[ryan462]

I really think the answer is different for everybody and what works for one might not work for you. I've seen a few people say that writing lyrics takes practice .. and man that is the truth. Not so much the lyrics you end up with, but how you end up with them.

I always felt music had to come first. Unfortunately, the music would then shape my lyrics and vocal melody in a pretty boring, root note type of way. Then there was the urge to make words rhyme all the time. Just ends up sounding cheesy.

Now I just write down ideas. I think somebody else mentioned having a notebook with them at all times (another thing that might work for some, and not others) and just jot down ideas, and that works for me. Don't expect to put your pencil to paper and get a final draft right away. Just get the ideas out and you can massage them later to fit your song or mood.

If I've already got some music I'm working with for a particular idea, I turn to the piano to come up with a vocal melody for the song .. and to do that I simply just tinker around some notes until I find something SIMPLE that sits well. Start singing that melody with some of the lyrics you've written. (If you're like me .. you'll want to provide ear plugs for family and pets) As you move through it .. you can edit your lyrics to make a better fit, remember .. less is more. I've had so many singers try and fit 500 words in a verse and it just sounds like ass. You can always say the same thing with less words, just need to think about it.

The bulk of it is to not restrict yourself. Don't put a filter on when you're writing lyrics. Just write .. write ... write .. write .. write. You can change it up later .. but thinking about it too much can ruin your natural flow.

good luck!