Write More Songs

Tag: Writing songs

  • Breaking the Pattern: How Your Songwriting Habits Shape Your Music

    Breaking the Pattern: How Your Songwriting Habits Shape Your Music

    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:

    1. 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.
    2. 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
    3. 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
    4. 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

  • 5 Proven Methods to Start Your Next Song (When You’re Staring at a Blank Page)

    5 Proven Methods to Start Your Next Song (When You’re Staring at a Blank Page)

    Every songwriter knows the feeling. You sit down, ready to create your next masterpiece, and… nothing. The blank page stares back at you, your creative confidence drains away, and that familiar paralysis sets in. After 30 years of songwriting, I can tell you this feeling never completely goes away – but I’ve developed reliable methods to push through it.

    In this post, I’ll share five proven techniques to transform your songwriting process from frustration to flow. These aren’t just theoretical concepts – they’re practical approaches I’ve used throughout my career to keep creativity flowing and avoid getting stuck in the same patterns.

    1. Start With Your Title (The Powerful Anchor)
    Your title isn’t just what you call your song – it’s the anchor for your entire message. Starting with a strong title immediately focuses your creative energy and narrows down the decisions you’ll need to make.

    Here’s my process when starting with a title:

    1. Write down your title at the top of the page
    2. Draft 2-3 different “song synopses” – one or two sentences describing what the song could be about (Pro-Tip – try and avoid using the word ‘And’ in the synopsis to focus the core message)
    3. Important tip: Skip your first idea! The initial concept is often the most obvious and has likely been written before. Your second or third idea usually leads to a more interesting perspective.

    Real-world example: When writing with the title “Ghost Town,” my first synopsis was about a relationship ending and feeling abandoned. Pretty standard. But my third idea explored how social media creates the illusion of connection while leaving us feeling isolated in a virtual “ghost town.” This fresher angle produced a much more compelling song.

    “A great title is like a compass – it keeps you oriented toward your destination while giving you freedom to explore the journey.”

    2. Use Writing Prompts (Your Creative Catalyst)
    Writing prompts are the spark plugs of the songwriting process and if you have never used one to create a song then you are really missing out. They can be single words, phrases, images, or even melodic ideas that jumpstart your creativity.

    I categorise prompts into two types:

    Specific Prompts
    Words like “Robbery,” “Bonfire,” or “Midnight” that provide a concrete starting point. These are excellent when you want to focus on practicing a specific technique rather than searching for an idea.

    Open-Ended Prompts
    Broader concepts like “Use the opening line of a book to inspire a song.” These require more exploration or research, but often lead to unexpected creative territory.

    With either type, I recommend:

    • Generating 3+ different song ideas from the same prompt
    • Looking for unusual angles or perspectives
    • Documenting prompt ideas in your songwriting journal for future sessions

    Try it yourself: Take the word “Window” and quickly write down three completely different song concepts it inspires. Which one feels least like songs you’ve heard before?

    3. Begin With a Chord Progression (The Structural Foundation)

    Many songwriters get stuck in a rut because they default to the same chord progressions. Breaking this pattern can instantly refresh your writing. Don’t worry if theory isn’t your strong suit – there are accessible approaches for everyone:

    “Borrowing” Progressions
    When I hear an interesting progression in another song, I note it for future use. This isn’t plagiarism – chord progressions can’t be copyrighted, and there are only so many pleasing combinations. Even Taylor Swift has written 21 songs using the same progression!

    Using Technology
    For writers without instrumental skills, apps like Songwriters Piano by Rob Wells are game-changers. This tool gives you all the chords in any key (both major and relevant minor) with simple playback options. I use it constantly when my guitar isn’t handy.

    Classic Progressions with New Twists
    Try taking a standard progression and altering one chord, changing the tempo, or shifting the emphasis. Small changes to familiar structures often yield surprising results.

    Popular progressions to experiment with:

    • I-V-vi-IV (C-G-Am-F): Used in countless hits from “Let It Be” to “Don’t Stop Believin’”
    • vi-IV-I-V (Am-F-C-G): The backbone of “Zombie” by The Cranberries and many others
    • I-vi-IV-V (C-Am-F-G): The classic 1950s progression still appearing in contemporary hits

    If you are unfamiliar with the Roman numeral representation of chords like above, there is future YouTube video and blog post in the works all about chord progressions and how to write them. I have added the relative chords in the key of C Major for each progressions as well for ease.

    4. Begin With an Emotion (The Authentic Core)

    Some of the most powerful songs emerge from raw emotional states. Starting with a feeling creates an authenticity that listeners immediately recognise.

    I recently co-wrote with a songwriter who arrived flustered after a terrible morning – traffic jam, minor car accident, and a speeding ticket all before our session. His request? “Can we just write an angry song?”

    The result was incredible. While we didn’t write about traffic incidents, we channeled that emotion into a song about betrayal and lies. The authenticity of the anger gave the lyrics and melody an edge that wouldn’t have emerged otherwise.

    To use this method effectively:

    1. Identify the core emotion you’re feeling (or want to explore)
    2. Brainstorm situations that evoke this emotion
    3. List phrases, images, and metaphors that embody this feeling
    4. Develop these elements into a song concept

    Remember that emotions create natural musical choices too – anger tends toward minor keys and driving rhythms, while contentment might suggest major keys and flowing melodies.

