Writer's Block. How do YOU deal?

[Greg_L]

just keep at it and inspiration will follow just distract yourself for parts of the day and get home and give it an hour or half an hour of writing.. Don't just stop, decrease a bit but always keep writing, you never know when you will stumble across a "hit", or when inspiration will suddenly start up again...

Nah, it aint that important to me. Lyrics mean nothing.

 

[CalebMcC]

my apologies for relplying so late to this, but more so what i meant was that its easier for me to write IN THE MIDST of difficulty because there's more emotion in it from the surrounding events. Then again, i write extremely emotional music, and its about the only way i know how to cope with whats happening. In reply to the lyrics debate here, if you have truly great lead and a good backing pattern you shouldnt need them.

 

[grimtraveller]

Nah, it aint that important to me. Lyrics mean nothing.

I totally 100% disagree with that !
And I totally 100% agree with that !! But I'm not confused !!!
For me, when it comes down to it, the meaning of the lyrics isn't as important as the vocal and the way it's delivered. I do love lyrics and if there's deep meaning there, wonderful. But if there isn't, wondrous. A song like Sting's "They dance alone" or Stevie Wonder's "Living for the city" or the Sex Pistols' "Pretty Vacant" or the Supremes' "You keep me hanging on" have great meaning to them. But if you gave them to me as a written poem, I would put them on a shelf somewhere and never look at them. Because first and foremost they're great songs. On the other hand, much of Aerosmiths stuff was lyrically boring juvenile unimaginative plops....but some of those songs were fantastic. It's all about the songs and there are just so many different ingredients and combinations of those ingredients.
But you know, I think lyricists can often say things like "lyrics aren't important. Mine suck." whereas those listening to the songs can think the lyrics are wonderful.
The classical composers of old didn't have to worry about things like lyrics !

 

[true-eurt]

My creativity flows are based more on my emotions..and that can suck..or that can rock!

I not only get writer's block, I get player's block too. I am still trying to figure out those times, when I sit down at the keyboard and start tinkering around...come to this amazing place, actually playing something out of my skill range...only to lose it forever.

I do believe though, at those moments, passion fuses with the need to express your heart, which sets your creativity in an abandon mode of awareness of surroundings, abilities and *rules*.

 

[Manslick]

My creativity flows are based more on my emotions..and that can suck..or that can rock!

I not only get writer's block, I get player's block too. I am still trying to figure out those times, when I sit down at the keyboard and start tinkering around...come to this amazing place, actually playing something out of my skill range...only to lose it forever.

I do believe though, at those moments, passion fuses with the need to express your heart, which sets your creativity in an abandon mode of awareness of surroundings, abilities and *rules*.

Ever heard of the Steve Sax syndrome?
I had a similar thing happen to me once.
We did a Beatles song called Drive My Car.
It starts with a guitar lick that I covered.
We played it for years, count in, boom, lick - song.
Then one night I blew it bad, figured I lost my concentration and forgot about it.
Then it happened again and it was like the Steve Sax syndrome.
The band was WTF? I couldn’t explain it. Something I’d done like a robot was suddenly very difficult.
Then a feeling of panic would come when the song was called which made it worse.
With a lot of repetitious rehearsal, eventually the problem went away.

In case you don’t know, Steve Sax played second base for the Dodgers. In the 80s he went thru this weird phase where suddenly he couldn’t throw to first base. A routine a play as that for a professional baseball player suddenly became difficult. His problem came to be known as the Steve Sax syndrome.

 

[stefolof]

Here's a few other practical tips:

• Read books (novels) - I often find small phrases that I rearrange a bit and voilá, there's a new song idea.
• Listen to new music - doesn't have to be recent, just something you haven't heard before. It gets the brain going.
• Association games - when you have a concept, try to find as many words pertaining to that concept. It's more fun if you're a few people doing this.
• Humming - if you often write songs with a piano or guitar, try to just hum melodies. Sounds silly, but my experience is that melodies conceived this way get a very natural flow.

 

[tc4b]

KEEP WRITING ANYWAY. I mean, just plug ahead and make some music even if it sucks. Write a 12-bar blues about a zit on your ass. Whatever. Just don't stop writing. Works for me. Sitting around worrying about whether I can write a new song or not is a killer, guaranteed failure. Just pick up the guitar, then pen and pad, apply your ass to the piano bench, whatever. Just keep working.

 

[ez_willis]

KEEP WRITING ANYWAY.

yep. great advice.

 

[Mr Clean]

I suffered from writers block for years. Still suffering it now. I write music everyday. Lyrics I struggle with. It's not that I'm not confident with what I write and sing, just that I don't have the inspiration. I find it easier to write about myself in the 3rd person sense a lot of the time. I write about memories alot.

I never used to have this problem when I was younger and first started writing songs but if I tallied them all up, about 3 out a 1000 songs would be worthy of anything.

Nowadays I've found I cannot write a song at my computer. I used to type them all up as I wrote them but other things on the net take up my time and distract me. I prefer to go away to another room with a pen and paper and guitar or bass. I've wrote a lot of songs around basslines since I've joined a band on bass.

I like to have a theme/idea to start it and skit over chords from there. Make it up as you go along, sing any old bullshit looking for a melody. Then work from there. My last song started about a new band rising from the ashes of an old split up band, like a Pheonix rising from the ashes kinda thing. But I couldn't think of anything that rhymed with Pheonix so I added girl on the end and it became a whole new song!

