Cant find the right words?

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Schmidty797

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I'm having an extremely hard time with a song I'm trying to write.

I know what I feel, but I simply can't express it in words, I'm having writers block here. Thinking just isnt cutting it out this time around.

I'd like to here what you guys do, if you've ever been in this situation.

Also, hi. I'm new to the forums, and this happens to be like my 4th attempt to a write a song heh.

Please shed some light, I see from previous posts that we have some talented people in here.
 
I'm sure some more expereinced song-writers will give you better techniques and ideas than I can.

But, from my limited expereince, what I often do if I'm in the same situation as you is just write (or type) down the lines that express how you feel. Don't worry about rhymes or rythm, just write it down the way you'd talk it. Seeing it in black and white in front of me will often help to start placing thoughts into co-herent phrases. From there, I'll simply talk the words over the music, or if I already have a melody, sing those words over the music. They still won't rhyme or sound good, but it will help get me started with tweaking the lines to start making a song.

From there it's re-write, re-write, re-write until it doesn't suck. :D
 
Thanks for the advice, anything is better than nothing. I've tried that, and it did help.
 
Here's a parable.

When I was engaged in a previous occupation, I had a few people come to me to say that they were having difficulty writing a press release or some other such text thing.

I would then ask them what they were trying to say, and they would respond by saying "well, the point I'm trying to make is . . . etc. etc." I would then point out that they have just said to me what they were seeking to write.

The moral of the story is that telling it like it is is not a bad way to start. It is handy to have someone ask the question ("what are you trying to say?"), but not essential. You can ask it of your self. Write the answer down. It doesn't matter what the words are at this stage. They may be exquisite poetry, but they may be pretty ratty.

You can then start deconstructing what you've written, and reassembling it using better phrases, dumping the cliches, exchanging stock phrases for your original ones and so on.

There are occasions when I get stuck for a rhyme, and I will puzzle over this for ages. Similarly, in my past life, sometimes people would ask me "I'm stuck on this clause here" (or similar). I often suggested forgetting about the clause, and recasting the whole sentence. Instead of driving yourself silly trying to figure out that elusive rhyme, change the other stuff. This might be hard if you've slaved for hours over the "other stuff" and it is nearly Shakespearean in eloquence. Them's the breaks. Something new might be just as good.
 
couple

I'm not typically a lyricist at all. I compose music on piano and synths, for the most part. But every once in awhile, I get an urge to write lyrics.

I tend to have a notebook with me, everywhere I go. As a US Postal Clerk for several years, I learned to always, always, have a pen on me. I quit the USPS in 2000, but the habit of having a pen in my pants pocket has remained.


Now, couple of things from a novice/amateur. That's me.


1) When you cannot make progress on your main idea, turn a few pages in your notebook to blank slate, and write words to a totally different song.

I'm kinda surprised at how often this tends to bring forth stuff, when I go back and read my notebook, I'd swear half of it had came this way.


2) There is a fantastic writer's tool out there called MasterWriter. www.masterwriter.com

I don't own it, but I did download the free 30-day trial, and was beyond impressed at how comprehensive and excellent this word-smith tool is. It is not a substitute for your own ideas, but it can give expression to your ideas in an awesome way.

Just think of it as a Thesaurus on supercharged steroids. Actually it is way better than a thesaurus. It has the only "alliterations" dictionary in the world, which you have at least got to explore. Very neat.

It can rhyme ideas with cliche's, phrases used throughout the world, sound-a-likes, things you would never imagine in an actual piece of writing software. At the very least, check out the website, just so you can at least know such a powerful thing even exists. It has pretty good explanations and lots of screenshot photos on the site.


Cost is $219.


If I were serious about being a poet, I would own it.
 
When you've got writer's block just get really really incredibly drunk on something like straight gin. Really really awesome fun. But sleep in the bathtub because sometimes when you are completely drunk out of your mind you might wet the bed. And that's where the fun stops...although it still is kind of funny for the first few hours in the morning when you wake up in urine...funny until you stop being drunk and you start to recognise sounds and shapes again. That's when you have to grab the old pen and pad and start putting the pieces together.
 
ideas

Monkey Allen said:
When you've got writer's block just get really really incredibly drunk on something like straight gin. Really really awesome fun. But sleep in the bathtub because sometimes when you are completely drunk out of your mind you might wet the bed. And that's where the fun stops...although it still is kind of funny for the first few hours in the morning when you wake up in urine...funny until you stop being drunk and you start to recognise sounds and shapes again. That's when you have to grab the old pen and pad and start putting the pieces together.
Click to expand...



Hmmmmmm. Ok. Not the first thought that came to my mind, but hey... why not!

lol
 
The old adage of writing about something you know about - personal experiences....
 
Most of my songs develop meaning as they go. I start with a phrase that fits the music or just something that I think sounds cool.
If I am trying to tell a specific story I just start writing down words. One or two words that describe the emotion or vibe I am going for.
If your trying to write about a girl write down some words that describe her. Then write some words that describe how she makes you feel. Then write down some words that describe how she might feel about you.
Then you can start turning the words into sentences. Maybe a certain word inspires a certain phrase. You can then just kind of put it together like a jigsaw puzzle.


For example if I was trying to write a song about the last 10 min of my day here at work.


work
clock
boss
tick
slow
insane
wasting time
easily entertained
last 10 minutes
headache
beer at home
put my feet up


Almost done with work
can't help but stare at the clock
My boss is a real jerk
I hope I don't get caught


I'm just wasting time
easily entertained
I think it's such a crime
to over tax my brain


The last few minutes are the worst
Cold beers at home call my name
My head it starts to hurt
The wait is driving me insane.


Obviously a horrible little ditty but I did manage to kill the last few minutes of work so, if you'll excuse me I think it's beer thirty.:D
 
The song I attempted to write, was about a girl. And like mike pointed out, I did use the word "you" over 13 times.

I'll be working on that obviously a rewrite is needed, and Ill use the ideas listed here thank you.
 
I write down the song as a stream-of-conscienence thing- just write it down as it comes.

Sometimes I get stuck for a rhyme- I just draw a line, or write in parenthesis another word or phrase that means about the same thing. I take a minimum of time doing this- don't want to get stuck on it and lose what is in my head. Then I keep going, till I am "done:" either finished, or the muse has left the room.

I go back to it later, making changes to get the thing to "work."

I once had a musician's dictionary- great little book that had words in alphabetical order, with other words that rhymed with it. Gotta get another one.

Funny thing, I did this the other day- I was up late, surfing online, and a song just came to me (this actually happens fairly often- it's where most of my stuff comes from.) I quickly opened MSWord, and dictated what was in my head, with a minimum of editing. printed it out and went to bed. Next day, I showed it to my GF, thinking it was, at best, very rough and would probably need days of rehashing. She loved it, 90% as is.
 
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