Continuing our series of tips for writing quickly.
Nothing slows down the creative process like self-doubt and internal criticism. If doubts and critical thoughts insist on intruding while you're trying to write, just temporarily set them aside.
If it helps, take a sheet of paper, and write at the top "Questions to think about on March 1" (or pick another appropriate date). Keep this paper physically nearby, but at the outside edge of your creative workspace. When a doubt pops into your head, take the time to write it down on the sheet of paper. And then set it aside and get back to writing.
These thoughts don't mean to be destructive. They have an appropriate role and place in your life, but their appropriate place is outside of your creative work.
Saturday, February 11, 2012
Friday, February 10, 2012
Tip #10: Repetition, repetition, repetition
Continuing our series of tips for writing quickly.
What's the secret of writing catchy songs?
Repetition!
What makes a song easier for listeners to hear?
Repetition!
What makes a song quicker to write?
That's right — the answer is repetition!
Don't struggle to invent extra material just to fill up your song. Say what you need to say, and then find the best way to spread out that material over the space of the song. Look for ways to repeat and reuse words, phrases, riffs, chord lines, and hooks.
What's the secret of writing catchy songs?
Repetition!
What makes a song easier for listeners to hear?
Repetition!
What makes a song quicker to write?
That's right — the answer is repetition!
Don't struggle to invent extra material just to fill up your song. Say what you need to say, and then find the best way to spread out that material over the space of the song. Look for ways to repeat and reuse words, phrases, riffs, chord lines, and hooks.
Thursday, February 9, 2012
Tip #9: Collaborate
Continuing our series of tips for writing quickly.
If you're racing to meet this year's FAWM challenge (writing 14-1/2 songs by February 29), the single easiest way to get there faster is to collaborate with other writers. If two or three of you work together on a song, that song provides each of you a full credit towards your FAWM quota.
It's so much faster, it might even feel like cheating. But it's not cheating; it's a way of getting the job done.
In a real-world situation where you have a recording session scheduled and you need to write an album's worth of songs quickly, pulling in collaborators is the rational thing to do. No one will deduct any points if you're not the sole songwriter on your album — but they sure will hold it against you if you give them an album of songs that aren't up to snuff.
Of course, collaboration has other advantages besides getting work done faster. You also get the unique results of two creative minds working together.
If you're racing to meet this year's FAWM challenge (writing 14-1/2 songs by February 29), the single easiest way to get there faster is to collaborate with other writers. If two or three of you work together on a song, that song provides each of you a full credit towards your FAWM quota.
It's so much faster, it might even feel like cheating. But it's not cheating; it's a way of getting the job done.
In a real-world situation where you have a recording session scheduled and you need to write an album's worth of songs quickly, pulling in collaborators is the rational thing to do. No one will deduct any points if you're not the sole songwriter on your album — but they sure will hold it against you if you give them an album of songs that aren't up to snuff.
Of course, collaboration has other advantages besides getting work done faster. You also get the unique results of two creative minds working together.
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Tip #8: Beat the clock
Continuing our series of tips for writing quickly.
An athlete finds every possible way to squeeze fractions of a second out of the sprint from point A to point B. An extra tenth of a second could easily be the margin of victory.
Ordinarily, songwriting has no deadlines, and as a result it's often a lazy and sluggish event. But you can bring some of the athlete's competitive spirit into your songwriting. Work with a stopwatch, an hourglass, or a timer, and decide that you're going to beat the clock. Can you write 4 lines of lyrics in 3 minutes? You make up your own challenge, and then start the clock.
If you challenge your limits, you'll not only write faster, but you'll also bring more muscular energy into your songs.
An athlete finds every possible way to squeeze fractions of a second out of the sprint from point A to point B. An extra tenth of a second could easily be the margin of victory.
Ordinarily, songwriting has no deadlines, and as a result it's often a lazy and sluggish event. But you can bring some of the athlete's competitive spirit into your songwriting. Work with a stopwatch, an hourglass, or a timer, and decide that you're going to beat the clock. Can you write 4 lines of lyrics in 3 minutes? You make up your own challenge, and then start the clock.
If you challenge your limits, you'll not only write faster, but you'll also bring more muscular energy into your songs.
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
Tip #7: Write two or three songs in parallel
Continuing our series of tips for writing quickly.
If you're trying to write a whole pile of songs, you don't have to write them one at a time. Try writing two or three songs — ones that are similar in character or cover similar themes — at the same time. Leftover pieces from song #1 might find a perfect place in song #2, so you end up with fewer ideas thrown away.
If you're trying to write a whole pile of songs, you don't have to write them one at a time. Try writing two or three songs — ones that are similar in character or cover similar themes — at the same time. Leftover pieces from song #1 might find a perfect place in song #2, so you end up with fewer ideas thrown away.
Monday, February 6, 2012
Tip #6: Stand up! Sit down!
Continuing our series of tips for writing quickly.
To keep from getting bogged down in the writing process, change your physical position and location frequently — at least every half hour. Stand up, sit down, walk around. Work at a desk or table, then work with your instrument, then work at your computer.
Different locations, different postures, and different writing tools each lend themselves to different patterns of thought. By moving around and changing things up, you give more parts of your brain a chance to participate in the writing process.
To keep from getting bogged down in the writing process, change your physical position and location frequently — at least every half hour. Stand up, sit down, walk around. Work at a desk or table, then work with your instrument, then work at your computer.
Different locations, different postures, and different writing tools each lend themselves to different patterns of thought. By moving around and changing things up, you give more parts of your brain a chance to participate in the writing process.
Sunday, February 5, 2012
Tip #5: Follow an example
Continuing our series of tips for writing quickly.
Pick a good song that has the same tempo, length, and feel as the song you want to write. Then cut your example song into pieces, and replace each piece with an equivalent piece of your own creation. You'll end up with your own notes, lyrics, chords, and rhythms, in a song that's exactly the same shape as your example song.
How does the example song help if you write all new music and lyrics anyway? It helps by giving you a very precise to-do list, so none of your songwriting effort is wasted.
Pick a good song that has the same tempo, length, and feel as the song you want to write. Then cut your example song into pieces, and replace each piece with an equivalent piece of your own creation. You'll end up with your own notes, lyrics, chords, and rhythms, in a song that's exactly the same shape as your example song.
How does the example song help if you write all new music and lyrics anyway? It helps by giving you a very precise to-do list, so none of your songwriting effort is wasted.
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