MusicianView
By: Tara Tinsley
Songwriting: How to Nip Writer’s Block in the Bud
Songwriting comes just as natural to some of us as breathing, but to others, it’s more of a challenge. For songwriters and musicians, songs are our products. The more we write, the more we sell and the longer we keep people interested.
Here are some tips to get you movin’.
Get Out More. Not just to play shows but to experience life. Do something you’ve never done or reconnect with a favorite pastime. Challenge one of your fears. When we getstuck in routine so does our inspiration.
Slow Down. In this fast paced world, where time seems to fly faster than subatomic particles, we tend to fill our lives to the brim with this thing called “being busy”. Try meditation, get reacquainted with yourself and the world around you. Remember that life is short and appreciate every moment.
Expand Your Mind. Pick up a new instrument, take a class, or add a new skill to your collection. Sometimes expanding ourselves technically can inspire us creatively.
Challenge yourself. When I went through a long period of writer’s block, I challenged myself to write 1 song a day for 7 days. It might sound crazy (and it was) but after I was finished, I had 7 new songs. Some of us work better under pressure and deadline. You can start small or go big but either way, you might surprise yourself.
Set Yourself Free. Sometimes we get in the mode of constantly wanting to write our next hit but we have to face it, not every song will be a hit or good for that matter. Sometimes you have to knock out 10 mediocre songs to have that hit surface. Set yourself free of expectation from yourself and others. You can have a goal in mind for the song but if it doesn’t turn out to be the next best thing you’ve written, that’s ok. Put it on the side to improve later and move on to the next.
Remember that not everyone is going to like your song but a lot of people might. Either way, what we do is magical. We take silence and make it into something more. A song can make someone dance, lift someone’s spirits, change someone’s life, or just remind them, that they aren’t alone and someone else has been there too. I wish you the best in your writing adventures.
