An email about writing lyrics

these things are what i do when i feel like i've run out of things to say lyrically. the main thing is, if i feel like i'll never write a song again, i immediately make myself write a song, to prove that i'm wrong.

i almost always write lyrics first, and always on paper and revise until they are nearly illegible before typing them into notepad for more revisions. the slowness of writing and ability to read cross-outs is helpful i think.

i write down little overheard words, turns of phrases, or things that pop into my head that sound lyrical, all the time when i'm not working on music. most of it is garbage, but sometimes there's a good seed of something. the beginning of circles is adapted from a poem i wrote when i was in college. i've been waiting to use that line for like, for-ev-er.:)

i've been trying to write things emily-style, by choosing a theme (like light for fireflies) and telling the story around that.

another thing is to take a song you love and listen to it while writing words in the same cadence. i think this helps more with music than lyrics but it's another trick to try and get things going.

loren gave me good advice once, too, which is to imagine yourself singing the words in front of people whose respect you crave, and see whether it makes you feel stupid.:) i do that as i go, and that's been very helpful advice for me.

i've been trying to care less about the words, lately. i mean, be less attached to them. sort of like coolly manipulating the song the way you'd chisel a statue, rather than being gentle the way you would touch a real person. in a way i think i've written the most honest song i ever wrote, by being sort of detached from sentiments i can barely stand owning, let alone fess up to (sigh&goodbye).

the last thing is that for every song i think is pretty ok, there are usually 5 terrible songs from the same "batch." those songs are never going to make it and i never try to force them to be better, just occasionally mine them for parts for new songs. i feel like i do better with the first edge of energy and the followthrough of that, rather than going back to unfinished/lame songs and trying to get reinspired about them.

that's about it. i don't know if any of that is useful. also i don't profess to be a good songwriter. but these things work for me.

i think you write excellent lyrics, also. just keep doing it.:) get on the northbound 6 or lock yourself in the laundry room with a notebook on the washing machine and stay there til you've got something.

Sara 19:42, 13 December 2006 (PST) (originally written to gabe 8/24/06)