Defeating Writer’s Block

[DISTORT6]

 

[László]

The hard part for me is lyrics. If I can hit upon the right idea, the words come right out. But trying to find that right idea can be very daunting.

How do you guys get around this?

I suck at lyrics, everything sounds like an essay. But I have a friend who's a great lyricist, has had some things hit pretty big.

So I do what I do, which is write music, and I call on him to do his thing, namely, lyrics.

We don't have to be all things to all people. Being good at one thing isn't a bad way to go!

 

[JasonE]

Keep a small notepad handy , Inspiration hits at odd times .. jot down that moment .. even if just a one line thought ..
Same with the instrument side , if you are noodling around and come up with something .. HIT RECORD.

I like Mayer's perspective, for me Lyrics always just flow .. If I sit down to write it comes out , a lifetime as a poet helps.

Sonically , I'm blessed to be involved with live music 3 nights a week so there is constant inspiration, at home I'l just program a nice groove on my little Boss acoustic drum machine , grab an instrument ( guitar, bass, conga) and just play until I get tired. It's fun to see what comes out , keep the "tape rolling " you never know when some gem will pop up..

This hits real close to a conversation I was having with my wife last night, after a few ounces of Tequila. The closest I have had to real success is backward from how some people do it. It is the lyrics that come to me first. I have bits and pieces written down that need built out. I have years worth of it. Once I have a topic and some lyrics that leads me in the direction of what the music will be. I start to get a sense if it will be a rock song or a country song or something else. That seems to be how things want to flow for me. I have never tried my hand at writing poetry but song lyrics make sense to me.

As you said, inspiration comes at all times of the day and night. One place where I haven't really helped myself is not putting enough detail in my notes. I have a sticky note on my computer right now of 5 different songs that came to mind one day while goofing around in there. I had real good ideas at the time but I only wrote the titles down with the intent of building out later what was going on in my head. Enough time has passed now that I will have to get myself back in the flow on each of them to remember what I was thinking.

I seem to struggle more with the music part of it., which is interesting to me. I definitely know a lot more about music construction than I do writing lyrics. I think that is my struggle. I don't usually like what I have put together because I feel it i too simple. What I have to keep reminding myself is that it is a starting point. It can be changed after I start to assemble the song. Simple very well could be better and probably is. If the song needs more complexity to be more interesting to listen to that is when I can start swapping some things out for more complex progressions and such. The things I have been getting my head into lately is reminding me of this and I feel like it is moving me in the right direction. I feel like I am getting my hands around it better. I need to force myself to finish some things even if I think they are not great. That is my goal now.

 

[László]

Some great feedback already on the thread but did want to highlight one part here which is not to delete anything.

I know this is great advice for a lot of people, but it doesn't work for me. If I don't like something and want to develop it after a few hours, it heads to the trash. I need a clean sheet of paper, so to speak.

Here's what works for me:

Writing/creating music every day. I just sit down and do it. That's all there is to it. You find the work improving with lots of elbow grease. After a while it becomes less and less of a challenge.

"What's 'a while'?"

"I dunno. In my case, half a century or so."

 

[JasonE]

I know this is great advice for a lot of people, but it doesn't work for me. If I don't like something and want to develop it after a few hours, it heads to the trash. I need a clean sheet of paper, so to speak.

Here's what works for me:

Writing/creating music every day. I just sit down and do it. That's all there is to it. You find the work improving with lots of elbow grease. After a while it becomes less and less of a challenge.

I know deep in my soul that if I can get through this process a couple of times and figure out what works for me, the flood gates will open. I feel like I have been preparing for this step my whole life.

I have focused my playing so much on duplicating what I hear and I got good at learning those things. It feels silly that I have so much trouble creating something of my own after learning so many works of other people's art over the decades. I will say that I really never studied the songs. I just learned them. I would say that was something I should have focused on while learning them, a more in depth look.

 

[aphantomvaper]

These are all fantastic suggestions. Writers block does happen.

The most important thing is that I'm enjoying the music. If I write something and like it, there's a good chance someone else on the planet will enjoy it also. I'm not writing to make "hits" and if it made money then that makes more time for making music. Money is not the end goal.

 

[gush]

I was involved in a project recording tracks for a country band. Not a country guy but the project was cool regardless.