    5. Write What You Know (Your Endless Inspiration Source)

    The most reliable wellspring of songwriting material is your own life. Many writers overlook their personal experiences as too mundane or trivial, but authentic details create the most relatable songs.

    My songwriting journal is my greatest resource for this approach. I regularly review old entries to find moments, conversations, or observations that could form the basis of a song.

    Case in point: A friend recently turned 45 – not typically a milestone birthday. During casual conversation, someone commented that “life spins faster after 45.” This offhand remark sparked an idea connecting aging to vinyl records (45 rpm singles vs. 33 rpm albums). What began as an uneventful birthday chat evolved into a unique song using record-playing as a metaphor for life’s accelerating pace.

    Your everyday experiences contain countless song possibilities:

    • Overheard conversations
    • Family stories
    • Personal milestones (big and small)
    • Childhood memories
    • Daily observations that made you pause

    The key is remaining receptive to these moments and documenting them for later exploration.

    Putting It All Together

    The beauty of these five methods is that they can be used individually or in combination. When I’m truly stuck, I might:

    1. Choose an emotion I want to explore
    2. Select a chord progression that feels aligned with that emotion
    3. Brainstorm potential titles that express the feeling
    4. Begin writing from that foundation

    The goal isn’t finding the “perfect” starting point – it’s finding ANY effective starting point to get you writing.

    Your Turn to Start Writing

    Which of these methods resonates most with your songwriting process? Or perhaps you have another reliable technique for getting started? I’d love to hear about your experiences in the comments below. Remember, the blank page only has power if you give it power. With these five methods in your songwriter’s toolkit, you’ll never be stuck for long.

    Watch the video version of this post:

    Happy writing!

    Celine

  • Create Without Critique – Silence Your Inner Critic

    Create Without Critique – Silence Your Inner Critic

    Songwriting is a deeply personal and creative journey, but for many of us, it’s also fraught with self-doubt and perfectionism. That pesky inner critic can show up just when inspiration begins to flow, whispering things like, “That line isn’t good enough,” or “This melody isn’t original.” The result? Creative paralysis.

    If you want to be prolific as a songwriter, you need to let go of your inner critic during the initial creative process. The time for critique and refinement will come later, but for now, it’s all about letting your creativity run free. During the initial phase of songwriting, you need to allow yourself to be creative without the ugly head of perfectionism rearing up.

    Why Silencing Your Inner Critic Is Essential

    One of the most important lessons I’ve learned in my own creative journey is that to write great songs, you first need to write freely—without judgment. This is especially true if you’re working on a songwriting challenge or trying to create a larger body of work within in a set time frame.

    Think of creativity like a water tap. When you first turn it on, the water may come out dirty. That’s okay! The more it runs, the cleaner it gets. The same applies to songwriting: the more you write, the more your ideas and skills will flow freely. If you allow your inner critic to intervene too early i the process, you’ll cut yourself off from this natural progression and stifle creativity all together.  There is plenty of time to perfect a song, to polish and refine it, later in the process. In fact, the rewriting, refining process is one that needs to be done separately in my opinion. That way you can look at your song with a critical eye and ear, and make those improvements with clarity.

    Give Yourself Permission to Write ‘Bad’ Songs

    One of the best ways to quiet that inner voice of perfectionism is to embrace the idea of writing a “bad” song. This doesn’t mean you’re setting out to fail—it simply means removing the pressure to create something perfect. By giving yourself permission to write something cliché, simple, or unpolished, you take the first step toward creating without fear.

    When you approach songwriting this way, something magical often happens: you start to let go, have fun, and rediscover the joy of creating. And even within a “bad” song, you may find a line, melody, or concept worth developing later. I have genuinely released a song that I wrote solely to try out a technique. The exercise of creating without judgment builds your songwriting muscle, preparing you for bigger breakthroughs down the line.

    The Power of Starting Small

    Sometimes the hardest part of songwriting is simply getting started. I have the same problem with my lack of enthusiasm to go to the gym; I hate going, but once I have been, I feel great. That’s why the goal with this approach isn’t to create a Grammy-winning song right out of the gate—it’s to start. Whether it’s a song filled with predictable rhymes or an overused chord progression, the act of finishing it gives you momentum.

    Here’s a quick example:

    • Write a simple 4-line chorus with an easy rhyme scheme.
    • Use a basic chord progression like G–C–D–Em.
    • Don’t overthink your lyrics; focus on completing the structure.

    By completing one song, no matter how basic or “bad” it feels, you’ve already made progress. You’ve overcome the hardest part: beginning.

    The Long-Term Benefits of Letting Go

    When you silence your inner critic and focus on creating without judgment, you’ll be amazed at how much you can accomplish. Over time, you’ll start to see patterns, refine your voice, and develop stronger ideas. Even the songs you initially dismissed might contain nuggets of brilliance waiting to be polished.

    So, the next time your inner critic pipes up, remind yourself: this is just the first draft. Perfection comes later. For now, allow yourself the freedom to create unapologetically and enjoy the process of discovery.

    Final Thoughts

    The actions of creating and refining are two completely different processes, and more often than not they should be kept very separate. Sometimes the impact of perfectionism stops people creating at all, and that is a hugely sad fact. 

    Every great songwriter has moments of doubt, but the key to growth is learning how to push through those moments. By giving yourself permission to write freely – without the weight of over thinking and analysing – you open the door to your best work. So, take a deep breath, turn off that inner critic, and start writing. Who knows? Your next “bad” song might just hold the seeds of something extraordinary.