Are your songwriting sessions starting to feel like reruns? Do your songs all have a familiar ring to them? You might be caught in a loop of songwriting habits that are quietly shaping every note and lyric you create.
The Hidden Forces Behind Your Songwriting Process
We all have habits—the automatic behaviours that guide our daily lives without conscious thought. In songwriting, these habits can be your greatest strength or your biggest creative roadblock.
The Nostalgia Effect: Your Musical DNA
Research shows that the music we connect with between ages 12-22 creates what psychologists call the “Reminiscence Bump.” These formative influences become deeply wired into our musical identity and often unconsciously shape our songwriting approach decades later.
Think about it: Can you hear echoes of your teenage playlist in your current compositions? There’s a reason for that! Our early musical loves aren’t just memories—they become templates for how we instinctively express emotions through music.
The Skill Ceiling: Working Within Your Limitations
The second major factor influencing your songwriting habits is simpler but equally powerful: your current skill set. These limitations include:
- Your instrumental proficiency
- Command of language and lyrical vocabulary
- Understanding of music theory and chord relationships
- Melodic instincts and rhythmic tendencies
Unlike your nostalgia-based habits, these skill-based habits can—and should—evolve throughout your songwriting journey.
Are Your Habits Working For or Against You?
When Habits Hold You Back:
- The Same-Song Syndrome: When unconscious habits dominate your process, your songs all start sounding like variations of the same
- The Time Capsule Effect: Relying exclusively on dated influences can make your music feel out of touch with contemporary listeners
- The False “Signature Style”: Mistaking limitations for a personal style can prevent growth and experimentation
- The Confidence Killer: Repeating habits that produce disappointing results can feed your inner critic and damage creative confidence
When Habits Help You Soar:
- The Experimental Edge: Regularly introducing new elements keeps your songwriting fresh and exciting
- The Contemporary Connection: Staying curious about new music broadens your palette of songwriting choices
- The Authentic Voice: Developing more skills and habits actually reveals your true style through increased choices
- The Flow State: Good habits help you silence your inner critic during creation and know when to shift into editing mode
Evolving Your Songwriting Habits
Here’s the good news: you don’t need to abandon your existing habits. Instead, focus on expanding your repertoire by adding new techniques to your toolkit.
How to Build Better Songwriting Habits:
- Active Listening: Analyse contemporary songs, noting structural choices, production techniques, and lyrical approaches. Even if you don’t like the songs, a lot of people do, so try and find one thing that you could adapt into your own songwriting.
- Skill Development: Treat songwriting how athletes treat their training—break it down into components and use focussed practice of things like chord progressions, melody writing, and lyrical techniques
- Community Connection: Join songwriting communities where feedback and accountability help cement new habits. I co-host an amazing community of world-wide songwriters called ‘We Write Songs’ – click HERE to find out more
- Structured Exercises: Use writing prompts, technical practice, and analysis drills to build new neural pathways. Short, sharp and highly rewarding exercises are a sure fire way to build new habits that generate RESULTS!
When Old Habits Fight Back
Don’t be surprised if your established patterns resist change. When faced with the discomfort of trying something new, remind yourself that you’re not replacing your trusted methods—you’re simply adding new options to your creative arsenal.
Take the pressure off by viewing each new technique as an experiment rather than a permanent change. The worst outcome? You discover something that doesn’t work for you. The best? You find a fresh approach that reinvigorates your entire songwriting process.
Your Songwriting Evolution Starts Now
Whether you’re feeling stuck in a creative rut or simply looking to expand your songwriting horizons, becoming aware of your habits is the first step toward growth. By consciously developing new techniques while honoring your unique influences, you’ll write songs that feel both authentically yours and creatively fresh.
What songwriting habit will you experiment with this week? Share your experience in the comments below!
Happy writing
Celine x
Leave a Reply