My problem became dealing with stuff they sent me that I didn't like.

The first batch of tunes were actually kind of cool but it became a cookie cutter 3 chord revolving door.

The last couple of songs that were sent to me were so freakin boring and uninspiring

I offered to help in building the material from the beginning to avoid the boring direction things were going. They thought that was cool but it never happened.

I haven't been asked to do tracks for a couple years now so it is what it is......

 

[László]

I know deep in my soul that if I can get through this process a couple of times and figure out what works for me, the flood gates will open.

They probably will, indeed.

I have focused my playing so much on duplicating what I hear and I got good at learning those things. It feels silly that I have so much trouble creating something of my own after learning so many works of other people's art over the decades.

All we truly perceive is the immediate instant, until the next instant comes along. We can't undo the past, and we don't have a clue about the future. So now's a good time to get going on something (not necessarily this now, maybe a now later).

I'll dial up a sound I like (which often changes) and start by laying down the first few notes of a melody. Could be two notes, could even be a single note.

Speaking only for myself, it's less effective to start with chords; I want the harmonic elements to work with the melodic lines. So I start with a melody and then see what chords work with it.

If I start with chords, I default to predictable patterns.

We're all different in working methods, so whatever works, works.

 

[Monahan]

Hey all--

This video just came up in my feed, and I instantly thought of this thread!

Adam Savage is one of the guys from the TV show Myth Busters. He now creates a bunch of YouTube content (among other things).

While the video is not about music, or writers block specifically, it is about overcoming creative blockages-- so it's transferable skills

Hope you find something useful, and enjoy!

 

[Mike J.]

Hey all--

This video just came up in my feed, and I instantly thought of this thread!

Adam Savage is one of the guys from the TV show Myth Busters. He now creates a bunch of YouTube content (among other things).

While the video is not about music, or writers block specifically, it is about overcoming creative blockages-- so it's transferable skills

Hope you find something useful, and enjoy!

Good stuff for sure!

I've been working on a new song all day and you know what? It's just not happening and that's okay. I think it's a nice idea and despite trying it all sorts of different ways I can't seem to find "it" so I'm gonna leave it alone. Just glad I did something today.

 

[DeltaBlues]

I like to think as writer's block as the default. expect it. assume it. Grind through. Be glad when the inspiration hits.

 

[DreamTheaterRules]

Interesting thought from John Mayer:

"Date Taylor Swift. She will write songs about you. Then you will write a song about her that replies to her song"

FIFY!

 

[Moondog Wily]

I make zero effort to defeat writers block and instead accept it as part of the development process. I HATE forced development. Whether it is writing lyrics, working out song parts, etc., if it is not coming to me, I am not going to wallow in frustration and try to force it out. I accept that it is not meant to be at the moment and move on to other activities, musical or other. One of the reasons that I did not choose to pursue a career in music (in my young teens I made this decision) was due to music being so important to me, that I never wanted to compromise my vision by trying to fit it into someone else's needs or demands. To me, that would kill the muses in my world and I would be left with robotically structured notes and words. I could write several songs every day and have even with my "inspiration only" method. I have also in the past tried forced writing, but decided that if it is not coming to me organically, I will wait until it does. I got a really good laugh about 5 years ago watching a Dave Chappelle stand up special. He says he has a fish bowl and he will get an idea for a punch line, write it on a piece of paper and throw it in a fish bowl. He will then come back and pull one out at sometime in the future and develop it. I do a very similar thing. Most songs I write flow the moment I think of them, but on occasion I will have a concept or a word or a phrase and I put them in my "fish bowl". Then weeks, months, years later, I will see it or remember it and the song flows out. Writers block can be frustrating, but there are always things you can be doing when the flow is not on go! And if it is constant and it never breaks, I would be searching in the other elements of my life that may be causing such a permanent blockage!!

