How to Write Better Lyrics in 7 Steps

Lyric writing is a magical mixture of creativity and storytelling that can draw your listener into a world you’ve created. The greatest artists know how to draw from their lives and the world around them, to tell stories that evoke powerful emotions. Your message in your music is what makes listeners fall in love with you. However, writing great lyrics is a skill that takes practice and application.

Here are my 7 Steps to writing better lyrics. Try applying them in your writing to improve your lyrics and become a better songwriter. A little practice makes perfect and you’ll see the results.

1. Finding Inspiration

The most important part of lyric writing is finding inspiration. Sometimes called “the muse”, the muse will usually strike at unexpected times (right before you go to bed, or in the middle of the night), and in the most unexpected places like the shower or on your morning walk. It’s often these times when ideas flow easier because you are relaxing and perhaps retreating from the world a little and your theta brain waves kick in.

For help finding inspiration, download my 101 Ideas to Inspire Your Next Song to get easy prompts that help you come up with song ideas.

2. Song Concepts

Coming up with ideas for songs can stop some songwriters cold. Especially when you write a lot. Having song concepts prepared ahead of time is a great way to help your songwriting session to flow well from the start. Keep a list of song concepts throughout the week so when you sit down to write you can choose the one you connect with the most.

In my Signature Songwriting Circle we teach artists the power of writing from their life experiences resulting in emotionally compelling songs laced with their authenticity. We find that when a real-life experience is at the core of the concept it holds more relatability and more emotion for the artist – resulting in more emotional experience for the listener.

3. Song Structure + Overview

Most times we head off into writing without a clear picture of what we really want to say, hoping it shows up as we write. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t. Depends on the day. But when you really know what you want to say from the start it can help the flow of songwriting to move more effortlessly. Try writing out what you want to say in each section and see if it helps bring more clarity to your song.

Example: “Go Easy On Me” by Adele: https://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/adele/easyonme.html

Verse 1: I’ve been hoping that we will make it work, but I’ve realized I can’t do it.
Chorus: I wish you wouldn’t be so hard on me, I am still young and it was so heartbreaking
Verse 2: You were so stuck in your ways, and so was I, it just couldn’t work. Please understand that I tried.
Bridge: I wanted the best for us and thought we could make this last.

4. Syllables + Rhyme Scheme

Be aware of how many syllables are in each line so you can match the patterns in each section.

Example: Both Verse 1 and Verse 2’s syllables match each other except for line 4 in Verse 2 which has an extra syllable.

Verse 1:
There ain’t no gold in this river – 8
That I’ve been washing my hands in forever – 11
I know there is hope in these waters – 9
But I can’t bring myself to swim – 8
When I am drowning in this silence – 9
Baby, let me in – 5

Verse 2:
There ain’t no room for things to change – 8
When we are both so deeply stuck in our ways – 11
You can’t deny how hard I have tried – 9
I changed who I was to put you both first – 10 (1 extra syllable)
But now I give up – 5

You also want to match the rhyme scheme whether you do AABB (2 lines in a row) or ABAB (every other line)

Example:
Go easy on me, baby (A)
I was still a child, didn’t get the chance to (B)
Feel the world around me (A)
I had no time to choose what I chose to do (B)
So go easy on me (A + internal rhyme)

5. Metaphors, Similes, Alliteration + Imagery

Metaphors and similes are used to make comparisons to two things that are completely different. The main difference between a simile and a metaphor is that a simile uses the words “like” or “as” to draw a comparison and a metaphor simply states the comparison without using “like” or “as.”

An example of a simile is: She is as innocent as an angel.
An example of a metaphor is: Her words cut deeper than a knife.

Imagery is when words are used to create images in someone’s mind. It’s when words describe objects, actions, and ideas in a way that appeals to our 5 senses or taste, sight, touch, smell, and sound and connects us emotionally to the experience. We are suddenly “in the room” with you — out of our heads and into our hearts.

Example: “Slow dancing in a burning room” / “Slow Dancing” by John Mayer

Alliteration is when the first letter of a word is repeated several times giving a pleasant sound to the words being used.

Example: “Whisper, words of wisdom, let it be” / “Let it Be” by the Beatles

6. Show vs. Tell

Writing lyrics that “show, don’t tell” is one of the basics of songwriting. But for many songwriters, it’s easier to write lyrics that state how they feel.

For example: “My heart is broken”, “My heart feels like it is going to break.” But while this may express what the singer is feeling, these phrases don’t evoke emotion in the listener.

In lyric writing, the verses tell the story through action, imagery and detail. Choruses hammer home the emotional message of the song’s theme and often the title.

By incorporating action, imagery, and detail into your verse lyrics, you can write lyrics that tell a story in a way that will “show vs. tell” and evoke emotion in your listener.

7. Clarity + Consistency of Message

Try to keep your song consistent in its message. In general a song is 3-4 minutes long so you want to capture one emotion and tell it well. If you choose a specific Point of View – the view or angle that the story is being narrated from, stick to one to keep your song from being confusing. A confused listener won’t stick around. Too many points of view cloud the message of your song and a confused listener won’t connect with it.

Our next run of the Signature Songwriting Circle starts Fall 2022. Join our waitlist for special discounts when registration opens!

SSC is a popular and addictive program artists take repeatedly to write their albums. Through 30 workshops, listening sessions and a community experience over 6 months, you’ll walk away with a crystal clear artist persona, artist mission and artistic vision alongside an industry-vetted catalog to make your next music project transformative.