| 1. Collaboration | | | | across. |
| If you're very good at writing melodies but can't | | | | Choose a theme which is known to have made a |
| seem to write a single line, one solution might be | | | | few hits. What message does this theme bring |
| collaboration. Instead of beating your head against | | | | across? Write different lyrics that bring the same |
| the wall for ideas, find someone who is very good at | | | | message across. A typical example of this is John |
| writing lyrics and work together. You may be | | | | Denver's "I'm Leaving on a Jetplane" and Wyclef |
| surprised at the wonders that can emanate from a | | | | Jean's "Gone till November". These songs made hits in |
| combination of his excellence at writing lyrics and | | | | different eras. Their basic message was similar ... |
| your brilliance at writing melodies. | | | | Baby, you don't need to cry because I'll return. |
| 2. Lyric writing tools | | | | 2. Add a unique twist to a cliche. |
| Perhaps you may be hoping for some other solution. | | | | Turn on your radio and you will hear cliches being |
| While you don't mind the idea of collaboration, you | | | | repeated over and over. Using these very same |
| want to allow yourself to get better at writing lyrics, | | | | cliches is simply a futile exercise. My suggestion is to |
| instead of leaving it to someone else. | | | | add a unique twist to these cliches. This is something |
| As far as I'm concerned, the importance of laying | | | | I am focusing on more and more. |
| hold on good songwriting "tools" should never be | | | | A typical example of adding a unique twist to a cliche |
| underestimated. Educate yourself as much as you | | | | is found in Dianne Warren's "Unbreak my Heart" |
| can. Make use of songwriting books, programs, | | | | made popular by Toni Braxton. The ever popular |
| courses, software, articles or whatever valuable | | | | cliche, "break my heart", was twisted. |
| resources that you have at your disposal. | | | | (3) Here are three lyric writing suggestions. |
| 3. Motivation | | | | 1. Write a song about a particular incident. Your song |
| You've probably heard it said a thousand times ... | | | | should tell a story. |
| Without motivation, you won't go very far. This also | | | | 2. Write lyrics that have absolutely nothing to do with |
| applies to your lyric writing. While the songwriting | | | | anything you've actually experienced. |
| "tools" outlined above can help you improve, without | | | | 3. Get lyric writing ideas from newspapers, |
| adequate motivation failure is inevitable. | | | | magazines, movies, TV and so on. |
| (2) Here are a few tips to help you generate lyric | | | | Overcoming lyric writing hurdles involves a lot of |
| writing ideas. | | | | determination, hard work and perseverance on your |
| 1. Use different lyrics to bring the same message | | | | part. |