 

[DeltaBlues]

I make zero effort to defeat writers block and instead accept it as part of the development process. I HATE forced development. Whether it is writing lyrics, working out song parts, etc., if it is not coming to me, I am not going to wallow in frustration and try to force it out. I accept that it is not meant to be at the moment and move on to other activities, musical or other. One of the reasons that I did not choose to pursue a career in music (in my young teens I made this decision) was due to music being so important to me, that I never wanted to compromise my vision by trying to fit it into someone else's needs or demands. To me, that would kill the muses in my world and I would be left with robotically structured notes and words. I could write several songs every day and have even with my "inspiration only" method. I have also in the past tried forced writing, but decided that if it is not coming to me organically, I will wait until it does. I got a really good laugh about 5 years ago watching a Dave Chappelle stand up special. He says he has a fish bowl and he will get an idea for a punch line, write it on a piece of paper and throw it in a fish bowl. He will then come back and pull one out at sometime in the future and develop it. I do a very similar thing. Most songs I write flow the moment I think of them, but on occasion I will have a concept or a word or a phrase and I put them in my "fish bowl". Then weeks, months, years later, I will see it or remember it and the song flows out. Writers block can be frustrating, but there are always things you can be doing when the flow is not on go! And if it is constant and it never breaks, I would be searching in the other elements of my life that may be causing such a permanent blockage!!

There's a lot of truth to what you are saying, but the muses do reward those who grind and bang their heads against the wall.....just not when they want it. Some of my biggest breakthroughs have come from dreadful sessions months before.

 

[Moondog Wily]

There's a lot of truth to what you are saying, but the muses do reward those who grind and bang their heads against the wall.....just not when they want it. Some of my biggest breakthroughs have come from dreadful sessions months before.

Very true! And when I was very young, I did bang my head against the wall daily in pursuit of learning to play a variety of instruments and was rewarded. I just enjoy the muses more these days (old man) when they aren't being pulled into my world kicking and screaming, but instead great me with song and smile ;~)) And there she is, I am going to write a song about muses greeting me with song and smiles, because after I typed that, it sent a lot of visions through my head that I think I could work into a song! Thanks for replying, without it, I would not have said something in my reply that sent a muse my way ;~)) Rock on DeltaBlues!

 

[Jimmy]

I like how Jeff Tweedy puts it: "Inspiration needs to be invited." Do the thing. Sometimes inspiration happens, sometimes it doesn't, but if you don't do the thing it won't be invited.

 

[JasonE]

There's a lot of truth to what you are saying, but the muses do reward those who grind and bang their heads against the wall.....just not when they want it. Some of my biggest breakthroughs have come from dreadful sessions months before.

That is encouraging to read. I am not even sure I have a muse. If I do, I haven't been able to connect with it well enough to know when it is with me. I am going to try to do some grinding. I have been preparing for it for a little while now. I have a process that I am trying to see if it generates some ideas and excitement.

 

[DeltaBlues]

That is encouraging to read. I am not even sure I have a muse. If I do, I haven't been able to connect with it well enough to know when it is with me. I am going to try to do some grinding. I have been preparing for it for a little while now. I have a process that I am trying to see if it generates some ideas and excitement.

Work on everything. Fundamentals (rhythmic, pitch, and harmonic accuracy), song writing, singing, everything that is a part of what you want to do and add some extra stuff. i.e. jam to a drum machine. One of the biggest levers I've found is reading poetry out loud; it works so many artistic muscles.

 

[JasonE]

Work on everything. Fundamentals (rhythmic, pitch, and harmonic accuracy), song writing, singing, everything that is a part of what you want to do and add some extra stuff. i.e. jam to a drum machine. One of the biggest levers I've found is reading poetry out loud; it works so many artistic muscles.

I have two roadblocks. The first one is not setting down to try to create something because I am not "feeling it" at the moment. The second one will happen once I start putting something together. I need to hold myself back from hating it and deleting it. I promised myself that I wouldn't delete things going forward, at least for a while. I want to try to make myself finish something before I make the final decision. I have enough mixing experience that I know you can't judge something based on a track or two. You have to build it out a bit before you really get a feel for where it is going. I may also decide to change it a bit or add something to it that would make it something I like.

 

[Froski]

I'll get a general theme or subject in my mind, then think about the vibe of what I'm trying to write. I'll write down a hodgepodge of ideas for it and then try to organize it when I come up with a melody. If I'm pondering it for a long time, I'll start to compose in my sleep (as long as I'm sober). Usually I convince myself that I'll remember it in the morning and not get up and write it down and of course I'll forget the idea by the morning.