For those who haven't gotten the memo, I am a musician, and have been for 15 years so far.
It's not easy, and it never has been. I'm not one of those people who can pick up an instrument for the first time and play something worthy of attention (although many insist on believing I am). Just like anything else worth doing, it takes plenty of time and practice in order to play with skill. And the same goes for songwriting.
This isn't a how-to guide for writing music, but rather, a few tips I've learned along the way. Perhaps it will help you to write your own song(s)- read on, roll it around in your head for a little while, and form your own ideas.
1) Know who you are writing for.
This in itself is a complicated subject, and I cannot tell you which is the better choice, as my opinion will be biased.
Put simply, are you writing for yourself, or for others? If you choose to write for yourself, you're free to express yourself as you please, at the risk of listeners "not getting it". If you write for a specific audience, your freedom is limited, but it's likely you'll have a much larger group of supporters and make more money. The choice is ultimately your decision to make.
I prefer to write for myself- I like the freedom and that's when I'm happiest. I don't ever want a corporation breathing down my neck and telling me how to write my shit because, "That's what the people want." I have my own stories to tell, and they won't be my stories if they're censored by someone else. I know I'm risking my career as an artist by going in that direction.. the road I'm choosing is a rocky one. But it's not all bad. I'm doing what makes me happy, and that's that. Whether or not you choose to do the same is up to you.
2) Keep writing.
Whether you're writing lyrics or the music itself, you need to practice. The more time you spend away from creating new music/lyrics, the harder it's going to be to get back on track. We tend to develop mental blocks that keep the music from flowing freely. So keep writing, even when you're feeling uninspired. Just write something.
I like to carry a notebook around with me, and I write in it whenever I get an idea in my head. A lot of people think I'm weird for doing so, but I usually get my best ideas when I'm out doing something else. If I don't make a note of it right then and there, I'll forget. Voice recorders and cell phones with a memo feature are great, too.
3) Mistakes can lead to brilliant ideas.
Don't be afraid to make mistakes. In fact, sometimes they can lead to some of the best ideas. Keep an open mind and embrace the imperfection, it might actually work.
Oddly enough, this is how most of my songs came to be. I would start something with an idea in mind, and that would unintentionally lead into something else that sounded even better. Don't fight it- have fun and get creative.
4) Don't always try to make it work when it doesn't.
On a similar note, don't try to make something work when it just doesn't fit, like that rippin' guitar solo, when a more simple string of notes would sound better. Listen to what the song is calling for, not what you want to play/write.
I recently wrote a set of lyrics that I absolutely loved, but it didn't fit the music as I had hoped. So I hacked it up and took out all the parts that didn't work, and changed a few lines that were too difficult to pronounce. While I felt that doing this took away an important part of the story, I have to admit it sounded a lot better once recorded.
5) Just finish the damn song already.
I hear this a lot. And it works. Stop trying to write a perfect song right from the start- you'll never decide on anything and it will take forever for you come up with something you like. Just finish the damn song, you can revise it later.
Writing a song really isn't as difficult as it seems at first, and it only gets easier with time. Keep these tips in mind, and practice. You'll eventually create something that suits both you and your audience.