Writing Better Lyrics

1. Object Writing: Dive Deep into Sensory Experiences

Remember this fundamental fact: You are absolutely unique. There never was, is not now, nor ever can be anyone exactly like you.

Unlock your unique voice. Object writing is a powerful technique to access your personal vault of sensory memories. Choose a concrete object and focus on it for ten minutes, exploring all seven senses: sight, hearing, smell, taste, touch, organic (inner bodily sensations), and kinesthetic (relation to the world around you).

• Practice object writing daily, ideally for 10 minutes each morning
• Stay sense-bound and specific, avoiding abstract concepts
• Use this technique to generate fresh, vivid imagery for your lyrics

Object writing helps you develop a habit of diving deep into your sensory experiences, making your writing more engaging and authentic. It's not just about describing what you see, but about connecting with the full range of sensations associated with an object or experience.

2. Showing vs. Telling: Create Vivid Imagery

YOU CAN'T TELL UNLESS YOU SHOW FIRST.

Paint a picture with words. The "Sister Mary Elizabeth Rule of Songwriting" emphasizes the importance of showing before telling. Instead of simply stating emotions or ideas, use vivid, sensory details to bring your lyrics to life.

• Use specific, concrete images rather than abstract concepts
• Engage the listener's senses to create a more immersive experience
• Allow the imagery to evoke emotions rather than explicitly stating them

By showing instead of telling, you invite listeners to experience the song's emotions and ideas for themselves. This approach creates a stronger connection between the listener and the lyrics, making the song more memorable and impactful.

3. Metaphors: Collide Ideas for Powerful Expressions

According to Aristotle, the ability to see one thing as another is the only truly creative human act.

Create fresh connections. Metaphors are powerful tools for expressing complex ideas and emotions in a concise, memorable way. They work by revealing a shared characteristic between two seemingly unrelated concepts.

To create effective metaphors:

• Identify the characteristics of your main idea
• Find other things that share those characteristics
• Experiment with different combinations and forms (e.g., "x is y", "the y of x", "x's y")

Practice creating metaphors regularly to develop your ability to see unexpected connections. This skill will enrich your lyric writing, allowing you to express ideas in fresh, thought-provoking ways that resonate with listeners.

4. Worksheets: Generate Abundant Ideas and Rhymes

The more often you can say no, the better your gigs get.

Cultivate choices. Building a worksheet is a specialized brainstorming technique that helps you generate a wealth of ideas and rhymes tailored specifically for your lyric. This process involves three main steps:

1. Focus your lyric idea as clearly as possible
2. Make a list of words that express your idea (use a thesaurus)
3. Look up each word in your rhyming dictionary, exploring various rhyme types

By creating a comprehensive worksheet, you give yourself the luxury of choice. This abundance allows you to select the most fitting words and rhymes for your lyric, rather than settling for the first idea that comes to mind.

5. Clichés: Avoid Overused Phrases and Images

Clichés have been worn smooth by overuse. They no longer mean what they used to.

Seek fresh expressions. Clichés, whether in phrases, images, or metaphors, can make your lyrics feel stale and unoriginal. They often fail to evoke genuine emotion or create vivid imagery in the listener's mind.

To avoid clichés:

• Be aware of common clichés in songwriting
• Challenge yourself to find unique ways to express familiar ideas
• Use your personal experiences and sensory memories (from object writing) to create original imagery

Occasionally, you can use a cliché to your advantage by setting it up in a context that brings out its original meaning or makes us see it in a new way. However, this requires careful crafting and should be the exception rather than the rule.

6. Verse Development: Keep Listeners Engaged

Your verses are responsible for keeping listeners interested.

Build momentum. Effective verse development is crucial for maintaining listener engagement throughout your song. Each verse should advance your concept, plot, or story, preparing listeners for the chorus or refrain.

Key strategies for verse development:

• Ensure each verse focuses on a separate idea
• Use the "you-I-we" formula to explore different perspectives
• Consider using past, present, and future tenses to show progression
• Avoid "travelogue" verses that lack natural continuity

Remember, your verses should work together to accumulate power and momentum, like starting avalanches that combine into one massive force. This approach keeps listeners invested in your song's journey from beginning to end.

7. Point of View: Choose the Right Perspective

Point of view controls our distance from the world of the song.

Set the right tone. The point of view you choose for your lyric determines the relationship between the singer, the audience, and the song's world. It's like a camera angle in film, allowing you to control the listener's perspective.

Main points of view:

• Third-person narrative: Objective storytelling
• First-person narrative: Personal storytelling
• Direct address: Intimate conversation with the listener or another character
• Second-person narrative: Immersive storytelling that puts the listener in the story

Each point of view creates a different emotional effect and level of intimacy. Experiment with different perspectives to find the one that best serves your song's message and emotional impact.

8. Meter and Rhythm: Create Musical Language

Like musical notes, words can group together in close relationships, like belonging to the same key.

Craft lyrical melodies. Understanding meter and rhythm in lyric writing helps you create a natural flow that complements the music. Common meter, alternating four-stress and three-stress lines, is a staple in songwriting due to its natural fit with musical phrasing.

Key concepts:

• Stress patterns in words and phrases
• Common meter and its variations
• Balancing line lengths for stability or instability

By mastering meter and rhythm, you can create lyrics that not only sound good when spoken but also fit seamlessly with the music, enhancing the overall impact of your song.

9. Prosody: Align Structure with Meaning

Prosody: the appropriate relationship between elements.

Harmonize form and content. Prosody in songwriting refers to the alignment of all elements - words, music, rhythm, and structure - to support the central idea and emotion of the song. This concept is crucial for creating a unified, powerful song that resonates with listeners.

Aspects of prosody to consider:

• Relationship between words and music
• Alignment of stressed syllables with stressed notes
• Use of rhythm to support the song's meaning
• Structure (e.g., line lengths, rhyme scheme) that reflects the emotional content

By paying attention to prosody, you ensure that every aspect of your song works together to deliver your message effectively, creating a more impactful and memorable experience for the listener.

10. Song Forms: Package Ideas Effectively

Song form should be your friend, helping you deliver your message with power.

Choose wisely. The form you choose for your song can either enhance or hinder the delivery of your message. Different song forms serve different purposes and create different effects.

Common song forms and considerations:

• Verse/Chorus: Balance repetition with development
• AABA: Create a strong sense of resolution
• Verse/Refrain: Allow for more detailed storytelling
• Bridge: Provide contrast and new perspective

When selecting a song form, consider the nature of your message, the emotional journey you want to take listeners on, and the balance between familiarity and surprise. An effective song form supports your lyrical content, maintaining listener interest while delivering your message powerfully.

Last updated: January 23, 2025