You sit down at the keyboard , pen in hand, fresh notebook paper in front of you, ready to write your next big hit. Your goal is to write not just a song but a lyrical masterpiece. You have your idea for the song and plenty of inspiration but putting it on paper seems more difficult than you thought it would be.
Throughout history there have been many songwriters across all genres that have made this part of the songwriting process look extremely easy. Some names that quickly come to mind are Bob Dylan, John Lennon, John Prine, Hank Williams. These artists and many others like them not only wrote great songs but could be classified as lyrical geniuses. They had a gift for painting a picture or telling a story through the lyrics of their songs.
Unfortunately, we are not all blessed with lyrical superpowers, but that is ok. We all have our strengths and weaknesses and as long as we can identify those in our songwriting we can be successful. Just because you may struggle with that part of the songwriting process now, does not mean that you can’t get better. We have put together a list of books that are great resources for writing great lyrics. It does not matter if you are a beginner or a highly seasoned songwriter, these books can definitely be helpful in your career.
1.
This book is one that every serious songwriter should have in their collection. Writing Better Lyrics has been a staple for songwriters for two decades and for good reason. This book is 300 plus pages packed full of effective tools that will help any level songwriter. It provides information for everything from generating new song ideas to understanding the form and function of a song. This time-tested classic covers the basics in addition to more advanced techniques. There is no secret why Writing Better Lyrics is ranked a #1 seller.
2.
Infuse your lyrics with sensory detail! Writing great song lyrics requires practice and discipline. Songwriting Without Boundaries will help you commit to routine practice through fun writing exercises. This unique collection of more than 150 sense-bound prompts helps you develop the skills you need to: -tap into your senses and inject your writing with vivid details -effectively use metaphor and comparative language -add rhythm to your writing and manage phrasing
Songwriters, as well as writers of other genres, will benefit from this collection of sensory writing challenges. Divided into four sections, Songwriting Without Boundaries features four different fourteen-day challenges with timed writing exercises, along with examples from other songwriters, poets, and prose writers.
3.
Here are 126 Shortcuts that will take your songs from good to great! Discover the melody and lyric writing techniques of today's top songwriters and learn how you can use the very same secrets to give your songs the power and edge that will make listeners want to hear them over and over again. You'll learn... 38 proven strategies for creating powerful, unforgettable lyrics, 30 simple ways to make your melody fresh, exciting, and memorable, how to use hit songs as "ghost songs" to get quick results. Plus, there are 58 more Shortcuts to help you lay the groundwork, pick the perfect structure, and choose the chords that will give your songs even more hit potential. And there are more than 100 "Do It Now" exercises to get you started right away!
4.
From the author of the bestselling book The Art of Songwriting comes The 30-Day Lyric Writing Challenge: a thirty-day bootcamp expertly designed to take your lyric writing skills to the next level - in only ten minutes per day.
You’ll practice finding rhymes under pressure. You’ll practice writing phrases that sound effortless and conversational. You’ll practice opening up to connect more deeply with your audience.
But most of all: unlike the usual songwriting drills and exercises these challenges aren’t about colouring in between the lines. They’re about drawing the lines - practicing the real-life skills every lyricist has to master to craft bold and meaningful lyrics.
Are you a beginner songwriter looking to practice specific lyric writing techniques? Or a more experienced writer who wants to improve your skills for good?
and get ready to write smarter, faster and more confidently than you ever have before.
5.
What’s the secret to writing a hit song? It’s as simple as 1-2-3-4-5-6! Innovative, practical, and inspiring, Six Steps to Songwriting Success presents a surefire step-by-step approach to mastering the elements consistently found in hit songs. Author Jason Blume, a songwriter with the rare distinction of having had songs on the Country, Pop, and R&B charts simultaneously, has packed this book with such key aids as the three-step lyric writing technique used by the pros; lyric, melody, and demo checklists; and tools for self-evaluation–plus many other exercises that work. Blume’s warm, humorous style features motivational anecdotes and entertaining stories of how hit songs came to be written and recorded. Get Six Steps to Songwriting Success, and get on the charts!
Everyone is different when is comes to the techniques they use to come up with the perfect lyrics. What works for you may not necessarily work for everyone. No matter what technique or tricks you use I am confident that these 5 books on our list will have many things that anyone in the songwriting business will find useful.