Song Writing Prompts and Lyric Writing Exercises
There is no need to wait for inspiration to hit. Just start jotting words down on paper. If no words are coming to mind just pick a prompt and go from there. Have faith in the writing process. You greatly increase your chances of stumbling into a great lyric idea if you just write something—anything—.
Ok enough procrastinating. Grab a pen and go for it! Choose one of the lyric writing prompts below and get to work. With a bit of luck, these prompts will give you the jump-start you need to begin on a new song… as nothing feels better than hashing out a new song.
Exercises to Begin
Free write.
Take ten minutes to free write, then leave it for a few hours or a day. You can look over the raw material later and discover captivating ideas, exciting expressions, and rhyme pairs. You’ll at least spend some time getting words on paper, whether or not you write any lines you want to keep. There can be some benefit from just making a habit of filling pages even when it feels like you’re forcing yourself to do it.
Roll the Wiki Dice.
Try reading a random article. What’d you get? Challenge yourself to find some way to create a song out of it. This is a fun exercise for learning how to find the extraordinary out of anything.
Hunt for interesting titles and phrases. Newspaper headlines, blog posts, movies, books, magazines, and famous speeches are all great sources for a song title.
Another great way to learn from the masters and find inspiration is by reading classic literature, especially reading poetry.
Team up.
Make it a duet! Explore new relationships and new creative roles. Working with somebody else’s lyric ideas can help to supercharge your own lyrical stylings!
Song Writing & Core Lyric Prompts
⏱ 5 minutes
Whether you’ve got writer’s block or not, this is a fast-paced writing exercise that allows you to begin writing immediately.
⏱ 5 minutes
Draw your listener deep into the world of your lyrics by writing compelling descriptions that will stimulate their senses.
⏱ 30+ minutes.
Immerse yourself in the perfect mood for songwriting by using imagery and music together. Give yourself time to explore as we stretch out a bit more in this songwriting prompt.
Ready to Sing?
I hope you enjoyed this read and are ready to make some music! If you ever find yourself short for ideas, don’t lose hope. Attempt a few of my tips and see where they take you! As an aspiring songwriter, you should always be writing. Maybe you’ll use it later, even if only use a small part it’s worth it. You might be surprised at what will end up becoming your new favorite lyric.
Listen to my first song: No Good For You! I have more on the way and you can find them on my
YouTube channel so keep an eye on my blog and the Katrina Kusa Facebook page!
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