters start with an idea or theme they want to write about, then work from there by adding lyrics and melodies to create their songs.

But most professional songwriters never actually record their songs. They write down initial ideas for songs, then take those ideas and re-record them onto a device such as a computer or phone where they can access music and recording software.

This is what makes it easy for you to do too! You are already doing some of this in preperation for today’s lesson!

Start by making a note of one topic you would like to cover. Then brainstorm different points under that main topic until you have enough material to make up a new song.

From here, use our free guitar chord chart tool to find the chords and notes to fit these parts of your new song.

Use a writing schedule

When you have a song that doesn’t come easily, make it easier by establishing a routine for writing lyrics. Create a time every day when you can write, and stick to this timing consistently.

This helps your brain associate the songs with yourself, which makes it more likely to show up in the process. Plus, you’ll keep track of what you’ve written, which gives you an idea of how well your lyrics are going.

You may also want to consider recording or at least writing out the music first before adding any lyrics. This way you’re not starting from scratch, which can help ease the pressure to produce a perfect masterpiece.

And don’t forget to listen to the songs you’ve already written! If there’s something about them that doesn’t feel right, chances are you’ll find some clues as to what you’re working on next.

Connect with other songwriters

As we already mentioned, being a musician doesn’t mean you are alone! There are so many people in this world that love music just as much as you do.

Whether it is going to a show or listening to an album for the first time, everyone has a musical story. A story of how they got into music, what kind of songs speak to them, and what types of artists make them feel good.

By interacting with your colleagues and peers, you will not only learn more about music, but also find new ways to hone your own skills.

Forming friendships through music can even lead to collaborations down the road!

Interacting with musicians is one of the best ways to connect with your creative side. It’s like talking to someone who loves literature or painting – you both share the same passion and that helps you explore it more.

And don’t forget, while it may be hard at times, sharing your work never does anyone any good. By writing lyrics or composing melodies, you have no reason to keep those ideas to yourself.

Give others credit for helping you express yourself and reward yourself for doing so by giving yourself praise, heeding William Shakespeare’s advice.

Challenge yourself

As mentioned before, songwriters are in a very popular position today. With music production software and online streaming services making it easy to produce your own songs, even if you don’t have much experience as of yet!

This is great for people who want to try their hand at writing lyrics or melodies, or even people that just like listening to music and need an idea put into action.

There are many ways to learn how to write a song, but one of the most important things is to simply keep doing it. No matter what kind of writer you want to be, there will always be a way to add new material onto your repertoire.

And while learning how to play an instrument can definitely help with this, writing is a skill that anyone can pick up once they realize how simple it really is.

Writing a song isn’t too difficult of a concept, so why not give it a go? There are plenty of free resources available to get you started, such as word documents and notes apps.

Record and edit your songs

A lot of songwriters start with lyrics first, then try to find a melody that goes well with those words. But you can do it the other way around!

Start by finding or creating a good chord pattern for the music you already have, add some bass notes to make it sound lower, and write down what you like about these chords.

Then search for the lyrics that go best with this pattern, and connect them together to create a whole new piece! This is called writing a hook or pre-chorus part.

Now take the finished product and record yourself singing it as clearly as possible. If there are any sounds such as humming or noise, cover them up or remove them!

Once everything is perfect, use software such as GarageBand, Spotify’s recording features, or even just YouTube to produce your final audio track.

Practice singing

As we have discussed, songwriters spend lots of time practicing their craft in various ways. One of the most fundamental parts of being a musician is learning how to sing well!

If you’re struggling to write your own songs, then it might be time to invest in some vocal training. There are many great resources available online and through voice classes or music schools close to you.

You may even find yourself becoming interested in vocals as a side career while developing your writing skills.

There are several different types of vocal lessons, so choose one that fits into your schedule and give it full focus for a set amount of time every day.

The student should feel free to try out new things without fear of failure – this could mean experimenting with different styles, modes and/or genres.