Some artists have the stoicism to write music or lyrics anywhere. They scrap up ideas on the subway, on a commute, no mater how loud or noisy it might be. Others need more quiet and peaceful places to create an effective songwriting process.
While talking to several creators, we experienced a definite bottom line that connected all of these different types of writing – spaces of mind and routine.
The WAY writing occurs, meaning the mode of creation, plays an equally important role as the surrounding circumstances, sometimes even more so.
To help you write up a storm, we collected some shared ideas on what creates an effective songwriting mindset. As always, these are highly subjective pointers that can an should vary from musician to musician.
So let’s get going …
Expect nothing, embrace everything
Expectancies can limit the most promising endeavors.
And while a healthy understanding of musical capabilities is something that should be developed and cherished, this knowledge should not be taken for granted.
Creating means engaging in a flow. Sometimes things just come out naturally, sometimes the road of creation is riddled with bumps and pits. Just because your writing works on one day, and not on an another, doesn’t mean that something was lost along the way, some golden voice no longer present.
A hugely important part of writing effectively is writing with ease.
Time can help and hinder
Ok, so opinions really diverge on this one.
For some creators, the awareness of limited time – and the stress involved – has the potential of increasing focus. For others, though, writing under timely pressures can greatly hinder the way ideas form and are played out.
In the end, you have to figure it out for yourself. Most importantly – experiment with time. See how it affects your writing. The most important thing about the creation of a deliberate songwriting mode is mental awareness.
It’s hard to change things for the better, if you’re unaware of how exactly you are affected by certain conditions. Develop your own relationship to time and see if it acts as a catalyst of creativity, or a problematic factor.
Be good to the inner team – and therefore to yourself
The thing about DIY artists is – they play out multiple roles that can block effective songwriting. Sometimes they have to engage in managerial tasks, the inner management team is at work. Sometimes it’s just pure music, that’s when the inner writers, the composers, the producers are at play.
Naturally, it’s quite impossible to entirely separate these very necessary roles. They all play out different scenarios, constantly, be it on an conscious or the unconscious level.
And sometimes, things just run more smoothly in one area, than the other. That’s completely natural. You might have a great, creative run with loads of ideas, but a terrible lack of managerial vision. These two realities can clash, create conflict.
That’s why being good to yourself is a prerequisite to an effective songwriting space. This means being content with not being able to deliver, being aware that you WILL deliver if you let things run the way they should, loosen that grip on yourself.
If you’re your own boss, chances are high, that two or more inner processes are in constant conflict with each other. Forgive your shitty management skills, for a moment. Focus on the writing. Get back to the other stuff afterwards.
If you decide to write, just write.
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