How to Write Song Lyrics

People have feelings, people have emotions, and they find different ways of expressing these. Some talk and express their inner feelings to others, some like to think about them in solitude and there are some who find creative ways of expressing themselves. Creation, whether in the form of a poem, writing, painting or a song, is actually a creator's expression of things he feels strongly about - be it love, relationships, his religion, some revolutionary ideas he might be harboring or any change he wants to see in this world. A creator's creations need not always be serious though, sometimes they can be about unimportant things created just for fun.

To write a song, there must already be an idea going through your mind, it's just that you are still not sure how to express that idea in the form of a song, especially if you are a beginner. So to help you out, below are some useful tips on writing lyrics.

Decide on the Title, Concept and Structure
If you do not have an idea of what to write about, then the first thing that you have to decide is the concept of the song i.e. what will it be all about. Once you have decided the concept, you have to come up with a catchy, strong title, which can either be a word or a phrase. The title should be such that it holds the attention of the listener for a very long time. Some writers come up with the topics after composing the melody or music, while some do it the other way round. You can choose whichever way you are comfortable.

Next comes the structure. Although song structures vary, still a typical one can be something like - verse, chorus, verse, chorus, bridge and chorus. Start with writing the verses initially as they form the central idea which you are trying to convey through your song. The chorus should be tuned well so that the listeners are able to connect to it. Be very careful when writing the bridge, because this is where the song takes on a whole new dimension, before it returns to the original lines, followed by the final chorus in the end.

Practice
For all beginners, the most important thing to understand is that writing is a skill, which can only become better with lots of practice. All the great writers did not start writing thinking that it will be the greatest hit. Instead, they wrote a song, discarded it, then wrote it again and this probably continued, till they finally came up with something really good. For each and every great song that we get to listen to, there are numerous which are written and cast aside.

Take Inspiration
Get inspired by others. Read as much literature as you can, listen to songs of great writers such as Van Morrison, George Harrison, John Lennon, Bruce Springsteen, Paul McCartney, Paul Simon and Bob Dylan. Maybe listening to them will inspire you, teach you to play with words, making you understand to write lyrics.

Involve Friends
After a song has been written, it is very important that you take feedback about it from others. So, involve your friends (make sure they enjoy music), and constantly ask them for inputs about your songs. Their appreciation will keep you motivated and their criticism will help you write better.

One last tip which is good before I sign off - if the song that you have written expresses what you are feeling, even if nobody else agrees with it, it is good enough. However, if it expresses your feelings and people are able to connect with it at some level, making them feel deeper or making them understand something in a better way, then your song is the best.