Song writing - like any other creative process - will always differ from person to person. Here’s the process I use to write my songs, written in a formula that hopefully allows you to apply it to your next creation!

It all starts with an idea.

As a vocalist, my songs usually start with the lyrics. For me, that’s always been the heart of the song - what makes it intriguing. For others, the idea might be a melodic fragment (a sick guitar riff) or even just a topic. Write whatever interests you. If you’re starting vague, try to narrow it down. For my song “I Want You To Know,” I didn’t set out to write a love song. I was determined to write a song about the fear that the person you’re falling for might walk away before you get the chance to tell them how you feel. Humans are storytellers - and we crave stories in return! Once you’ve nailed down what’s at the core of your song, there are endless possibilities ahead for you to explore.

Trust your gut.

This is your song - you know what it takes to make it work. If it’s an exhilarating rush through a one-sided conversation, you might decide it doesn’t need a guitar solo. If it’s a calm lullaby, you might decide that the chorus should be the same line repeated four times. Sometimes the song tells you what it needs. Go with what feels best, and remember that nothing is set in stone; you can always go back and edit later.

If it ’ s not stuck in your head, it won ’ t be stuck in anyone ’ s else.

One of the biggest struggles I have is trying to figure out if the song that I’m working on is catchy. While this might not be essential for you in your project, I always try to have a hook to worm it’s way into listener’s ears so that they’ll want to listen again. One method I’ve found that works is to sleep on it. If you can’t remember your melody the next day, maybe it just wasn’t the right one.

It all ends with you finishing the idea.

I can’t even tell you how many half finished songs I have. So many. So, so many. And that’s okay! Sometimes you’ll find that whatever you’re working on just isn’t clicking. Don’t be afraid to set it aside and try it another day. That being said, if none of your ideas are coming to fruition it’s time to buckle down and see this thing through. Figure out what’s stopping you and continue on your way. Can’t find a lyric that flows smoothly? Cross out the last line you wrote and try again. The melody isn’t fitting right? Take a look at your chord structure and see what needs fixing. Remember how excited you were about what sparked the song in the first place. You owe it to yourself to complete it!

You will write more bad songs than good ones.

Maybe “bad” and “good” are too simple of terms, but there will definitely be songs you like more than others, and that’s okay. There are always more ideas to find and more songs to write. Just keep going.

Megan Anne is a singer, songwriter, ukulele-and-piano-playing human currently residing in Ontario, Canada. She is currently attending York University, working towards her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Music. https://soundcloud.com/meganannemusic/phoenix-megan-anne-studio-version

Megan's single "Stay Out All Night" is available on iTunes. She is currently working on her first EP, and is always looking to play in new places.

For more information visit: http://www.meganannemusic.com

For bookings/inquiries please contact:

meganabaillie@hotmail.com