How to write song lyrics – Help!

[Jackson Graham]

@anne-of-lothlorien

Yes, the person in my profile pic is me. 🙂 I usually do fictional characters, but I thought I might switch it up a bit.

Jackson E. Graham
http://jacksonegraham.wixsite.com/jackson-e-graham

[Jackson Graham]

@gretald, @bluejay, @writefury, @daeus, @hannah-olsen, @mark-kamibaya, @Sarah-H, @kate-flournoy, @emma-flournoy, @dragon-snapper, @michael-stanton

I know this topic has kind of gone dead, but I was wondering if y’all could give me some advice and ideas. I’m currently writing this song about rebelling against the culture and sticking to God’s word. I cannot for the life of me come up with some creative things to write into my lyrics (imagery and just other ways to say a single idea without just stating it). The song is going to have a Rhett Walker Band & Decemberadio southern rock kind of sound. Ideas?

Jackson E. Graham

[Elizabeth]

I haven’t written a song in a few years, but there’s a few things I can tell you.

First–don’t rush it. Maybe you’re one of those people that can just sit down with an idea and write it out, but maybe not. Sit back, pray, and focus on what draws you to the subject on hand.

That brings me to my next point. If it’s a Christian song, which it sounds like it is, you aren’t going to get anywhere by trying to go off your own talent, ideas, and opinions. Songs rooted in Scripture are songs that have been written with God’s help. The Psalms are a great place to start. 🙂

Hope this helps! @warrioroftherealm

Writer. Dreamer. Sometimes blogger. MBTI mess. Lover of Jesus and books.

[Mark Kamibaya]

@warrioroftherealm This is really cliched to say, but just freewrite. Sit down at a laptop or use longhand, and begin writing your heart out. What are you trying to say? Who are you trying to say it to? How does the Bible tie into this? What’s God’s view on this? What are different perspectives on this topic?

For me, if I force myself to write out every idea that comes into my brain (imagery, themes, lines of poems, whatever) for at least a combined time of one hour (take three minute breaks so you don’t burn out). I’ll have something to work with. It might be small, and it might not even make it into the finished product. But I’ve jumpstarted my creative process, and that’s all that matters.

I blog on story and spiritual things at mkami.weebly.com

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