Dreadnought Acoustic

Dreadnought Acoustic

Songwriting Tips: Writing About The Creative Process

Documentation might seem like an unnecessary addition to songwriting, what is already a very work intensive and well thought out process. However, writing a journal about the songwriting process can be an effective way for beginners to figure out a number of things about their creative process and themselves as writers. Through writing about the process, a songwriter can figure out where they're going wrong, more easily chart stumbling blocks, and look back at their writing much more objectively.

The subject matter of the journal is entirely up to it's author, but I would still suggest some focus. That focus, which can include anything that serves as inspiration for musical and lyrical creation, can include books read, people talked to, dreams, or whatever else moves a person to write a song.

This journaling process can take place even when there isn't any songwriting going on at all. Documenting the blank pages of creativity can help a songwriter move past these mental or emotional blocks towards greater creative productivity. Meanwhile, writing creatively about an instrument, like a Takamine acoustic guitar, or a musical artist that has moved you can help further your skills as a creative writer.

You might even find that looking over the journal helps you find inspiration for a song at a later date. Even though the journal should stay focused on songwriting, a writer's life is just as important to his work as his or her creative process.

Electronic and physical writing mediums have different advantages and disadvantages. Buying a moleskine journal or something like it and scribbling down the thoughts of the day has the reward of being quicker and more accessible that it's blog counterpart. One doesn't have to sign into a notebook and pen, and so one can be more spontaneous. What this leads to is a better sense of immediate, unfiltered material about songwriting.

Through the latter option, an online songwriting journal does entail more set-up and less mobility, but it has several unique advantages. As an online tool, it allows you to share your thoughts with trusted readers or a community of musicians, who can comment on and assist with any problems that you might encounter along the way. Don't expect to make money blogging on this subject matter, though; it's mostly for your own good.

Whichever type of journal you choose, try to make regular entries and stay in the habit of logging updates, even if they're just about a Dreadnought acoustic guitar you played in a shop. Best of luck on the process and in your career(s) as a musician!