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Songwriting should be, at least on some level, fun. It’s not something you’d do unless you were getting a certain level of enjoyment from it. But if lately your songwriting sessions are frustrating rather than enjoyable, here are 7 tips that will helpfully get you feeling productive, and bring the joy and satisfaction back.
- Start each songwriting session with some downtime. And by downtime, I mean take 15 minutes or so, and go for a mindless wander around the neighbourhood, through the local mall, or anywhere you feel you mind letting go of the day’s stresses. There’s evidence to show that downtime can get you feeling more creative.
- Try a short (5-10 minutes) session in some other creative art such as painting, writing, playing an instrument, etc., just before a songwriting session. It will tap into other areas of your creative soul, and can help your music to be more creative and expressive.
- Come up with a songwriting schedule. Don’t just try to fit songwriting into your otherwise busy day. If it’s important to you, schedule it like it’s a vital part of who you are. That schedule will help you feel productive and organized.
- Listen to a great song before working. Some songwriters don’t like listening too much to other people’s music just prior to a songwriting session because they’re afraid they’ll inadvertently plagiarize. But you won’t. And in fact, listening to someone else’s music can excite you and give you a shot of creative adrenaline.
- Listen to one of your own songs before working. It’s a good way to remind yourself of your previous successes, and it can give you a necessary ego jolt.
- Tidy up your workspace. I know… many songwriters say that they thrive in a messy environment, but I really believe in the positive results that come from cleaning up and organizing the room that you write in. Have pencils, instruments, paper, and whatever else you happen to use in your sessions nearby. I believe that most people work better in a tidy environment.
- Have several songs on the go at any one time. Working on only one song means that if you get stuck, you feel the frustration digging in. But several songs means that as you feel beaten by one song, you’ve got another one you can turn to.
Written by Gary Ewer. Follow Gary on Twitter.
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