Avoid These 5 Mistakes Writing Song Lyrics Songwriting Basics

Song lyrics tell stories or pass relevant information to the public. Most people find it challenging to come up with original lyrics even though they have great song ideas. This is because one has to create a song from scratch. For a song to stick with the audience, it ought to be unique, and catchy. Most times, musicians have the talent and time, but they end up making mistakes that cost them their careers. Today you will learn how to avoid common mistakes writing song lyrics.

Common Mistakes Writing Song Lyrics that You Should Avoid

Have you ever written lyrics but no matter how many times you edited it never felt right? You might be making the following mistakes.

1. You Don’t Observe Rhyming

There is no doubt that rhyming is an essential element of a song; however, too much can make your lyrics seem childish. When you listen to your favorite or the most popular songs of all time, you will notice that rhyming is used moderately and the message of the song is clear. To ensure that your lyrics are captivating, you can rhyme three words but refrain from doing so in the next few lines. Rhyming is used to direct the attention of listeners to certain words contrary to how many people use this strategy to have rhyming words without portraying any message.

Combining your talent and subtle rhyming will enable you to come up with impressive lyrics.

2. Going Overboard With Ideas

The objectives of the lyrics are to describe a story or convey information. Focusing on a single idea helps you to tell a clear story from verse to verse. Most people mess their lyrics by trying to include many ideas in a song. The lyrics become irrelevant because they no longer tell a story they are just words. Songs with many ideas are forgotten easily because the audiences cannot connect all the ideas. For instance, you cannot write lyrics about a war hero and try to squeeze other concepts such as making money and expect the song to make sense. Songs take a maximum of 5 minutes trying to tell different stories in a short period end up chaotic. Writing lyrics is art, and all art tell a story.

3. Too Predictable and Clichés

Since you want to write a memorable song, refrain from being too predictable. Try to be original because if the audience can anticipate what the next words are, they won’t be impressed. You also avoid using clichés because people are familiar with them and other musicians have already used them.

Although you might not find a lot of ideas to write about, you can still come up with impressive lyrics by taking the existing themes and explain their meaning the way others don’t. This will set your lyrics apart because where others lack originality; your songs will be flowing with new ideas. Sometimes, you might find it challenging to keep editing the same lyrics without positive results. Consulting an essay writing service can assist you to come up with ideas through extensive research. We all need help sometimes.

4. Unclear or Lack of a Hook

What makes you like your favorite song? It’s the hook. This is the component that helps people to remember a song after hearing it a few times. A clear hook makes the song memorable whether lyrical or melodic. Even if a song has valuable information, people won’t listen to it unless they are hooked. Sometimes we sing songs in other languages without knowing their meaning; this shows the power of having a hook in your lyrics.

You can place the hook anywhere in the lyrics, but the preferred spot is the chorus in the first few lines or at the end. A hook should be simple, catchy, and lyrical so that the audience can recite effortlessly.

5. Lyrics are Disingenuous

Some songs sound as if they were written for the sake of making money and being famous. Lyrics should tell a story that is relatable or provides applicable solutions for different circumstances. Incorporating the latest trends in your lyrics will increase the popularity of your songs; however, making them disingenuous will make your popularity short-lived.

Trying to write lyrics out of your area of specialty will portray you as being untrustworthy. The listeners will not be attracted to your song if they sense ingenuity. For instance, if you have always written inspirational lyrics don’t pretend to be a romantic. Regardless of what you write, the theme must be a reflection of who you are for the song to sound genuine.

Mistakes Writing Song Lyrics Conclusion

The most exciting part of a musician is coming up with lyrics where you express your ideas and views about particular aspects of society. To come up with memorable lyrics, remember to present a single thought in a song and embrace authenticity.

What challenges have you faced while writing lyrics? Please share your experiences with us.