Writing songs is not something that comes easy to everyone. It's hard bloody work and that's why a lot of people get paid a lot of money for it! I say stick with it. Get a theme, write down lots of things about that particular thing/girl/person/place/memory or whatever and then randomly sing over your chords or melody or whatever. There's no rules. That's the beauty of it! I love writing songs.

Check out my Pheonix Girl DEMO's HERE

 

[recordist87]

I've written about 100 songs since I was 14 and now am 28...I'm kinda in a dry period myself right now...but I still write things in a dry period...I never try to force a song...a wise man once said, "you have to breathe in before you can breathe out"...nothing like a little life experience to generate some fresh inspiration...

 

[Tremaine]

when i have the block, i set down the song for a while, and pay attention to whats going on in real life and how it relates to the concept of the song, after a month or song i usally got something to add, but i got a couple songs that i really like the concepts for, however i have been unable to complete for years, others i have ritten in a single session, these are usally simpler songs and im not worried about them being misinterpted.

for me the lyrics are very important, theres some bands out there that i really like musically, however when it comes to there lyrics i just cant respect them, so i dont listen to them much, or buy their albums.

dio sings "whatever happened to the rock and roll song, breaking your mind and making you strong..ger."

also i find it helps me if im in a confined space while i rite, like the back of my chev van, with the windows tinted <while its rotting in a feild>.

<i find small places also bring people closer together and force the to interact, which helps people bond>

Peace World
Tremaine

 

[maximusbs]

I wish the option "Keep writing" was in your poll. Write everyday no matter what it is or how good or bad it is. Keep paper and pencil handy and write thoughts down during your day. Record ideas/melodies/etc into your cellphone (most cellphones have a voice recorder function). Later, these little tidbits will give you inspiration or fill in voids in existing lyrics.

+1
My sentiments exactly!

 

[kidkage]

It's odd... I've noticed that the only time I can actually write is when I'm not trying/ needing to.
Like when I'm changing strings and come up with something on the 1 string left, or when a random melody just shows up (for some reason Ive never wrote melodies and lyrics separately they both show up at the same time randomly...well atleast the ones i like do ), or when i spontaneously pick up a guitar.

AND THEN I FORGET

but i always forget that, and try to make myself write and it doesnt go anywhere that im comfortable with... and then something will randomly show up at the right time

 

[Elyst]

This once happened to me while I was jamming with my friends. It sucked.

So cleared my head for a second. Grabbed a dictionary and took same random words and I came up with a song about beer lol.

 

[Depui]

I suggest that you search for inspiration, and try think about how the listener will react to your song.

Depui

 

[thunderstation]

when i have the block, i set down the song for a while, and pay attention to whats going on in real life and how it relates to the concept of the song, after a month or song i usally got something to add, but i got a couple songs that i really like the concepts for, however i have been unable to complete for years, others i have ritten in a single session, these are usally simpler songs and im not worried about them being misinterpted.

for me the lyrics are very important, theres some bands out there that i really like musically, however when it comes to there lyrics i just cant respect them, so i dont listen to them much, or buy their albums.

dio sings "whatever happened to the rock and roll song, breaking your mind and making you strong..ger."

also i find it helps me if im in a confined space while i rite, like the back of my chev van, with the windows tinted <while its rotting in a feild>.

<i find small places also bring people closer together and force the to interact, which helps people bond>

Peace World
Tremaine

I think this encapulates my feelings towards writers block. It addresses the fact that sometimes it takes month (s) to work out - but becoming more aware of your environment and seeing how it relates to things going on in your head helps me find a thread. and i used to go to a local coffee shop, sit by a window with a book and see what happens.

 

[Elyst]

Inspiration for lyrics is totally random and unexpected. Yesterday I was all stressed up because of a physics test I had today and just out of nowhere I grab my pen an start writing some lyrics.

Today, that I'm more "relaxed", I got absolutely no inspiration, don't even feel like listening to any music...
what will I do about it you ask? Nothing... I got other tests to study for so I'll get on with it.

Still if I make a little effort I might write some lyrics for smth...

there I sit in a little chair
Doing nothing playing with my hair
when suddenly I say
That the world seems a bit more grey

and OH! does it seem more sad
Oh I can't, it drives me mad
OH! I can't see
this can't possibly be...
true......

In a time
where people don't stop
or rest
I don't have time to sit down
its a constant test.
I don't have time to play around
gotta keep trying to be the best
I don't have to be myself (ohayyyyyyyy)

and OH! does the world seem more sad
Oh I can't, it drives me mad
OH! I can't see
this can't possibly be...
true......

lalalalalalalalalalalalalalalaaaaa....
ohayyyyyyy

(instrument solo and ending...)

well I take back the lack of inspiration bit... if I just give myself into it, think of a song in my head and the lyrics come together, just need to be fast enough to write them down lol...

not saying thats a good lyrics... but if you wanna use it, just don't forget to let me listen to it. (but I bet you're not gonna use that anyway...)

 

[lassoharp]

IME the really good songs find their way to you. Your job is to then stay out of the way and let them happen. Hardly ever feels like a conscious decision when they happen. When they don't happen - just walk away. Might be years in between. Never been able to force one out.

As for the other type songs - 'songcraft' songs - Tin Pan Alley stuff - like you hear all over the radio most of the time. That can be learned. Simple rearrangements and formulas if you will. It's a studied conscious craft. Often lacks the element of surprise. Predictable.

One deals with the known and one deals with the unknown. How to open those gates? Ask for it in ritual - like a prayer. Be clear and sincere. It will eventually come.