The 10 Songwriting Commandments

songwritingguide:

1. Give yourself time.

Enough to finish a song. As little as you
can do it in, if you have trouble finishing things. Or as much as you
can spare, if you are on a roll.
(read more: https://songwritingguide.tumblr.com/post/149280180666/time-space-and-energy)

2. Give yourself space

Physical
space; a room where you won’t be disturbed, where everything you need
is at hand. Where you feel comfortable. And mental space; turn on
airplane mode, forget about your troubles. If you can’t, you won’t be
able to write. That’s fine, but get help if this lasts too long.
(read more: https://songwritingguide.tumblr.com/post/149280180666/time-space-and-energy)

3. Give yourself energy

Eat, drink, pee, exercise regularly, all the good stuff.
(read more: https://songwritingguide.tumblr.com/post/149280180666/time-space-and-energy)

4. Set a reasonable goal

Your
goal is to finish a song. Not a great one or even a good one. Just a
song. It’s easy. Like A B C, 1 2 3. Just some chords and a lyric. You
know you can do it.

5. Get inspired and set limitations

Two
sides of the same coin. Limitations inspire. Give yourself assignments.
Get them from other songwriters. Limit your options as much as you can.
(read more: https://songwritingguide.tumblr.com/tagged/inspiration)

6. Expect to suck.

You
are not in charge of your quality. Only your quantity. At least 10% of
what you make will be pretty terrible. You have to create that 90% to
get to the good stuff. Toughen up your ego and learn to love writing the
crap. How? See point 5.

7. Expect to be unoriginal.

You are not in charge of whether or not you are original. You just are.
(read more: https://songwritingguide.tumblr.com/post/149282655296/originality-and-innovation)

8. Put the critic in the corner.

Your critic is your friend. Put them in the corner during creation, let them out to play during evaluation and reworking.
(read more: https://songwritingguide.tumblr.com/post/149281046456/self-criticism)

9. Finish it. FINISH IT.

Two verses and a chorus. Do it.
(read more: https://songwritingguide.tumblr.com/post/149282759971/finish-your-work)

10. Just f-cking do it.

Motivation
comes from creation, not the other way around. You will usually not be
in the mood to write. Do it anyway. Just create. Again and again. Good
work will come.

More good stuff over at http://songwritingguide.tumblr.com

This one is a real motivator and must-have for your songbooks!