How to Write Great Song Lyrics in 5 Steps

It may seem impossible to learn how to compose lyrics for a song if you’re new to songwriting.

Many songwriters find writing lyrics to be the hardest aspect of the process, but you don’t need to be a talented lyricist to compose song lyrics that fit your music.

Without any prior skill and experience, you may get started with a few simple lyrics writing tips and an open mind.

Here’s a 5-step guide to writing song lyrics.

Let’s start from the beginning. There are no hard and fast rules for writing great lyrics, but asking yourself what you care about is a wonderful place to start.

Is it a family or romantic relationship that you’re having difficulty with? Is this a matter for social justice? Is there a spot in a dream world where you can go to learn more about your own reality?

Some artists claim they have difficulty creating lyrics because they are unsure of what to write about. But the truth is that if you care about anything, you’ll never run out of ideas to write about.

Paying attention to your life and the environment around you is the key. Great lyrics begin with musicians going to the heart of their interests and putting down their thoughts.

Start by keeping a journal and jotting down your thoughts if you don’t know where to start. It’s not necessary that the first thing you write is music lyrics. It’s not even necessary for what you write to make sense.

Simply keeping a notebook and writing in it every day will help you get your thoughts down on paper and prepare you to create lyrics. Pay close notice if the same concepts come up again and again. These concepts will serve as sturdy lyrical foundations.

Not to mention that keeping a daily notebook is a great way to keep your mental health in check.

You’ll begin to associate certain words and phrases with musical ideas at this level. The music could range from a simple beat to a filled tune.

At this point, you can add linguistic thoughts from your journal into your music. You can also experiment at the moment by singing, humming, or rapping over the music, whatever comes to mind.

There’s no right or wrong way to do it, and don’t be scared to try singing gibberish; it’s a terrific way to figure out what works and what doesn’t.

Moreover, looping musical ideas at this stage will make your life as a lyric writer a lot easier. To write lyrics on the spot, you’ll need to hear musical ideas over and over again. It’s worth noting that some musicians develop vocal melodies and lyrics at the same time.

Your lyrics should flow easily from your music’s structure. To accomplish this, you’ll need to adjust any pre-written lyrics to match your music. In order to match with your musical ideas, specific words can be shortened, cut, or changed with others.

And though a lyrical plot isn’t required in every song, playing with narratives will help you learn to create lyrics if you’re new to the process.

Humans are drawn by stories. Storytelling is a crucial part of how we learn to know new things around us. Your music will be more likely to be heard if it tells a dramatic story.

The narrative you tell in your songs could be from your own life or from the views of imaginary characters. It doesn’t matter what the details are as long as you’re creating something entertaining that people can relate to.

Instead of drafting the full song’s lyrics at once, divide it down into portions. This is especially useful if you’re new to the game and don’t know where to start.

You’ll develop the trust and direction you need to finish an entire song if you can nail down a verse, chorus, or bridge. You’ll only have to write such sections once because choruses frequently repeat throughout songs without modifying lyrics.

It’s easier to focus on and refine your best ideas when you split lyrics down into portions. If you see that one element of your song is more powerful than the rest, work on improving the lyrics that aren’t as strong.

This is the most significant piece of advice on the entire list. It’s not easy to write lyrics. Writing outstanding lyrics, like any other aspect of songwriting, takes work.

It doesn’t mean you’re not making progress if the first few of the lyrics you compose don’t work. Most songwriters learn their lyrics through a lot of trial and error.

Keep going, keep trying, and keep taking down notes. You’ll eventually find methods that work for you and a means to engage the audience in a meaningful and intimate way through lyrics.