Where I am at.
I’ve been on a lyric kick lately. I’ve always tried to add to my toolkit for lyrics. Most toolkits I use, I find relief in attrition. Lyrics, I use all the help I can get. Been building out my lyrical toolbox a long time. I’m still new at it after 30 years! But sharing things that help me, if you’d like.
Creative Writing is very much like songwriting to me. I do it just to do it. It was the only college class I was able to take I ever cared about. I pretty much still feel that way. It gives me something to do. That might not seem like a lot, but these days it’s everything.
Jumping jacks for the mind.
I’ve been turned on to the notion of “exercising the brain” since my early 20’s. Recently, in studying my own trauma, I learned that changing brain chemistry happens good or bad from things we experience. I willfully try to make those chemical changes for the good these days, since they’re going to happen anyway. I figure it’s my body, might as well help steer the ship.
Preferences are motivating factors for artists.
I’ve also noticed I don’t like most lyrics out there if I think on them for very long. I like lyrics that kept me coming back for more. Different vibes, even though the music may sound the same. I’m good for most songs initially. Love sound and vibe. But I only seem to return to tunes that show skill in lyrics or music. Not that they’re grad students. They’re just good at saying what they mean in song form.
It’s about back and forth, these days.
And that’s the crux of my lyrical philosophy at the moment. I’m not seeking just anyone with music. I have to be different. I’m seeking those folks out there who enjoy a conversational quality in music. I’m no longer a servant in this stuff. I’m a guy with some good friends who could always use more. I want to let you come to conclusions. I’ll give enough for you to get there. But not much more. Participate. Conversation. No servants anymore. Just buddies.
If you want to get to know each other, I need to be knowable.
I’ve tried appealing to everyone, but I find gratification lately in appealing to myself. Socially, it’s helped me in the “quantity vs quality” aspect. I’ve taken time to learn things just to have something to sing about. Huge for me. Intent.
But in a time crunch…
All that said, sometimes I have nothing in the tank but need to make headway on lyrics. That’s why I’m glad for creative writing exercises. 2025 I was able to meet a few deadlines and help happy musicians with just words. I hope for more of that. It makes me very happy to contribute in that way. It might take me a minute. But it absorbs me. If you want words, lemme’ know: [email protected]. I will enjoy thinking about your project and finding the right words. Thanks.🙏
Letters by Brian Jin.
I like this band from St Louis called Brian Jin. They called me up for this one. Fun folks to work with and talk to. Met them. Recorded them live before. This was mostly a mix job and I like Keri’s harmonies too. I am down for whatever. I shared this one for obvious reasons.. please read on.
My main squeeze.
The first exercise that I’ve enjoyed since high school in Arkansas boarding school is writing letters. I don’t mail them. But I gravitate towards conversational writing as a way of expressing myself or simply thinking things over. It’s like playing dolls, but with words. So I often write a letter to someone from my past, could be alive or dead. Again, not sending it, so what’s the difference? I plan for long letters. Takes time. This isn’t a quick way. But it is an easy way, for me.
I include stories or memories. I talk about food, music, smells if I want. I might get emotional or keep it light. Open to how it goes. I’ve got nothing starting out so I don’t feel like I’m in charge here. Just the words. Along for the ride.
What happens is 1-2 thousand words or so that I can mine for lyrical ideas. Maybe even a plot or memory I wish to convey shows up. Certainly a turn of phrase or two I like is bound to happen. Some nice lines. I’m off to the races with just that letter. Been doing it a long time. Still works great.
What’s in a metaphor?
Lately, I’ve been brainstorming metaphors I made or just ones I like. After that, I try to make a reader think of the metaphor. I want them to consider its meaning without using any of the words in it. Lyrics seem to happen. This is a way of “cheating” intent for me. My intent becomes making you arrive at the same thought but with different words. I think this is important. Even that intent is much better than no intent at all. This is still new to me. However, it is fast. It is also more instantly gratifying than the long letters and circling phrases I like.
Mountains out of molehills.
I often try to make 3 minutes out of 30 seconds. Sometimes 30 seconds has years of impact. It is worth a few minutes. I can get lost on noticing things about my face in the mirror. One time I won a local contest simply writing about trying on my marching band uniform. I try to forget time, think about impact. I find lyrics in that zone often. I’ve also done this one a long time. The best approach is to start without searching for meaning in a small act. For me, I just write about the small act and meaning happens. Once I know what I am writing about, off to the races again.
There’s gonna’ be some crap. But remember, your preferences make you, not your brainstorming.
I have not found a way to conjure only the words I want and no other words. It very much feels like practice then stumbling on thoughts or words I like. I’m fine with that. If writing feels like “work” to me at all, I am doing it wrong anyway and just play guitar. I am very fortunate to work both together, if not always at the same time. But I did want to mention how gratifying it is to play guitar. I enjoy squeaking out the sounds and tones I want. I find words that match them as closely as possible. I try to find a bunch. Then I use them as a bank. This helps to build that phrase in a song. The song not only makes sense, it sounds right. Even this way, I am writing down more words than I use. I think that’s key for how I write. I sure can’t speak for everyone. But that seems integral across all ways I know whether committing to one or combining a few. There’s going to be words.
Lyrics with friends.
Keri and I write together. This is a joyful act of friendship to me. It is even an act of defiance to some extent with the way I see life. She has brilliant things she does naturally like asking herself or me questions that pertain to the story happening. She’s extremely good at asking good questions. The older I get, the more I recognize this as a talent. Keri has a mind for lyrics, so I can’t possibly know everything that goes on in there. When we write together, her toolkit brings cohesion to all the words. It achieves what I overlook or don’t think about. The impact is immeasurable. After you hear the first verse, the last verse hits differently than it would by itself. Her ability in that regard is much like the Dude from The Big Lebowksi and the rug.. it ties the room together. I’m probably Wu.
Good luck. Writers write.
I hope folks struggling to think of lyrics find what they need to put words down. We need good lyrics. It’s a frightful time. There’s leadership in the right words. Comfort. Resolve. That’s all good stuff to give away. It is free, has impact, and you often get something in return.
return to home.
I love this video not just because she makes me feel cool about my methods I already use. Something about watching it slips me into a better lyrical mindset than I’d be in without it. It’s like a warm-up. After the 15 minutes is up, boom. Ready to write lyrics.