Reddit reviews Songwriters On Songwriting: Revised And Expanded

Sounds like a bad case of writer's block. There was a 2 year period where I wrote maybe 3 songs and they were pretty bad. Then one day I woke up and wrote a ton in a single session. No idea why.

Here's my advice on dealing with and beating songwriter's block:

• Read interviews with other songwriters. I have a great book, Songwriter's On Songwriting, which is comprised of interviews with some of the biggest songwriter's of all time. I always find it inspiring, and they talk about different songwriting techniques, which I then try out.
  
  
• Listen to some new music then try to write in that style. For example, I'll listen to a single album over and over and then try to write a new track for the album.
  
  
• Makeup a nonsense song. The lyrics can literally mean nothing. Just doodle around on the guitar and say words over it. The Beatles' "Yesterday" was originally called "Scrambled Eggs". Sometimes all you need is to start making some words and it'll hit you.
  
  
• Start with writing a basic folk-story song. Two or three chords, C-G, and talk a story over it. It can be a true story, a book you read, a movie, a story you made up. Just write some talkin' blues. (Bob Dylan has some great hilarious talking blues songs, check out "Motorsycho Nightmare" or "Talkin' World War III Blues", or "I Shall Be Free" ). Sometimes just linking together random rhymes in a rough story can kickstart you again.
  
  
• Try looking into something like Oblique Strategies, which was created in the 70s by Brian Eno to overcome writer's block. It's essentially a deck of cards with writing prompts, words, and instructions. There's a website now that does it. It can really help you think outside the box and come up with new stuff. The cards say stuff like "What would your closest friend do?" and "Work at a different speed". The website I linked to generates the phrases, and you just try to write with the card(s) instruction/hint as your guide.
  
  
• Try writing with someone. It can be online or in person, but I find collaboration nearly always results in something. And if you've never written with someone, it can be a really helpful and interesting experience!
  
  
• Just don't give up! Keep at it. You'll have more to say soon.
  
  
  This (paraphrased) quote always helps me when I'm feeling like I can't write anymore:
  
  Songwriting is like fishing in a stream; you put in your line and hope you catch something… You’ve got to use some bait. Otherwise you sit around and expect songs to come to you. Forcing it is using bait.

There is actually a book - "songwriters on songwriting"

https://www.amazon.com/Songwriters-Songwriting-Expanded-Paul-Zollo/dp/0306812657

I have read through it a couple of times looking for secrets - but here is the wierd thing... they dont really seem to have a formula. I felt like reading these people talk was no different to hearing a bunch of redditors talk. They make great songs, but they are not sure how they do it. The only solid advice is "keep doing it"

Songwriters on Songwriting is an interesting read.

There's a market for this in the hip hop / pop scene. Basically, what you want to do is partner with a beat maker and create a song package. Then you start shopping this to different labels and management.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grammy_Award_for_Best_Rap_Song
If you look at the left side, you'll see a list of songwriters who collaborated with major artists and won a Grammy. It's very normal that big artists will collaborate with writers all the time. But usually, they'll have their own message they want to get across and have their own branding characteristics to manage.

The song "Empire State of Mind" was written by a song writing team and pitched. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empire_State_of_Mind#Background_and_writing

And this is an excellent book on songwriting techniques, experiences, and etc: http://www.amazon.com/Songwriters-On-Songwriting-Revised-Expanded/dp/0306812657/ref=cm_lmf_tit_18

Read the book. Songwriters on song writing.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0306812657/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1377545636&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX110_SY165

This was a required read in my songwriting class in school.

Yes, it is from a collection of interviews that journalist Paul Zollo conducted over his career called Songwriters on Songwriting.

I initially found the book/quote through an article written about Cohen's interview on a site called 'Brain Pickings'. You can see the full thing here.

It's a bit expensive but this book is brilliant! Really enlightening. I bought it for my brother back in the 90s.

https://www.amazon.com/Songwriters-Songwriting-Expanded-Paul-Zollo/dp/0306812657

Since this this still going, here are my two cents:

• For questions and inspiration read Songwriters on Songwriting. Zappa, Paul Simon, Leonard Cohen, you name it, all the big American Songwriters from back in the day are in it with very long insightful interviews.
  
  
• Split into lyrics and composition. On the lyrics side: what inspires them, any specific rhyhming or rhythmic techniques (if you need a primer on this either read Pat Pattison's excellent book Writing Better lyrics or do his free class). For composition ask about their connection of melody and lyrics. If they write the words with a melody in mind, or if it's completely separate.
  
  
• Ask about collaborative writing, if that's something they do, and if so, how the process works.
  
  
• Ask every songwriter if they know then a song is finished. And if so when and how.
  
  
• Ask about transitions. If they have techniques and tricks.