5 Tips for Getting Out of a Songwriting Slump

It happens to everyone. One minute you're writing some of your best songs, and the next you can't remember the last time you wrote a song you even liked. Songwriting slumps are part of life for artists, but they don't have to last long. Here are 5 tips for getting out one:

1. Step out of your comfort zone

Sometimes the reason no good material is coming to you is because you feel like you have nothing left in your life to write about. The simple solution to this is: Go out and do something you can write about!

2. People watch

While the previous tip is important, there is somewhat of a limit on how often you can use it. As exciting as we like to think our lives are, there’s always an experience or a perspective we simply don’t have. By going out and looking at all the people around you, you create an opportunity to think about a life other than your own, and can imagine a new scenario to write about.

3. Move on

Many times we write songs that we sort of like, but don’t LOVE. Naturally, we feel an attachment to this song, and feel the need to go back and continue reworking it until we love it. Unfortunately, most of the time, the song will never reach that point, and by forcing ourselves to keep working on it, we further frustrate ourselves and waste our creative energy. Move on to a new song, and maybe revisit this one after a couple months.

4. Journal

Sometimes we know what we want to write about, we just can’t find the right lyrics. By writing out everything you’re thinking and want to say, you can get out of your head and you can have a reference point for your songwriting sessions.

5. Stop being so hard on yourself

We are often our own worst critic, and this can make us unintentionally censor ourselves. Maybe you aren’t actually in a songwriting slump, you’re just judging your work too harshly. Write a song without trying to make it good; just write whatever comes to mind, and see where it takes you.