Since posting my first musical endeavor here to theDIHEDRAL, I have continued trying to write more and more songs. It is fascinating to me how much songwriting has forced me to slow down and learn about myself and the way my brain thinks.
I believe that one of my greatest strengths (as well as weaknesses) is my ability to charge into a situation and just figure things out, no matter what it is. However, when it comes to songwriting, things aren’t that simple. There is no ‘right way’ to do things. You can’t force it.
Often, when writing a song; I end up sitting in the same spot for three hours, banging my head against a wall, trying to come up with something I deem original enough to put pen to paper. Other times, it all spills out in 15 minutes.
So, that frustration about not understanding my creative process has forced me to look inside myself. Why is it is easy to write a song at some times, and difficult at others?
For me, the main takeaway I have learned from songwriting is how important it is to slow down and understand yourself. Don’t ignore your own weaknesses, or your strengths. You can’t just white knuckle everything into existence.
In rock climbing, beginners often hold onto the wall as hard as possible. They trudge up inclines in static, rigid moves. In reality, the best climbers squeeze just hard enough to keep from slipping. They understand their own strengths, and the way their body reacts to different angles and hold shapes. This allows them to conserve energy, and ultimately climb in a more graceful, effective manner.
So, big takeaways?
For me, it’s that you cannot give to others what you do not know that you have. If you want to give something to this world, it’s best to understand yourself. It’s okay to learn while you go, but make sure you are practicing some level of internal awareness. Don’t get so lost in learning the thing that you are doing that you forget to learn about the person doing it.
I’d love to share another song I wrote, if that’s alright. Hope you enjoy.
Lyrics:
Well that record needle fell
As she prayed in vain for
a colder day in hell
Desperately yearning
Immersed in the lax subversion
Of meaninglessness
And aging guitar licks
So take it to the sky
Those faded lines and pastel lies
Baby can’t you see
We’re calling this all that it can be
Oh, don’t you see
A painted smile’s a vacant belief
Like these falling leaves
So beautiful, but dead to me
Oh don’t you know
There’s not much left up the road
And only one way to go
Thanks for reading/listening!

This is awesome – I can definitely identify with the temptation to sit down and plow through the thing rather than letting myself be still and “be” in the creative process. It’s a scary and vulnerable place to be, which is why so many of us tend to avoid it, I suppose. Thank you for putting yourself out there and sharing your music! 🙂
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@adventurewithkatie82 I couldn’t agree more. Sitting in uncomfortable space is difficult for so many, especially when the words aren’t flowing.
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Nice song; I enjoyed it. And I agree on the internal awareness. Wise words!
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I write and make art. Through the years I’ve learned that you can’t force inspiration. When I hit empty I do something mindless like washing dishes or going for a walk. It’s amazing what can manifest when you let go and quit trying so hard. Nice song. Keep it up!
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“If you want to give something to this world, it’s best to understand yourself.” Am old. Can verify validity of statement.
Nice tune. I imagined you sitting in a kitchen with a cup of coffee writing it last fall.
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Yep, I agree with Alanna. If the song’s not writing itself, leave it for a while and come back to it later. What’s that saying “If you love something, let it go. If it comes back to you, its yours forever. If it doesn’t, then it was never meant to be.” Song writing is a lot like that.
Then again, sometimes the words come so fast the song pretty-much writes itself! Crazy thing writing songs, those that do it for a living hold the true secrets. The rest of us have to wait and hope — for Inspiration!
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