Lots of people like to keep a diary or journal and normally like to keep whatever they write to themselves. I also like to record my thoughts and emotions in a notebook, but I share what I write with my friends, family and even crowds of strangers. When I started writing songs at age 13, I had no idea I would be offering up my diary to others for the next six years of my life. Songwriting has opened many opportunities, but the process is not easy by any means. Here's a few reasons why songwriting isn't as easy as people think, and maybe you'll start to rethink the processes behind your favorite songs.
Forgetting the melody or lyrics to what would've been my next hit song
Every now and then a genius melody or some clever lyrics will pop in my head at the most inconvenient times and I'm unable to record my thoughts. By the time I sit down with my guitar and search my brain for those ideas, they're nowhere to be found and I'm left with the sinking feeling of "what if that was the key to my break-through song?" Although it's unlikely that any of those lost ideas were bound to be hit songs, it's still upsetting to forget a song idea because there's always the lingering curiosity of what could've been made from it.
Listening to a song on the radio and internally crying because it's so much better than anything I've ever written
Accessing music has never been easier than it is today, and it's been great for discovering new artists and expanding musical horizons. For a songwriter, however, it can be difficult to invent a unique sound in the midst of so much music. Moreover, it's so easy for a songwriter like myself to get caught up in comparisons when listening to the music I love. Whenever I hear a great song, I die a little on the inside because hearing something with powerful lyrics or a stellar melody makes me think back to everything I've written and how it's nowhere near that level of greatness. As I've continued to write and discover what my sound is, I've become more content in what I'm writing and have realized that no two song will be the same, so comparisons are a waste of time. Every artists writes from their heart and for some that has taken them farther than they ever could have expected, so why should my situation be any different?
Sharing a song about someone who's in the room
Nothing says awkwardness like spilling out my heart about someone and they just so happen to be present in that moment. Sometimes I write my songs as an open letter to someone who I never got to tell how I really feel, but for some strange reason that doesn't necessarily mean I actually want to play the song for them. Performing a song about someone who's in the room means I'm internally stressing about whether or not they know it's about them or the moment I'm referencing, and that is probably one of the most embarrassing feelings in the world.
Writer's block
Any songwriter will tell you that there's nothing more frustrating than sitting down with your instrument and having absolutely nothing come to mind. I've gone through periods of weeks and even months when my mind was run dry of any musical inspiration, but even some of the world's greatest musicians have admit to going through writer's block. A big part of songwriting is patience; more often than not a good song is one that comes after multiple sessions of staring at a blank notebook.
Being asked who a song is about
This is always the hot question after I debut a new song, and it's the most sure way to put me in an uncomfortable position. Although I often don't mind sharing the story behind my music with my close family and friends, sometimes I want to keep the background of my songs confidential. That's one of the reasons I write music: to express all the emotions and stories but without exposing the names and events. People who don't write music sometimes forget that the process contains so much vulnerability and to play something I've written takes a lot of courage. Writing music is like keeping a diary and every time I perform a song I'm letting people read part of it. Of course I'm aware of the fact that I'm willingly exposing myself through music, but I'm a fan of the mystery in songwriting and letting people relate to what I write in their own ways.
