From the course: One-Minute Songwriting Tips
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Read poetry
- Ready poetry. It helps. Reading a poem every morning is extremely useful for your songwriting. Something about the richness of the language and the great imagery and the powerful and really unusual verbs that are used, this is kind of the musical equivalent of taking a vitamin everyday. Personally, I used to try and read poetry in the afternoons when I was already a little bit into my day and I had a really hard time focusing, but reading one poem, and by the way, Billy Collins happens to be one of my favorite poets and somebody who I read almost every day. Doing this in the morning really helped me focus and put me on the right track for a great day of writing.
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Contents
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If you write songs, then you're a songwriter39s
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Make your lyric easy to sing50s
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Don't wait to sit down and write25s
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Your chorus is the song's main message45s
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Set up a place at home to write44s
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Try using nonsense words in your lyric46s
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Write down a song title every day25s
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Make your metaphor's imagery consistent1m 4s
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Write more and edit less48s
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Try the hook at the end of the chorus1m 1s
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Keep a file of unfinished songs34s
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Try using the first line as the last line, too40s
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Commit to writing for five minutes48s
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Keep your rhyme scheme the same1m 16s
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Write like you have a publishing deal52s
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Use imagery and details in your verses1m 5s
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Try switching your verses around36s
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Think of songs as having three parts1m 5s
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Learn your songwriting strengths39s
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Make sure your melody isn't too rangy1m
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Don't reject a cowriter's suggestion41s
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Use repetition in a melody33s
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Keep a recorder running while writing41s
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Ensure your bridge takes a new angle on your theme41s
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Make a rough recording of your song49s
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Everything points to the hook39s
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How songwriting is a muscle27s
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Don't chase trends27s
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Reach out to a new cowriter30s
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50/50: The simplest and best split48s
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Try learning a new instrument38s
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Read poetry43s
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Write based on the day's conversation55s
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Join or start a songwriting group52s
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Set a regular time of day to write26s
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Give yourself a writing assignment41s
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Do one business thing every day43s
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Make one song pitch every week58s
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Catalog your lyrics and demo recordings1m 7s
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Make each verse line further your story42s
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When in doubt, say less43s
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Write a song based on the structure of one of your favorites51s
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Make your bridge an instrumental31s
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Similar sections should have similar structures50s
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Cut your song’s intro in half46s
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A song under 2 minutes is fine if that's all you have to say21s
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Make sure your song isn't too long40s
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A lyric is a start, but you’ll need a melody before you can call it a song38s
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