How to Overcome Songwriter’s Block - Music Minute Monday
Let’s imagine a scenario here: You’ve sat down to write a song. Maybe you already had an idea you’ve begun to hash out, or you’re starting brand new and suddenly…BAM. Nothing. It’s like your mind went totally blank and your creative juices tank just hit empty.
Fear not, fair friend! Here are some helpful tips to overcome your writer’s block!
Go outside — go for a walk, go out into nature, or a public place to clear your head for a bit.
Sometimes, you’ve been sitting with the same idea for so long, that you can’t see if from any other perspective. The easiest solution is to put it down and give your brain and body a break! Fresh air does wonders for the creative juices, as does physical activity! So, go for a walk, and maybe you’ll find your next big idea!
Get a creative writing book.
There are tons of creative writing books and websites with creative writing prompts. I’ve personally found that diving into at least one of the prompts a day helps to keep my brain firing on all cylinders. The prompts themselves don’t necessarily have to be about what your song is about. They can be about anything. For example “What would you do if you were given wings?” Or, “You’re at a buffet and all of your favorite foods are there. What are they and why?” The more descriptive you get, the better you get at coming up with lines for songs! We recommend this book here.
Phone a friend!
Whether you take this literally or metaphorically is up to you! Co-writing is one of the best and easiest ways to get a new perspective on your idea! The vast majority of songs today are written by two or more people!
Or, if you want to take a different route, much like going outside, literally calling up a friend you haven’t spoken to in a while — or a friend you just enjoy talking to — can spark an idea or take your song in a completely new direction! You can talk about the song to your friend, or you can talk about something completely different. Either way, giving your brain a break is always a great idea!