If you took a hiatus from songwriting over the past few years, consider this your call to get back to it!

As we get back on the horse and get live music moving again in 2022, the time is perfect to put everything you've learned into lyrics and songs. As we shift gears out of full coast mode, our brains may need a little exiting the hibernation period of the Covid-economy.

So, here is a big ol' list to help you get the ball rolling because I can only do so much.

*Fuzzy static plays softly in the background of my mind.

1. Listen to a song once and then rewrite the lyrics from memory.
2. Write the verses of a song like a question and a chorus like it’s the answer to the question.
3. Write a poem or convert one you love into lyrics.
4. Try writing to a drum loop or instrument you don’t normally use.
5. Write some one-liners and play word jumble to assemble the lyrics.
6. Pull a Tom Waits and listen to five radios at once to notice any interesting melody and lyric overlaps. His aleatory storm of an album Swordfishtrombones seems like less of an enigma now.
7. Go next level Tom Waits with cross-platform immersion by listening to the radio while checking TikTok, reading a news column, playing a record and watching a movie, etc etc etc.
8. Collaborate with a songwriting mate or a rookie for some fresh perspective.
9. Pick the most annoying song you know and attempt to trainwreck those lyrics even more.
10. Let google suggestions finish your sentence.
11. Take a shower because running water helps you relax, daydream, and spark creativity. There’s even a waterproof notepad called AquaNotes - in case you have any big ideas to get down while you're in there.
12. Take out all your random ideas notebooks and read through them.
13. Add your own verse into songs you love.
14. Wait out the storm. The ideas will come when they're good and ready. Probably at the most inconvenient time for you.
15. Write the title of the song, then build the lyrics.
16. Use some Joni Mitchell clarity and write about your past emotional pains - after you reached that moment of clarity, so you don't sound like a whiner.
17. Use a short melody generator or create a sample and then give yourself one minute to write corresponding lyrics.
18. Neil Young says he always has inspiration for lyrics because he never runs out of opinions. Write down your opinions about world issues and news articles.
19. Write a letter to someone you admire or hate.
20. Write for a different music genre.

If you’re breaking ground on your post-Covid comeback, then keep us in the loop. We’re fangirls for any musicians staying motivated and getting out there right now. There’s light at the end of the tunnel and hopefully, we can get back to some live music soon, where the real inspiration lies!