JPF Home Page Forums General Messages Songwriter Message Forum STOP! First: WRITE A GOOD SONG

Mike (Caro) - yes, everyone works differently, but it's certainly true that if you are always writing -- writing even mediocre "practice" stuff -- then when the inspiration hits your muscles are limber and strong, and the "good" idea has a better shot at being great.

Also, since you've been burrowing into various parts of your brain, you're more likely to make that little connection of word, phrase or idea, the one that elevates the song, than if you had let your mind go to other things waiting for lightning to strike.

I certainly don't always follow that advice myself, but I do know that forcing yourself to keep writing, even when the initial output is lame, can prime the pump.

And Mike (Dunbar) is right. You can get so lost in writing-related activities that you don't take the time to write.